Core Keeper (opens in new tab), the early entry survival sandbox, simply added an entire bunch of sand. The Desert of Beginnings replace is its largest but, including a brand new desert biome, a magma-themed sub-biome, a number of new craftable gear, two bosses, and greatest but, a enjoyable new approach to get round on the planet.
Oh, and there is a new bazooka, and this one does not shoot grubs. It shoots, like, precise explosives. That is a giant plus.
One thing I’ve all the time been impressed with is how Core Keeper, which takes place completely underground, nonetheless largely manages to keep away from feeling claustrophobic. I spend loads of time digging slender passages by means of rock and clay partitions, typically discovering horrible wriggly creatures buried deep within the darkness, however there are additionally a number of broad open areas that really feel they may simply as simply be open air with nothing however blue sky above. Particularly once I’m protected at my residence base, with a crop of chunky greens rising close by and heat torchlight illuminating the cave, I really feel like I is perhaps in Stardew Valley relatively than trapped deep beneath the earth’s crust.
I bought to play a construct of the brand new replace this week, and I am joyful to say The Desert of Beginnings continues that development. Elements of the desert are so huge and broad and well-lit that I do not really feel like I am underground in any respect, although there are nonetheless loads of rocky partitions and pockets of caverns that should be tunneled by means of. I did not have a lot time to admire my environment, although—even decked out in some sturdy new Galaxite armor I kinda bought my ass kicked. The desert is residence to some huge flying bugs and regardless of the desert model of cavelings are referred to as. They’re quick, they assault from vary, they usually pack a surprisingly huge wallop.
Fortunately there are new weapons to struggle again with, my favourite being the Galaxite chakram, a steel hoop I can fling like a lethal frisbee nearly 3 times per second. There’s additionally the bazooka I discussed, referred to as a Burnzooka, that blows up enemies, rocks, partitions, and absolutely anything it hits. And you may construct stationary defenses, like Galaxite turrets, which is able to hearth power bolts at enemies offered you have hooked them as much as a supply of electrical energy. Sadly they solely hearth in a single route, and take a second to register a goal has handed in entrance of them, so I believe they is perhaps greatest used as a part of a defensive construction at a base and never simply plopped down at random on the planet (which is how I used them).
Better of all, the replace has a enjoyable new approach to get round. I’ve already bought minecart tracks working all all through my world, able to fast journeys from my base to the outer reaches of the map, and the Sunken Sea replace added craftable boats to navigate the underground oceans. Once I heard the desert replace would have new transportation choices, my uninformed guesses had been (on this order): Dune buggy? Sand sailboat? Worm-riding?
I used to be closest with my first guess (I nonetheless sorta need to journey a worm, although) as a result of gamers can construct a brand new workbench to assemble go-karts. I had a little bit test-drive of two of them, they usually’re fairly superior to get round om. One, the Speeder, is hot-rod pink and has a better high velocity than the others, with the disadvantage being it does not speed up as rapidly. The opposite, referred to as the Renegade, has higher dealing with and acceleration however a decrease high velocity. They’re each an enormous quantity of enjoyable to drive, and actual hoot for avoiding or teasing your enemies.
You can even simply drive over stuff like vegetation and harvest their sources with out having to cease, although I used to be a little bit dissatisfied that I could not appear to ram into monsters and kill them. You can also’t soar out whereas the automobile is transferring, so hold that in thoughts whilst you’re spinning donuts within the desert and a mob begins charging you.
I will not say a lot concerning the replace’s two new bosses, apart from I met each of them and I died moments later, earlier than I might even begun chipping away at their large HP bars. One of many new bosses will not be a lot of a shock to veteran gamers—let’s simply say there is a specific Core Keeper boss archetype that has appeared a couple of instances now, and this boss belongs to the identical household, although with a couple of new tips up its sleeve.
The opposite boss, the huge boss, I barely even bought a take a look at earlier than I perished with a yelp and left a tiny glowing headstone. You possibly can catch a glimpse of it about halfway by means of the launch trailer above, and I held out possibly two seconds longer than that clip. Fortunately, like a few of Core Keeper’s more durable bosses, it needs to be summoned in a really particular manner so you will not simply blunder into it. I might counsel, if doable, bringing some mates alongside that can assist you kill it. As many as you possibly can.
Core Keeper’s Desert of Beginnings replace is free, and if I’ve timed this story proper, it may be downloaded proper now on Steam (opens in new tab). Benefit from the warmth.
