If I needed to sum up Cosmophony in one phrase, it would be: “Simple, quick, and extremely demanding”.
Cosmophony’s story is simple enough, and completely laid out in the beginning. The previous guardian had been charged with protecting the universe, but failed its collapse. In order to rebuild the universe, the player must use the heart of the goddess and make it down five tracks, dodging blocks and destroying triangles along the way. Each star is earned after completing the track or destroying all of the triangles in either practice or normal mode. Conquering Cosmophony takes a combination of reflexes and memory, though the second half of the levels rely heavily on the latter.
As you speed down the track, the obstacles will rush past you, requiring near split-second reaction. Even one mistake will likely send you back to the beginning. There are no checkpoints in Normal Mode, so hitting the d-pad one-too-many times can be especially frustrating at 93% progress. The game provides you with practice mode, in which you can switch back and forth between multiple checkpoints in order to refine your technique. While I managed to make it through the first level with little trouble, the game’s difficulty ramps up quickly, making practice mode all the more important. Because Practice Mode is just that, practice, you won’t be able to progress if you finish the level. Instead, players will need to make it through the demanding Normal Mode to make it further into the game. Levels last around 2-3 minutes, which is a good length for a game that demands perfection from player. However, expect to spend a good 30 minutes in practice mode just to get all of the movements correct.
Each level does add one new element that does change up the experience. There are times where your pace will suddenly speed up, or slow down, which will throw you off the first few run-throughs of a level. The environment in each level will change up as well, so don’t get too comfortable with the background as you perfect each level. Unfortunately, even the novelty these features fall to the wayside, and they are replaced by the need to memorize the movement patterns. The game spans five levels, so don’t expect to spend weeks on the title, but the length is enough for the $3.99 asking price.
The art style is simple, and blends well with the music and the overall theme of the game. The game’s music, one of its focal points, is energetic but becomes increasingly annoying more after each failure. The beats are useful when recognizing when to move or shoot, but they can only get you so far in these levels. If you have an interest in this sort of game, or you want something to pass around between friends, then Cosmophony might intrigue you. Otherwise, you won’t miss out on much by not picking up this title..
