Skynet

• Title — Skynet • Developer — Bethesda Softworks MediaTech West • Publisher — Bethesda Softworks • Director — Morten Mørup • Producer — Todd Howard • Designer — Todd Howard Morten Mørup John Pearson • Composer — Andy Warr • Engine — XnGine • Released — November 16, 1996 • Genre — First-person shooter • Modes — Single-player, multiplayer • Platforms — MS-DOS

Skynet is played in the first-person perspective. Each of the eight levels in the game require the player to solve a number of objectives before continuing to the next level, while fighting enemy terminators with a wide variety of guns and grenades. Another obstacle in each level is the harsh terrain, as many areas contain too much radiation for the player character to remain alive. The terrain is navigated in three ways, 'on foot', in a jeep with a mounted cannon, or in an HK fighter (a modified terminator robot that flies). Before each mission, the player is briefed via a full-motion video cutscene. Skynet features a deathmatch mode, which allows players to fight in a number of maps as either a human or a Terminator. Human players move quickly and silently, but are relatively fragile and can only carry lightweight weapons. Terminators, on the other hand, move slowly and make loud hydraulic noises when they walk, but are very resilient to damage and can carry heavy weapons. Players are able to change various options including time limits and the time of day.

Skynet was developed by Bethesda Softworks and MediaTech West and used Bethesda's XnGine. While the majority of the game uses textured polygons to display structures and enemies, many of the items, weapons, and level decorations are still shown using older sprite technology. The game went gold on November 11, 1996.