Cobalt Core is a real innovation and iteration on the roguelite deckbuilder genre. I’ll do a lot of comparison between this game and Slay the Spire (StS), which I think most people interested in this game will have played. Starting with difficulty, Cobalt Core is a lot more scalable than StS. The easiest run difficulty is Normal, on which I think genre newcomers will be able to consistently win while still being challenged. The game then progresses through Hard, Harder, and Hardest, which incrementally push you to learn and master all of its mechanics. I like this scalable difficulty because Cobalt Core has an actual story locked behind winning runs, so newcomers won’t be locked out of the story, and because the lower difficulties encourage experimentation, with discovering all the cards and artifacts as an incentive.
Gameplay-wise, Cobalt Core has a few more dimensions than StS. Rather than choosing one of four characters to take on a run, you instead choose three of eight characters to man one of five ships. This combo determines your starting cards and card choices, with each character and ship specializing in distinct mechanics such as shielding, movement, or drones. Runs progress through three sectors, with each sector comprised of branching stages that converge on a boss fight, just as in StS. Most of these stages involve combat, which is ship-to-ship. Your ship is made of components, such as cannons and missile or drone bays, that perform the functions of your cards. Enemy ships are also made of such components and telegraph their intent from them; in some cases you can target specific components to cancel their intent. Between you and your enemy lies the midrow, where drones hover and fire, missiles fly across, and asteroids block shots. Finally, the stage itself can affect combat, with conditions like binary stars or solar flares modifying mechanics like energy or heat gain.
I especially like the additional options for mitigating damage that Cobalt Core gives you. In StS you mainly stack a use-it-or-lose-it shield per turn; meanwhile, in Cobalt Core, you can also spend Evade to dodge telegraphed missiles and cannon fire, or spend Droneshift to block those things with midrow objects. It’s really engaging trying to judge and predict the relative value of shield versus Evade versus Droneshift, affected by interactions with cards, artifacts, enemy attack patterns, and stage conditions. Those three defensive resources also last between turns, which gives Cobalt Core more room to fine-tune the ebb and flow of offense and defense between you and your enemy. Enemies cycle through patterns of firing cannons, launching midrow objects, and applying statuses: learning those patterns is key to knowing how to allocate your limited energy per turn between stacking defenses, clearing statuses, pressing the attack, and ultimately winning the run.
As for story, Cobalt Core is simple but competently written. Throughout the run your crew comments on things like dealing or taking lots of damage, calling out weak spots and favored strategies, etc. There’s a lot of humor and characterization in these little conversations and it helps to keep the tone light, which alleviates the frustration of some of those inevitable lost runs. The main story is revealed through cutscenes, with one cutscene unlocked per victorious run. Characters butt heads over what to do with the eponymous Cobalt Core, and their actions lend to each of their distinct and consistent personalities, motivations, and audience appeal. There’s even a bit of real pathos with [spoiler]Riggs, who hides her guilt for inciting the premise of the entire game under her bubbly demeanor[/spoiler]. It’s enough to keep you motivated while running through all of the game’s content, and the climax of the story upon beating the final boss leaves you with a real sense of satisfaction.
So that’s Cobalt Core: an advancement in pretty much every aspect of the roguelite deckbuilder pioneered by StS, and a game deserving its own place in the genre’s hall of fame. I haven’t even mentioned the music, which is a vibe throughout and totally hype during the boss fights--you’ll have to experience that for yourself. If you’re a fan of the genre, then Cobalt Core is a novel entry, made with love and care, that deserves your playthrough.
