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Runecore

In development

Build a refuge. Send its living core into the void. Return stronger.

Runecore is a strategic idle tower game for the browser. Grow a settlement around a living crystal, prepare it for battle, and turn each expedition into lasting upgrades.

Visit Runecore What’s needed before release

Build around a living core

The settlement is where each expedition begins and ends. Crystal deposits surround the core’s platform, while the fog leaves room for the refuge to grow.

Gather resources, open space, and add the structures that support your next journey. A stronger settlement gives you more to work with between battles.

Mobile build mode with a factory preview on the placement grid, followed by the final construction steps and the completed factory.

Choose a spot in build mode, then finish the factory.
Choose a spot in build mode, then finish the factory.

Gather what the settlement needs

Tap an ore deposit to break it down. Each strike produces a burst of fragments, and collected resources appear above the deposit before joining your storage.

Animation of repeated strikes on a crystal deposit, with fragments and floating crystal rewards.

Each strike breaks down the deposit and sends a crystal pickup into storage.
Each strike breaks down the deposit and sends a crystal pickup into storage.

Keep your supplies close

The settlement inventory holds crystals, stone, and astral energy in visible stacks. Drag an item into another slot to organise your supplies while keeping the settlement in view.

Mobile inventory with an astral energy stack being dragged into an empty slot.

Move a stack to another slot in the mobile inventory.
Move a stack to another slot in the mobile inventory.

Give your resources a purpose

Buildings connect gathering with progression. The Crystal Orbs Factory refines your harvest into orbs for upgrades.

Before construction, its panel shows the resources required, the space it occupies, and the work needed to build it. Here, the factory needs more crystals before it can be placed.

Crystal Orbs Factory construction panel showing crystal, stone, and astral energy costs, a six-by-six footprint, and twenty taps of construction work.

Construction costs and available resources, shown before placing a building.
Construction costs and available resources, shown before placing a building.
Mobile factory controls showing production progress, followed by a crystal orb appearing above the factory and in its output slot.

Refine crystals and astral energy into an orb, with the factory and its controls in view.
Refine crystals and astral energy into an orb, with the factory and its controls in view.

Prepare for the next expedition

The core carries the settlement’s progress into battle. Back at its platform, check its health and restore it before the next journey.

Healing draws on the resources you gather at home, connecting preparation with the risks you take in the arena.

Core Platform panel with depleted core health, a healing cost of ten crystals and ten taps, and the Heal control.

A damaged core needs restoration before it can return to battle.
A damaged core needs restoration before it can return to battle.

Face the void, wave by wave

The current battle loop sends the core into an arena against incoming void creatures. Its health, wave number, and surrounding enemies make the pressure visible.

Push further or choose when to recall the core and return to the settlement. Preparation and upgrades shape how far the next expedition can go.

Wave battles are the starting point. More battle types are needed before release.

Animated wave battle with projectiles striking void creatures as they approach the living core.

The core fights approaching void creatures in an active wave.
The core fights approaching void creatures in an active wave.

Shape the run with each card

As the core’s Resonance level rises, choose a rune to imprint. The cards offer different advantages, from extending the core’s reach to strengthening its defence or changing how your taps affect enemies.

Core Resonance level one presents three rune cards: Glyph of Reach, Glyph of Fracture, and Glyph of Shelling.

A Resonance level brings a choice of three battle runes.
A Resonance level brings a choice of three battle runes.

Keep track of your choices

The Battle Runes panel holds the cards you have acquired during the run. Open it to check your choices while the battle continues. Here, Glyph of Shelling adds defence.

The Battle Runes panel opening beneath an ongoing battle to show the acquired Glyph of Shelling card.

Open your card collection without leaving the battle.
Open your card collection without leaving the battle.

Watch the battle and its rewards

Open the core’s storage during a run to see what the battle has yielded. The arena, health, wave, and collected items remain visible together.

Core storage opening beneath an active battle, revealing collected astral energy while combat continues.

Open storage to inspect the rewards while the core keeps fighting.
Open storage to inspect the rewards while the core keeps fighting.

Frame the moment

The core lifts from its platform as the settlement falls away and the void comes into view. Cinematic framing clears the controls during liftoff, before returning to the battle interface.

The living core lifting off its platform in cinematic mode as the settlement fades into the void.

The core leaves its platform and enters the void.
The core leaves its platform and enters the void.

Make each return count

The Rune Matrix turns crystal orbs into lasting changes to the core. Connected upgrade tiles build its damage, health, armour, attack speed, and projectile speed.

The gained totals show how those choices add up. The cycle returns to the settlement: gather, prepare, fight, then invest in what comes next.

Additional progression loops still need to be developed to give that journey more depth before release.

The Rune Matrix beneath the settlement, with connected upgrade tiles, a crystal-orb cost, and gained totals for damage, health, armour, attack speed, and bullet speed.

Connected upgrades and their combined effect on the core.
Connected upgrades and their combined effect on the core.

What needs to happen before release

Runecore is still in development and is not yet available for public play. The current build establishes the foundation; these milestones need to be met before the game is released.

  • Complete the battle system through wave 100

    Finish the current battle system through wave 100, with the planned number of entity types and a single boss fight at wave 100.

  • Develop more progression loops

    Build out the systems that give players more ways to advance and reasons to return.

  • Complete the stylised UI

    Finish building the game’s stylised interface and bring its remaining screens and interactions together.