Hardcore and Death

About

Hardcore and Death is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by ZERO5GAMES and was released on December 5, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

In a fading world where the final light of the Glowing Tree dims, you must reach the Heart to survive. Navigate large, multi-tiered levels filled with spikes, mechanical traps, and collapsing platforms, relying on agility, strategy, and pattern memory. With limited checkpoints and freedom of routes, every move counts in this challenging platformer.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 37 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game offers a challenging and rewarding experience, perfect for fans of hardcore platformers.
Engaging gameplay with intuitive controls and beautiful graphics enhances the overall experience.
Levels are well-designed with a variety of traps and obstacles, providing a sense of achievement upon completion.

The game can feel punishing and frustrating due to its unfair checkpoint system and instant-death traps.
Some players find the gameplay monotonous and lacking in engaging mechanics, leading to boredom.
Controls can be unresponsive at times, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it boring and lacking in variety, while others praise its engaging mechanics and challenging levels. Many appreciate the dynamic elements, such as double jumps and obstacle navigation, which contribute to a rewarding experience, though some feel it could benefit from more innovative features. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and appealing graphics, it may not satisfy those seeking deeper gameplay complexity.
- “A fun platformer with a variety of game levels, where we have to overcome various obstacles, such as spikes, falling platforms, and flying blades. The use of a double jump adds dynamics to the gameplay, allowing us to find unique routes to achieve the goal.”
- “The gameplay is engaging, with great controls and a rewarding sense of achievement.”
- “Addictive gameplay, beautiful graphics, and pleasant music draw you into your world for a long time.”
- “Boring, not interesting, not enticing at all. I regret spending money on this project, which is not worth the price. It could have been much better with more diverse mechanics or reworked locations. Instead, you end up jumping on monotonous areas that have already been overused. I don't recommend this project at all.”
- “Overall, the game is decent, but it does get a bit boring due to a lack of truly cool or engaging mechanics.”
- “The atmosphere is gloomy, the gameplay is catching, but it fails to maintain excitement over time.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
11%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and quality, with many reviewers highlighting the gorgeous backgrounds and engaging visuals that enhance the overall experience. The combination of appealing graphics, intuitive controls, and nostalgic elements contributes to an addictive gameplay experience that resonates with players. Overall, the game's visuals are a standout feature, making it a recommended choice for those who appreciate high-quality graphics.
- “Pleasant graphics and dynamic gameplay will add fun to our passage of the game.”
- “I liked the graphics, and the backgrounds are simply gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, the game is simple yet engaging.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The atmosphere is characterized by a gloomy yet immersive environment that enhances the intense and unforgiving gameplay. Players appreciate how the atmospheric design and responsive controls contribute to a sense of achievement with each victory.
- “The atmosphere is gloomy, the gameplay is captivating, and each approach keeps you immersed in the mood.”
- “The challenge is intense and unforgiving, but the responsive controls and atmospheric design make every victory feel earned.”
- “The atmosphere is gloomy, the gameplay is engaging, and each approach keeps you immersed in the mood.”
- “The environment feels lifeless and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
- “Despite the potential, the atmosphere lacks depth and fails to draw players into the experience.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's replayability is significantly hindered by its punishing mechanics, including unfair spikes and instant-death traps, which lead to frustrating restarts without checkpoints. This design choice may deter players seeking a more forgiving experience, limiting the game's appeal for repeated playthroughs.
- “The hardcore and punishing nature of this 2D platformer creates a unique replayability factor, as each attempt to conquer its unfair spikes and instant-death traps feels like a new challenge.”
- “With no checkpoints or mercy kills, every run through the game is a test of skill and patience, making you want to improve and try again.”
- “The endless frustrating restarts only add to the replay value, as players are driven to master the game's mechanics and overcome its brutal obstacles.”
- “Hardcore and death's brutal 2D platformer drowns in unfair spikes, instant-death traps, and clunky dashes that punish precision players with endless frustrating restarts—no checkpoints or mercy kills diminish replay value.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and variety in gameplay makes it hard to find motivation for a second playthrough.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return, as the experience feels repetitive and lacks new content.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's music is consistently praised for being pleasant and enhancing the overall experience, complementing its addictive gameplay and beautiful graphics. Players find the soundtrack engaging, contributing to the immersive atmosphere of the game.
- “Overall, the game is very simple, has a pleasant soundtrack, and cool mechanics.”
- “Addictive gameplay, beautiful graphics, and pleasant music draw you into your world for a long time.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on weaker hardware, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate its design and performance, noting that it effectively combines challenging gameplay with accessibility.
- “The game is good, I always wonder what will happen next. The game is well designed and optimized; it runs great even on weak hardware. Overall, the game is excellent, I recommend it!”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stability, running smoothly even on weaker hardware, which contributes to an overall excellent experience. Users appreciate its well-designed and optimized performance, enhancing their engagement with the gameplay.
- “The game is well designed and optimized; it runs great even on weak hardware.”
- “Overall, the game is excellent; I recommend it!”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story revolves around a quest to reach the heart of a tree before its last light fades, creating a sense of urgency and purpose in the narrative.
- “Your mission is to reach the heart before the last light in the tree fades.”