Core Keeper makes the sandbox survival sim formula feel new

polygon.com:

In Core Keeper, players are dropped into the center of a massive, procedurally generated cavern. From the heart of this cavern, you mine and gather resources: food to keep from starving, ore for armor and tools. You fight enemies and reveal secrets deep underground.

It’s a classic formula that will appeal to fans of base-builder survival sims, and the game sold more than 500,000 units in the first two weeks of Steam early access. I’ve been describing the game to friends as a top-down Terraria, though it has similarities to stalwart entries like Valheim, Don’t Starve, and Forager, with a bit of Stardew Valley as well. Core Keeper’s multiplayer (up to eight people), similarly facilitates a lot of collaboration and strategizing. But the game is far from derivative. It weaves tried-and-true survival sim elements into a tight play loop where the game is the grind in a way that feels meditative without being too repetitive.

Core Keeper feels like a dungeon crawler that you’re creating. You gather materials by mining square tiles, and for most of the game, you’re surrounded by walls that conceal explorable areas. The early game is basically just punching through barriers and filling up your pockets. This digging allows you to excavate different regions and grow the map. But the opening belies much more complexity behind the rocky walls. Like in Valheim, regions have big bosses, though it’s possible to play significant parts of the game while avoiding them. Some of these creatures are genuinely terrifying, but Core Keeper’s pixel art style makes the game feel homegrown.

It’s a familiar cadence: use resources to beef up your base, craft items that help you explore further, gear up for the boss fight, make secondary bases, and