Cobalt
- February 2, 2016
- Oxeye Game Studio
- 34h median play time
Cobalt is like realizing an old favorite isn't quite what you remembered
Cobalt is a Science Fiction Action game that combines a single-player campaign with local and online multiplayer modes. The game features a unique slow-motion mechanic that allows for impressive moves and tactics, with a variety of weapons, maps, and customization options available. Uncover the mysteries of a humanless world while riding a space hamster and engaging in both cooperative and competitive gameplay.
Reviews
- Cobalt features unique and engaging gameplay mechanics, including bullet-deflecting rolls and time-slowing effects, making combat both fun and strategic.
- The game offers a variety of modes, including a quirky story mode and competitive multiplayer, which can be enjoyed both locally and online with friends.
- Cobalt is praised for its charming art style, smooth controls (especially with a controller), and a passionate community that enhances the overall experience.
- The online multiplayer community is very small, making it difficult to find matches, which can lead to repetitive gameplay against bots.
- Many players find the controls to be awkward and challenging to master, particularly when using a keyboard, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- The campaign mode is criticized for its pacing and lack of depth, leaving some players feeling that it is unfinished or lacking in engaging content.
- gameplay108 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Cobalt features fast-paced, mechanically solid gameplay that emphasizes technical movement and intuitive shooting, allowing for dynamic strategies and memorable moments. Players appreciate the depth and variety of mechanics, including rolling and bullet-time, which contribute to a high skill ceiling and engaging multiplayer experiences. However, some users note that the gameplay can become repetitive and that the auto-aim mechanic detracts from the overall challenge.
“Cobalt is a mechanically solid game; its rapid, technical movement and intuitive shooting creates smooth combat scenarios.”
“The gameplay is satisfying to master with the way rolling can deflect shots back into enemies or be used for better mobility.”
“Ingenious core mechanics with excellent performance to go along with it, making it an engaging and fun game that is addictive and made me want to play more.”
“Gameplay - 5 out of 10 - the gameplay is fast-paced and skill isn't a big factor due to the lack of aiming in Cobalt.”
“The control pad gameplay feels like it lags and some of the gameplay is pretty annoying.”
“For a game with such novel and simple mechanics, they're a bit too hard to make it a casual battle couch game.”
- story102 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story mode of the game is generally well-received, praised for its engaging and quirky narrative, though some players find it cliche and lacking in depth. While it offers a fun and polished experience with interesting mechanics, there are criticisms regarding its repetitiveness and occasional confusion due to insufficient backstory. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for both single-player and multiplayer experiences, making it a worthwhile aspect of the game.
“I would highly recommend the story mode.”
“Cobalt is a very well done action platformer with fun game mechanics, an enjoyable story, and a good amount of replayability from completing additional challenges and extra modes.”
“Amazing game, the multiplayer works amazingly, the story mode is so interesting, and so detailed, 2D graphics look amazing in gameplay, runs very smooth, no bugs (so far these months), and the game is very polished, I love it!”
“The story mode feels a bit unfinished, but this game is worth it for the multiplayer alone.”
“About the story, there is like 0 backstory before the game starts, and in the first level you are just wandering through random hallways supposedly responding to a distress call, but nothing gets explained ever.”
“The story never grasped me entirely, and although it's mildly enjoyable, it never gets much better than that.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their polished 2D aesthetics, smooth performance, and appealing art direction, making it accessible even on lower-end systems. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and the game's ability to maintain a high level of detail without bugs. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, enhancing both the single-player story mode and multiplayer interactions.
“Amazing game, the multiplayer works amazingly, the story mode is so interesting and detailed, 2D graphics look amazing in gameplay, runs very smooth, no bugs (so far these months), and the game is very polished. I love it!”
“The visuals, graphics, and artwork in this game still hold up as well.”
“I really liked the graphics, art direction, and sound effects.”
“3/10 - tl;dr - cute visuals and sound effects can't save this game from being unenjoyable.”
- music12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its incredible quality, with many players noting that the soundtrack is so engaging they would leave the main menu running just to listen to it. Described as fast-paced and catchy, the soundtrack enhances the overall gameplay experience, contributing to the game's intense and chaotic atmosphere. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that adds significant value to the game.
“This is also the first game I played which had a soundtrack so good that I kept the main menu running for hours just to hear it.”
“The soundtrack is also a banger.”
“Its fast-paced and has a great soundtrack.”
- stability10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being poorly optimized, with numerous bugs affecting local profiles and AI functionality. While some players find enjoyment in the gameplay, many recommend trying the buggy demo instead of purchasing the full game due to these stability issues. Overall, the experience can be fun, but persistent bugs detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Runs great, great fun.”
“Runs great, great fun.”
“Not a bad game, poorly optimized and the AI is buggy in some places.”
“Don't buy the game, just play the extremely buggy demo, and play with friends who also have the demo.”
“I left the game running for a day or so, so time spent playing is more like 3 hours rather than 37. To start, I was really enjoying story mode but quickly found it too buggy to continue.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized as spontaneous and hilarious, particularly within the campaign, which adds to the overall enjoyment. Players appreciate the chaotic nature of battles, both in singleplayer and online, where unpredictable and funny moments arise without sacrificing control. Overall, the humor significantly enhances the gaming experience.
“The campaign's humor is spontaneous and it is overall a great game.”
“Battles in both singleplayer and online are chaotic and will often have unpredictable and hilarious outcomes, but you never feel that you've lost control.”
“I have been having a blast and the campaign is absolutely hilarious.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for increased advertising to raise awareness of the game, indicating that its lack of promotion has contributed to its decline in popularity. There are no specific concerns about monetization practices mentioned, suggesting that the primary issue lies in visibility rather than pricing or in-game purchases.
“Sadly, not many people will ever know about this game, as they never really did much advertising for it, and it seems to have died out a long time ago.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring a significant investment of time that feels overwhelming, even when using a gamepad.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Even with a gamepad, it's tedious.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game features ingenious core mechanics and excellent performance, contributing to an engaging and addictive experience. However, some users report poor optimization and buggy AI, indicating that there are areas needing improvement.
“Ingenious core mechanics with excellent performance to go along with it, making it an engaging and fun game that is addictive and made me want to play more.”
“Not a bad game, poorly optimized and the AI is buggy in some places.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Cobalt offers a solid level of replayability, thanks to its engaging game mechanics, enjoyable story, and the inclusion of additional challenges and extra modes that encourage players to revisit the game.
“Cobalt is a very well done action platformer with fun game mechanics, an enjoyable story, and a good amount of replayability from completing additional challenges and extra modes.”
Critic Reviews
Cobalt review
Cobalt is like realizing an old favorite isn't quite what you remembered
70%Cobalt Review
For a game with such novel and simple mechanics, they're a bit too hard to get to make it a casual battle couch game. The story never grasped me entirely, and although it's mildly enjoyable, it never gets much better than that.
65%Cobalt Review
Cobalt is a frustrating side-scroller marred by too many arbitrary deaths and bugs.
45%