Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗CoreRunner
Garland · Published by indie.io
Content notice: Characters show reactions when taking damage and emit light particle effects.
Last updated 4 Oct 2026
Imprisoned within the Core, your only hope of escape are your light blades. Strap them on, grab your guns and your katanas, then experience a retrowave prison break. Skate, shoot, and slash your way to freedom under the neon glow of cyberspace, to the tune of a pulsing synthwave soundtrack.
Action, Indie · More free games
Skate through the neon-lit corridors of the Core, using light blades and katanas to outmaneuver guards in this indie action adventure. Garland crafts a pulsing synthwave experience that combines skateboarding with intense combat for a unique escape story.
About this game
PLAY THE DEMO
About the Game
Welcome to the future. Cyberspace is now home to the Core, a network of digital spherical prisons designed to keep those within safely contained. You are a CoreRunner, one of the few who can fight a path to freedom. Skate, slash, and shoot your way to freedom in neon-drenched, high-speed battles across retrowave landscapes.
Defeat the Core security systems and define your own combat style, taking down foes at range with digital gunfire, getting in close and personal with the deadly katanas, or trapping them within your light trail until they crash and dissipate. Every motion is a weapon. Every second counts.
CARVE YOUR PATH
Carve your path through waves of digital guardians while the environment itself turns against you. Every level pulses with electric intensity, every firefight becomes a test of agility and timing. The Core wants to keep you. Only a CoreRunner can lead the way out.
ESCALATING DANGER
The closer you get to freedom, the more guardians will try to stop you from escaping the Core. Fight turrets, drones, homing missiles, and hostile patrols in ever more intense battles.
PRECISION IN MOTION
Built for mastery. Tight responsive controls keep every movement sharp and fast, even in the most challenging of arenas. Flow between dodging, aiming, and slashing without missing a beat.
BURN THE NEON, BREAK THE BEAT
Ride the rhythm of the Core. Every arena and gameplay experience is synchronized with the pulsating synthwave beat in your escape from digital captivity.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: 1.6 GHz
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Storage: 300 MB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
Supported Languages
*languages with full audio support
Latest news
AnnouncementsOfficial
The Steam Summer Sale Is On Now!
The Steam Summer Sale is on now, running June 25 to July 9! Don't forget to wishlist CoreRunner now. While you wait, check out great deals on other indie.io titles during the Summer Sale to add to your collection. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3415380/Read full article on Community Announcements (alyssa.dicaterino)Patch NotesOfficial
The light trail grind
The audio might need some tweaking, but please let me know what you think!Read full article on Community Announcements (to_gar_land)AnnouncementsOfficial
Official Publisher Announcement
Great news for the CoreRunner community! CoreRunner has teamed up with indie.io to share the game with even more players. Their impressive history of supporting indie developers makes this partnership truly special.As a solo dev, creating CoreRunner has been both daunting and deeply satisfying. Having indie.io's support with getting the word out means I can pour all my effort into making the game everything it should be.For those of you who may not know, working with a game publishing platform like indie.io greatly helps indie developers focus on game development while they handle all the behind-the-scenes magic. From helping manage store pages to crafting marketing campaigns and even helping the game shine at both digital and live events, indie.io helps in all the aspects that indie developers often struggle with alone. If this is the first time you're seeing CoreRunner, I'm glad you're here! You can find out what CoreRunner is all about by checking out my demo. Stay connected by following and wishlisting the game, and join the CoreRunner community on Discord to be the first to hear about what's coming next! I woud love to hear your feedback about the demo there, or here on Steam in the Discussions! -GarlandRead full article on Community Announcements (to_gar_land)Patch NotesOfficial
Gameplay and menu adjustments
Added level boss and other gameplay elements.Read full article on Community Announcements (to_gar_land)Patch NotesOfficial
Gameplay and menu adjustments
Fixed submenus. Increased gun damage. Increased some areas of difficulty.Read full article on Community Announcements (to_gar_land)
