Krater is a squad-based action RPG developed for the PC platform. Released in 2012, the game places players in control of a small team navigating a post-apocalyptic environment through real-time combat and resource management. The core experience revolves around assembling and directing a squad while handling exploration, item creation, and mission objectives in a top-down perspective.
Gameplay
The gameplay centers on real-time squad control where players manage three characters simultaneously during encounters. Combat involves directing attacks, positioning, and ability use through point-and-click commands, blending action elements with tactical decisions. Squad management requires balancing roles such as damage output, support, and defense while adapting to enemy groups in dungeon-like areas.
Crafting forms a key part of progression, allowing players to create and upgrade equipment from gathered materials. Questing drives the narrative forward through objectives that involve exploration and interaction with the environment. The top-down view supports quick assessment of battlefield situations and squad positioning, encouraging repeated playthroughs to refine team compositions and strategies.
Game Modes
Krater supports single-player campaigns focused on solo progression through the main storyline and side objectives. Cooperative play extends the experience to up to four participants, enabling shared control of squad members or joint navigation of the same content. These options allow flexibility between independent sessions and group coordination without altering the fundamental squad-based mechanics.
Setting and Mechanics
The game unfolds in a colorful post-apocalyptic world where players recruit and customize squad members from available classes. Each class contributes distinct skills that can be combined across the team for varied approaches to challenges. Resource gathering ties into both combat effectiveness and long-term squad development through crafting systems.
Mechanics emphasize consequence in choices during quests and encounters, with exploration revealing new areas and opportunities. The combination of fast-paced action and squad oversight creates a loop of preparation, execution, and refinement suited to players who enjoy managing small teams in structured environments.
Is It Worth Playing?
Player reception for Krater has been mixed, with some appreciating the squad tactics and setting while others note issues with repetition and technical stability at launch. The game remains available as a complete package on PC without ongoing seasonal content or major updates in recent years. It suits those interested in older squad-based action RPGs who value tactical combat and crafting over modern live-service features or extensive multiplayer ecosystems. Individuals seeking a focused, self-contained experience with co-op options may find value in revisiting or trying the title for its specific blend of mechanics.
