This is a metroid like 3D action adventure game that takes place inside a computer world. The premise seemed cool and I am sucker for Metroid game design but this game lacks the focus to create a good game.
Recompile has decent controls and mechanics, it’s not super tight controls but the feel of the character and jumping works well in this strange AI world. As you play you gain new abilities to access new areas, these start off simple like a double jump, a dash, and some combat upgrades like new weapons. But by the end of the game you get some ridiculous skills, one being a jet pack that lets you fly around like Superman, but drunk because controlling the jet pack isn’t great. So it nails the Metroid progression system, I was looking forward to each new power and enjoyed putting them to use.
The main problem with Recompile is the level design, this game feels like it was created by kid playing Dreams and for their level they just randomly put platforms everywhere. I was baffled at the design, some levels are huge sprawling locations that extend way above your starting point and even way below. The way up or down has you randomly jumping on pipes, or floating small circles, or falling down and double jumping on a small platform before going splat. Most games levels make sense from a design perspective and this game doesn’t. It’s just hard to move around, maybe some people will find it charming to play something so nebulous in its design but I don’t. I like smart cohesive level design, especially in a Metroid style game.
It also doesn’t help that the combat is mostly busywork. There are a few enemies and they are all some form of a floating orb that shoots at you. Once you get the best gun and the slow motion ability it all becomes trivial. There are some big boss battles that are interesting, they aren’t polished in any way but it serves as a good moment.
The game story is told through a bunch of files and in game messages. You are basically a AI construct entering a previously shattered AI, your job is to fix the broken AI so the levels you play through are the different pieces of the AI. It’s a unique concept and I enjoyed the story the files told.
There is a unique gameplay mechanic that is not used enough, basically you can hack modes that control the power through the level. Power is needed to activate elevators or gates to access new levels, to direct the power there are pipes with “and” or “or” gates, terms you will be familiar with if you know programming. Certain areas have small puzzles where you need to activate these gates in the right sequence to get the power where you need it.. or you can hack the gate to change its setting, which can make puzzles much easier. Apparently the game was supposed to change if you played certain way, like hacked too much but I didn’t see that in action at all. This mechanic was used early on a lot but by the last two worlds it’s all but thrown out, odd.
Recompile is clearly a rough indie game, I got to hand it to the team for trying a genre many don’t. That alone assured that I enjoy my time with the game but I was left wanting so much more. Its like 6 hours long which was perfect for this kind of game. It moves at a brisk pace with new powers and levels constantly so at least I wasn’t bored, I was just confused at why it’s all so sloppy. It’s free on gamepass, give it a whirl if you are curious, it’s not bad, but I think it’s safe to say this a game you can pass on.
Overall Score 5.8
Recompile has decent controls and mechanics, it’s not super tight controls but the feel of the character and jumping works well in this strange AI world. As you play you gain new abilities to access new areas, these start off simple like a double jump, a dash, and some combat upgrades like new weapons. But by the end of the game you get some ridiculous skills, one being a jet pack that lets you fly around like Superman, but drunk because controlling the jet pack isn’t great. So it nails the Metroid progression system, I was looking forward to each new power and enjoyed putting them to use.
The main problem with Recompile is the level design, this game feels like it was created by kid playing Dreams and for their level they just randomly put platforms everywhere. I was baffled at the design, some levels are huge sprawling locations that extend way above your starting point and even way below. The way up or down has you randomly jumping on pipes, or floating small circles, or falling down and double jumping on a small platform before going splat. Most games levels make sense from a design perspective and this game doesn’t. It’s just hard to move around, maybe some people will find it charming to play something so nebulous in its design but I don’t. I like smart cohesive level design, especially in a Metroid style game.
It also doesn’t help that the combat is mostly busywork. There are a few enemies and they are all some form of a floating orb that shoots at you. Once you get the best gun and the slow motion ability it all becomes trivial. There are some big boss battles that are interesting, they aren’t polished in any way but it serves as a good moment.
The game story is told through a bunch of files and in game messages. You are basically a AI construct entering a previously shattered AI, your job is to fix the broken AI so the levels you play through are the different pieces of the AI. It’s a unique concept and I enjoyed the story the files told.
There is a unique gameplay mechanic that is not used enough, basically you can hack modes that control the power through the level. Power is needed to activate elevators or gates to access new levels, to direct the power there are pipes with “and” or “or” gates, terms you will be familiar with if you know programming. Certain areas have small puzzles where you need to activate these gates in the right sequence to get the power where you need it.. or you can hack the gate to change its setting, which can make puzzles much easier. Apparently the game was supposed to change if you played certain way, like hacked too much but I didn’t see that in action at all. This mechanic was used early on a lot but by the last two worlds it’s all but thrown out, odd.
Recompile is clearly a rough indie game, I got to hand it to the team for trying a genre many don’t. That alone assured that I enjoy my time with the game but I was left wanting so much more. Its like 6 hours long which was perfect for this kind of game. It moves at a brisk pace with new powers and levels constantly so at least I wasn’t bored, I was just confused at why it’s all so sloppy. It’s free on gamepass, give it a whirl if you are curious, it’s not bad, but I think it’s safe to say this a game you can pass on.
Overall Score 5.8