From underground indie to sandbox hit, Core Keeper is an indie game that has recently become super popular on Steam. We explain everything you need to know about the game to understand the basics.
If you’re a fan of games like Terraria or Valheim, you’re going to want to check out Core Keeper.
This game from Pugstorm and Fireshrine Games (formerly Sold Out) puts you in the middle of a mysterious underworld.
Core Keeper, a 1-8 player adventure game, takes place in a cavern populated by aggressive treasure and artifact creatures. Mine relics and your resources to build your base, craft new equipment to survive and explore.
This procedurally generated underworld has already won over players. Indeed Core Keeper sold over 100,000 copies in the first two days of its Early Access launch on Steam.
Core Keeper, a minecraft/terraria like
As in these two games, you are instantly thrown into a hostile world. Except that here, the adventure begins in the dark, so your first goal, create a torch.
This will require you to collect wood in the standard manner of these games, bang on it without restraint.
After accumulating enough, build your torch by accessing the Crafting tab via TAB
Then continue to accumulate wood until you can create a wooden pickaxe.
Finally, go on an “adventure” and dig at your leisure.
You will quickly come across glowing dots.
These are either ores or fish, head towards them to harvest them.
As for the other basic tools:
- The hoe is used for cultivation.
- The shovel is used to dig the ground marked with an X to obtain loot or to bring the water closer to your base.
Core Keeper may not be going away any time soon.
Brief explanation of Core Keeper mechanics
Health
Until the nitty-gritty, health is a measure of your hit points. If your health reaches zero, you will die.
If you were to die you would leave a tombstone behind you with everything you had in your inventory will have to reach it if you want to recover your equipment.
Tip: The toolbar is unfortunately not salvageable, so be careful if you use your best items in a high-risk area.
Hunger
Core Keeper features light survival elements. Directly related to health, hunger is a resource that if it were to drop below a certain threshold would temporarily decrease your maximum health.
Tip: Cooked food is much more efficient than raw ingredients. In addition, it also offers interesting temporary bonuses.
Cooking and hunger are two sides of the same coin.
Skills
Core Keeper offers a total of 72 skills in the current state of Early Access: 9 skill trees comprising 8 skills each.
Most skills have an effect related to the specialty associated with them. Most mining skills do indeed improve your ability to dig. However, a small part also gives you bonuses in combat.
Tip: If you play in Co-op, the most optimal way to play is to specialize in well-defined roles.
Skills will drastically change your performance in certain areas.
Experience
Literally, there is no level-up or skill point system. Indeed each of your skills improves when you perform the task associated with it.
Tip: Even if specialization remains optimal in Co-op, many skills are “interdependent”. In addition, playing solo will allow you to improve it more or less equally.
craftsmanship
Crafting is a fundamental part of Core Keeper. Of the same type as Minecraft, Terraria, or even Vallheim, craftsmanship will be essential to your survival.
Tip: Just like in the other games mentioned, more complex crafting will require different tools and production locations. For basic equipment, your backpack and your hands will be enough.
Core Keeper Crafting is one of the mainstays of the game.
fight
Core Keeper is not Stardew Valley. There are many creatures that will regularly stand in your way.
To get rid of it, you will have to fight. There are four options that will adapt more or less well to different specializations and playstyles.
Melee combat: Fight enemies with a melee weapon, such as a sword or battle axe.
Ranged combat: Fight enemies with a ranged weapon, such as a sling or a flintlock.
Explosives: Blow up enemies with bombs.
Pitfalls: Passively fight enemies through various traps.
Tip: Melee combat is the riskiest, but also the most effective for a long game.
The bosses won’t give you gifts
Biomes
There are currently four biomes and one dungeon in Core Keeper. Each of them having their own enemies, plants and loot. Most biomes also have their own boss.
Tip: Some biomes are more suitable for certain equipment, be careful in which area you risk falling before engaging in them.
Core Keeper’s biomes are all very different.
Core Keeper is an experience particularly suited to co-op. So take your picks under one arm and your friends on the other and sink into the abyss to solve the mystery of the Heart.