About the game:
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Cognizance is a 2D horizontal shooter game that combines a traditional shooter with puzzle and RPG elements.  Get through all of the phases and defeat the boss at the end to win.


Controls:
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WASD or arrow keys:  move player

Spacebar or Ctrl:  shoot

You may also use the mouse to move your character and left-click to shoot.

Esc:  Pause game and see current stats

Alt+Enter:  Switch between full screen and windowed mode.


Gameplay:
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*****1st phase*****

In the first phase of the game, some enemies will have numbers on them.  Kill these enemies to add that number to the empty boxes at the top of the screen.  Some of these boxes will have stats underneath them.  Placing a number in that box will increase that stat relative to the value of the number.

For example:
 if the number 3 gets placed in a box with "power" in it, your power will be increased by 0.3 (permanently)
 if the number 8 gets placed in a box with "defense" in it, your defense will be increased by 0.8 (permanently)

Some other effects include temporary abilities like 3-way shots.  The duration will be relative to the value of the number in that box.

For example:
 if the number 2 gets placed in a box with "3-way" in it, you will gain 3-way shots for 6 seconds
 if the number 5 gets placed in a box with "3-way" in it, you will gain 3-way shots for 15 seconds

If a zero gets placed in a box, there will be no effect (if that box had any effects at all), so be careful where your zeroes end up!

When you fill up all of the boxes, you receive a bonus based on the sum of the numbers in them.  Then the next box layout will appear shortly afterwards.

See the in-game instructions for more details on this phase.


*****2nd phase*****

In the second phase, some enemies will have words on them.  Your goal is to kill enemies that have misspelled words!  Enemies which do not have words are safe to kill.  If you do kill an enemy that has a valid word, it will counterattack.

If an enemy with a valid word leaves the screen, you get a bonus.  This is worth more points than just killing that enemy and letting it counterattack, so it is best to avoid killing any enemy that has a valid word.


*****Boss*****

During the boss phase, stand on the elemental tiles for an additional attack.

The boss gains different attacks depending on the difficulty selected.


*****Miscellaneous*****

Killing enemies gives you points, and when you have the required amount (the "NEXT" value), you gain a level.  Gaining levels will increase your max health and other stats.

The bar in the upper-left with the ♥ next to it represents your player's health.  Lose all of it and it's game over!

The green bar in the upper right shows the time remaining in the current phase.  When it is empty, you advance to the next phase.  During the boss phase, this bar represents the current health of the boss.

There are obstacles, rocks and logs, that your player can trip on and take damage.

Standing under trees makes you safe from enemies and enemy fire.

Get next to lazer cannons to make them fire.

You get points for each shot that hits an enemy, so you can damage but not kill enemies if you would like.  This is useful in phase 2.

Some difficulties have more than 2 phases.  For this, phase 3 will use the rules of phase 1, and phase 4 will use the rules of phase 2, and so on, alternating between the rules of phases 1 and 2.



Disclaimer:
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This Game is supplied 'as is' and no liability will be accepted by Z2 Games or any legal vendors of this software for any damage incurred by the use of this software.