Info about Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening:

Official game description:
**IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A THRILLING ACTION-PLATFORM GAME AND HARNESS THE UNIQUE ABILITIES OF AN ICONIC ADVENTURER**
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Play as Cobra, the space pirate, in an action platformer. Along with Lady Armaroid, your loyal partner, and equipped with your iconic Psychogun, you must solve a mystery that could threaten the entire universe.  
Travel from planet to planet to save three enigmatic sisters, whose fate is tied up with a fabulous treasure sought by the dreaded Space Pirate Guild.  
You will need to shrewdly use Cobra’s weapons and gadgets to defeat your enemies and complete the levels filled with obstacles and traps, which won’t be an easy feat for our space rogue.  
Immerse yourself in this amazing space opera world as you embark on your adventure as a fearsome, charismatic hero. Over the course of this epic journey, you will cross paths with colorful characters like the Royal Sisters and the terrifying Crystal Bowie – Cobra’s nemesis.  
Visit a multitude of exotic planets across levels filled with traps testing your skills to the limit. With Cobra’s superhuman abilities, you will need to relentlessly run, jump and climb, and make sure you use all the means at your disposal to take out your enemies.  
Master Cobra’s iconic weapons, such as the awesome Psychogun and the Colt Python 77, to destroy the opponents on your heels, as well as his famous gadgets like the cigar and the grappling hook. You will need all of your arsenal to defeat the powerful bosses standing in your way.  
Explore story mode by choosing from the 3 difficulty levels, allowing veterans of the genre to take on a real test worthy of their skills,while those looking for less of a challenge to enjoy the story. You can also try to escape your enemies in a 2-player co-op mode.  
Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is the first video-game adaptation of Cobra on modern platforms. It covers the first 12 episodes of the famous anime series, remaining true to its spirit with the moments of bravery and humor that made it so special.

Release date: 26 Aug, 2025

Categories: Action Platformer, Single-player Story, Cooperative Multiplayer, Metroidvania, Shooting, Grappling Hook Gameplay


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Strong Aesthetic and Gameplay (weight 0.78): Players highly praise the game's aesthetic, graphics, and overall world-building, finding them original and entertaining. The core gameplay experience is also consistently highlighted as excellent and enjoyable.
- Evokes Nostalgia and Immersion (weight 0.51): The game successfully evokes a sense of nostalgia, especially for fans of the Cobra series. It also effectively immerses players in its unique world of space pirates and bounty hunters.
- Effective Dialogue and Story (weight 0.38): The conversational elements and writing are highlighted as a strong point, with some players suggesting they are worth the purchase alone.
- Authentic Cobra Experience (weight 0.34): Fans of the Cobra series appreciate how well the game captures the essence of the franchise, particularly the feeling of wielding the iconic Psycho Gun. This authenticity resonates strongly with players.
- Competent Metroidvania Design (weight 0.34): The game is recognized as a good example of a Metroidvania-style shooter, successfully reviving elements of the genre.
- Excellent Soundtrack (weight 0.07): The game's funky soundtrack is specifically called out as a positive and excellent aspect of the overall experience.
- Affordable Price Point (weight 0.07): Players consider the game's price to be affordable, adding to its appeal.
- Minor Bugs Not Game-Breaking (weight 0.06): While some bugs may exist, players report that they are not significant enough to negatively impact the overall gameplay experience.
- Decent Overall Finish (weight 0.05): Based on limited feedback, the game's overall polish and finish are considered to be satisfactory.

