Cortex Command

 PC
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 138 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 138
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 138
  3. Negative: 28 out of 138

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  1. Nathanimations
    Jun 6, 2019
    10
    I like this game. I don't really play the campaign mode though. I just use mods in the other mode it has.
  2. dauchara
    Dec 27, 2020
    10
    I think it is realy intersting game. Im playing with brother, and we enjoy!
  3. lazatoy
    Nov 24, 2013
    9
    First off: REALLY IGN?
    Now: This game is great and fun! The game is fun to mod, and if you like games with mods like quake, this would be recommended, BUT NOT FOR THE CAMPAIGN. The 2 hour long campaign is very hit and miss, where as there are also difficulty bumps. What are difficulty bumps? Difficulty bumps are where there is a easy level then the next level is REALLY hard, and    First off: REALLY IGN?
    Now: This game is great and fun! The game is fun to mod, and if you like games with mods like quake, this would be recommended, BUT NOT FOR THE CAMPAIGN. The 2 hour long campaign is very hit and miss, where as there are also difficulty bumps. What are difficulty bumps? Difficulty bumps are where there is a easy level then the next level is REALLY hard, and afterwards and the next level is REALLY EASY, The tutorial, however can be useful and fun. Mods can be crazy and fun, like for example, There is a mod that gives you ALLOT OF CRAP, that can be fun to screw with! Endless Skirmishes can be fun too, and lets not forget multiplayer (It's local ONLY, so a controller MIGHT be recommended). I have heard of some bugs but I never found any. So overall SCREW THE CRITICS THIS GAME IS EPIC, only pay attention to the reviews because of: Bugs? and/or the hit and miss campaign.    … Expand
  4. gmb
    Nov 1, 2012
    9
    All in all this game is currently my favorite. The environment is fully dynamic and destructable, like in worms but here you have a shooter+strategy game at hand. This should be a totally unique experience to everybody!

    The fun factor is incredibly, there are endless combinations of soldiers you can create. Plus you can create own levels and mods or just download some of the cool stuff    All in all this game is currently my favorite. The environment is fully dynamic and destructable, like in worms but here you have a shooter+strategy game at hand. This should be a totally unique experience to everybody!

    The fun factor is incredibly, there are endless combinations of soldiers you can create. Plus you can create own levels and mods or just download some of the cool stuff the community made.

    The AI deserves some improvements, but manually switching and controlling your soldiers is part of the gameplay anyways. Overall the game is great for people who like to experiment and are bored from mainstream games.

