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Recompile

This atmospheric, Metroidvania hacking adventure lets you take control of a semi-sapient program struggling against deletion. In the sprawling 3D world of a Mainframe, Recompile features intense combat, tight 3D platforming, super-powered abilities and an environmental logic-based hacking mechanic.

Steam Page
Developer
Phigames
Publisher
Dear Villagers
Release
August 19, 2021
4 years and 349 days ago
Steam Reviews
Mixed178 reviews69.1%

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Updated: Jul 13, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
The separate publisher has a broad catalog or developer network in the local database.
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Search Google: Who controls the creative direction and IP for Recompile and Phigames?Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.
The game was released through a separate publisher.

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About the Game



Witness the birth of sapient AI in this sprawling atmospheric hacking adventure.
Combining Metroidvania progression with non-linear exploration and gameplay. Recompile challenges players to explore, fight, hack, and survive. Discover the many secrets beneath ancient digital landscape and prepare for system-wide reconfiguration.

The game’s entire narrative takes place within 1 second of real time.


Delve into the ancient, sprawling ruins of the Mainframe and discover a range of traversal abilities to help you on your journey towards attaining true sapience.

The game has multiple endings based on the players actions; you can repair systems, restore lost data, hack or destroy enemies, all whilst uncovering the truth about the Hypervisor and the original purpose of the Mainframe.


The inhabitants of the Mainframe are strange and diverse, and many are found to be inherently hostile. A full complement of powerful weapons and abilities are available to help you survive, defend and destroy.


Many environmental features, such locked doors, forcefields, elevators and even enemy spawning systems are all powered by intricate, interconnected logic gate circuitry.
Nothing is hardcoded, everything is systemic, and all fully exploitable.
Logic gates can be freely inverted (and reverted), allowing puzzles or other threatening obstacles to be peacefully and safely bypassed. Even the inhabitants themselves can be tampered with, their programming changed to follow the player’s commands.


The story explores everything from machine sentience to the nature of choice.
Life and death. Chaos and determinism. Sentience and sapience. Intelligence exists in many forms. In this dying world, one must explore all possibilities. Observe and respect all perspectives. Only then, can we truly survive.

Games that inspired us:


Axiom Verge, Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Rime
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