Cortex Command

Once in a blue moon, a game like Cortex Command comes along. After a troubled development process that spans over a decade, this side-scrolling strategy game released a launch build onto the world. Perhaps it was in an attempt to get closure or perhaps developer Data Realms was truly satisfied with the result. What is certain is that this entertaining and quirky physics war game is not finished at all. It’s a ton of fun to wage pixelated warfare that is as explosive as it’s unpredictable, but the plague of errors are still omnipresent and that will annoy many.

As mentioned, this game is lo-fi. A terrain is mapped with simple 2D pixels and characters have rudimentary figures. Luckily, a user interface is mostly kept out of the action, so there’s a clear field of view between parties. A buy screen that comes up on one half of the screen can become intrusive during hectic moments, but other than that, the presentation matches the quirky physics charm accompanied by minimal sound effects. Terrains range from a mix of mountains and caves, to deserts and underground complexes, each with a different solidity, which also matters when digging for gold; the main currency in the game.

The game of warfare is simple enough. Each team tries to take out the other, with a mother brain being the main goal. Take out the lead objective and the game is won. Aside from a campaign where teams try to take over a world map and build out bases, there are also many different scenarios available. Unfortunately, the problems already start here, as many options simply don’t work. The scenarios that are operational are entertaining and go from a simple zombie massacre to routing out entire bases. Still, it offers a lot more that is inaccessible and that’s a shame.

Whatever gameplay mode is chosen, the wacky physics will make up the entertaining portion of the game. Characters usually come equipped with jetpacks and guns; what ensues should speak for itself. Gunmen fly around, trying to blast foes before getting destroyed first. Tactical positions are taken behind barriers as oncoming victims explode all over the screen time after time. There is a lot of momentum in the game and with loose physics, this gets amplified when bodies start doing things seemingly at random. More times than not, bodies will make contortionist movements or a single occurrence will have several unforeseen consequences that readjust the current plan. Men can have their weapon or even limbs blown off or shrapnel might send them flying uncontrollably through the air, leaving them vulnerable for attack. A million possibilities can occur any given time, which keeps gameplay refreshing, if nothing more than just for the sake of randomness.

To purchase troops or use actions during the game, a circular menu surrounding units can be accessed. Here, there’s a choice of automating certain processes or to go into the buy menu. Categories indicate the difference between units, guns, tools and so forth. Pressing buy will prompt a selected craft to land at the designated area. Even here, it’s possible to exploit the game’s mechanics. For example, it’s possible to purchase nothing but bombs and flop them to the ground with a drop crate, right onto the enemy. Anything caught underneath either gets squished or explodes, which makes for a cheap and effective impromptu airstrike.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said for automated processes. The artificial intelligence (AI) is smart enough for basic actions, such as patrolling a linear area, but slightly more complexity paired with the random element creates more havoc than organization in one’s ranks. This can especially be troublesome with gold miners, which would ideally need to run in the background to keep the focus on the battle. A lot of times, units will get stuck or mess up or even die due to a flaw in the AI. The opponent AI in turn is aggressive to the point that some matches can end in less than a minute if several actions aren’t immediately done.

In truth, the random factor that makes playing so rewarding is also a part that can break entire games. Glitches are not uncommon and that can become a challenging gamble from time. Cortex Command also suffers from instability or seemingly inexplicable flaws that occur constantly. Even when nothing’s happening, units may spontaneously combust or even the main character might die and end the match. There are also periodical crashes and resolution issues, but also drops in the frame rate. That paired with elements that simply don’t work at all, make this otherwise entertaining strategy title a risky endeavor for gamers. The amount of joy that can be had is determined partially by luck and by the amount of these constant annoyances that remain tolerable.

There is also multiplayer available, though it only works with select circumstances. Perhaps the level editor will be able to improve the element, but that’s debatable given other issues. Still, it is more fun with even more players around and those that hunker down can create a few new scenarios and share those with the community.

Waiting to purchase Cortex Command until more stability is introduced is a risky stance, given its lengthy development process. It is, at its core, an enjoyable title with more zany antics than a cartoon marathon. Physics and a lot of randomness spice up this rousing gameplay of pixelated war, but this comes at a high price of equal irregularities in the game’s consistency. There’s no telling why this version should be a release build, given it is shaky in all elements, but that’s the way it is now. It’s a shame that this is its stamp, as it could’ve done better with some decent refinement.
 

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed. (@Daavpuke)