    Many people complain about the controls, but I got used to that in about one hour.    … Expand
  5. Salient0ne
    Oct 1, 2012
    8
    I'm a little disappointed this game launched without having online multiplayer support, but it's a great idea and a good time. I'm not sure it's worth it's current price point, but for what i got it for awhile ago its a steal.
  6. Moopzoo
    Jan 2, 2013
    9
    I really fail to understand how users can find this game boring and/or repetitive. If it's boring for you, then you clearly don't like this genre. If you don't like strategy games, don't buy it and complain of boredom after two battles. Also, there are some annoying flaws, such as units eventually making mistakes and/or finding some way to destroy themselves by accident, but this should beI really fail to understand how users can find this game boring and/or repetitive. If it's boring for you, then you clearly don't like this genre. If you don't like strategy games, don't buy it and complain of boredom after two battles. Also, there are some annoying flaws, such as units eventually making mistakes and/or finding some way to destroy themselves by accident, but this should be taken in stride, as part of the challenge. Be aware that this is still in development, but has much more potential than anyone seems to have credited it with. Yes, the engine does take a toll, especially when units begin to cluster and collide in an isolated area, but that shouldn't be an issue, unless for some reason the clustering occurs away from the primary area of interest. I've noticed the engine only seems to slow down when units (especially enemies) in a crowd are out of view, and not being dealt with. This is a game for creative users, who like to develop plans to deal with things, and think on their feet. If you can't do any of those even a little, then sure, don't buy it. But if strategy is your style, you will absolutely love this game.… Expand
  7. clarky
    Apr 22, 2013
    10
    This is up there in my top 10 games. There is nothing like this in gaming. Give this game 2 hours of your dedicated time, and you will play for 300+ hours and then... get some mods... Wow another infinite amount of hours right there. All of the best games take time to get used to, if you do not agree with this statement, stick to AAA titles which have been dumbed down at the cost ofThis is up there in my top 10 games. There is nothing like this in gaming. Give this game 2 hours of your dedicated time, and you will play for 300+ hours and then... get some mods... Wow another infinite amount of hours right there. All of the best games take time to get used to, if you do not agree with this statement, stick to AAA titles which have been dumbed down at the cost of gameplay. A true gem.… Expand
  8. Cybermind
    Jan 24, 2013
    9
    This is a great game, if you ask me. It seemed a bit tricky at first but after a gameplay video on youtube I felt quiet comfortable in Cortex Command. It got robots, disembodied brains walking around in robots, walking turrets, stationary turrets, bunker building and lots of different factions with their own soldiers and weapons. The basics of Cortex Command: For the campaign mode you haveThis is a great game, if you ask me. It seemed a bit tricky at first but after a gameplay video on youtube I felt quiet comfortable in Cortex Command. It got robots, disembodied brains walking around in robots, walking turrets, stationary turrets, bunker building and lots of different factions with their own soldiers and weapons. The basics of Cortex Command: For the campaign mode you have a set number of brains from the beginning, human brains which are stored in a glass bowl and these brains controls minions. You must protect these brains at each site, sites which you must control. Until you have gained control of a site you must do your best to protect the brain, for instance dig it deep down in the ground and have it mine gold while down there. The gold you dig out is used for buying more units, these units you must use to defend your brain and attack your opponent(s) brain(s). When you control a site you can then start building a bunker for your brain at that site to protect it. I would like to dive in to building my own bunker complex but until now I have just used the AI to auto build it. The AI usually do a decent job at this. There are also some scenarios which can be played and from what I understand you can find even more scenarios on the net. You can also get custom factions and weapons for the game. As far as I know the developer has made it easy for modders to add content to the game, some of this can be done with the build in editors. To be honest I have been playing campaign mode most of the time and I have not really spend much time exploring other options in the game, apart from a couple of hours with the scenario "Bunker Breach". It is a fresh and innovative addition to my game library. See a couple of gameplay videos and consider it if this sounds like something that's down your ally :-)… Expand
  9. fd2
    Nov 1, 2012
    8
    I'll start by saying this game has an rather sharp learning curve; if you start it up for the first time and play the tutorial, you're almost guaranteed to not have fun playing it. You'll do the things it directs and swiftly get murdered by the AI, then wonder why the light soldier you bought lasted longer than your dummy with an AK did. Once past that hurdle(as in, being able toI'll start by saying this game has an rather sharp learning curve; if you start it up for the first time and play the tutorial, you're almost guaranteed to not have fun playing it. You'll do the things it directs and swiftly get murdered by the AI, then wonder why the light soldier you bought lasted longer than your dummy with an AK did. Once past that hurdle(as in, being able to completely destroy the tutorial with ease every single time), the game opens up into something absurdly fun. Dropship parts seeming to purposefully seek out and kill units, units run headlong into single pixels of dirt and kill themselves, explosions knocking guns out of units' hands seem like bugs, but they're direct products of having every single drawn pixel be a physics-activated object, and often, part of the fun. One can build an impenetrable base, filled with sentries, concrete and metal everywhere, watch the AI send its own dropships into spinning, flaming death, and as you watch the carnage, your brain is murdered by a unit with a digger and nothing else. It seems unfair, but you can always do the same. Due to the engine being as such, it is completely unfeasible to incorporate networked multiplayer as well as being very hard on low-clockrate CPUs(core count does not matter; it utilises only one core and if said core is not up to it, "tough" says the game). When a unit walks painfully slowly, that is the CPU telling you that it shouldn't be running this game. 1GHz is definitely the minimum, but you'll need at least 2.6GHz to have fun on a serious level, 3 for almost no lag at all. Again, core count is irrelevant. So if you can run it, if you can outplay the AI/if you have a couple bros who also by chance know how to play it, it is a spectacular game, well worth its price. All in all, it's like an RTS that doesn't suck, made for the man who knows his build and likes chaos.… Expand
  10. Johnman
    Apr 22, 2014
    8
    I've been playing this game for almost 10 years now. I've bought it several times during that time and frankly, it was worth the price in it's unfinished state back then and it's worth it in it's unfinished state right now.
  11. Sparx
    Apr 6, 2013
    10
    This game may be extremely processor intensive, and it may be unfinished, but this is one of the most fun games I've ever played. I had hours and hours of fun just playing the vanilla game, and once I found the mods for this game it kept me entertained for weeks. There were days I came home and this was all I played for hours until I went to bed. Even the occasional physics bugs are funnyThis game may be extremely processor intensive, and it may be unfinished, but this is one of the most fun games I've ever played. I had hours and hours of fun just playing the vanilla game, and once I found the mods for this game it kept me entertained for weeks. There were days I came home and this was all I played for hours until I went to bed. Even the occasional physics bugs are funny as hell. I probably have more hours logged on this game than I do some really impressive AAA games. A must play, in my opinion.… Expand
  12. Kingo64
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Cortex Command is one of those games you can fire up and play for hours with your friends. There are plenty of mods available which add tonnes of vehicles, weapons, actors, levels and the local multiplayer support is excellent.

