History VideoGame / CortexCommand

The last update for the game was on July 11th, 2019 and fully open-sourced the game. Various [[GameMod game mods]] have arisen to continue development and many have involved into more or less [[FanGame fan games]]. On August 22nd, 2023, one of the lead developers of one of these fan projects, Cortex Command Community Project, announced they would cease working on CCCP to instead work on a FanSequel [[ApprovalOfGod officially backed by Data Realms]].

* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou[=/=]DecapitatedArmy: If your brain is destroyed, you will automatically lose. Justified, as the units that you order are literally brainless and have to be controlled by you. What isn't justified is why they ''all simultaneously explode.''

** [[ManOnFire Improper handling of the Browncoats' weaponry.]]

** Failing a mission because your robo-brain's jetpack suddenly decided to headbutt the boulder [[IncrediblyLamePun ahead]] of you, Rocketman style.

* LethalJokeItem: The crab body is tiny, defenseless, and can't do anything but crawl around. However, they're also free--if you pack several dozen of them into a single rocket or crate, you have yourself a very cheap BigBulkyBomb that will kill everything on the map in a holocaust of flying crabmeat. Especially notable in that the only reason this works is because you have to use so many crabs (Not actually that many) that the explosion ''overrides the game's entity limit'', [[UpToEleven causing everything on screen to]] [[LudicrousGibs insta-gib]].

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Six playable factions with distinct units and tech. The Ronin in particular have multiple clone templates, each with their own name and slight advantages, while most factions simply rely on FacelessGoons.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The Avenger (which has, alas, been DummiedOut) and Mauler shotguns, the Destroyer and Annihilator energy weapons, the Banshee sniper rifle and the Devastator flak cannon.

* DummiedOut: Many of the more powerful Coalition weapons, such as the Mauler shotgun and flak cannon, were removed in later builds. 1.0 reintroduced them as part of the Imperatus faction.
** there are a few tradestar weapons such as the laser rifle and laser pistol that were removed.
** digging around in the game files will reveal sprites, maps, and gamemodes that have been depreciated or recreated in better modes.

* EliteMooks: Heavy Infantry units are heavily-armored troops capable of withstanding punishment that would glib lesser infantry. They're more expensive (and heavier, making them [[MightyGlacier less mobile]]), but far more reliable than grunt troops.

* FrickinLaserBeams: The game used to include a laser rifle, though it was since removed. There are many mods to add laser weapons, however, though due to how the game's engine works, even the more realistic ones are technically a clever arrangements of bullets and particle effects rather {{hitscan}}.

** The Techion have the Giga Pulsar, which is the Coalition Gatling Gun but with FrickinLaserBeams.

* FrickinLaserBeams: The game used to include a laser rifle, though it was since removed. There are many mods to add laser weapons, however, though due to how the game's engine works, even the more realistic ones are technically a clever arrangements of bullets and particle effects rather than a HitScan.

* AbnormalAmmo: The Ronin Rocket-Propelled Chainsaw launcher fires chainsaws, Dummy nail weapons fire construction nails, and the Imperatus Mauler is a shotgun that fires fragments of iron chain (which behave as physics objects).
** There are a few mods out there. One of the most abnormal is the rocket gun. it doesn't fire explosives, it fires ''landing craft''.
** The Imperatus Mauler is a shotgun that fires fragments of chains. This is manifested in-game as firing small physics objects; harmless at a distance, but destructive up close.

* AbnormalAmmo: For starters, the Ronin Rocket-Propelled Chainsaw launcher. There are a few mods out there. One of the most abnormal is the rocket gun. it doesn't fire explosives, it fires ''landing craft''.

* ArtificialBrilliance: Despite frequent accidents and a lack of strategic planning, given the physics-driven and unpredictable nature of the game, the AI does fairly well. They do a great job navigating underground tunnels and damaged bunkers, and can deploy and command units with [[ComputersAreFast frightening speeds]]. They are also masters at improvisation, and will frequently drop bombs and soldiers right on your head unless you place AA guns or sturdy roofing and they frequently scavenge for fallen weapons when theirs has been destroyed.

** In addition, there are many Easter eggs hidden on the maps, such as VideoGame/{{Metroid}}s in zombie cave, and the VideoGame/PacMan-shaped rock in one of the background images, and one of the alien fossils being a [[VideoGame/{{Oddworld}} scrab]].

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: While using diggers is the best way to tunnel through the ground, [[BulletholeDoor bullets can also very slowly erode terrain and props]]. Inversely, diggers can be used as an emergency short-range weapon.

* EpicFail: Dropship accidents and explosives backfiring can make your failure so spectacular it becomes hilarious.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: Dropships have a surprisingly sturdy body which will resist a lot of firepower before blowing up (though it might shed a door or two in the process), but the engines on the side are made of flimsy: a solid hit on either will disable the craft entirely and send it crashing down onto whatever hapless troops it has just delivered.

