Welcome to a deep-dive in the lore and mechanics of Solid State Machine, MemoryCore’s take on tactical espionage, and one of the two games included with the basic tier level of the campaign.

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As you’d expect from a Kojima-inspired action stealth game, Solid State Machine alternates between stealth, action, drama, mind-bending moments… And cardboard boxes.

You are the Vesper Squad: an elite infiltration unit sent to Ark-9, an Arctic research platform seized by the Ghost Guard (ex Vespers gone rogue), led by the legendary Old Root. They've made no demands. No threats. Nothing. Your objective is to get in, uncover the truth, and stop them before the situation escalates beyond control.


Choose one of four pre-generated characters; the unflinching leader Silent Sage, the master-blaster Fire Bloom, the techno-ninja Cyber Thorn, or the legendary hacker Specter Seed… And jump straight into the action. 

Solid State Machine is built around a simple idea: stealth isn’t passive. You don’t roll to stay hidden. You roll while acting in stealth: moving, hacking, sabotaging, taking down enemies. Every action carries risk, and every roll can shift the balance. This is reflected by the Alert Level, tracked by the Game Disc. The more noise you make, the more pressure builds. Raise the Alert, and the game responds immediately: enemies reposition, reinforcements arrive, situations spiral. There’s a constant, escalating tension you can feel at the table.

Information becomes your most valuable resource. You study patrol patterns, predict enemy behavior, analyze environmental elements (traps, shortcuts, and objects that can serve as distractions) and choose when to act, or when to hold back. A direct approach is always possible, but rarely optimal. Solid State Machine rewards planning, observation, and timing over brute force.

Your tools matter just as much as your decisions. Solid State Machine is built around a gadget-first philosophy: decoys, disguises, stun devices, explosives, and the most technologically advanced device of all: a cardboard box. Gear opens entirely new approaches: a locked door isn’t an obstacle if you can bypass it. A guard isn’t a threat if you can misdirect them.


And when the Alert rises and things go loud, encounters become tighter, faster, more dangerous. What started as a clean infiltration can quickly turn into a desperate extraction. Bosses push this even further. Rule-bending adversaries don’t just hit harder, they change how the game works, forcing players to adapt and rethink their strategies. Some might even return across multiple missions!

Like every MemoryCore game, Solid State Machine runs on the same core system, but everything around it is tuned to deliver a specific fantasy: the tension of staying unseen, the pressure of being discovered, and the constant trade-off between stealth, action and dramatic moments

This TTRPG will be included in every pledge level and features Shinkawa-inspired artwork by Howard Yung-Tzu-Chin, and striking low-poly characters by the mighty Albert Buscio.

By following this Launch Party, you can choose what will end up being included in the product. Last week we asked you what weapon would be ideal for Gunslinger Gorse, one of the bosses in Solid State Machine.

The Single Action Army Revolver won by a landslide, and it’ll be included as a MemoryCard item in Solid State Machine! Now you have another choice to make…

Our second poll is still dedicated to Solid State Machine, and this time you're shaping the game world itself. In the Action Stealth genre, the battlefield isn't just for background: its layout, its atmosphere, its interactive elements all influence the action! When we think about action-stealth classics, certain images keep coming back. Two animals, in particular, never left us: crows and wolves. Both fit the genre. Both feel right. You'll decide which one makes it in!

Have you ever wished you could experience the magic of classic '90s video games together, around a table? MemoryCore was built exactly for that.

It's not just an anthology of tabletop RPGs: it's a modular system that captures the feel of the 32-bit era and transforms it into a shared, multiplayer experience. Each game brings its own setting, mechanics, and rules tailored to its genre, but they all run on the same fast, intuitive core system. Learn it in minutes, play with zero prep, and jump from a stealth mission to an epic JRPG without relearning the basics.

At the heart of every game are the Stat Bars: a row of Active (green) and Inactive (grey) dice, ranging from d4 to d12. Your highest Active die (the Top Die) is what you roll for most actions.



When you face a Test, the GM names a Stat and sets a Difficulty Class. Roll your Top Die and compare:

Skills and Traits can grant you Advantage (roll twice, keep the best), while tough enemies or harsh conditions impose Disadvantage (roll twice, keep the worst). And when Feats or MemoryCards unlock Multi, you roll all your Active dice at once, and keep the best result.

Buffs temporarily activate a new die in your Stat Bar. Debuffs knock your highest Active die offline until you shake it off through play.



For high-energy moments (action cutscenes, 1v1 clashes, scenes where combos ignite) MemoryCore switches to the Button Mashing mechanic: roll a d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12 all at once, then look for straights and matching numbers to twist the outcome. Players roll simultaneously, resolving entire dramatic sequences in one cinematic beat.



Every game also comes with a Game Disc that tracks a genre-defining mechanic unique to its setting-like Alert in Solid State Machine, or Infection in Extinction Protocol.

Under the hood, all games share the same six Stats, just renamed to match their tone: what's Assault in Solid State Machine becomes Strength in Bloodsong. Different flavor, full compatibility. The same goes for MemoryCards, game Items, Gear or Equipment which run on universal tags (fast, loud, burn, poison…) that carry the same meaning across every game. A poisoned sword from Bloodsong works exactly the same way in Corebound Chronicles. No conversion needed.

MemoryCore is modular, expandable, and player-driven. Every game connects, everything is remixable, and the User Manual gives you all the tools to design your own adventures, or entirely new games from scratch!

First poll: Choose the weapon!

Help us decide what will be Gunslinger Gorse's signature weapon in Solid State Machine!
Click below for more info! 

Wow. 1,000 followers already! That’s great to see! We knew there had to be others out there, just like us, with lasting memories of the unforgettable classics of the 32-bit era.

We’re very happy to see a lot of activity around MemoryCore, so let’s keep going strong! If you have questions, ask away. Anything you’re unsure about, anything you want to see clarified, or anything you’re curious about, this is the right moment.

We also want to hear from you:

Let us know! 

We’re reading everything behind the scenes, and your feedback genuinely will help us shape the campaign during this awesome Launch Party! 

Consider this the character select screen: starting from next week, you’ll be able to decide what you like best, so keep following these updates. We’re about to load the full experience: you better believe it.

See you in the comments!

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The Horrible team