    To all the people who are complaining about the game lagging or having no online multiplayer - please be aware that the game makes use of complex physics    Cortex Command is one of those games you can fire up and play for hours with your friends. There are plenty of mods available which add tonnes of vehicles, weapons, actors, levels and the local multiplayer support is excellent.

    To all the people who are complaining about the game lagging or having no online multiplayer - please be aware that the game makes use of complex physics interactions such as particle simulation. Sure the physics engine could have better CPU threading or hardware acceleration but expecting effective online support is ludicrous.

    The game is what you make of it, it can only be as good as you let it be. If all you play is Call of Duty and Halo then I am sorry, this just wasn't made for your of aptitude.

    11/10 would play again    … Expand
  13. montdidier
    Oct 30, 2012
    10
    I bought this game on steam and after finding it initially quite tricky I started getting really into it. It's an unusual blend of real time strategy, resource management and 2D shooter. It's got amazing physics, a unique pixel art style and loads of depth.
  14. Angry_Walrus
    Nov 24, 2012
    8
    I say this game is great, developed by a extremely small company (I think only a few people) this game is in, my opinion a lot of fun. Yes there might not be perfect AI or action packed multi-player but this game truly is fun, to be able to build bases, mine, and invade other bases. This game will easily run you 15+ hours. And the superb physics engine makes every death and explosion anI say this game is great, developed by a extremely small company (I think only a few people) this game is in, my opinion a lot of fun. Yes there might not be perfect AI or action packed multi-player but this game truly is fun, to be able to build bases, mine, and invade other bases. This game will easily run you 15+ hours. And the superb physics engine makes every death and explosion an enjoyable one. But this game will strain your computers processor.… Expand
  15. NoteMEdown
    Apr 29, 2013
    8
    First let me begin by saying what is wrong with the game, for some of these things might make you not want to play the game right off the back, first very poor settings, in the options, you get very basic res options, sound options, and that's basically it. It even lacks a full screen option, it puts the game in a small little windowed mode, of course when the game pops up it clearlyFirst let me begin by saying what is wrong with the game, for some of these things might make you not want to play the game right off the back, first very poor settings, in the options, you get very basic res options, sound options, and that's basically it. It even lacks a full screen option, it puts the game in a small little windowed mode, of course when the game pops up it clearly states you can put it in full screen by pressing Alt+Enter. This is hardly a problem, but just goes to show how they didn't add some simple options. The games controls are difficult to understand, and even after playing hours of the game, you will still get enraged when you press Esc to close the buy menu and you exit the game. The tutorial is very lacking and you will have to result to youtube to learn how to play. Lastly the A.I. is very poor, but in a game like this i see why, so it doesn't harm the fun I have in this game. For example in the beginning of any campaign almost everyone has at least once flew their drop ship into the enemy brain for an easy victory. There are many ways of defeating the A.I. in a matter of seconds in the start of a match, and if you let him live, winning will be hard, because they spawn units faster than humanly possible. I A.I. will fall into simple holes and take awhile to get out, which the developers have done a very good job of getting around. Now on to the good things. Most of all the bugs don't really harm how much fun you will have with this game, before i even knew how to play, I had a blast with this game, Just the making a hole, hiding in it, poking your head out, shooting something that explodes and ends up killing you with the debris, just a blast. The game has a very fun combat, and when playing with friends (using the same computer because Online isn't in the game) is just a blast. If you set up some simple ground rules, like don't just run your dropship into the other person's brain on game start, and other small rules, you can have a very fun and competitive time with your friends. This game has a decent modding community behind it, which makes the fun last even longer. This game is pretty complicated with the right click button opening up a menu of sorts that allows you to click many commands that you have to use all the time. These commands range from reloading, the buy menu, dropping and picking up guns, changing which gun you are using, and telling the character you are controlling what to do after you control a different character. This game has an interesting mix of managing your own A.I. and playing a character to defeat the enemy A.I.
    All in all, i have had a great time with this game, and if they added Online and made more options to change in the options and made some balancing to the A.I. and how it works, this game would be an easy 10/10
    Thanks for reading hit me up anytime through steam if you have any questions/comments.    … Expand
  16. XLBaron
    Aug 31, 2013
    10
    This game is brilliat!Like ol good times returnes.Awsone multiplayer who based not in this 1 hour-scripts,mixed with hi-poly models with scenario for morons.Must have on steam who sick from Modern Moron Game Developing Unstopoble conveyor.Best Indie game iv ever see....
  17. sircolten
    Apr 24, 2014
    10
    It's about dam time they updated this game. Improved AI mostly and steam workshop. There is more that they updated but I'm not going to go into all the details about that. The game has really turned itself around. It's not that sh*t game where no one plays it anymore. If you like Terraria, shooters, retro games, and a bit of strategy with awesome mod support, This game is for you.
  18. Monte28
    Nov 12, 2012
    9
