Introduction

Core Keeper, an indie sandbox survival game developed by Pugstorm, has quickly gained popularity for its blend of exploration, crafting, and combat elements. Set in an underground world full of biomes, creatures, and resources, players are tasked with surviving and uncovering the mysteries surrounding the core they must protect. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to the genre, Core Keeper offers a satisfying progression loop of gathering resources, building, and expanding your underground empire. In this comprehensive "how to" guide, we’ll take you through the essential aspects of survival, crafting, combat, exploration, and progression in Core Keeper. From setting up your first base to defeating challenging bosses, this guide will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to thrive in this subterranean world.

Getting Started: Creating Your Character and First Steps

Setting Up Your Character

The first thing you’ll need to do in Core Keeper is create your character. The game allows you to customize your appearance, so you can look however you like as you explore the depths. After this, you’ll be dropped into the world with little guidance, but the game offers enough tools and hints to help you get started.

Initial Objectives: Gather Basic Resources

Once you enter the world, your first task is to gather basic resources to ensure your survival. The very first thing you should do is start chopping down trees and mining nearby rocks. You’ll need wood and stone for crafting tools and shelter, which are the cornerstones of your early-game survival. Key actions include:

• Chopping Trees: Gather wood to craft your first tools (such as an axe or pickaxe) and a crafting station.
• Mining Resources: Collect basic ores like copper, iron, and tin to begin upgrading your tools and making better equipment.
• Foraging for Food: Look around for mushrooms, berries, and other edible items that will sustain you until you can set up a more reliable food source.

This early stage is all about laying the foundation for your survival. Focus on collecting as much as you can before moving on to more complex tasks.

Crafting Essentials: Tools, Stations, and Shelter

Building Your First Crafting Bench

Crafting is at the heart of Core Keeper. You’ll start with basic recipes, but as you gather resources, you’ll unlock more advanced tools and stations. The Workbench is your first major crafting station, allowing you to craft simple tools such as axes, pickaxes, and lanterns. To craft the Workbench, you’ll need:

• 10 Wood
• 4 Tin Bars

Once crafted, place the Workbench somewhere safe, preferably near your base. With it, you can create additional tools, craft armor, and expand your capabilities.

Essential Tools to Craft Early On

Before you venture too far from your initial spawn point, there are a few critical tools you’ll want to craft:

• Wooden Pickaxe: Allows you to mine stone and ores like copper.
• Wooden Axe: Helps chop down trees for wood and gather plant materials.
• Torch: Illuminates your surroundings, making exploration and combat much safer.
• Shovel: Useful for digging through dirt, enabling access to buried resources or paths.

These tools are basic but essential to progressing in the game. Upgrade them as you gather better materials to improve your efficiency and unlock more options for exploration and crafting.

Building a Base: Creating a Safe Haven

Choosing the Right Location

A good base is key to surviving in Core Keeper. You’ll need shelter from enemies, a place to store your items, and a crafting area to build more advanced tools. While you can technically build anywhere, it’s wise to establish your base near important resources, such as ore veins or food sources, to make it easier to gather materials without venturing too far. Look for a flat area with good space for expansion. Being near a variety of resources, such as trees, ores, and food, will help you be more efficient in the long run.

How to Build Basic Structures

Building structures in Core Keeper is relatively straightforward. Start by constructing simple walls and a roof to protect your workstations and storage chests. Early base-building is more about protection than aesthetics, but as you progress, you’ll unlock better building materials and design options. To build a basic structure, gather:

• Wooden Walls: For constructing the perimeter of your shelter.
• Wooden Floor: Provides a solid foundation for your base.
• Wooden Door: Allows you to enter and exit your base safely.
• Storage Chests: Keep your resources organized.

Once your shelter is secure, you can expand by adding additional rooms, workstations, and specialized areas like farming plots or crop-growing spaces.

Exploring the Underground World

Understanding Biomes and Their Resources

Core Keeper features various biomes, each with its own unique resources, creatures, and environmental challenges. Exploring these areas is essential for gathering rare materials and progressing through the game. Some of the most notable biomes include:

• The Forest: Home to trees, mushrooms, and basic ores.
• The Desert: A hostile environment filled with sand, cacti, and heat-resistant resources.
• The Cavern: Rich with ores like iron and gold, but home to dangerous monsters.
• The Swamp: A dark and murky biome with unique plant life and aggressive enemies.

