ReCore , a 3D action platformer, follows Joule Adams as she wakes up from cryosleep on the space colony Far Eden, 200 years after the Dust Devil Plague devastated Earth. The mission to terraform and establish a new home for humanity has failed due to corrupted corebots, leaving Joule to search for a power core to reactivate her habitat. The gameplay focuses on exploration, combat, and resource collection as Joule navigates the semi-open hub world environment with the help of three corebot companions: Mack K-9, Seth SP-DR, and Duncan AP-3. Each corebot has unique abilities that can be used to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. The game's progression is driven by collecting resources, defeating enemies, and upgrading Joule's guns.
Joule must navigate challenging platforming sections, including those with movement abilities like double jumps and dashing, while also fighting against enemies using her guns. The game features a leveling system, where Joule and the corebots can gain experience and upgrade their stats. Resources are collected through fights, and ammo is regenerated automatically by not firing.
Players can research blueprints at workbenches to improve the corebots' abilities and unlock new body parts for them. Custom loadouts can be assigned by swapping abilities for the different limbs, and players can also swap cores and frames between the corebots. The game features a behind-view camera, but it can also be rotated at any moment.
The original ReCore was released on Xbox One in 2016, and its digital release was later replaced by the ReCore: Definitive Edition , which includes all additional content available for free download to owners of the original game.