Common complaints:
- Poor and Uncustomizable Controls (weight 0.99): Players widely report that the game's controls are difficult, janky, and illogical, leading to frustration and a tedious experience. A significant issue is the lack of customization options for controller buttons and key configurations, particularly for the Psycho Gun, which exacerbates the control problems.
- Audio and Subtitle Inconsistencies (weight 0.45): There are multiple issues with the game's audio and subtitles. Japanese subtitles frequently do not match the audio, and dialogue can desynchronize with game progression. Additionally, some original soundtrack pieces do not loop correctly, leading to awkward silences or abrupt tonal shifts.
- Repetitive and Boring Level Design (weight 0.34): The game's levels are criticized for being overly long, repetitive, and lacking engaging content. Players found the stages to be filler-heavy and boring, with too many enemy types introduced too early, contributing to a monotonous experience.
- Game-Breaking Bugs (weight 0.27): A critical bug in Mission 8-1 prevents players from progressing, leading to a game-breaking experience. Other bugs include invisible enemies and issues for widescreen users, indicating a lack of polish.
- Psycho Gun Immune Enemies Appear Too Early (weight 0.24): Players are surprised and frustrated by the early introduction of shielded enemies that are immune to the Psycho Gun. This design choice is seen as undermining the core gameplay and the essence of the Cobra character, making the game feel less authentic.
- Low Production Quality (weight 0.19): The game exhibits several signs of low production quality, including pixelated movie clips, awkward character motions, and menu images that appear to be poorly cut and pasted. These issues contribute to a general feeling of cheapness.
- Unsatisfactory Music Usage (weight 0.15): The game's music is criticized for being too short, repetitive, and sometimes unpleasant. There are also complaints that the game does not use original songs and that music placement is often inappropriate, causing tonal whiplash.
- Disappointing Anime Content (weight 0.12): Players are disappointed by the cutting of desired anime scenes and feel that the included anime parts are poor imitations. This suggests a failure to meet expectations regarding the game's presentation of its source material.
- Lack of Respect for Original Content (weight 0.1): Some players feel that the developers do not respect the original source material, citing issues like the early appearance of Psycho Gun-immune enemies and the use of a specific font ('Sina font') for Kanji in the staff roll, which is perceived as insulting.
- Poor Value for Money (weight 0.06): Players feel the game is overpriced, even at a discounted price on Steam, and consider the Xbox price to be excessively high given the game's quality and flaws.

Gameplay feedback:
- Controller Aiming Issues (weight 0.56): A significant issue for controller users is the shared left joystick for movement and aiming, making simultaneous actions like jumping forward and shooting downwards impossible. An aiming mode exists but prevents movement, limiting its utility due to frequent enemy attacks.
- Engaging Action Platformer (weight 0.43): Players find the game to be an entertaining, fast-paced 2D action platformer with run-and-gun and Metroidvania elements. The gameplay is described as fun, addictive, and high-quality.
- Psycho Gun Mechanics (weight 0.34): The unique Psycho Gun, with its ability to bend shots and utilize screen-clearing special moves, is a core and enjoyable mechanic. The time-stop feature for directing shots is particularly addictive.
- Challenging Difficulty (weight 0.29): The game offers a challenging experience, with some players finding it on the harder side, even on normal difficulty. The difficulty can be adjusted, but the system remains strict.
- Limited Control Customization (weight 0.28): Players are frustrated by the inability to freely customize controller button assignments, being limited to presets. Mouse button assignment is also problematic, with key changes often failing or becoming unassigned.
- Enemy Barrier Mechanics (weight 0.23): Enemies, particularly shielded drones and melee-only types, frequently appear with barriers that nullify the Psycho Gun, even from early stages. This mechanic adds a layer of difficulty, requiring specific strategies to overcome.
- Cobra Character Emulation (weight 0.18): The game effectively emulates Cobra's iconic movements and actions, including his comical fleeing technique and badass shooting vignettes, enhancing the thematic experience.
- Game-Breaking Bug (weight 0.15): A severe, game-breaking bug has been reported in Mission 8-1, preventing player progress. This is a critical issue that needs immediate attention.
- Fast Retry System (weight 0.14): The game features quick retries, which significantly reduces frustration from dying and encourages players to continue playing despite the challenging difficulty.
- Linear Chapters & Replayability (weight 0.13): The game is structured into relatively lengthy, linear chapters. Despite this, it offers high replay value through opportunities to collect missed items and achieve perfect chapter runs.

Performance notes:
- Excellent control and performance (weight 0.15): Players report smooth and responsive controls across various input methods, including keyboard, mouse, and DualShock. The game also performs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, indicating good optimization and compatibility.

Recommendations:
- Game issues require fixes (weight 0.52): Players are expressing a strong desire for developers to address existing faults and bugs. Some are withholding positive reviews or even refunding the game until these issues are resolved.
- Control scheme needs improvement (weight 0.45): Players are requesting more traditional twin-stick controls, specifically the ability to move with the left stick and aim with the right stick. There's also a desire for an aiming cursor for mouse users to enhance precision.
- Difficulty can be challenging (weight 0.35): The game is noted to be challenging, with a recommendation to start on easier difficulties. This suggests a potentially steep learning curve for new players.
- Mixed sentiment on playability (weight 0.32): While some players are highly recommending the game and looking forward to future content, others are unwilling to continue playing due to current issues, indicating a polarized player experience.

