Core Keeper

Core Keeper is a top-down sandbox survival game set in a procedurally generated underground world. It can be played solo or cooperatively with up to eight players, with worlds hosted locally or on dedicated servers.

Players begin in a central chamber containing the Core and expand outward by digging through terrain, gathering resources, and uncovering a series of biomes with distinct enemies, materials and environmental hazards. Progressively further areas introduce tougher creatures and more complex traversal challenges, while later updates added travel options such as boats and portals to support long-distance exploration.

Core Keeper was developed by Linköping, Sweden-based Pugstorm and published by Fireshine Games. It was announced during an IGN livestream on 11 June 2021. It launched in open alpha later that year from 1–14 December. A demo was also released for Steam Next Fest in February 2022.

The game entered early access on Steam on 8 March 2022. During early access the developers released a series of major content updates and timed events while supporting Windows and Linux.

Early-access reviews for Core Keeper were broadly positive. Critics frequently highlighted the game’s atmosphere, accessible progression, and blend of familiar survival mechanics with a distinctive underground setting.

Rick Lane of NME compared the presentation to Dungeon Keeper for its dark tone and pixel art style, arguing that while the mechanics draw heavily from games like Minecraft, the shift in theme keeps them from feeling stale.