DaRmaZat Racing the Void with Precision.
Falling endlessly through a magnetic storm, your consciousness returns without memory—only momentum driving you forward. That opening still lands just as hard more than a decade later. DeadCore Redux revisits the cult FPS-platformer Deadcore from 2014, not by reinventing its foundations, but by polishing them until every surface gleams like it’s 2026. Wait… it is already. Anyway, precision jumping at ruthless speed on a towering sci-fi monolith once again define the climb in this remaster, now framed as both a nostalgic return and a surprisingly welcoming modern entry point for newcomers.
Just like the original, which was built around exploration, mastery, and relentless forward motion, DeadCore Redux once again challenges your reflexes as much as your spatial awareness. Each ascent through the colossal Tower feels like a test of intent: chase shortcuts, hunt secrets, or simply survive the fall upward toward the Summit.
A Tower That Demands Your Insight
Awakening alone inside a futuristic megastructure, there isn’t much story to DeadCore Redux, and that isn’t necessary either. Sparks unlock optional challenge levels, while logs scattered across the Tower share the stories of former explorers, revealing cycles, setbacks, and lost attempts to reach the Summit.
A new addition, the Gateway, also reframes the journey’s conclusion. This massive story level bridges old and new content in a way that pushes you beyond the main climb and draws attention toward Spark levels that many may have missed in the original release. Indeed, in Redux, reaching the true ending now asks for total comprehension and commitment, rather than just precise execution.
Momentum Above All
Naturally, as a precision platformer, timing and fast execution, combined with high accuracy, are key here. Double-jumping long-stretched gaps while shooting to disable anomalies or turrets whose hits can throw you into the abyss, then vertical-launching across impossible heights, feels deeply satisfying—at least when you succeed and reach the next checkpoint.
More than a decade after its original release, the core design holds up remarkably well. All six levels clearly invite replay, with alternate routes, hidden collectibles, and endless room to optimize runs. More than once, I caught myself restarting sections simply to shave off seconds or test a different approach. Playing on a controller or on a classic PC keyboard doesn’t matter either, as neither method ever feels limiting once you settle in. Inputs remain responsive, timing windows generous enough to learn yet strict enough to punish complacency. Nothing feels sluggish or padded; every mistake is immediately readable as your own, and, in that case, a respawn to the latest checkpoint is an acceptable quick fix.
Not All Surfaces Gleam
Admittedly, clarity stumbles at times during DeadCore Redux’s gravity-switch sequences. Flipping orientation makes sense mechanically, but the camera can reorient too abruptly, leaving directionality unclear. More than once, I had to stay on a vertical launch point, jumping up and down repeatedly until I finally spotted the platform I was supposed to reach. Chaining multiple gravity shifts amplifies this issue, especially later on, where visual reference points can dissolve into disorientation.
Enemies also remain a minor presence. Patrolling entities appear occasionally, but since they can only be stunned rather than destroyed, tension rarely escalates. Their purpose feels underdeveloped, more like interruptions than meaningful threats, to the point where it’s fair to ask whether they were really needed at all. In any case, movement—not combat—remains the unquestioned star in DeadCore Redux.
A Sharper, Shinier Void
Visually, this remaster earns its name. Cloud-filled skyboxes that were already striking now shimmer with modern lighting, volumetric effects, and properly reflective surfaces. The updated models, textures, effects, and UI give the Tower a renewed sense of scale without losing its stark identity, while its shiny elements finally look as luminous as the design always implied.
Performance also holds steady, with no hiccups to speak of, and Steam Deck support deserves a quiet nod as well, perfectly suiting the game’s short-burst replayability.
Final Thoughts
DeadCore Redux doesn’t try to justify its existence by rewriting history. Instead, it trusts what already worked, wrapping it in a sharper, shinier presentation that finally matches the ambition of its design, while thoughtful additions like the Gateway and expanded Speedrun features give the experience renewed shape. Truth be told, the camera behavior during gravity shifts can undermine readability at times, and this is no game for anyone lacking spatial insight.
Still, the movement remains razor-sharp, the level design still begs to be replayed, and the Tower once again pulls you upward with quiet obsession. Ultimately, the rare frustrations you may encounter never outweigh the joy of momentum, mastery, and rediscovery in this one.
Additional Information
Release Date: January 15, 2026
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by developer and publisher.
Developer: 5 Bits Games
Publisher: 5 Bits Games
Relevant links: Available on Steam
