Krater is a real-time squad based dungeon crawling game that blends action, strategy, indie development, RPG progression, and adventure elements on PC. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Sweden, it places players in control of a team of freelancers drawn to an impact site known as the Krater, where they descend into the Underside, a network of caves and tunnels filled with old world technology and dangers. The core loop revolves around managing a squad from an RTS-style overhead view while engaging in fast-paced combat, gathering resources, and completing objectives in both structured and open environments.
Gameplay
The gameplay centers on tactical squad management combined with real-time combat. Players direct a small team of characters who gain experience, new abilities, and equipment over time. Each character carries persistent traits that evolve through leveling, including the risk of permanent injuries that affect performance or lead to death if not managed carefully. Combat requires positioning and ability use amid encounters with various threats in randomized and handcrafted areas.
Crafting forms a major system, allowing creation of items, weapons, gear, and abilities from scavenged materials. Exploration drives progression through an open world structure that includes more than 60 handcrafted locations ranging from settlements to larger hubs like Solside City, alongside randomized dungeons and events. Over 200 quests provide objectives that tie into the main narrative of factions competing for control at the Krater rim.
The graphical presentation relies on the Bitsquid engine, delivering detailed lighting, colorful effects, and environments that contrast sunlit surface areas with the darker underground regions. Performance improvements since launch have refined balance, loot generation, the HUD, and overall smoothness without requiring an online connection for the full single-player experience.
Game Modes
The primary mode is the single-player campaign, which supports full offline play and follows the story of arriving at the Krater to join the scramble for artifacts and riches. This mode emphasizes solo progression through quests, exploration, and squad development without external dependencies.
Co-op missions provide a separate set of experiences designed specifically for online multiplayer. These sessions focus on tackling tougher encounters and bosses as a group, with rewards that can transfer back into the main campaign. The mode supports hours of content built around shared exploration and combat challenges.
Achievements track progress across both offline and online play, totaling more than 40 objectives that cover various aspects of combat, crafting, and exploration.
Setting and Progression
The universe unfolds in a future Sweden where primitive survivors navigate the overgrown remnants of modern civilization. Three factions contest the area around the Krater, each seeking dominance over the entrance to the Underside. Players operate as independent freelancers, scavenging technological relics while navigating the tensions between these groups.
Character persistence adds weight to decisions, as injuries and deaths carry forward consequences that alter team capabilities. This system encourages careful resource allocation and squad composition during extended runs into deeper cave systems.
Is It Worth Playing?
Krater suits players interested in squad-based real-time strategy with RPG elements and dungeon crawling in a distinctive post-apocalyptic setting. The offline campaign delivers a complete experience for those who prefer solo play, while the dedicated co-op missions add a layer for groups seeking shared challenges. Persistent character development and the risk of lasting injuries create meaningful stakes during exploration and combat.
The game remains available on PC with its original feature set intact, including the extensive crafting options and large number of quests and locations. Those who value tactical management over pure action or who appreciate the unique Swedish-themed world may find the combination of systems rewarding, particularly when balancing single-player progression with occasional co-op sessions.
