definitely isn’t on that level, but the comparison kind of fits, albeit with an Early Access caveat to contend with. It’s not finished — but it’s really polished.

Which isn't to say there aren't genuinely spooky areas and scary moments. There are ominous, off-screen sounds when you get close to one of Core Keeper's bosses. Breaking through a wall and suddenly seeing you're at the edge of a massive chasm is alarming, and building a narrow bridge across it doesn't feel comfy at all (even though you can't actually fall in).

It’s pitch dark, so you’ll need to plop down some torches, keep an eye out for glimmering deposits to crack open, and consult your slowly materializing map from time to time.

Off-Hand Ability: Equipped off-hand items (such as Shields) will have a special ability that can be activated by pressing this button. Some items have a cooldown which is indicated by the bar below the icon.

yet. But if you’ve got a base-building group who’s down to divide and conquer, try it out. Just know that the fun will peter out, and it’s best not to try and exhaust every crumb of content before 1.0.

Torch - these are key to being able to see in the dark of the underground. Holding the Shift key temporarily pulls torches, from anywhere in inventory, into the currently selected hot-bar slot, for illumination and placement.

Explore diverse biomes with unique ecosystems and long-forgotten lore. From the living walls of the Clay Caves to the crystal caverns of the Shimmering Frontier, discover more about this mysterious world as you uncover the secrets of the Cavelings.

awards experience points whenever you do a relevant action (which I love), so running around will eventually increase your movement speed, and slashing slimes and creepy Core Keeper Gameplay crawlers will help bolster your melee might.

It all shapes up into a very inviting experience that teases dense design layers down the road. Even in early access, these feel like the raw materials of a multiplayer survival sim that will draw an enduring audience. I can’t wait to see how it keeps growing.

Cutscene Crashes: We’ve had some reports of the game crashing right after the intro cutscene, preventing Explorers from starting new adventures.

Killing Glurch spawns a chest with a few random items and a crystal. Take all of the items (and the chest!), then put the crystal in Glurch's statue near the Core. This will partially power the Core and open up a few new crafting recipes at the Glurch statue.

Guide will teach you the basic mechanics of the game, explain the HUD, and show you a short walkthrough to help you start your adventure!

Malugaz, on the other hand, requires a special item. You'll need to collect 3 Crystal Skull Shards, put them on your Hotbar, and right-click in order to craft a Skull of the Corrupted Shaman. You must then place this on Malugaz's rune in order to summon him.

Next, we want to focus on getting Copper Ore so we can make Copper armor, weapons, and tools. Getting your hands on a ranged weapon is a must, too; some of the early-game enemies can hit pretty hard!