• Preview

Core hands-on preview: A world of possibility

Core has launched on the Epic Games Store, bringing its endless sandbox to a new world of users.

Donovan Erskine

April 15, 2021 8:00 AM

1

Core is a sandbox game that’s best described as an ultimate toolset. Players can jump in and create their own games, worlds, and experiences, and instantly share them with those around the globe. It’s not a brand new premise, but the developers have brought a fresh and mature approach to the idea. Core is now accessible to a new platform of users, as the game has been added to the Epic Games Store. I spent some time playing Core with the developers, and was really excited about what I saw.

Play the way you feel

Core touts itself as having an “endless arcade” of games for players to discover and enjoy, which I found to be quite accurate during my time with the game. What really impressed me was the sheer variety in types of games available. We went from an action-packed first-person shooter, to mini-golf game, to a fantasy RPG. What’s more, each game felt natural and smooth, it wasn’t like people were really reaching or getting outside the box in order to make their ideas work.

Core is comparable to a game like Roblox, though Core is looking to be a bit more mature. This doesn’t mean mature content, but more sophisticated systems for creating and sharing levels with others. Core has a simplified way for players to directly communicate with creators right on the platform. For example - you could notice a bug or error with the game, DM its creator, and actually see that bug fixed in a matter of minutes. It’s this communal approach that makes Core so fascinating.

Evolving game development

One of the really interesting ideas that the developers behind Core brought up to me was the implications that it could have for the future of game development. Making games is incredibly hard, and there’s a fairly large barrier of entry. So many people out there have ideas or concepts that would make excellent games, but they don’t know how to code, create assets, or any of the other difficult tasks it takes to actually make a game. This is where Core comes in.

Core has thousands upon thousands of assets at the user’s disposal. If you want to make a battle royale game, all of the tools needed are there. All of the background work, the super difficult stuff, is already taken care of. Instead, creators are able to focus on, well, being creative. All assets are within the game too, so there’s no need to visit third-party sites or programs when making a game on Core.

The developers truly believe that this could be the future of game development. Even if that’s not the case, it will surely be vital in ushering so many into the world of game dev. I played a sci-fi rpg that was expansive, full of unique quests, characters, and locations. The game was built in its entirety by a small team led by a 14-year old kid. It’s those kinds of stories that make me so excited for the future of Core.

A future full of potential

Core is a game that’s destined to get better and better as time goes on. While the game is already available via its own website and launcher, Core is now available on The Epic Games Store. Putting the game on a platform as popular as EGS, I can’t wait to see what new players create and share with the world.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_