Cotton Reboot! Review

Cotton Reboot! is a full remake of the classic 1991 shoot 'em up Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams. After the initial game's release, the series would go on to form quite the cult following, with multiple titles being released over the years. While each provides similar gameplay, quality-of-life updates and a general increase in scale have given players reasons to return time and time again. With Reboot!, the game that started it all has been reimagined with newer features in mind, while also retaining the original for those nostalgic for the past.

Although Cotton Reboot! was already available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC, the game has now come to PlayStation 5 as well, alongside the new release Cotton Reboot! High Tension! Ahead of release, I was given the chance to play through both titles, and what I found was a chaotic mess of shoot 'em up fun that is easy to play, but difficult to master.

The Story:

Cotton's story takes place in the world of Filament, which has been enshrouded in an evil mist, effectively causing an eternal night. In hopes of saving the world, a fairy named Silk goes looking for help and discovers the young witch Cotton. As Silk begs Cotton to do something, she quickly realizes it is to no avail, as Cotton only cares about one thing—the Willow Candy she loves so much. Using this as motivation, Silk informs Cotton that saving the world entails collecting said candy, which is all that is needed to get her to change her mind. So, with the plan of eating the "ultimate" Willow Candy, Cotton jumps onto her broom and takes off to take down the enemies standing in her way.

 

It is an extremely simple and ridiculous plot, but that also sums up the entire series.

The game's story is told through animated mini-scenes before each stage, complete with full voice acting. It is a title that greatly doubles down on the chibi art style and general '90s aesthetics that were popular at the time, both of which have been faithfully remastered for Reboot! That said, the voice acting can be a bit grating, and the humor the title attempts will clearly not land for everyone. Yes, there is a certain charm to it all, but don't be too surprised if you discover it isn't for you. Regardless, the story is a very minor part of what Cotton Reboot! is all about, as the gameplay remains front and center—which isn't too surprising considering it is an arcade shoot 'em up.

The General Gameplay:

Cotton Reboot! is a beautifully chaotic mess of a shoot 'em up. As stages almost constantly scroll forward, players navigate Cotton, or the other unlockable characters, through six main stages before taking on a final boss at the end. Each stage has plenty of enemies to shoot and take down, featuring a miniboss near the halfway point and a stage boss at the end. Enemies litter the screen, but thankfully Cotton's main attack does the same, allowing you to take down oncoming threats by the dozens.

As all of this general chaos is going on, Cotton can also pick up magic power-ups, which range from screen-clearing attacks to larger blasts that obliterate whatever is directly in front of her. Many of these abilities are completely ridiculous, but they are very fun to use. Of course, enemy attacks also need to be dodged, and they can sometimes blend in with Cotton's own attacks. Getting hit will make her lose bonuses—including the additional fairies she can pick up to provide cover fire. In addition to this, a fever bar can be built up, allowing her to unleash devastatingly strong attacks while increasing your score bonus in the process. This litters the screen with multiplier values to ensure you know how many points you're obtaining, which also makes it a lot harder to see what is coming—but that is all part of the fun.

When it comes to fighting bosses, they all have unique attack patterns and often strike with abilities you would never expect the first time you see them. This is where the game really increases the difficulty, but thankfully unlimited continues mean you can keep jumping right back into the action. This is a game designed for everyone to complete and have fun with, but only masters will be able to finish the entire game without dying.

While a lot of this is standard for the genre, where Cotton Reboot! truly stands out is with its Gem System.

Gems dropped from enemies fill the screen and come in different colors. Your standard Yellow Gem will power up Cotton's default attack when picked up, Red will give her access to Fire Magic, Blue is Lightning, Green and Purple grant barriers, and Orange Gems function as a stronger Yellow Gem. By picking up multiple gems of the same color, you can supercharge your magic spells for more powerful versions, but Gems also have a second use: splitting your own shots. When shooting a Gem, not only will it cycle through the colors—letting you essentially choose the upgrade you would like—but it will also split your shots into multiple beams, which grants higher score bonuses. Eventually, a Gem will lose its color and become a high-scoring Black Gem, but until then, they are very useful tools. Those aiming for the top should always be aware of this mechanic and make the most of it during their runs, though there is a bit of luck involved when it comes to the placement of the Gems themselves. You cannot fully control where they drop, which adds an unpredictable element of chance.

The Game Modes: 

For those looking for more than just a standard arcade mode, Reboot! thankfully has multiple game modes to choose from. 

Arranged Mode is the default way to play through the game and features all of Reboot!'s enhancements. After clearing it for the first time, players can come back and tackle it again with different characters, offering quite a bit of replay value. This mode is exclusive to Reboot! and is mainly what sets it apart from other releases of the original Cotton.

X68000 Original Mode is the second choice, serving as a port of the 1993 X68000 version of Cotton. This mode scales the craziness down quite a bit, offering a purely classic experience without the improvements and extras added in Reboot!

Time Attack Mode is a unique gameplay option where players are thrown into a stage with swarms of enemies and must survive while earning as many points as possible within a set time limit. It is hectic fun, but it is only available in short bursts, with a maximum of five minutes on the clock.

Nightmare Mode is a follow-up to Arranged Mode that features new enemies and challenging bosses. It is technically the "second half" of Reboot!, giving players a slightly altered experience after completing Arranged Mode.

Although the game doesn't have as much content as later entries in the series, there is still plenty to sink your teeth into and plenty of reasons to keep coming back for more—especially if you want to beat your high scores and rank at the top of the leaderboards.

Should you play it?

Cotton Reboot! is a fantastic reimagining of the fan-favorite classic that started it all. Its fresh coat of paint and new features breathe new life into the title, while the inclusion of the original game serves as a very welcome bonus. It may not take itself too seriously, but it still delivers tight, rewarding shoot 'em up gameplay that will satisfy longtime fans and series newcomers alike.

VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided

Available On: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC