There is a world inside your computer. Programs, utilities, the internet, and so on. Over 100 years, humans have created a device that can think, calculate, send buckets of data instantaneously, and communicate across the entire planet. Computers have become far more than just a utility. They’re gateways to an entire digital universe that is expanded further and faster than ever. In this digital landscape of creation, artificial intelligence is being formed, to think, act with direction, and even act on its own. In a way, life is being created. In Recompile, life has found a way. When a program has been selected for termination, a lone warrior will learn and fight in an adventure that won’t just affect the digital world, but the real world as well. Recompile, from Phi Dinh of Phi Games and Dear Villagers, is an ambitious and exciting Metroidvania that is currently in the works.
Recompile had a short demo at PAX East. Players don the mantle of a humanoid program lost in a vast digital mainframe. That program has grown and learned rapidly. The system, because of your advanced knowledge, has selected you for termination. What you know, and what you are capable of, is crucial to the survival of the users and the outside world.
The Recompile demo demonstrated the swift movement and combat capabilities of the main protagonist. The protagonist, a self-sapient AI, quickly develops combat-oriented movement, dashing, and eventually fighting. The tutorial introduced these mechanics in brief segments. Platforming felt tight, responsive, and fluid, giving players the ability to dash across long distances and leap great heights. Eventually, I gained access to a special routine that taught the protagonist combat. For example, the AI can materialize a laser rifle to fight enemies at long range. As the world is digital information, the AI has a wide range of powers, including the ability to materialize weapons and utilize unique abilities. The demo also granted my character dash, as well as a ground pound.
The enemy inevitably detected me and this is where Recompile opened up to the type of combat that the game is expected to have. Multiple security programs surrounded the AI, all attempting to delete the rogue program. I whisked through enemies, dodged their laser fire, and used my laser rifle in combination with a ground pound to dispatch enemies. It was quick vibrant, and action-packed, with the action as swift as the wind and smooth as silk. It was incredibly stylish, as each enemy was ground into ones and zeroes. The demo was incredibly quick but I had an opportunity to learn more from its creator, Phi Dinh. It turns out, Phi Dinh and I have quite a bit in common with the imagination and world of Recompile.
When I was growing up, the computer was seen as something truly special, a remarkable gateway into another universe. Design, math, architecture, communications, art, web surfing, anything was truly possible. In that era, the 1990’s, television shows like ReBoot pictured a world inside the computer, shaped by the humans on the outside. Additionally, movies such as Tron built a believable world within a computer universe, where the user is beamed into a world of light and energy to take place in a battle for his life and the fate of two completely different worlds. This is the direction that Phi is going for with Recompile.
Phi is creating a strong narrative for Recompile, where the actions of the rogue program will affect the actions of the humans on the outside, and likewise, the humans on the outside will directly affect the course of the rogue program inside the computer. He is planning on incorporating multiple endings too, dealing with the implications of computers and technologies in today’s global society. The story, as well as the rest of the game, is still very much under wraps but the premise is incredibly intriguing.
Recompile is shaping to be an extraordinary adventure. Its combat is sharp, its visual presentation is immersive, and its premise feels extremely relevant for today’s times.
Recompile will be launching in 2020, with the hopes of releasing on consoles in 2021. Find more information on the official website or the Steam page.
