Cobra Command (Sega CD) Playthrough [4K]
5"Cobra Command" is an interactive movie-style game originally developed by Data East and ported by Wolf Team for Sega CD in 1992. It blends action-packed arcade gameplay with full-motion video (FMV) sequences, and was one of the games that took advantage of the CD-ROM format's storage capacity to deliver cinematic experiences. In a world under threat from terrorists, a formidable force gathers, plotting destruction on a global scale. It falls upon the courageous pilot of the Cobra Command to thwart this nefarious plan and safeguard freedom from utter annihilation.
Players pilot the LX-3 Super Cobra helicopter, a fictional aircraft inspired by the Bell AH-1 SuperCobra, and is tasked with navigating through ten missions to stop the terrorist group. The plot unfolds through FMV cutscenes that span diverse locations, from the streets of New York City and the Statue of Liberty to the vast Atlantic Ocean, the picturesque landscapes of Italy, the majestic Grand Canyon, and finally the enemy stronghold on Easter Island. Players must dodge enemy fire, missiles, and obstacles while taking down enemy vehicles, aircraft, and installations.
Despite its potential to showcase exciting locales and thrilling encounters, the FMV approach in this game limits player interaction and reduces gameplay to a series of automated actions. The absence of charismatic heroes or menacing villains leaves players navigating repetitive, pre-scripted missions where players go from one setting to another without reason or rhyme. The animations are a bit choppy, making it hard to identify and destroy enemies and targets in the chaos.
Overall, "Cobra Command" for Sega CD offers arcade-style action and cinematic visuals, hampered by technical flaws, linear gameplay and a minimal plot. It's an interesting attempt to use the increased storage of a CD-ROM and provide a cinematic experience, but utlimately fails to provide an engaging gaming experience. The missions play out exactly the same way every time you play it, which enables memorization of how to progress, but also severly limits replay value once you complete it.