Cobalt is an intriguing title – an arcade game in which the designers instantly throw us into the deep end, expecting that we would be able to master all they have prepared after finishing the tutorial. Once we’ve figured out how hundreds of objects function and learned about the characters’ talents, we’ll be rewarded with a fascinating, well-made production that’s even laced with comedy.
Agent Cobalt, the main character, is tasked with investigating a request for assistance received some decades ago from the human colony on the planet Trunkopia. After years of interstellar travel, he comes to find that the colonists have been wiped out and that their robots, now commanded by a strong force known as ETAC, are rampaging throughout the earth. In this scenario, he has no alternative but to discover the perpetrator of the crime and bring him to justice. We soon discover that the storyline is secondary. We arrive in a universe full of gadgets and basic, yet cleverly crafted puzzles after a brief tutorial that describes just a fraction of what we will perform during the game. It’s difficult to care about the tale, especially because it’s often difficult to comprehend what the creators were thinking. Our hero explores the boards in two dimensions, firing at everything that moves like Mega Man or rolling like Sonic. Cobalt, on the other hand, is not merely a mash-up of these two characters; when rolling, he can deflect bullets or grenades thrown at him, and he has access to different special maneuvers owing to devices like as a jetpack.
The combat is swift and beautiful, challenging the player’s expertise from the start. It’s difficult to get past the initial stages without knowing when to roll to deflect an incoming barrage, and it only gets harder with each successive stage. The automated targeting mechanism is likewise ineffective, making it impossible to remove a stationary target while moving. Surprisingly, eliminating a turret that is shooting at us is frequently more difficult than breaking through a gathering of attackers. The selection of weaponry has a tremendous influence on the outcome of conflicts. Cobalt carries a variety of guns, as well as many melee toys and a bag of explosives with varying qualities. Some people find it easier to murder themselves than their foes at first, but with practice, they may inflict devastation. During the intermissions, the hero hacks into computers to get vital information, accesses safes, and hacks doors. All of these tasks are accomplished via the use of simple mini-games in which we must manipulate switches to play a certain tune, halt a moving pointer at the appropriate time, or discover the combination to a locked box based on the noises created.
All of these minor things allow you to take your breath while also stocking up on first aid supplies or ammo. The game is also brimming with randomly produced treasure, which we can cash in to enhance our equipment, and each trick we accomplish rewards us with the unlocking of an element in a separate game style. As a result, the screen is continually loaded with texts indicating that we have done something wonderful, making it enjoyable and inspiring us to continue despite challenges.
When we become tired of the story, we may try our hand at Arcade mode, complete a few simple puzzles, or play cooperative or skirmish mode with other players. It may not be tough to find a game online at certain times of the day, but we generally come across numerous matches. The culmination of six years of labor by the Oxeye studio, it is a complicated, challenging game that may be frustrating at times due to its degree of difficulty, which forces you to replay the same stage up to a dozen times. Still, time spent battling robots is rarely wasted, and Agent Cobalt is a pleasant company on the voyage across Trunkopia.