If you’ve never played Core Keeper, here’s some good news: with its 1.0 launch, Core Keeper has finally tunneled its way into PC Game Pass, and if you’d prefer it on Steam, it’s on sale for 20% off for the next 10 days.
A Unique Blend of Survival and Comfort
Core Keeper really nails the two important elements of a great survival game: danger and coziness. Like Valheim, the game features a massive procedurally generated world filled with monsters and intimidating bosses. Yet, it also offers the homely charm of a game like Stardew Valley. You can build a home, grow crops on a farm, go fishing, and invite NPCs to relax at your base.
What’s New in Core Keeper 1.0
During its early access phase, Core Keeper added a ton of new content: more biomes, new boss monsters, underground oceans, boats, go-carts, animal companions, and new character classes. The 1.0 update introduces even more, including a new biome, three new Hydra bosses, and a mysterious final boss in the last chapter of the story.
New Beginnings for Core Keeper Players
For players who explored Core Keeper during its early access phase, there’s a slight downside: your existing worlds aren’t fully compatible with all the exciting new features of the 1.0 update. Developer Pugstorm recommends starting from scratch with a new world to experience the full breadth of what Core Keeper 1.0 offers. “The game has a new world generation that will be used for any new worlds created,” Pugstorm says, “and we strongly recommend players to create new worlds to get the full experience the game has to offer both during the 1.0 launch and moving forward.”
This might be a bit of a bummer for those who cherished their early access worlds, but consider it an opportunity to build something even grander and more immersive.