Book it if
You want a relaxed sandbox where up to eight friends can each follow their own hobby in one shared world.
Skip it if
You want tense, coordinated action where every player has to pull their weight.
Trip sheet
- Crew size
- 1–8 players
- Online
- Yes
- Crossplay
- No
- Split-screen
- No
- Solo
- Works well solo at a slower pace
- Voice chat
- Optional
- Danger
- Steady
1The pitch
You wake up next to a mysterious Core in an underground world and start digging outward. Mining opens new biomes, which bring new materials, crafting stations, and bosses that power up the Core. It left Early Access with its 1.0 release on August 27, 2024.
2Playing together
Online co-op supports 1 to 8 players in a shared world, which makes it one of the few games here that fits a full squad of eight. Players can spread out to mine, farm, and fish, then regroup for boss fights. There is no local split-screen on PC, and Steam players do not play with console players.
3Roles in the squad
Roles form naturally through the skill system, which levels up whatever you do most: mining, farming, cooking, fishing, combat, and more. One friend usually becomes the farmer and cook, another the explorer, another the base builder. Nobody is forced into a role, which suits groups with mixed interests.
4Look & sound
Pixel art with dynamic lighting makes torch-lit tunnels and glowing biomes look warm and detailed. The music is gentle and atmospheric. The top-down view keeps the screen readable even with eight people in one room.
5Setup & value
It costs $19.99 on Steam for Windows and Linux, and each player needs their own copy. Steam Deck status is Verified, and the controls translate well to a gamepad. For the price and the player count, it is one of the cheapest ways to get a large group into one world.
Best bits
- Supports up to 8 players
- Relaxed pace with clear goals
- Verified on Steam Deck
- Low price for a large group
Watch out
- Teamwork is loose, players often split up
- Combat is fairly simple
Score sheet
- Teamwork 25%
- 82
- Fun as a squad 25%
- 86
- Easy to join 15%
- 90
- Replay 20%
- 84
- Value 15%
- 90
82 × 25% + 86 × 25% + 90 × 15% + 84 × 20% + 90 × 15% = 85.80 → 86
Trip report verdict
Verdict
“Core Keeper is an easy recommendation for big, mixed groups: cheap, calm, and roomy enough for eight. It asks for less coordination than the top games here, but few games make a shared world this welcoming.”
By the Squad Play Review editorial desk · Updated 6 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
