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Core KeeperVSStarbound

Which game gives you more value right now? Every metric, head to head.

Core Keeper

Core Keeper

ActionIndieSimulationAdventureRPG
Quality
91Popularity
38Value
71
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
in 1 day
−64% $7.23
Buy Now
VS
Starbound

Starbound

ActionCasualIndieAdventureRPG
Quality
87Popularity
40Value
81
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
in 8 hours
−88% $1.73
Buy Now

Winner

Core Keeper wins 8 of 14 head-to-head metrics.

Solid pick at the moment — it's holding up well and the price is fair for what you get.

8
Core Keeper
8 of 14 metrics
Starbound
6 of 14 metrics
6

Head-to-Head Metrics

Direct metric-by-metric comparison: winner determined by count, no weighting

Value
Pricing & Deals
Current Best Price (USD)
$7.23 -
$1.73 Wins
Historical Low Price (USD)
$7.19 -
$6.89 Wins
Best Current Discount
-64% -
-88% Wins
Sales Frequency
168 price changes Wins
78 price changes -
Quality
Critical & User Reception
Metacritic
86/100 Wins
81/100 -
Steam Review Score
92.8% positive Wins
90.5% positive -
Total Steam Reviews
49.3K -
87.2K Wins
Positive Steam Reviews
45.7K -
78.9K Wins
Negative Steam Reviews
3.5K Wins
8.3K -
Popularity
Community & Activity
Average Concurrent Players (14 days)
3.2K Wins
724 -
Steam Recommendations
49.2K -
120.6K Wins
Features
Features & Content
Achievements
55 Wins
51 -
Supported Languages
13 languages Wins
1 languages -
Release Date
Aug 2024 Wins
Jul 2016 -
GameValio Recommendation
Worth ItCore Keeper

Solid pick at the moment — it's holding up well and the price is fair for what you get.

Worth ItStarbound

This one's in a good spot right now, delivering on quality with a price that makes sense.

Statistics Over Time

Side-by-side historical trends: same time range, same scale

Time Range:
Core Keeper
Starbound

Player Count Trends

· Concurrent players over time

Review Score Trends

· Positive review ratio over time

Review Volume Trends

— Total reviews accumulated over time

Price Comparison

Current deals and best prices side by side

Core Keeper

Core Keeper

5 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin −64% $7.23Buy Now
GAMIVO
GAMIVO +2% $7.35View
Steam
Steam +93% $13.99View
GamersGate
GamersGate +93% $13.99View
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +176% $19.99View
Starbound

Starbound

2 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin −88% $1.73Buy Now
Steam
Steam +766% $14.99View

Score Breakdown

How each game scores across quality, popularity, and affordability

Core Keeper

Quality

Excellent community reception — players and critics agree on the quality.

93% positive (49,271 reviews) — very positive reception
Metacritic 86/100 — high marks from professional reviewers
49,271 reviews — very trustworthy data

Value

Acceptable value right now — fair price for the content.

$7.23 — very accessible price
64% off — solid discount

Popularity

Smaller but still existing player base — longer wait times for multiplayer.

-11% minor player decrease
2,482 concurrent players — solid base
49,271 total reviews — proven game with large community

Starbound

Quality

Consistent high ratings show real quality, not just hype.

90% positive (87,228 reviews) — very positive reception
Metacritic 81/100 — high marks from professional reviewers
87,228 reviews — extremely reliable sample

Value

Price near historical low — a solid moment to consider buying.

$1.73 — very accessible price
88% off — massive discount
Near historical low ($1.49)

Popularity

Past its peak but still active — niche experience.

+16% player growth
770 concurrent players — smaller but active
87,228 total reviews — major title

Game Details

Release information and metadata

Game DetailsCore KeeperStarbound
Release Date
August 27, 2024
July 22, 2016
Developers
Pugstorm
Chucklefish
Publishers
Fireshine Games, bilibili
Chucklefish
Platforms
Linux, Windows
Linux, Windows, MacOs
Achievements
55
51

System Requirements

PC minimum and recommended specs

Core Keeper

Recommended

Recommended:
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / Radeon R9 280X

Starbound

Recommended

Recommended:
  • OS *: Windows XP or later
  • Processor: Core i3
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Discrete GPU capable of directx 9.0c
  • DirectX: Version 9.0c
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 4 GB available space

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Core Keeper or Starbound?

Core Keeper won the comparison against Starbound based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.

How is the comparison calculated?

The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table. No weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.

Is Core Keeper worth buying over Starbound?

Based on the metrics, Core Keeper won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.

Which game has better player reviews?

Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.

Which game offers better value for money?

The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Starbound currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.

Analysis updated: Jul 18, 2026, 07:57 PM UTC

GameValio - Buy now or wait? PC game purchase timing advisorGameValio© 2026

Data sourced from Steam, Metacritic, and various stores. Not affiliated with Valve Corporation. Scores updated daily to keep recommendations fresh.

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