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Cart #cortex_override-0 | 2024-10-11 | Code ▽ | Embed ▽ | License: CC4-BY-NC-SA
9

After 2.5 years of on-and-off work, I'm thrilled to share my dream PICO-8 game with the community. Cortex Override is a labor of love where I've attempted to blend elements of Zelda and Armored Core into just 32kb. This project pushed me to the limits of the platform and taught me so much about game development.

I personally handled every aspect of the game from scratch: the graphics, music, game engine, and all mechanics. It's been an incredibly rewarding journey, and I'm excited to share it with you all.

This first version is playable and complete, though probably not perfect. I welcome all feedback, comments, and suggestions - they'll help me grow and improve the game further.

Soon, I'll be writing a blog post detailing the programming techniques I learned from forums and other PICO-8 games that made this project possible. It's my way of giving back to this amazing community.

Thank you for checking out Cortex Override. I hope you enjoy playing it as much as I enjoyed creating it!

Cortex Override

In a world where sentient machines govern our digital existence, a virus-like AI called Barracuda has infected the grid, birthing grotesque cybernetic monstrosities. You are the last uncorrupted nano-drone, a digital spark in a sea of static.

Controls:

  • Arrow keys (⬆️⬇️⬅️➡️): Move and navigate menus
  • ❎ (Z or C): Use selected ability / Select menu option
  • 🅾️ (X or V): Previous menu
  • Hold 🅾️: Open ability menu
  • P or Enter: Pause menu

Main Objectives

  • Initiate all terminals to execute system purge
  • Reach the extraction point

Extra challenges:

  • Collect all data shards
  • Eliminate all enemy units

Features

  • Fast-paced, top-down combat
  • Multiple abilities: Rifle Burst, Machine Gun, Missile Hail, Plasma Cannon
  • Roguelike elements: Upgrade your abilities between missions
  • Four distinct missions with unique challenges
  • Dynamic enemy AI with different behaviors
  • Interactive environment: Exploding barrels, laser doors, terminals
  • Mini-game for hacking terminals
  • Pixel art graphics with dynamic lighting and shadow effects

Terminals and Laser Doors:

Terminals are scattered throughout the game, with many linked to color-coded laser doors. Unlock terminals via a hacking mini-game to deactivate linked doors and access new areas. Some terminals aren't connected to doors but are still vital for the system purge. Hacking all terminals is crucial to complete the main objective.

Data Shards:

Data shards are vital collectibles scattered throughout each level. Each shard restores 25 health points and awards 50 credits when collected. Gathering all data shards in a level is an optional objective.

Entities

In Cortex Override, you'll encounter various entities, each with their own abilities and characteristics. Eliminating all entities in a level is an optional objective.

Corrupted Bots

  1. Dervish

    • Ability: Machine Gun
    • Health: 50
    • Attack Range: 60
    • Kill Value: 100 credits

  2. Vanguard

    • Ability: Rifle Burst
    • Health: 70
    • Attack Range: 50
    • Kill Value: 120 credits
  3. Warden
    • Ability: Missile Hail
    • Health: 100
    • Attack Range: 70
    • Kill Value: 200 credits

Cybernetic Monstrosities

  1. Cyberseer

    • Abilities: Rifle Burst, Missile Hail
    • Health: 160
    • Attack Range: 80
    • Kill Value: 300 credits
  2. Quantum Cleric
    • Abilities: Machine Gun, Plasma Cannon
    • Health: 170
    • Attack Range: 70
    • Kill Value: 320 credits

Development

This game is developed as a single cartridge game using PICO-8, a fantasy console for making, sharing, and playing tiny games and other computer programs.

Title font: https://www.dafont.com/vermin-vibes-1989.font?text=cortex+override

Minified with: https://thisismypassport.github.io/shrinko8/

Author

Cortex Override is a passion project by Emanuele Bonura.

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1

Wow, this is a really fun and fast-paced game! I beat all the levels, but missed a few shards or enemies here and there.

The exploration and combat are great. The levels are large enough to wander around, but are varied enough and not too big so I never got lost. Secret passages / shard locations are fun to find. Weapons and enemies feel very fair - it's possible to dodge or avoid most enemy attacks, and weapons have clear advantages (burst and machine gun for hallways, missiles and plasma cannons outside and vs bosses). Later levels I ran very low on ammo, not sure if there's a backup peashooter if I run out. The minibosses are fun (and somewhat difficult), and barrels add another danger (especially at later levels). Is there a final boss? (the last room with two Clerics was pretty deadly though)

A few things I noticed: On level 1, you can walk out of bounds around bottom middle of the level :) And on level 2, there is a mandatory passage that looks like a solid wall.



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