About LifeCode: Survival Horror in an Abandoned Laboratory

LifeCode is a survival horror game set inside an abandoned laboratory, where the player takes on the role of an intelligent creature working under the direction of A.R.C.H, an advanced artificial intelligence. The core mission is to export memory data so A.R.C.H can recover lost information and carry out its mysterious plan. The laboratory is not empty, however — wild monsters roam its corridors, driven purely by hunger, and to them the player character is prey.

The facility generates a new layout every playthrough through procedural level generation. The laboratory is assembled from pre-designed modules, so each run produces a different map while still letting players build familiarity with the environment over time. Scattered crates hold food, flashlights, medical supplies, and other resources. Vending machines, found both at the base and at random points throughout the facility, let players spend N-Neutrons — a special in-game currency — on useful items.

Story

After an incident in the Zone, all personnel were evacuated. To prevent anyone from uncovering the facility's secrets, staff deliberately damaged the data storage system. This left A.R.C.H — an artificial intelligence capable of calculating thousands of possibilities and forming complex plans within milliseconds — cut off from critical information, placing catastrophic strain on the entire system. A.R.C.H quickly identified a solution, but faced one obstacle: it could not act on its own. Only monsters remained inside the abandoned laboratory. Among them, A.R.C.H identified a single creature capable of listening, thinking, and acting. That creature is you.

How to Play LifeCode: Export Memory, Survive the Night

Each day begins at 10:00 AM at the base. The first task is to adjust the antenna angle — the more accurate the alignment, the more memory the export process will yield. From there, enter the laboratory and locate an M3N (Memory Export Node) to activate the first export phase. A single M3N operates for two to five minutes depending on conditions.

While the M3N is running, explore the laboratory, gather resources, and avoid the hostile monsters patrolling the corridors. Once the memory bar is filled, return to the base and activate a Control Core function. After that, the memory bar must be filled again, this time to a higher requirement.

When the M3N finishes operating, Phase Two can be activated. This phase provides additional memory and helps complete objectives more quickly. 5 and 5 depending on the antenna angle.

The clock is always a factor. The laboratory must be exited before midnight. Remaining inside after 12:00 AM results in the character's death and the loss of all collected items and stored memory. At 11:00 PM, a warning siren sounds throughout the facility and emergency lights illuminate the corridors, signaling that it is time to head for the exit. To end the day, return to the base and use the old mattress in the starting room to sleep. Sleeping is only possible at night, which keeps exploration active during daylight hours.

At night, the chance of monster encounters rises significantly compared to daytime, so every decision about whether to keep exploring carries real risk.

Earning N-Neutrons

• Starting an M3N memory export grants between 3N and 8N on Normal difficulty.
• Completing the export and activating Phase Two rewards between 50N and 65N.
• Activating the First Control Core Function rewards between 110N and 190N.
• Activating the Second Control Core Function rewards between 210N and 340N.

Controls

• P: Pause / Menu
• W: Move Forward
• A: Move Left
• S: Move Backward
• D: Move Right
• SPACE: Jump
• LSHIFT: Run
• E: Interact
• NUM1: Slot 1
• NUM2: Slot 2
• NUM3: Slot 3
• NUM4: Slot 4
• NUM5: Slot 5
• Z / LMB: Left Hand Punch
• X / RMB: Right Hand Punch
• F: Turn On / Use
• C: Turn Off
• Q: Drop Item

Games You Might Like

If the tension of navigating a dark facility appeals to you, The Tall Man delivers a similar first-person horror experience where a supernatural entity hunts you as you search for scattered pages in the dark. For horror with a heavier combat focus, Rise of the Dead puts you against waves of zombies across multiple modes including survival challenges and sniper missions. Those who enjoy the resource-gathering and base-building side of LifeCode will find a strong match in Wasteland: Last Shelter, a 3D survival game where scavenging, crafting, and defending a shelter against nightly threats drive the experience.

Browse the full survival games catalog for more titles in this genre, or explore the broader adventure games collection for games that mix exploration with high-stakes objectives.