ReCore: Definitive Edition

The best thing I can say about this game is that it's a poor man's Horizon (Sony) game.

Interesting idea with untapped potential ruined by bloated open world and very shallow combat. But regardless of this, I had fun playing this game, probably because of the effort put in by Team ASOBO. I wish Microsoft would have given this a good budget and chance to make its comeback, but seeing the current MC, I doubt we will see a sequel any time soon.

I would not recommend this game to most unless you're looking for a very, and I do mean very, casual experience. Also, the game has some unexpected difficulty spikes, which can lead to some frustrating moments.

Overall it could have been an 8/10, but as of right now it's barely a "6/10." It's fine. Pick it up on sale and don't expect too much, and then you'll have a good time.

ReCore: Definitive Edition
Re‑Bore—great concept, but it needs a stronger pulse.
There is a moment in ReCore when you leap across a desert landscape, the sun burning down on the sand, and your robotic companion bounds beside you with a kind of mechanical joy. In that instant, the game feels alive. It suggests a world of adventure, of companionship, of discovery. Unfortunately, those moments are too often buried beneath repetition and frustration.
Like many ambitious titles, ReCore wants to be more than it is. It borrows the spirit of classic action-adventure games, with echoes of Metroid and Mega Man, and places them in a dusty science-fiction setting. The premise is strong: humanity’s survival depends on a lone heroine, Joule, and her loyal Corebot allies. But the execution falters.
The combat, while energetic, becomes predictable. Enemies are color-coded, demanding you swap weapons to match, a mechanic that quickly feels more like homework than strategy. The platforming, though occasionally exhilarating, is undermined by uneven controls and long loading times that break the rhythm of play.
What redeems ReCore, at least partially, is its heart. Joule’s relationship with her robotic companions is charming, and the game’s art direction captures a sense of loneliness and resilience. There is beauty in the barren landscapes, and sincerity in the attempt to tell a story about survival and trust.
But sincerity alone cannot overcome repetition. Too often, ReCore feels like a sketch of a greater game, a blueprint waiting for polish. It is not without merit—there are flashes of joy, moments of connection—but they are fleeting.
Verdict
A game with promise and some personality, but one that leaves us wishing for the greater game that it could have been.
One word or phrase to sum up the experience
An exercise in mediocrity
Performance/Bug related incidents
I had no performance issues and the game run steadily at 60fps on 1440p
Similar to games
Mighty N0. 9, Omensight, Sunset Overdrive
Rating ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

The graphics were good. The manoeuvrability was great especially with the pets.
The battle system even with the pets is pretty generic.
The story is really good in my opinion. I enjoyed the start to the finish and how you progressed through the story.
It also works extremely well on SteamDeck.
Seriously, I wish they would make a second one.

Its a very hard game. the combat i feel is broken because of the auto aim. The enemy AI is smarter than your companion AI. And odd choice like not able to reload, and replenish health.

The platforming is fun, but i fell not really the focus of the game. I like the premise of the story, but the story telling is bad.

The game have this old school charm though. It tough and unforgiving, but still feels you can beat it. I recommend this game to people who wants a challenging game to play.

Fun fact. Less than 10 percent of people who bought the game finish it.

Ugh... this game man. It has such a cool premise and some cool combat and exploration and art. But man is there just too much BS.
I am glad it is over and I am just gunna list my peevs, wont go into positive cause I'm just beat, and I am "recommending" it, but some serious caveats:
1. not being able to switch cores/bots whenever SUCKS - imagine taking minutes to precise platform somewhere hidden and realize "oops! dont have the right bot, lets do it all again!"
2. you have limited storage space for upgrade materials?? WHAT? Yuck.
3. you get the final bot literally at the end of the game.
4. the game is only 9 hours? I didn't even B line, I legit have almost done EVERYTHING (how do other reviews have 15-20 hrs??)
5. when I finish a game and think "finally its done" that is not a good thing
6. THE LAST DUNGEON IS BS - and I can say that cause I beat it. I think I spent 2 hours just in the final dungeon... 5 floors of platforming and arenas? Really did we really need that? The final boss after that is nothing compared to the floors before. The platforming isn't even that bad thanks to some generous checkpoints, but some of those arenas were TORTURE

Anyways... for 4 bucks... I kind of wish I had some of that final dungeon time back, but it is a unique game and I like games that try cool things. Seriously wanted to split my controller in half tho during that final dungeon... can't do that when dualsense is $70... guh anyways I will never replay this game.

... sequel though? Clean everything up? Do ACTUAL story? LOL

Yes, BUT...
The game you should only buy on sale!
It feels odd, like it was supposed to be from 2006-2010 era, it doesn't look or feel like a game from 2016. Imagine that it's been released in times of The Witcher 3, AC Unity, and dozens of other games that look modern even today. And this one feels like a relic in comparison.
I assume it was cheap to make, but still: the world is bland, the movement is stiff, the combat has interesting ideas, but like two of them in total.
And there are a lot of problems: no difficulty slider, but if you get into boss fight, you stuck there. Unless you beat the boss, you are there forever.
Fortunately, it's responsive and runs on a toaster!

This game is a bit rough around the edges I won't lie. There are definitely some things that the creators looked over that they shouldn't have which made the game a bit frustrating at time. However, I don't think this should stop anyone from playing this game. While it's somewhat hard to play and angering at times, the game still has a very interesting turn out and I can say that I enjoyed the game for the most part and was very surprised at what it had in store.