Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening

Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is based on the classic ’80s anime, capturing all the nostalgia and tone of that era. It even includes sequences from the original series as you play through the first 12 episodes of the show. However, while the retro charm is undeniable and the action sequences are solid, lingering gameplay issues hold it back in the long run.

I had so much fun with Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening; I wish more games went over-the-top like this to represent their franchises.

Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is a stylish and enjoyable revival of the iconic action hero. Blending some anime nostalgia with modern platforming, it's a solid outing and even better tribute to Buichi Terasawa.

When taken as a whole, Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening is a true revival of the legendary space pirate—sure to captivate fans of this old-school anime - yet it also serves as a reminder that we need a few more games to fully experience the world of Cobra.

It's hard to know who Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening is aimed at. The action/platformer pro will find it average in 2025, while the hardcore Cobra fan will regret the general lack of ambition in telling the story they love so much. The neophyte, on the other hand, might resent having the first 12 episodes of the very good anime spoiled for them with a game of this caliber. Nevertheless, the game is not without its qualities, and even if there were surely plenty of ways to do better, it is not a fool's trap designed by the Glass Man to trap legendary heroes. Like other productions from the publisher, it's nice, it draws inspiration from many things that work elsewhere, but the result struggles to bring anything truly transcendent.

After Grendizer, Microids brings back Space Adventure Cobra, which spotlights a sort of interstellar Lupin III who loves getting into trouble. Unfortunately for him, this time he has to deal with an adventure marred by incomprehensible design choices. What's completely flawed is the control system, which makes many stages of a game that otherwise had the potential to appeal especially to "old teenagers" of the '70s and '80s, unnecessarily difficult and unfun.

With Cobra Space Adventure, Microids adds yet another stain to an already troubled track record. One might have hoped that passion and love for Buichi Terasawa’s work could transcend a shoestring budget, but the reality is brutally clear: Cobra marks a botched comeback, bland and lifeless. Outdated graphics, shameful animations, clunky gameplay, nonexistent staging… nothing manages to lift the game out of mediocrity, aside from a handful of decent ideas tied to the Psychogun. What makes it all the more depressing is that Cobra deserved so much better. Its rich, timeless universe had the potential for a bold adaptation, one that could have captivated both nostalgic fans of the ’80s and a brand-new audience. Instead, what we get is a soulless production that honors neither its source material nor the player. In 2025, it’s unacceptable to charge $40 for a game that looks and plays like a free mobile title you’d stumble upon on the AppStore or Google Play.

Do not sleep on this game! The gameplay and music are top-notch but most importantly it respects the source material. The game is based on the first 12 episodes of the 80s anime. As you play they seemlessly mix in parts of these episodes. Which is really well done. The game is a Metroidvania lite with some secrets only accessable once you get new abilities. Interestingly the devs that made this game are the same ones who made the classic Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. But you have so many different gameplay options with the psychogun, side arm, melee and regular blaster. It's really fun to use the psycho gun which is a guided laser. One of the best aspects of the game is that it is 100% free of progressive propaganda! So we have a masculibe, moral and heroic protagonist and attractive, feminine and likable women. Unlike most modenr western games! There's a free demo on psn. So check it out! Highly recommended!!

Playing this on hard difficulty and I'm having some real fun here! The only gripe I've with the game is that you can't customize the buttons as you want, you can choose between three presets but if none suit your style than you have to adapt. I'll update the review once I've finished the game (I'm about 3/4 right now) but I definitely recommend this to everyone who likes anime and challenging 2D old style arcade action-platformers.

This is censored. Some female characters have their design censored. Don't go and change the original material. CENSORED GAME DO NOT BUY. Also, ABYSMAL keyboard support, rebinding is a nightmare, clunky, extremely bugged and not all keys work.