Choose Underlings
Choose Underlings if you want the LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Underlings launched in 2021.
Underlings vs Core Keeper
Underlings and Core Keeper both land in Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Underlings (2021) is 3 years older than Core Keeper (2024). Core Keeper scores higher on Steam reviews (94.8% positive) than Underlings (66.7% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Core Keeper
Choose Core Keeper if it's the newer release (2024) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 22,806 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Underlings and Core Keeper sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Underlings |  Core Keeper | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.7% positive (15 reviews) | 94.8% positive (22,806 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | One Man Games | Pugstorm |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Underlings (2021) is 3 years older than Core Keeper (2024).
- Core Keeper scores higher on Steam reviews (94.8% positive) than Underlings (66.7% positive).
- Underlings is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Core Keeper (9.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Core Keeper is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Underlings has no Deck rating yet.
Underlings vs Core Keeper — FAQ
- Should I play Underlings or Core Keeper first?
- If you want chronology, Underlings (2021) came out before Core Keeper (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Underlings and Core Keeper similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Underlings and Core Keeper have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Underlings ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Core Keeper ships Online Co-op, Co-op.