“ReCore” harkens back to a style of game we rarely see these days, evoking titles from the PlayStation era and even the Nintendo 64. It’s not consciously referencing the past, but something in its structure and movement constantly reminded me of those second-tier platform adventures—just below a Mario 64 or Banjo-Kazooie—that were never considered the best, yet every now and then had their own charming touches and soul, even if they weren’t truly memorable.
The game recounts the events that occur after Joule awakens, a young woman sent to the planet Far Eden to colonize it. Part of Earth’s population was on its way to prepare the planet so that, eventually, everyone left behind could come too.
They planned to terraform Far Eden using Corebots—robots endowed with color-based technology granting them personality and autonomy—but as soon as Joule wakes, it becomes clear something went wrong. No one else is there, and aside from her companion Mack, all other Corebots have turned hostile.
To defend herself while roaming in search of answers, Joule relies not only on Mack but also on her rifle, which gradually gains new elemental properties. Each enemy is color-coded, and switching the rifle to match that color ensures you deal significantly greater damage to them.
Basically, ReCore is comprised largely of platforming challenges. In addition to a double jump, Joule wears boots that propel her forward. This grants substantial aerial control, which many times made me feel like I was forging my own paths. That happened partly because I spotted areas I could traverse entirely, ignoring the suggested route, but also because ReCore isn’t the most polished title out there.
The game’s first hours consist of journeying with Mack, eliminating wandering enemies across Far Eden’s deserts, harvesting their colors, jumping through holes and obstacles, and pressing forward. It quickly becomes evident that this Comcept-and-Armature collaboration lacks depth and that repetition lies at its core. However, at that early stage, ReCore remains snappy, leading us into new areas without unnecessary delay.
Even so, ReCore is quite enjoyable. It may not be the best game, but the experience of playing it was enough to make me overlook its problems. Then, in roughly six or seven hours, I found myself in the game’s final area, ready to conclude an adventure that—while not etched into memory—had been a good ride.
Verdict
- Graphics
- Interface
- Entertainment
- Gameplay
- Features
Summary
“Recore” can be considered an average game. The beginning of the adventure brings enough interesting elements to make it easy to solve problems. However, the game is very long, but without adding anything new, making the game’s story very monotonous, something similar to “No Man’s Sky“, for example.
