windowscentral[.]com/recore-review
ReCore isn't a perfect game, but its setting, concept and characters are compelling enough in their own right. The core gameplay is sound, the combat is mesmerizingly addictive, and ReCore's aerial dashing, leaping, platforming gameplay is technically sound.ReCore falls prey to heavy amounts of copy and paste, a couple of design quirks and technical issues, such as occasional frame rate dips and hefty load times, but Armature and Comcept are already working to fix some of these basic technical problems already.
Pros:
Aggressively addictive combat
Intense platforming puzzles
Rewarding RPG layer
Great valueCons:
Variety is on the low end
Story content is lacking
Minor design decisions hinder the experienceReCore should also be praised for its value. For less than the typical "full price" of a AAA title, you get 10-15 hours of enduring gameplay — and much more if you're a completionist. You get fun, addictive combat, a deep customization and progression system, and a game that works across Xbox One and PC with a single license.
Despite its imperfections, ReCore is exactly the type of game I want Microsoft Studios to take seriously. ReCore leans on some beloved gameplay conventions while injecting injected some of its own, gloriously unique and fulfilling elements. The RPG layer provides boatloads of additional gameplay and the setting, story and characters are just something I want to see more of.
I feel like ReCore's greatest concepts may only find their potential in a sequel with a bigger team and a bigger budget, but considering RYSE, Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, and the various other new second-party developed one-shot IP Microsoft Studios has published in recent years, I'm afraid that we may never see it.