What kind of game is Core Directive?
Core Directive is an incremental with a beginning, middle and end. Ore veins burst into glowing cubes that fly back to your ship as credits, which you spend on upgrades, research and a rig of modules before moving to a bigger, stranger rock.
How an asteroid goes
- Pick a rock on the sector map. Optional directives pay bonus Data.
- Drill it yourself, or set drone priority: nearest, ore, the core, or your cursor. Drones cut faster near your recent drill strikes.
- Remove enough mass to unseal the core, then crack it. The rest collapses and part is salvaged.
- Buy upgrades any time. Overdrive pushes the swarm harder for a price.
Five sectors, one new rule each
| Sector | New rule |
|---|---|
| The Shallows | Rock, ore, relics and cores |
| Crystal Drift | Crystal clusters shatter in chain reactions |
| Magma Belt | Exposed magma overheats drones, freeze it into obsidian |
| Ironclad Reach | Alloy armour and shield pylons |
| The Deep | Void pockets implode after you expose them |
The browser demo covers the first sector and saves in the browser; the full game is a separate Windows download.
Core Directive screenshots





Core Directive FAQ
Is Core Directive free?
The browser demo is free on this page. The full game is a Windows download.
Does Core Directive have an ending?
Yes. It is a finished incremental with a start, a middle and an end.
Are there ads or timers?
No timers, ads, microtransactions or online features.
How do drones work?
Set them to target the nearest rock, ore, the core or your cursor. They cut faster near your own drill strikes.
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Made Core Directive?
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