    The concept is great and the factions are so different it actually feels uniqu when you fight each one. The gameplay is going to feel VERY foreign to anyone who picks it up. The controls will feel clustered and anti-intuitive, but i assure you that it actually isn't that bad and is quickly picked up. As far as gameplay if you hate 2D games you can stop reading my review right now. But theThe concept is great and the factions are so different it actually feels uniqu when you fight each one. The gameplay is going to feel VERY foreign to anyone who picks it up. The controls will feel clustered and anti-intuitive, but i assure you that it actually isn't that bad and is quickly picked up. As far as gameplay if you hate 2D games you can stop reading my review right now. But the game is based off of a physics system that basically relates to EVERYTHING. Between movement, projectiles, destruction, and basically everything else; the game doesn't really relate to damage as much as the physics. Hit a guy in the neck, he bleeds out. Blow off a left leg...a right leg...guy limps, he hops, he crawls, and if you blow off both legs...well hes a legless jet with a gun. And destruction is like minecraft. You chip away at things until it breaks into a bunch of smaller...things/particles. All the damage on the maps stays. So your campaign is very dynamic and fun. The game only lucks AI intelligence...and i mean sometimes its amazing...other times its worse than a game from 1995. Seriously, some gun fights, your troops are ducking and moving to avoid projectiles and using everything they got. Other battles my guys shoot in the wrong direction, jump onto grenades, and/or pull out a digging gun for a gun fight. So with patches and what not, the AI will become better. The campagin is a giant sandbox that you pick up to 4 teams, and then up to 12 gold sites. You fight over these gold sites until everyones "deploys" every brain they have. After every brain is deployed. The game decides who wins by either who has the most sites, or if theres equal amounts of sites owned, who has the most gold. So basically it's your own story every time. I can say the game is fluent and fun with some bugs and lacking stuff. But theres enough content to keep you going. Mods bring the game to shine even brighter if you dont mind using them. So i give the game a 9. Just one point off for the confused AI(never can decide whether it wants to be a good AI or horrible AI). Give the game a try, it didn't seem to look good but after playing it i can say it's great and still improving.… Expand
  19. Me929
    Nov 23, 2012
    9
    Cortex Command, even if parts of it are very buggy, is a very fun game that is definitely worth the price. The combat is satisfying and the bunker design is interesting for those who like to build things. Although learning how to control the bots without crushing your head on the ceiling and controlling your troops can be frustrating, the game is still very fun. On the contrary to whatCortex Command, even if parts of it are very buggy, is a very fun game that is definitely worth the price. The combat is satisfying and the bunker design is interesting for those who like to build things. Although learning how to control the bots without crushing your head on the ceiling and controlling your troops can be frustrating, the game is still very fun. On the contrary to what others say, the game can have a fair amount of re-playability if you take advantage of all the features and try new things. There is a surprisingly active modding community that creates a large amount of content, from full conversion mods that change movement to faction and weapon packs. In all, I think that this game is easily misunderstood and will not appeal to some people, but others will love it. While the physics and AI could really use improvement, the game is very fun once you get used to it and has its own charm. The graphics style is quite appealing and works very well with the physics and world. I would wholly recommend this game despite its shortcomings.… Expand
  20. NodCrush
    Dec 25, 2012
    10
    Cortex Command is one of the best and most unique indie games out there. The game can create so many hours of fun for you and your friends with the 4 player local co-op or vs. Cortex Command is constantly being developed so more content is on the way so patience is key; However as is this game is great despite a few bugs which are to be expected from a game still in development.
  21. DRnibbles
    Nov 26, 2012
    9
    Cortex command, i got this game back a few years ago before it was on steam, i believe it was in the beta at the time, I enjoyed every moment this game gave me, apart from the crashes when something would go wrong, this game is really quite nice to look at, and once you get over the controls, it can play quite nice. The thing that it lack's is the engine. If i was the person programmingCortex command, i got this game back a few years ago before it was on steam, i believe it was in the beta at the time, I enjoyed every moment this game gave me, apart from the crashes when something would go wrong, this game is really quite nice to look at, and once you get over the controls, it can play quite nice. The thing that it lack's is the engine. If i was the person programming this, i would take what i would of learnt from this game and then try to code a brand new engine to play on, Overall its a nice game but if you are someone who doesn't like crashing, i wouldn't get this.… Expand
  22. ThoughtWolf
    Apr 29, 2013
    9
    I would rate this game a 9 out of 10. It has improved vastly since the other reviews were written. Those reviews were written BEFORE the game was even released, which is highly unfair.
    -1 Point for basically lack of online multiplayer. If this game had that, it would be best game of 2013 in my books but as a singleplayer standalone it just doesn't have the same appeal. I would probably    I would rate this game a 9 out of 10. It has improved vastly since the other reviews were written. Those reviews were written BEFORE the game was even released, which is highly unfair.
    -1 Point for basically lack of online multiplayer. If this game had that, it would be best game of 2013 in my books but as a singleplayer standalone it just doesn't have the same appeal. I would probably enjoy it much more if I had someone to play splitscreen with though.    … Expand
  23. tranqx
    May 16, 2013
    9
    Yes there are glitches and clunky mechanics. AND perhaps it WAS released too soon for people to enjoy it, but I think the only TWO developers that have been working on this for years did that for several reasons. They are working hard on this and have already been getting recognition. I hope this game gets finished, but since the first build I tested the game up until its public release,Yes there are glitches and clunky mechanics. AND perhaps it WAS released too soon for people to enjoy it, but I think the only TWO developers that have been working on this for years did that for several reasons. They are working hard on this and have already been getting recognition. I hope this game gets finished, but since the first build I tested the game up until its public release, I have had tremendous amounts of fun with it. Don't forget how much coding went into this! Hella appreciated! It is already opening doors to new games!… Expand
  24. tyman79
    Jun 30, 2013
    10
    This is one of my favorite games. The people that gave this game a low score need to sit down and play the game for more than an hour. If you give the game some time it gets better. Also play the scenarios, the campaign barley works. Just learn the game and you will appreciate it.
  25. uberhen
    Jul 21, 2013
    10
    I've been playing this game since 2006, and it's probably the most played game I own simply because of the mods. There really is no other game that lends itself so well to modding; if you can use MS Paint, you're set.

