Core Keeper is a subterranean mining and crafting sandbox game that offers a unique and delightful gaming experience. Developed by Pugstorm and published by Fireshine Games, Core Keeper supports up to 8 players in multiplayer mode. The game’s pixelated world is both colorful and cute, yet it becomes increasingly daunting and scary as you delve deeper underground. The gameplay is reminiscent of survival games like Valheim and Minecraft, with a touch of Stardew Valley. Players can expect bizarre sights, unexpected encounters, and dangerous surprises in this procedurally generated co-op survival crafting sandbox. As a player, you find yourself stranded underground in a dimly lit cave filled with ancient and defunct technology. Your objective is to awaken the slumbering core by powering it up, which involves digging, harvesting materials, crafting new weapons and gear, and building a base. The game features various biomes, including clay caverns, arid deserts, and a vast blue ocean, each offering unique challenges and resources. Progression in Core Keeper involves familiar survivalcraft mechanics, such as mining early resources like copper, smelting ores into ingots, and crafting better tools and weapons. However, one of the game’s highlights is setting up resource production lines to automate tasks, making the mining operation more efficient and satisfying. Combat in Core Keeper may not be its strongest aspect, but it offers a variety of enemies to face, from slime blobs to Caveling tribes and mushroom men. Players can craft an array of weapons, including enchanted swords, magic wands, and even unconventional ones like the “Grubzooka,” a rocket launcher made from a giant maggot. The enemies, particularly the Cavelings, exhibit enjoyable details, such as mining for ores, sleeping, and tending to crops, adding depth to the game’s world. Crafting in Core Keeper is relatively simple, with minimal reliance on external sources to understand the mechanics. Additionally, farming and cooking are basic yet effective, allowing players to combine ingredients to create meals with different properties. However, inventory management can become an issue due to the sheer amount of items collected during gameplay. The game’s visuals, lighting, effects, and animations are aesthetically pleasing, creating a beautiful underground world that occasionally simulates the feeling of being outside. Core Keeper also features boss battles, some of which roam the map, while others require specific items to summon. These bosses provide a challenge, often requiring multiple attempts and strategic planning to defeat. Despite taking place entirely underground, Core Keeper effectively immerses players in its world, providing a compelling and engaging survival experience. The game’s 1.0 version, released in August, has successfully captured the essence of a survival game, offering a vast and perilous world to explore, alongside a cozy base to return to after facing danger. In conclusion, Core Keeper stands out as a captivating and enjoyable co-op survival game, offering a blend of exploration, resource management, and combat in a visually appealing underground setting. With its charming pixel art style, diverse biomes, and engaging gameplay mechanics, Core Keeper is a worthy addition to the genre and has the potential to provide countless hours of entertainment for players seeking an immersive survival experience.