In 2021, on Steam, 10,696 games were released, or approximately 29 games per day. Among this continuous stream of new releases, it’s hard to know where to turn. And while this beginning of 2022 is marked by historic releases such as those of Lost Ark Where Elden Ring on PC, an indie nugget surprises Steam. A fine blend of Stardew Valley and of terrariaenough to relax after a few hours of dying on the latest FromSoftware.
a nugget worth the detour
On Steam, the arrivals are linked. In the flood of AAA small nuggets are regularly hidden. No advertising, minimal media coverage, hard to stand out. But with the power of social networks and streaming platforms, sometimes games create surprise, like vampire survivors last December. And lately, an indie game, presented as a fine mix between Stardew Valley and terrariamanaged to surprise Steam by becoming the top seller of the moment.
With 3120 ratings, at the time of writing, of which 93% positive ratings, Core Keeper is definitely a good game. Developed by the Pugstorm studio, this delicious cocktail, which brings together excellent ideas from previous successes, has sold more than 250,000 copies, just one week after its release in early access. In Core Keeperplayers are invited to “explore an endless cavern full of creatures, items, and resources in a sandbox adventure for 1-8 players“.
Alone or online with 7 other players, grow plants, fish, cook, craft items, harvest resources and explore an endless world of diverse biomes. But beware, like the dwarves of Moria, digging ever deeper will awaken Dantesque creatures. Bosses and their minions that will eventually give you a hard time. Among the strong points put forward by the first satisfied owners of Core Keeperwe find the artistic direction in pixel art, the stylized sound design, the simple but effective gameplay and above all, the great potential of this game which, as a reminder, was launched in early access.
Of course, Core Keeper is not free from flaws and some point out difficulties related to lighting and food, but also heavy game mechanics that deserve to be refined. A title that has a bright future ahead of it, let’s hope that the studio does what is necessary to reward these early fans by finishing its game and taking constructive feedback into account. Core Keeper can be found right there.
