Isn’t it cool how we live in an era where ancient 80s animes like Space Adventure Cobra can get full-blown video game adaptations?
The Awakening, due out next month on PS5, is inspired by the epic space opera first released in 1982. And we have high hopes for it, even if this gameplay hasn’t quite convinced us it’ll be a memorable game.
A lot of what we see here is fairly rudimentary side-scrolling action, although the protagonist’s Psychogun is represented in the gameplay, allowing him to trace out routes for his bullets to clear puzzles and complete combat encounters.
Here’s how the official blurb introduces the game:
"Cigar? Check! Psychogun? Check! Prepare to fight the Pirate Guild and relive the thrills of the iconic anime in Space Adventure Cobra - The Awakening, landing on PS5 on 26th August! Dive into a fast-paced action-platformer set in a rich and varied sci-fi universe. Use your gadgets to get out of dangerous situations and master your Psychogun to bend your shots for even greater effectiveness."
Our biggest concern here is just how small the characters look on the screen. We understand this creates a sense of scale, but a lot of the backdrops are boring, aside from the futuristic city streets.
One thing we should point out here is that the original announcement mentioned a PS4 version alongside PS5, but there’s no reference to Sony’s last-gen console in this new trailer. We’ll check with the publisher to find out what’s going on there.
How’s your enthusiasm for this holding out? Which other classic 80s animes would you like to see get full-blown video game adaptations? Bend your bullets into the comments section below.