Cotton Reboot! High Tension! is the latest entry in the long-running shoot ’em up series Cotton. Serving as a sequel to Cotton Reboot!—which itself is a remake of the original Cotton—the game first released in Japan in 2025, but it has now finally made its way to the West. Thanks to the publisher, we here at Netto’s Game Room were given the opportunity to check out this new entry and see what players overseas have already had the pleasure of experiencing.
As a whole, Cotton has always been known for its mix of chaotic gameplay that is easy to pick up but difficult to master. The true question with High Tension! is whether it lives up to the rest of the series and whether it is worth playing compared to other versions. Well, after spending quite some time with the title, I can confidently say that yes, it does; however, it also isn’t quite as simple—especially for those looking to play Cotton for the first time.
While a lot of the core gameplay remains unchanged, there are new twists included here as well that give High Tension! its own personality. It takes the classic craziness to a whole new level, just as its name implies. That said, it doesn't serve as a replacement for Reboot!, but rather acts as a companion title—just as any truly great sequel should.
The Story:
Staying true to past entries in the series, High Tension! keeps alive the tradition of featuring a completely ridiculous story with over-the-top voice acting, ’90s-style animation, and characters that might come off as annoying to some. This time around, the Willow Candies that our protagonist Cotton loves to eat so much—which served as her entire motivation to “save the world” in the original—have become self-aware and started an uprising. Now Cotton, her fairy companion Silk, and the new allies they meet along the way must join forces to stop the Willow Candies and save the world once again.
Yes, it is still completely crazy and makes little to no sense, but that’s where the fun lies. Its absurdity is what makes it so charming!
That said, this isn’t a story-focused game by any means, as gameplay remains the central focus, though players are greeted with mini cutscenes before each stage to add context to their actions. Even so, we don’t really need a deep reason to blast our way through hundreds of oncoming enemies—the simple joy of the arcade action is more than enough motivation.
Classic Cotton Gameplay:
As previously mentioned, the basic gameplay in High Tension! is the same as in Cotton Reboot! This is a horizontally scrolling shoot ’em up where players can select Cotton or one of her friends, each featuring their own unique basic shooting pattern. Enemies can be dispatched using a standard attack or special magic spells picked up across the six main stages, and crystals dropped by defeated enemies can be picked up to power up Cotton depending on their color. Additionally, these crystals can be shot to reflect bullets into a spread pattern to deal additional damage and rank up Cotton's fever meter, but doing so also slowly changes their color. This allows players to strategically manipulate which crystals they pick up, with the special colors black and platinum providing stronger bonuses right before a gem breaks. Stopping your shots before a Crystal shatters can be a challenge, but with a little timing, it can easily be done.
As for the stages themselves, in true Cotton fashion, they are completely hectic and offer fresh challenges throughout. With mini-bosses at the halfway point and a main boss at the end, the levels will put any player’s skills to the test, though unlimited continues ensure that everyone can reach the credits. Dying causes you to lose temporary bonuses—such as the additional fairy helpers that provide cover fire—but otherwise, you can keep playing following a demise without any severe penalties. By default, Cotton can survive two deaths before a continue is needed, but this can be configured in the game's settings, which also provide multiple difficulty options as well. Of course, those who want to master the game can push themselves and restart after taking a loss, but that is entirely up to the individual. If you choose this route, the stage select screen makes retrying specific levels seamless so you can freely practice. Although the bosses are the most challenging part of each level, the sheer volume of enemies on screen can be overwhelming on its own, especially when the new mechanics kick in.
High Tension! introduces two standout mechanics that set it apart from Reboot! The first is the ability to capture enemies and launch their abilities back at oncoming foes. This acts as a great complement to the magic spell system and provides additional tactical options. For example, bomb enemies can be grabbed and chucked back to cause a large explosion, while enemies that physically attack you can be turned into a weapon that provides additional firepower. Of course, not every enemy in the game can be captured; large enemies and bosses are off-limits, but the vast majority can, and surprisingly that also includes the treasure chests and fairy cages that you typically want to break to grab new power-ups. Holding onto them will still work like any other enemy, however, with each containing its own attack to use, and once your time is up holding such objects, you do get to break them and obtain what is inside—so it isn't a waste.
The second mechanic is an evolution of Cotton’s classic Fever Mode, which previously allowed her to boost firepower, litter the screen with shots, and rack up massive score bonuses. In High Tension!, this feature can be upgraded into Over Tension mode once the gauge hits 100% by collecting enough Willow Candies during Willow Fever. While it offers benefits similar to standard Willow Fever Mode, it also ramps up the game’s difficulty with more aggressive enemies while doubling your score multiplier. It is even more chaotic than anything else the series has offered, and there is even a built-in option to keep this mode active permanently for those who'd like to play the entire game in this state. While the new stages and bosses are fun on their own, pushing Over Tension is where the real excitement lies, offering a fresh way to experience Cotton. Though, believe it or not, this is only scratching the surface of how all of these mechanics come together to create something much more complex, and only players who master the game will truly fully be able to grasp everything at play.
With all of this being said, it truly is difficult to stress just how insane these stages can truly become. There are countless enemies flying at you at nearly all times, there are obstacles to avoid within the stage, bullets come at you, Willow Candies pop up, massive score bonus text litters the screen, and this is all happening while you are constantly unleashing your own barrage of magical attacks and general shots. It is complete stimulation overload with flashing lights, explosions, and numbers galore, and it is all set to a killer soundtrack, which actually has two versions available to choose from. Cotton Reboot! High Tension! is adrenaline-pumping to say the least, and after reaching the end for the first time, there are plenty of reasons to keep coming back for more—it is a game built to last, and that's also thanks to its multiple game modes.
The Game Modes:
Like previous titles, High Tension! includes multiple modes to tackle. The default mode is the game's story, which is a standard playthrough of each stage featuring cutscenes. This is the best place to start, but it isn't the pure arcade experience—that's what Arcade Mode is for.
In Arcade Mode, players can go through the entire game without cutscenes, but they can also do so through two "loops." The initial run is the standard version of the game seen in Story Mode, while beating the final boss will bring you back to the beginning to play through harder versions of each stage. There's also an option to simply begin on the second loop for those who want a challenge, but those shooting for the highest score will want to play through both consecutively. Of course, stage select can be used here as well, and this is also where it becomes possible to play through the entire game in Over Tension mode, so there are plenty of options to customize the experience to your liking. There are also multiple difficulty options to play around with, including a Very Hard Mode for anyone who wants a true challenge. Mix in the fact that there are multiple characters to play as, and you have a seemingly basic Arcade Mode that can provide hours of content—even if a standard playthrough is rather quick.
In addition to these two game modes, Time Attack also returns. This is once again a special mode where you are thrown into mobs of enemies with a countdown timer ticking away from the start. The goal here is to take out as many enemies as possible and score big, with two minutes being the default and five minutes serving as the longest run time. There are no "stages" in this mode, as it is basically a battle arena, but it is a great way to test your skills and wreak havoc with the wide variety of magic spells available to use. It is simple, chaotic fun, and not the typical "speedrun" mode most will think of when they hear the term "Time Attack." And that's completely okay!
Should you play it?
Cotton Reboot! High Tension! is an excellent shoot 'em up and a worthy successor to Reboot! While it can seem a bit overwhelming at first, its easy-to-pick-up-and-play nature ensures everyone can have a fun time while offering deep, rewarding gameplay for players looking to master it. Packed with multiple game modes, varied difficulty settings, and a unique roster of characters, it delivers exceptional replay value, which is everything a fan of the genre could ask for.VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided
Available On: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation
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