Each biome also has its own challenges, such as hostile creatures, environmental hazards, and darkness. Make sure to bring plenty of light sources (like torches or lanterns) and weapons to protect yourself from these threats.

How to Safely Explore New Areas

When venturing into new biomes, you’ll want to plan your exploration carefully:

• Light up the Area: Place torches or lanterns to illuminate your path and keep hostile creatures at bay.
• Bring Resources: Stock up on food, healing items, and building materials in case you need to create a temporary shelter.
• Mark Important Locations: Use the map or place markers in-game to remind yourself of interesting or resource-rich areas.

If you’re planning to explore deep into dangerous biomes, ensure you have upgraded equipment and armor before embarking on your journey.

Farming and Food: Sustaining Yourself in the Underground

Setting Up Your First Farm

Farming is a crucial part of long-term survival in Core Keeper. Unlike other survival games, Core Keeper has an extensive farming system that allows you to grow crops to sustain your character. Early on, you’ll need to find seeds, either by foraging or farming wild crops, and plant them in farm plots. To build a Farm Plot, you’ll need:

• 5 Dirt
• 1 Copper Ore

Once your farm plots are ready, plant seeds and water them regularly to ensure they grow. Crops such as carrots, mushrooms, and berries will provide you with a steady food source. As you progress, you can unlock more advanced crops to sustain your base and make your food supply more efficient.

Advanced Farming Techniques

As you gather resources and expand your base, you’ll unlock more advanced farming options, such as:

• Better Tools: Upgrade your farming tools to increase your efficiency and yield.
• Farming Stations: Create specialized stations like a Seed Planter or Watering Can to automate certain tasks.
• Crops and Fertilizers: Experiment with different fertilizers to speed up crop growth and enhance yield.

Farming efficiently is an ongoing process in Core Keeper, but it becomes essential for maintaining a reliable food source.

Combat: Defending Yourself and Overcoming Bosses

Understanding Combat Mechanics

Combat in Core Keeper is simple but effective. Early on, you’ll use basic weapons like a Wooden Sword or Slingshot to defend yourself from creatures. However, as you explore more dangerous areas, you'll need to upgrade your arsenal to tackle stronger enemies. Key tips for combat include:

• Staying Mobile: Use the environment to your advantage by dodging attacks and positioning yourself on higher ground.
• Upgrading Weapons: Craft better weapons such as Copper Swords or Iron Bows to increase your damage output.
• Eating Before Combat: Make sure to eat food before engaging in battle to boost your health and stamina.

Boss Battles and Strategy

As you progress through the game, you’ll encounter challenging bosses that require advanced combat strategies and preparation. Before engaging with a boss:

• Prepare Gear: Craft the best armor and weapons available.
• Stock Up on Potions: Healing potions and buff potions can make a big difference.
• Learn Boss Patterns: Each boss has unique attack patterns. Study these patterns to avoid damage and strike at the right moments.

Successfully defeating bosses will reward you with powerful items, new crafting materials, and progression toward new biomes.

Upgrading Your Equipment and Progression

Crafting Better Gear and Tools

As you explore and defeat bosses, you’ll unlock more advanced materials that can be used to upgrade your gear. Key upgrades to focus on include:

• Armor Sets: Better armor provides increased defense and elemental resistance.
• Weapons: Upgrading to stronger weapons increases your damage output, making combat easier.
• Tools: Improved tools, like an Iron Pickaxe or Golden Axe, will help you gather resources more efficiently.

Unlocking New Biomes and Progressing Through the Game

As you defeat bosses and progress through different biomes, you’ll unlock new regions to explore, which offer even more dangerous enemies and valuable resources. To unlock new biomes, you’ll need to:

• Defeat Bosses: Each boss you defeat opens up new areas and challenges.
• Complete Objectives: Some biomes require you to complete certain objectives, such as gathering rare materials or activating special machines.

The progression loop in Core Keeper is rewarding, offering constant goals to strive for and new challenges to overcome.

Conclusion

Surviving and thriving in Core Keeper is a rewarding journey that involves a mix of resource management, crafting, combat, and exploration. Whether you’re a new player or someone looking to optimize their gameplay, this guide provides you with the knowledge and strategies you need to succeed. From gathering your first resources to facing off against formidable bosses, each step of the way is an exciting challenge. So grab your pickaxe, gather your supplies, and dive deep into the world of Core Keeper.