    There are hundreds of mods, from Half Life 2, Warhammer 40K, Halo: Reach, and Star Wars factions, to campaigns spanning multiple missions. I will agree with the consensus    I've been playing this game since 2006, and it's probably the most played game I own simply because of the mods. There really is no other game that lends itself so well to modding; if you can use MS Paint, you're set.

    There are hundreds of mods, from Half Life 2, Warhammer 40K, Halo: Reach, and Star Wars factions, to campaigns spanning multiple missions. I will agree with the consensus that the vanilla game leaves a lot to be desired. But all the game files and logic are exposed, easily edited to your liking.

    Don't play this seriously, consider it a physics sandbox with elements of Tribes, Men of War, and Worms. Local multiplayer and coop are a blast if you can get some buddies to play too.    … Expand
  26. connor2232
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    i did not get to play the game yet but the detail shows that the game is going to be BIG!
    all i can find about the game was on youtube. to me is looked superb but one thing i found missing,
    all of the minor or should I say majorly stupid AI. so far I love the game, but when the full game comes out,
    it better be good
  27. jumbalia
    May 3, 2014
    9
    This game launched 3 or 4 years too early and it got hammered for it. If this had been an early access or beta participation title before it launched the reviews would have been amazing. Now that the studio has returned to the project and the mod support is more unified I thoroughly recommend it t anyone looking for a mad 2d multiplayer strategy game.
  28. twoeazy
    Sep 22, 2014
    9
    Yes, it's sure not developed as good as it might be. Yes, it's bugged. But still, it provides gameplay like no other game I've ever played. And that's awesome.
  29. Distrex
    Mar 23, 2015
    9
    Cortex Command would make it into my top 10 indie games of all time, Cortex Command, created by Data Realms, cought my attention when i was looking through an edition of PC Magazine in 2009-2011 when the beta was realeased and the demo was included on this CD. this game instantly appealed to me as it was "different" from other indie based games at the time and i thought the whole idealismCortex Command would make it into my top 10 indie games of all time, Cortex Command, created by Data Realms, cought my attention when i was looking through an edition of PC Magazine in 2009-2011 when the beta was realeased and the demo was included on this CD. this game instantly appealed to me as it was "different" from other indie based games at the time and i thought the whole idealism and concept of combat was just what i wanted in a indie game, and when i started to play it, it became instantly addictive and a simplistic yet fun game to play and enjoy.

