10+ hours in so far and 2 bosses defeated, and I haven't been pestered by the stupid bloodmoons, goblin hordes or any trash like that that happens in many other survival crafting games. I've had enemies appear around my base 2-3 times causing minor damage, and that's plenty; enough to give you a reason to think about traps and securing your base, but not so much as to detract from your main goals. So this is a welcome difference that makes me want to keep playing. If you've never played either of the abovementioned games, but think you like the idea of survival crafting and building game, it's excellent for the asking price (especially as it's 50% off on a couple stores), so give it a go. Beautiful graphics; a fun and engaging gameplay loop of exploring, collecting resources and building; easy to jump into and back out of on your own time, and great fun either solo or with a friend(s).

I chose this role because it looked cute, but the food-related stat bonuses are delightful. A certain type of spicy flower grants faster running, for example, and looks a bit like a burrito when cooked. Eating food is also key for filling up your “hunger” bar and staying alive.

There are definitely some nice bonuses — like the Explorer’s lantern or the Miner starting with an upgraded pickaxe — but no one class is going to give you a huge advantage over any of the others.

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).

Hunger: How hungry you are. If you're too hungry, you'll suffer some stat penalties. If you're stomach is full, you'll get a "Well Fed" buff that boosts your stats for a short time.

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Slow-moving slimes may not seem like much of a challenge, but if you stumble across a good-sized bunch, things can take a turn quickly. Not only do they do a surprising amount of damage, but if you die, you’ll also need to head back to that area to reclaim just about everything you had in your pack (only equipment and whatever was in your quickbar will respawn with you).

If you like games in this genre, then you'll love it, and even if you don't like games in this genre, this could be the one that converts you.

At least I managed to swing my sword and not a pudding this time. But afterwards I ran back home through brightly lit tunnels as fast as my little legs could take me, and now I'm cooking up some glowing larvae steaks.

And if you want to make sure you always have fresh ingredients, craft a hoe to clear out some farmland, and plant the seeds that you’ll inevitably pick up during your travels.

Permanent max health foods have also been omitted. They are rare to find optional extras that will help make a playthrough easier by slightly increasing a character's base health.

, any equipped armor will take some durability damage. Any items you had in your inventory (but not on your Hotbar) will be collected in a tombstone marking where you died.

You’ll come across Core Keeper Gameplay plenty of naturally occurring food, but it’s not nearly as effective as the health boost and extra perks you can get from learning to cook.

And I've got a nice dirt patch where I can plunk down seeds, I dug a long trench from a pond all the way to my base so I can fill my watering can without having to venture out, and I've even got a patch of rock set up to grow my new carrots (they're actually called carrocks, since they only grow on rock). Rather than giving you recipes and telling you what ingredients you need, you just take two ingredients—any two ingredients, even two of the same ingredient—throw them in the pot, and see what comes out.