Core Keeper Review: A 150-Hour Journey of Fun and Adventure
Having just completed Core Keeper with my wife, I can confidently say it’s been a long time since we’ve had this much fun with a game. With over 150 hours of playtime under our belts, we’ve explored every nook and cranny, nearly collecting all the armors and weapons, only missing a few. Of course, we’re already planning to dive back in the moment new content drops!
A 9/10 Adventure & Story Telling
Core Keeper delivers an exceptional mix of history, combat, adventure, and collection. One of the game’s standout features is its sense of exploration. It got us genuinely excited about venturing into hidden places, navigating labyrinths, stumbling upon NPCs, and even cultivating different-smaller farms. The world feels alive, as though you’re wandering through a long-lost civilization frozen in time.
The beautifully themed islands and ruins are scattered with special surprises that make exploration addictive. I still remember finding a giant seashell island, encased in its own walls—it was exciting! On another occasion, we discovered a massive plesiosaur fossil, both encounters leaving us eager to squeeze in more time in the day to continue exploring, and with each discovery came special drops that felt like a reward for our curiosity (we even ended up playing for three days straight without much sleep!).
Gameplay
Character Creation
Despite the pixel art style, Core Keeper features a surprisingly detailed character creation system. Players can choose body types (though admittedly, the differences are a bit hard to spot 😆) and select unique character backgrounds, which affect gameplay right from the start. For example, I opted for the mining route, which gave me a +3 Mining Skill, a Copper Pickaxe, and +3 Food Rations. You also get to pick between Standard and Hardcore modes, the latter being perfect for those who love 0-death runs!
Game Modes
The game offers four different modes to suit various playstyles:
Creative: For those who want to build without restrictions.
Casual: A relaxed experience with less focus on survival.
Standard: The classic Core Keeper experience.
Hard: For players looking for an extreme challenge.
Biomes
Core Keeper’s world is divided into distinct biomes, each representing different underground areas filled with unique materials, bosses, and lore. When the world is generated, the biomes are randomized according to the world seed, and each biome is separated by a trench that players must cross to access new areas. The variety of biomes makes exploration exciting, as each holds its own set of surprises.
Bosses
With 17 bosses (19 including seasonal variants), Core Keeper offers a wide variety of challenges, each suited to different difficulty levels. We faced multiple bosses and died several times on our first and second encounters. Boss fights are tough, but they’re also a big part of what makes the game fun, keeping things fresh with each run.
Loot (Armors, Weapons, Etc.)
Loot variety is vast in Core Keeper, ranging from gear and craftables to decorations and valuables. At the start, the amount of loot can feel overwhelming due to how quickly you gather items. We managed to collect a good number of full gear sets but are still missing a few drops. We’re definitely looking forward to completing all the sets in future playthroughs!
Pets
There are multiple types of pets in the game, each with randomized skills tailored to fit your gameplay style. They add a fun layer of customization and companionship while exploring the vast underground world.
Others
The game includes various other activities, such as fishing, cooking, and alchemy. Additionally, Core Keeper supports a mod system, perfect for those who want to add quality-of-life improvements or extra content to enhance the experience.
A Few Technical Issues, But Easily Overcome
The only issue we experienced was some disconnection problems in multiplayer mode, which caused a bit of lag over time. Thankfully, closing and reopening the game always fixed the problem, so it never got in the way of our enjoyment.
Final Verdict
Overall, Core Keeper is a must-try, especially if you love adventure and exploration-driven games. With its addictive blend of discovery, combat, and collection, it keeps you engaged and coming back for more. We’re eagerly awaiting the next content update, but for now, it’s a solid 9/10 in every aspect, making it highly recommended for anyone seeking a rich, immersive experience.