    The interfaces are easy to orientate, the possibility of multiplayer through the use of multiple controls, such as keyboards also appealed to me as alot of the time i like to vs my friends in these games. The let down was the non inclusion of online multiplayer which i believe would of enhanced the experience and would have been an instant hit in the gaming industry, as bots become a little predictable and easy to beat after time and overall boring once you have completed the campaign of the game. The game became a game in which i would start up occasionly to enjoy the unique and awesome gameplay.

    Overall this game is worth the price or even to try the demo if you are skeptical of the title, if its not your taste then you are not going to have a good exsperiance but if its the art style and indie style in which you enjoy, you will be in for a treat. The Games art style is brilliant and ultimately love the graphic detail in which was put into it.    … Expand
  30. Jesus_Christ1
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    F*CKING BRILLIANT ....................................................................................................................................
  31. GameKiller1337
    Nov 7, 2015
    10
    ПОЧЕМУ ТАКИЕ ПЛОХИЕ ОЦЕНКИ ТО,РЕБЯТКИ ! Игра очень крутая ! Я вас не понимаю....
    ===========================
  32. Kosta
    Jul 29, 2016
    8
    Я всё ждал, что они сделают для неё сетевую часть. Сильно недооценённая игра своего времени.
  33. av28
    Dec 14, 2016
    9
    A game where you can mess about, as if you are a commander.

    For example you can fill a drop ship full of Napalm bombs to bomb out your enemy, even though it may lag out the game and crash. There are many modes that you can play and download from the workshop, such as Dummy Brain vs Brain. In Brain vs Brain you need to defend your brain as well as attack the opposing team and get    A game where you can mess about, as if you are a commander.

    For example you can fill a drop ship full of Napalm bombs to bomb out your enemy, even though it may lag out the game and crash.

    There are many modes that you can play and download from the workshop, such as Dummy Brain vs Brain. In Brain vs Brain you need to defend your brain as well as attack the opposing team and get through to destroy their brain to win the game.

    And I have to say, it's not easy. No matter what difficulty you choose, you can still lose. Even if you use a pretty OP faction, the AI can still mow you down as if they were a wrecking ball and you were a wall.

    What I really love about the game is that there is a TON of mods on the Steam workshops that you can download and use in game. For example; you can download more factions for more weapons, actors and ships. What also cool is that you can make your own base/scene which you can use in battle against opponents.

    What I also like is setting your actors certain tasks to do, like activating Brain Hunt AI mode, Gold dig and patrol. You could also form a squad of soldiers to go and destroy the enemy brain or just patrol.

    I have never seen any other game use this sort of idea before, as I haven't seen features like these, in a game, before.

    Off topic: Seriously IGN? You gave it a 5.0/10? That is just rediculous, it took like some-what almost ten years to develop.    … Expand
  34. GriffinWind
    Sep 4, 2017
    9
    The game may be unfinished and have bugs and a few minor issues (in my opinion), but it is still very enjoyable to have fun with! Especially with mods, you'll always be able to have fun with it. The clunky-ness and bugs are the heart of this game (in my opinion again) because they make it hilarious when you do something completely normal and end up getting your head blown off by randomThe game may be unfinished and have bugs and a few minor issues (in my opinion), but it is still very enjoyable to have fun with! Especially with mods, you'll always be able to have fun with it. The clunky-ness and bugs are the heart of this game (in my opinion again) because they make it hilarious when you do something completely normal and end up getting your head blown off by random organs from the guy you just blasted apart. It's FUN. It may not be perfect, but that's what's charming about it. I have so far put hundreds of hours into it, and I regret nothing. Just wait for a sale if you're not sure.… Expand
  35. Persiee
    Feb 6, 2018
    10
    11/10 БОЖЕСТВЕННО! Покупайте или берите пока бесплатно. Рекомендую всем! Удачи!
  36. DeathReis
    Sep 18, 2018
    9
    Very Nice Game Very Nice Real Time Strategy This Game Awsome But Optimize İs Very Bad
  37. Deitronn
    Mar 1, 2021
    10
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  38. Ruver
    Jul 26, 2020
    10
    В эту игру очень весело играть с друзьями, игра классная
  39. apokalipto
    Aug 19, 2023
    8
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  40. Asdi144
    Feb 26, 2021
    10
    A. Absolute. **** Masterpiece.

