Recompile Critic Reviews

As you can probably tell, Recompile is rather special. The mix of the stunning aesthetic, beautiful music, fun combat, and interesting hacking systems all make for something that feels different to any other Metroidvania I've played before. I really like it, and the fact that it's so open and full of potential means this is the kind of game people will be telling their own stories about for ages to come.

As I sit here now, wrapping up this review in an attempt to shut myself up before I accidentally spoil something I would rather people experience for themselves, I am wearing a stupid smile. I am, at this moment, thinking about how great it would be for Recompile to garner the attention, respect, and acclaim it deserves. This is no ordinary game - it is brilliant and ambitious and frustrating in the one and only way that frustration can be a positive term. Recompile is a rare gem in a cave of unremarkable cobblestone, a pearl among cracked shells and coarse sand. If you do one thing after reading this review, do both yourself and I a favour: download Recompile, and once you're done with it, tell your friends to download it, too.

When you perform an inaccurate jump and fall to the void, you won’t be terminated until you reach the bottom, which means you can be free-falling for about ten seconds before the round concludes. However, these problems are secondary to the mixed, complicated emotions I experienced–from the pure joy and satisfaction when finishing a challenging area, to more complex and bitter thoughts about our humanity–and our efforts to be better. Hypervisor provokes conversations not only about our daily dependence on technology, our increasing levels of anxiety around it, or the isolation bubbles created through social media, but how our imminent future could be made even worse. Hopefully, we can change this trajectory before it’s too late–if it isn’t already too late.

Recompile is the complete adventure package. It has good gameplay, an intriguing minimalist story, striking visuals and music, and developers who respect the player’s ability to explore on their own. Go get it, you won’t be disappointed.

Recompile is an excellent option for fans of Metroidvanias, challenging gameplay, and unique ideas.

Quotation forthcoming.

Looks aren’t everything. And unfortunately, Recompile is a prime example of that sentiment. The potential was there to make a joyful experience, one where you would look forward to trying out the various biomes and tackling the challenges in each of them. The narrative and design lured me in, as the plot choices and stylish flair of the Mainframe was engrossing. But, unfortunately, most of the actual gameplay took me right out of the experience and made it a disappointing endeavor.

Recompile is not a bad game by any means, I just would not say it is a great one. I enjoyed myself at times, but ultimately feel like it did not do remotely enough to stand apart from the rest of the genre. Recompile is an interesting concept, but one that feels more like an incomplete idea. I loved the concepts, but there are some core gameplay things that would need to be fixed in order for me to truly feel like the idea made it’s way onto my computer the way the developers intended.

In the end, despite some big design mistakes, Recompile remains a very funny title that will offer a wonderful trip in a very colorful universe to its players. The flaws and the too great facility of the title are, without any doubt, compensated by its enchanting atmosphere and its more than pleasant game feeling. Far from being a must-have Metroidvania, Recompile will nevertheless be the kind of title that, although it doesn't offer anything new, will keep a small place in the memory of the players who will have the courage to launch into its adventure.

The exploration, narrative elements, art style, and audio are all excellent in Recompile, but the platforming begins to feel redundant after a while. Especially since the level design doesn't provide any clear direction and leads to regular backtracking and second guessing. There are also missed opportunities where the gameplay could have been more interesting and balanced. Still, the game should scratch that itch for those always looking for something new to experience.

Recompile succeeds where it doesn't need to and fails where it should, the story is unexpectedly intriguing, yet the gameplay is dull and frustrating.

The game runs smoothly and looks great, but it would be more entertaining with just a little more gatekeeping.

Recompile is a competent metroidvania with a strong story and great writing let down by overly bland gameplay. Its platforming and puzzles are too simplistic, and its infrequent combat can frustrate, but hunting for bits of lore between those sections still managed to stay interesting. It's a short-lived and sometimes forgettable metroidvania, but with a story that still makes it a few hours well spent.

Quotation forthcoming.

Recompile is a game that promised a lot but in reality is lost in itself. All the gameplay mechanics are dull and shallow, especially within a structure much more linear than it may seem at first.

While I wanted to like Recompile thanks to the strength of its concept and visuals, it never managed to strike the right chords with me. Regardless of how sharp it looks, the experience is marred by weak metroidvania design and frustrating platforming that override the aesthetics. Players interested in this one would do well to watch Tron or track down the excellent first-person shooter Tron 2.0 instead.

The game does occasionally muster some remnant of satisfaction with the way its world and aesthetic is structured. But a case of artistic vision overwhelming implementation leaves Recompile with a muddled, at times horribly-frustrating sense of progression.

Despite it's so-so action, Recompile is a brilliant adventure and unlocking its mysteries is a blast. It could be a bit clearer when steering you to the next step, but the strength of its platforming and puzzling more than makes up for it. Love me some hacking and code now.