This New Free PS Plus Game Is an Underrated Gem You Don’t Want to Miss

PlayStation Plus members get a fresh batch of free games today! This month’s lineup for PS Plus Essential includes three titles: Need for Speed Unbound, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, and Core Keeper. You have until next month to add them to your PlayStation library at no cost. I highly recommend checking out at least one of these games!

Core Keeper first became available in early access in 2022, and officially launched in August 2024. The full release brought the pixel-art survival and base-building game to PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. You can play with up to 8 friends, regardless of which platform they’re on, thanks to full cross-play. It’s a really great game that doesn’t get enough attention, and its addition to PS Plus Essential is a perfect reason to try it out.

Core Keeper Is Ideal for Terraria Fans Looking for a New Game

Players who love Terraria often find a lot to enjoy in Core Keeper, and it’s easy to see why. Core Keeper offers many of the same appealing features as Terraria, focusing on exploring a large underground cave. You’ll spend your time digging for resources, building a base, crafting tools, and farming – all while trying to uncover the secrets of this vast world.

Core Keeper offers a lot of freedom in how you play, similar to games like Terraria. It doesn’t hold your hand, letting you decide how to build and grow your world. Many players enjoy its charming pixel art style, making it a relaxing and cozy experience. You can easily lose yourself for hours building, farming, and caring for the adorable pixel creatures, all at your own speed.

However, Core Keeper isn’t without its difficulties. Exploring the large underground world can present plenty of challenges. Similar to Terraria, the game includes combat, and I found some of the bosses to be quite tough. Despite this, overcoming these challenges is satisfying, and they add an element of surprise as you dig deeper and discover new areas.

Core Keeper is enjoyable to play solo, but it’s even better with friends. You can team up with up to eight players in multiplayer, making it a perfect game for cooperative play. Plus, with cross-play, PlayStation Plus members can build and expand their base with friends on any platform. As someone who initially played on PC, I’m considering starting a new game on PlayStation just to experience it with others.

As Time Goes On, Core Keeper Keeps Getting Better

I’ve found that Core Keeper becomes increasingly engaging the more you play. It’s built around exploring – you’re constantly mining to discover new areas, resources, and possibilities. This, combined with the freedom to set your own objectives and develop your base, makes Core Keeper a game that consistently improves. What’s great is that the game isn’t static; it’s continually being updated and refined, making the overall experience even better over time.

If you played Core Keeper when it was first released in Early Access, it’s a good time to revisit! The full game is now available on more platforms, and the developers are still actively improving it with regular updates that fix bugs and add quality-of-life improvements. They also release free content updates to expand the game world. For example, the 2025 ‘Bags & Blasts’ update added a new area to explore and a challenging new boss. And shortly after becoming available on PS Plus, Core Keeper is getting even more new content!

A major free update for Core Keeper will be available on January 28th for both PC and consoles. PlayStation Plus Essential members can enjoy all the current content, plus the new additions! As long as you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription, you can keep playing Core Keeper. If you’re a PS Plus Essential member and don’t have time to play right away, be sure to add Core Keeper to your library while it’s free.

Core Keeper is now playable on PlayStation 4 and 5 for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers. You can also play with friends on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, as the game supports cross-platform play. A version for the new Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on January 28th, along with a major update called Void & Voltage.

Hey, have you checked out Core Keeper yet? It’s available with PS Plus right now, and I’m thinking of diving in. What do you guys think? Let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-06 22:12