    I just can't express how much i love this game, from the really nice graphics, to the very fun and random gameplay, mods and more, despite being unfinished, and clearly having a good amount of bugs, i can say that it is my favorite game of all of the time. The gameplay here is good, it isn't perfect for sure, but i love it, you are a brain in a jar, you    A. Absolute. **** Masterpiece.

    I just can't express how much i love this game, from the really nice graphics, to the very fun and random gameplay, mods and more, despite being unfinished, and clearly having a good amount of bugs, i can say that it is my favorite game of all of the time.

    The gameplay here is good, it isn't perfect for sure, but i love it, you are a brain in a jar, you dig for resources, build a bunker, and invade your enemy with either a squad of regular soldiers or a literal one-man-army, the amount of possibilites is almost endless, you don't really don't need to kill stuff using regular clones with guns, screw that! you can dig into the enemy's base using some sort of sci-fi plazma cutters (or diggers), and then surprise them with a kamikaze robot, you can give them a nuke, which will do most of the work while also leaving a pretty crater in the ground, OR rain them with CRABS, because you can.

    Though, you can just breach into bases using normal methods, like zerg-rushing the enemy with a squad of 10 crash-test dummy robots, because why not. And the gun arsenal is just amazin; there are Gatling guns, Rocket and Grenade launchers, Plasma Rifles, Energy Cannons, Flamethrowers, and much more, not to mention the absolutely AMAZING amount of mods the community has generated, which add new characters, missions/activites, guns, tools, and MUCH, MUCH MORE, my favorites include:
    Void Wanderers - a complete overhaul of the base; you have a whole new campaign where you can explore the entire game's world, do missions for certain factions, defend off space pirates, upgrade your spaceship, and much, much more.
    Map Pack 3 - Adds a lot of new maps which look just beautiful, also works with Void Wanderers; adding A LOT of new places to explore.
    The Pelian Army - A whole new faction, a lot of new guns, characters and explosives, a little bit overpowered but overall great, not to mention the beautiful sprites.

    And honestly, if not the mods, i would need to rate this game like a 8, or even 7, and gonna lie, modding this game is absolutely perfect, it's extremely simple yet it can give absolutely great results, which gives it a weird status, as the game is almost exclusively, community-run, which is even funnier as the developer abandoned the game, and now the COMMUNITY is the new developer, The "Cortex Command Community Project" they're currently working on is just great, improved gameplay, sounds, art, and much more, the new mods are also great, such as "The Heat", which is the most impressive thing i've seen in a while, seriously, check it out for god's sake.

    Not mentioning the mods, i also really **** enjoy the graphics, and well, the graphics are a goddamn masterpiece, Arne did a great job designing all of these, the Faction designs are my favorites, we have almost scrap metal robots known as Imperatus, straight up crash test dummies equipped with guns, and my personal favorite, The Coalition Military Forces, also known as the "the best faction in the game", they're just perfect, they have a fine selection of characters and gear, i also really dig their design, the Lite Soldiers look 11/10 in my opinion.

    And of course, there are some obvious bugs, performance issues, or the times the game just doesn't feels like living, but in my case, they don't show up THAT often, and when they DO show up, it's actually really nice to have them, as they enhance the already-chaotic gameplay.

    And oh yeah, there are the controls, from what i've seen, most people seem to complain about them, and i don't see why, like okay, THEY ARE pretty confusing at first and can take some practice but for god's sake, before making a review play for AT LEAST for 5 hours.

    In conclusion, well uhh... this game is f-in amazing, play it whenever you have a chance to do so, just make sure not to buy the Steam version, as it is outdated as hell, join the discord instead.    … Expand
  41. jollygoodfew
    Jul 4, 2021
    10
    This game is great. However, it's selective. It takes time to get used to it, and it takes time to look past the negatives of the game. Cortex Command was a game that was plagued by it's creators. Cortex Command sat, unupdated and neglected by Data Realms. It looked as if the game was a failed project, as Data Realms went to make new games, ones objectively worse. However, Data RealmsThis game is great. However, it's selective. It takes time to get used to it, and it takes time to look past the negatives of the game. Cortex Command was a game that was plagued by it's creators. Cortex Command sat, unupdated and neglected by Data Realms. It looked as if the game was a failed project, as Data Realms went to make new games, ones objectively worse. However, Data Realms built the game for modding, and the small, but determined modding community made this game amazing. I will start with the tried-and-true method of a list of this games pros, cons, and gray areas. If you don't want to read that though, here's my recommendation: play the game, but buy it on sale. Right now, it's $20. This is absurd. But it commonly goes on a huge sale to be around $5, which is really what it's worth.
    The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and the mods.