Other player notes:
- Authentic Anime Adaptation (weight 0.75): The game is highly praised for its faithful adaptation of the classic Space Adventure Cobra anime, utilizing original footage and capturing the series' atmosphere. This dedication to the source material is a significant draw for fans.
- Mixed Voice Acting Quality (weight 0.47): Player feedback on voice acting is mixed. While some found the Japanese and French voice acting to be good and better than expected, others noted issues with direction, timing, or felt the quality was inconsistent. The new Japanese voice actor for Cobra received specific mention.
- Soundtrack and Music Feedback (weight 0.26): The soundtrack received varied opinions, with some praising it as excellent and others finding it unremarkable or even misleading, particularly regarding the inclusion of a cover theme song. The original theme song's ability to evoke nostalgia was also highlighted.
- Concerns About Controls (weight 0.23): Despite some players adapting to the control scheme, there are ongoing concerns about the controls that have not been addressed. This indicates a potential area for improvement in player experience.
- Game's Narrative and Characters (weight 0.17): The game effectively incorporates key elements of Cobra's story, including his amnesia and the role of his Armaroid companion. This helps ground the game in the established lore for fans.
- Mixed Reception of Anime Integration (weight 0.16): While many appreciate the anime footage, some players felt that the initial use of anime scenes felt disingenuous or that the game merely utilized the source material without proper respect, leading to a perception of sloppy construction.
- Localization Discrepancies (weight 0.12): While the Japanese localization is generally well-regarded, minor inconsistencies were noted, such as differences between subtitle text and audio for specific terms. This suggests a need for a final polish in translation.
- Game Design and Difficulty (weight 0.1): The game is designed for multiple playthroughs and suggests starting on easier difficulties. This indicates a focus on replayability and accessibility for different skill levels.
- Hopes for IP Revival (weight 0.07): A player expressed hope that the game's success could lead to renewed interest in other obscure intellectual properties, suggesting a desire for more adaptations of classic, lesser-known titles.
- Not a Masterpiece (weight 0.04): One reviewer explicitly stated that the game is not a masterpiece as a Cobra game, indicating that despite its strengths, it may not fully live up to the highest expectations for the franchise. This is based on limited feedback.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.24): Players felt satisfied by the game's faithful adaptation of the Cobra source material, including its core identity, classic anime atmosphere, and good Japanese dubbing. The enjoyable Metroidvania gameplay, quick retries, and overall quality also contributed to a positive experience, meeting the expectations of long-time fans despite minor issues.
- Frustration (weight 0.16): Frustration stemmed primarily from awkward, difficult, and uncustomizable controls, particularly issues with aiming while standing still and combining movement with shooting. Game-breaking bugs and challenging enemies further exacerbated these control-related difficulties, leading to player annoyance.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Disappointment arose from the game's perceived squandered potential, largely due to poor controls and repetitive, poorly implemented music. Players also felt let down by a lack of engaging content beyond anime scenes, subtitle discrepancies, and the game not fully capturing the 'true Cobra experience' due to enemy design and sloppy execution.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.08): Nostalgia was a strong emotion, driven by the game's direct connection to the classic Space Adventure Cobra animated series and comic. The use of original anime footage, classic elements, and the soundtrack effectively evoked fond memories for players.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Players expressed excitement for the long-awaited Cobra game, appreciating its performance and fun gameplay. This positive experience also generated a desire for similar games based on other beloved IPs.
- Joy (weight 0.06): Joy was experienced through the game's amazingly fun, addictive, and fast-paced gameplay, which offered a refreshing contrast to modern games. Players simply loved everything about the game, finding it a delightful and different experience.
- Anger (weight 0.06): Anger was primarily caused by awful control settings and encountering game-breaking bugs. Poor music, voice acting, and overall control design also contributed to player frustration and anger.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Players appreciated the game's careful localization, the inclusion of original anime footage, and good Japanese voice acting. The affordable price also contributed to a sense of appreciation for the overall package.
- Hope (weight 0.04): Hope was expressed for future improvements, specifically for control enhancements and the addition of an aiming cursor. There was also hope that the game's success could pave the way for more obscure intellectual properties to be adapted into modern games.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Enjoyment stemmed from the game's fun levels, the overall 'Cobra adventure' feel, and the effective reuse of anime scenes in cinematics. These elements combined to create a pleasant and engaging experience for players.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom was reported due to repetitive and uninspired stage design. This lack of variety in level structure led to a monotonous experience for some players.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arose from the early appearance of enemies immune to the Psycho Gun, which players found illogical or poorly explained within the game's progression.}