Martin Cater of Network Distributing judges the episode "dramatic" and "memorable" despite its dependence on a "cop-out" dream sequence. He compares it to the "Fireball XL5" episode "A Day in the Life of a Space General" (1963), which features an "orgy of destruction with the convenient cop-out of a dream to act as a 'reset button'." Chris Drake and Graeme Bassett describe "Attack on Cloudbase" as "tense and exciting", stating that it is "guaranteed to keep the viewer guessing". Some commentators have questioned why no explanation is given for the explosion that brings down Symphony's fighter at the start of the episode.