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: The RPC can dig through what every other weapon can't,even bunkers.Its actually the most destructive weapon in the game,if you aim it right.

* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Though energy weapons do exist, the most common and powerful guns in the game are ones that where invented in the 1900's or are similar to modern-day weaponry.

* OnlyAFleshWound: Even if all but one of their limbs have been blown off and they're slowly bleeding to death, if a clone still has a gun in his hand, he'll keep on fighting as best he can. And when even ''that'' has been torn off, they can always be flown at high speed across the map until a dropship flies low enough and gets an engine shredded by the mad flying clone torso.

* CriticalExistenceFailure: You can end up bleeding and legless but assuming you still have arms, work perfectly fine in combat until the fatal shot. Heck, even totally limbless people can still "help" [[GrievousHarmWithABody by flying around and headbutting people.]] Flesh-and-blood troops from the Coalition, Ronin and Browncoats downplay this by gradually bleeding out once they suffer enough physical damage, though they can continue to fight and move however they can until that last hit point drains away.
* ColonyDrop: The delivery vehicles that your stuff comes in make remarkably good disposable weapons. It's possible to simply order an empty dropship or rocket and smash it into the enemy.
** Or better, order one full of crab bodies and bombs. Then drop it on the enemy base.

* ExcusePlot: The pretty cool plot, which gives room for modding and more potential story, is currently a justification for having a crash-test dummy blow a super-soldier's legs off with a blunderbuss. It ended up being largely ignored and the lead dev decided to instead focus on a board-game styled campaign.

* FrickinLaserBeams: The game used to include a laser rifle, though it was since removed. There are many mods to add laser weapons, however, though due to how the game's engine works, even the more realistic ones are technically a clever arrangements of bullets and particle effects.

* LethalJokeItem: The crab body is tiny, defenseless, and can't do anything but crawl around. However, they're also free--if you pack several dozen of them into a single rocket or crate, you have yourself a very cheap BigBulkyBomb that will kill everything on the map in a holocaust of flying crabmeat. Especially notable in that the only reason this works is because you have to use so many crabs (Not actually that many) that the explosion ''overrides the game's entity limit'', [[UpToEleven causing everything on screen to]] [[LudicrousGibs insta-gib]]

* MightyGlacier: A Heavy Infantry unit (particularly of the Browncoat or Techion factions) carrying a heavy weapon like a gatling gun. They'll be slow as molasses, unable to fly and will quickly sink in soft terrain such as snow or sand. However, their armor protects them from most light weapons and their own weapons will typically chew through anything short of a mech within seconds. Perfect for clearing out bunkers or defending a fixed position.

* MoreDakka: Plenty of automatic weapons with high rates of fire.

* {{Nanomachines}}: The Techion faction specialize in nanotechnology. Their Nanolyzer is a digging tool that turns anything it shoots into GreyGoo: as a result it's useless for mining gold, but invaluable for breaking into enemy bunkers. Their Nanorifle is a sniper rifle that disintegrates targets' limbs. And their Nanoswarm grenades explode into vicious clouds of enemy-seeking nanites.

* PinballProjectile: The Techion Nucleo is made for deadly bank-shots.
* {{Retraux}}

** In addition, there are many Easter eggs hidden on the maps, such as VideoGame/{{Metroid}}s in zombie cave, and the VideoGame/PacMan-shaped rock in one of the background images, amoung many other things.

* SpiderTank: The Dummy Dreadnought and the Coalition Drones.

* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou[=/=]DecapitatedArmy: If your brain is destroyed, you will automatically lose. Justified, as the units that you order are literally brainless and have to be controlled by you. What isn't justified is why they '''''all simultaneously explode!'''''

* LethalJokeItem: The crab body is tiny, defenseless, and can't do anything but crawl around. However, they're also free--if you pack several dozen of them into a single rocket or crate, you have yourself a very cheap BigBulkyBomb that will kill everything on the map in a holocaust of flying crabmeat. Especially notable in that the only reason this works is because you have to use so many crabs (Not actually that many) that the explosion ''overrides the game's entity limit'', causing everything on screen to [[LudicrousGibs insta-gib]]

* MightyGlacier: A Heavy Infantry unit (particularly of the Browncoat or Techion factions) carrying a heavy weapon like a gatling gun. They'll be slow as molasses, unable to fly and [[WeaksauseWeakness will quickly sink in soft terrain such as snow or sand]]. However, their armor protects them from most light weapons and their own weapons will typically chew through anything short of a mech within seconds. Perfect for clearing out bunkers or defending a fixed position.