Gamers head to a distant planet to help a young woman and her band of robot companions try to save mankind in ReCore. After surviving a planet-wide disaster on Earth, Joule Adams volunteered to take the long journey to the desert planet Far Eden to help rebuild civilization. Upon awakening from centuries of cryo-sleep, Joule and her Corebot companion Mack begin exploring a world far more dangerous than they expected. Most of the Corebots sent to help colonize the planet have turned violent, the humans are missing, and huge sandstorms frequently alter the landscape of the planet.

All Corebots have glowing orb cores, and while the majority of the combat in ReCore involves shooting, there are instances in which Joule can use her grappling hook to yank out cores. Her companion Corebots have persistent AI and can be placed in a variety of different bodies, though they are best suited for particular body types, such as the doglike Mack, the arachnid Seth, and the apish Duncan. Joule wears an exo-suit that lets her dash and double-jump her way through 3D environments, explore dungeons, and collect treasure, while her companions each have unique attacks and skills to help her navigate platforming sections, solve puzzles, and uncover they planet's mysteries.