Cobra Space Adventure: Disaster Looming or Unexpected Pleasant Surprise?

Two months before its launch, Cobra – the video game from Microids and Magic Pockets studio in Torcy – has been surprisingly hushed. There’s barely been a peep since its announcement: just two short trailers in two years, a MisterMV livestream during Games Made in France that didn’t make much noise… and that’s about it. This silence is down to Microids going through a tricky time right now. They’ve been restructuring since January, along with job cuts, which isn’t great for Rosa Parks. Yet, Space Adventure Cobra is still scheduled for release on August 26th – PC, PS5, and Xbox Series. At the Steam Next Festival 2025, I finally got to try out a playable demo of the game – Microids chose not to host press previews. It’s about time I shared my thoughts. Is this a looming disaster or an unexpected pleasant surprise?

My thoughts on Cobra date back to September 2024, when we got a peek at its gameplay. Frankly, it gave me quite the cold sweat. Lackluster graphics, outdated animations, and a weird 2.5D shooter-platformer mix… It just felt like it was missing something big. Sadly, the demo at Steam Next Fest didn’t change my mind. Most folks have accepted that this video game adaptation of Cobra is pretty much what Microids had in mind, given their budget limitations. Magic Pockets studio has been working on bringing the adventures of a pop culture icon to life for two years now. The release date for Video game Cobra Space Adventure is August 26th on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series. Despite Microids’ bumpy period (they’ve been restructuring and laying off staff since January), it looks like we’ll get a taste at the Steam Next Festival 2025 with a playable demo available. Whether this game will sink or swim remains to be seen: potential disaster or pleasant surprise?

Cobra’s almost sacred for many folks like me, bringing back memories of childhood. Created by Buichi Terasawa, it’s a blend of westerns, space opera, piracy, and more, with a hint of erotism thrown in. The main character, modeled after Jean-Paul Belmondo’s features and ’60s coolness (especially ‘L’Homme de Rio’), is a mix of style and charisma. The names of the Royal sisters, Dominique and Catherine, are tributes to Dominique Sanda and Catherine Deneuve, two French icons from the ’70s. At one point, Alexandre Aja considered making a movie adaptation, but it didn’t happen. Fast forward to 2025, at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, we learned that Mangouste Anim had acquired the rights to make a new animated series. That’s good news, but it also reminds us of the challenge in updating such an iconic work without losing its essence. After all, Nicky Larson managed to transition successfully to live-action through Netflix, showing that with respect and care, even the impossible can be achieved. Unfortunately, the video game “Cobra Space Adventure” by Microids has faced restructuring and layoffs, and promotion for the game has been minimal. A playable demo was made available during Steam Next Festival 2025, but initial impressions were underwhelming due to less-than-stellar graphics and animations. The future of the game remains uncertain, with hopes that it could still be a pleasant surprise.

The demo didn’t do much justice to this game developed on a tight budget. The cel-shading feels basic, character models need work, and animations lean more towards toy poses than a charismatic hero. In 2025, with fierce competition, it ain’t gonna fly too well. No original cutscenes are offered; they just recycled anime clips instead. The 4:3 format stretched to 16:9 looks messy and creates an awkward visual mismatch between the game and the original series. It’s clear budget constraints played a big role, but indie developers have been surprising us with their solo feats, so it’s hard to swallow that excuse. A few positive points though. The French dubbing is solid, capturing Jean-Claude Montalban’s deep voice pretty well. But why not just get him on board? Purists will be happy to hear a Japanese version will be available too. The Japanese opening theme song is present, albeit subdued. The original French theme is MIA due to rights issues, but the re-recorded Japanese one is there. Not fast-paced enough for my taste, but it’s nice they included it. On the gameplay front, Cobra shows some intriguing ideas. Contrary to expectations, it’s not a metroidvania, but a linear action-platformer with a challenging difficulty. Multiple difficulty levels are offered, from “story” mode to the “hardcore” mode where every second becomes a test of reflexes. Cobra Space Adventure is an upcoming video game, produced by Microids and developed by Magic Pockets, set for release on August 26th on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series. The demo at Steam Next Fest didn’t exactly inspire confidence in ambitious plans. The game seems to reflect Microids’ situation with the budgetary constraints involved. Buichi Terasawa’s work, a 1960s Japanese cultural icon, is being brought to life on screen. Although Alexandre Aja’s film project was axed, there’s a new French animated series in production by Mangouste Anim, offering hope for a faithful update.

The upcoming video game, Space Adventure Cobra, developed by Magic Pockets and published by Microids, has stirred up some concerns due to its technical limitations and seemingly low ambition. While it preserves a French dub reminiscent of Jean-Claude Montalban’s voice, the graphics, animations, and overall aesthetics are criticized as basic. However, despite these drawbacks, the game presents multiple difficulty levels and intriguing ideas for its linear action-platformer gameplay. But with only a few thousand views on Microids’ YouTube channel and minimal media coverage, it’s leaving many wondering if this game deserves such indifference.

Cobra’s got me feeling kind of torn. It ain’t exactly the most expensive game out there, and sure, it’s got some glaring flaws. But beneath all that, I sense a real appreciation for Terasawa’s work. They’re trying to stay true to the original, giving fans something they’ll dig. It’s not the Cobra we expected, but it ain’t a complete disaster either. The graphics could use a boost, and there’s no denying the game’s made on a shoestring budget. But hey, I gotta give ’em credit for giving it their all. Save the date, August 26th, for the final verdict. Cobra Space Adventure is an upcoming video game from Magic Pockets, published by Microids, launching on the 26th of August. It’s based on the classic Japanese Cobra animation series created by Buichi Terasawa. Presented as a 2D shooter-platformer, the visuals are uninspiring, and the animations feel outdated. However, they had limited resources for this project. The game will be available in French and Japanese versions, with a French dub featuring an actor trying to mimic Jean-Claude Montalban’s deep voice. There are multiple difficulty levels, with influences from Metroid Dread, Contra, and Prince of Persia noticeable. The game covers the first 12 episodes of the anime, following Cobra and three Royal sisters.