C.O.R.E puts players in the role of an elite marine soldier sent off to investigate a secret laboratory built on top of a meteor impact crater. Twenty different enemies, including insane marines, mad scientists, and deadly mutants, greet players as they blast their way through 14 sprawling, nonlinear levels. Gamers have eight weapons at their disposal, including a blaster, a plasma gun, and a rocket launcher, and other methods of game interaction include flipping switches, opening boxes, and operating vehicles.