    - The Good
    This game has some of the best, natural-high inducing moments. Moments where you are desperately standing, fighting toe-to-toe with superior enemies, but manage to pull through by shooting out a dropship rocket and watching as the ship spins out of control and kills the enemies ahead of you, blocking the path to your bunker and being able to prepare for the next wave. Moments like these fill you with dopamine, and have you truly feel for your men. If you have some good imagination, this game will be a blast. However, outside of those moments, fighting is still fun in battles, though nothing like those high-moments. Luckily, those high-moments happen often, and will never get old.
    - The Bad.
    This game has some really, really bad polish. It has bugs, climbing ladders is annoying and a one-time trip as they break under the weight of those climbing them, rendering a lot of mods without jetpacks incredibly annoying. These mods usually include structures themselves so bunkers aren't necessary, as playing in a bunker without jetpacks is virtually impossible. The campaign also isn't exactly amazing. It is slow, annoying and doesn't make much sense. It gets repetitve. This is why I believe many people here have given this game bad reviews. They believe the campaign is everything simply because it is in other games. It is NOT. Please, if you want a campaign-like experience, play some of the mod campaigns, aka one of the best mods in existence- Void Wanderers.
    - The Ugly
    Though there's not much ingame ugliness, there is a whole lot of outergame ugly. The fact that this game was horribly neglected by Data Realms, set to $20, and they went to make other games that are alright, but just feel like they completely wasted potential with Cortex Command. If Data Realms were ever to come back to this game and invest into it, this game could be amazing, and could once again appeal to the modern gaming community. But it seems that they have abandoned it, and it's very sad. The modding community has also slowed down, as this game is incredibly old. Many modders started on Cortex, but now go on to mod bigger, better titles. This isn't bad, in fact it's good, we get new modders for other games. But it's sad to see such a great, but flawed, highly-potential game go to waste like it does now. As well as the fact that it seems Data Realms has updated the game with the modding community barely in sight, sometimes destroying the mods for the game.
    - The Mods.
    This is arguably the best part of the game. Some of the mods for this game are extrodinary. Some of them feel vanilla. Of course, there are plenty of atrocious mods made by children out there, but most of the good mods that you will find are amazing. Here's some of the best-
    Void Wanderers. It turns the game completely round, making the campaign fun and actually something you can put hours into. It's a blast and has more polish than the game itself.
    The Loyalists. This mod is a WW1/Warhammer 40k inspired faction, which adds horrible soldiers, weapons, vehicles and buildings. It is essentially the embodiment of Sabatons TLS. This mod sounds very unfun at first, but once I played it, I couldn't stop. It made those high-moments of the game so much better. Everything changes when you are so weak, fighting and can only rely on your tactical, strategical, and combat prowess to win the fight against sci-fi space soldiers. It's a very challenging but uniquely fun faction to play as, and I definitely recommend it if you want a challenge to play as.
    Warhammer 40k- Imperium of Man. This adds the Imperium of Man. The Space Marines are brutally unfair to fight against, and completely steamroll enemies. However, the Imperial Guardsman are fairly vanilla balanced, cheap and viable. Unfortunately, it's broken in that you can not play against it without fighting a bunch of corpse-clones.
    Many more. Please, if you buy this game, despite its age, explore the mods after learning the basics of the game. You will have an extreme amount of fun.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
92
#92 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
44

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 7
  3. Negative: 3 out of 7
  1. SpazioGames
    Dec 4, 2012
    65
    Despite some issues with the price and the struggling about understanding the mechanics behind it, Cortex Command is simply a good retro-looking game.
    Read full review
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Dec 2, 2012
    30
    An unfinished game that requires much more attention before it can realise its incredible promise. [Dec 2012, p.82]
  3. PC Gamer
    Nov 15, 2012
    40
    Occasionally entertaining, but plagued by AI bugs and hamstrung by a clunky user interface. Less than the sum of its parts.
    Read full review
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