Return from Core
- December 15, 2023
- Tanxun Studio
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Return from Core" is a sci-fi FPS game that takes you on a mission to save a dying starship. Battle against alien creatures and repair the ship's systems to survive. With various weapons, abilities, and customization options, players must strategize and adapt to progress through the game's intense challenges.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features interesting thematic elements that help it stand out among similar titles, providing a unique experience.
- Gameplay is enjoyable with addictive mechanics, solid crafting, and a good balance of exploration and resource management.
- Despite some rough translations, the game is still fun and engaging, with a lot of potential for future updates and improvements.
- The English translations are poorly executed, often resulting in broken dialogue and cut-off text, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Many quests are grindy and repetitive, leading to pacing issues that can make the game feel tedious at times.
- There are several bugs and UI issues that detract from the gameplay, including problems with inventory management and quest tracking.
- story32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it generic and poorly translated, leading to confusion in quest objectives and instructions. While some appreciate the inclusion of NPC relationships and a structured storyline, others criticize the grindy nature of quests and pacing issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative elements are seen as lacking depth, but the game still manages to engage players with its mechanics and gameplay.
“Its a great game and there is a lot to do story-wise and side quests.”
“Some noticeable differences are there's an actual story in return from core, there are NPCs you can form relationships with, mining isn't an absolute slog like it is in CK, mining actually feels like mining instead of whacking sponges with a pickaxe, the graphics are way better than the fuzzy CK graphics, and the combat isn't simply finding where to stand to cheese the enemies.”
“The main story is well written, but the random dialogue with the different characters feels random at best.”
“The translation is 90% nonsense at the moment, like they just ran the whole Chinese script through Google Translate and pasted it straight in, which makes quest logs and instructions almost useless.”
“First and foremost, I want to say to the devs that although many of the reviewers dismiss the English translation as laughable and funny, I think that it's probably the biggest problem with the game in its current state because a lot of potential players will likely be immediately turned off by how confusing it can be early on even before the automation quest starts.”
“Some quests are very poorly explained, which probably is related to the language barrier to some degree, but some just don't have a logical flow.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, with seamless tutorials and enjoyable mechanics that blend familiar sandbox crafting and survival elements. Players appreciate the visual style and find the combat and movement satisfactory, though some note minor issues with translation and polish compared to similar games. Overall, it offers a fun experience, particularly for its price, despite some critiques on complexity and execution.
“Although I guess you could say this is a positive since the tutorial blends into the gameplay so seamlessly it was impossible for me to tell that I was actually still doing a tutorial.”
“The concept, visual style, and core gameplay are enough to warrant giving this game a chance in my opinion, especially for the price.”
“The premise is fun and the mechanics will be familiar to anyone who's played sandbox crafting/survival games before.”
“Gameplay: 6/10”
“Gameplay is pretty alright - the combat is fine and the movement/mining is also just fine.”
“For the meantime go buy Core Keeper instead; it offers very similar if not identical gameplay as this one minus the monster girl romance option and it's way more polished.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with players praising the art style and overall visual quality as a significant improvement over previous titles. Many users find the graphics enjoyable and well-integrated with the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. The combination of appealing visuals and engaging mechanics contributes to a fresh and satisfying gaming experience.
“Awesome game! I really like the graphic style and gameplay.”
“I like the art style; though I suppose that's subjective.”
“My initial take is that this game (Return from Core) is a fresh and interesting take with great mechanics and art style.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, particularly with quests that require gifting items to NPCs and the automation needed in later stages, which can slow progress significantly. However, many appreciate the farming and crafting elements, which provide a more engaging experience compared to the repetitive grinding tasks.
“However, I got fed up with a lot of the quests, which are very grindy, especially the part where you have to gift NPCs items.”
“There is also a huge amount of automation and grinding needed at the second layers and beyond, which really slows things down too much.”
“Everything else can really be done by hand without it feeling tedious, which is surprising.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its poor English translation, which some players find amusing while others consider it a significant drawback that detracts from the overall experience. While the humor can be entertaining, the confusing translations may alienate potential players, leading to mixed feelings about this aspect of the game.
“It's all fun and funny, in my opinion.”
“I had to stop playing it because of the lack of controller support, but the awful (yet funny) translations kept me entertained.”
“I know I've read others cringe at the translation; at times it is funny, while other times it can be annoying.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game is playable on various platforms, it still suffers from significant bugs, indicating a mixed experience with stability.
“It runs great on the deck! 👍🏻”
“The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes.”
“I've experienced no bugs or glitches, making for a stable gaming experience.”
“Long story short: playable but still a buggy mess.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers generally feel that while the character development is satisfactory, there is room for improvement, suggesting that deeper exploration of characters could enhance the overall experience.
“The character development in this game is incredibly deep and engaging, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, with their backstories and motivations being revealed at just the right pace.”
“The choices you make really impact the character development, leading to meaningful relationships and growth.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth.”
“I was hoping for more meaningful growth in the characters throughout the story.”
“The characters don't evolve in a way that feels satisfying or realistic.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience alongside the graphics.
“The music is incredibly enjoyable and enhances the overall experience.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, making every moment memorable.”
“I love how the music sets the mood and immerses you in the game world.”
