Another Crab’s Treasure Review – A Crabtivating Experience

Some gaming trends come and go, much like the tide; we see once popular genres and features fall back by the wayside, only to make way for another, stronger wave in its wake. This is just the natural order of the industry, but one particular sub-genre has proved time and time again that it is an influential and prolific force to be reckoned with in the gaming scene: the soulslike. Ever since its genesis in the 2000s, there have been a large number of titles that explore its challenging and lore-driven depths. While FromSoftware reigns mostly supreme with these types of games, that hasn’t stopped other companies, big and small, from trying their hand at the formula as well.

That’s where Another Crab’s Treasure comes in; the newest game from developer Aggro Crab is their take on the soulslike subgenre. Their previous title, Going Under, was excellent, and I felt like it didn’t quite get the acclaim it deserved, so I was excited to be able to play their newest game. My only cause for apprehension before starting Another Crab’s Treasure was the fact that I have never once played a soullike in my life. I’ve previously been interested in them, but they’ve usually taken a backseat in my mind. Regardless, though, the charming and adorable appearance of Another Crab’s Treasure drew me in, and soon, I found myself learning a thing or two about what it feels to play a soulslike.

Hapless Hermit: The Tale of Another Crab’s Treasure

Another Crab’s Treasure thrusts you into the role of Kril, a hermit crab who just wants to live a peaceful life in the tide pools with his favorite shell to call his home. Things quickly turn ugly, though, when a literal loan shark comes by and demands Kril cough up unpaid taxation. Stealing Kril’s beloved shell as payment, our hermit hero sets out into the vast ocean to reclaim his home. Sanctuary is scarce outside the tide pool though, and violent creatures are lurking just about every step of Kril’s journey. Armed with only a rusty fork and whatever temporary shell he can make do with, Kril has quite the mountain to climb before he’s able to live the peaceful life he so desires.

For a souls-like, Another Crab’s Treasure is on the lighthearted side of things, to say the least, but for my money, its wit and humor are some of its biggest strengths. The irreverent comedy that Aggro Crab is known for is present here in full force. The moment the loan shark appears in the opening, it’s clear just how tongue-in-cheek the game is going to be, but it never feels overwhelming or obnoxious either. This approach isn’t going to be for everyone, but for me, I was constantly amused by even just the smallest lines of dialogue. Things take a bit of a turn early on, too; it’s a subtle turn, but it brings the mood down just enough to grab your interest and alter your expectations.

As a protagonist, Kril is perfectly endearing and lovable. He is so incredibly down on his luck and flustered by the world outside of his safe haven; when things start going well for him, you really start to root for him. It feels great to help him climb higher and higher too, growing into more of a capable warrior with every new level you earn and each new boss you take down. It helps that he has an adorable voice too, really bringing him to life as a character. The supporting cast is fun too, although not necessarily anything more than that; their dialogue is well written, and their characterization is solid; they definitely serve as good rivals, supporters, and antagonists for Kril’s journey.

Tempestuous Tides: The Soulslike Experience

But for Another Crab’s Treasure, the real enjoyment is found elsewhere. As mentioned previously, this is a soulslike, and from what I can gather, it plays pretty similarly to its contemporaries. That is to say, it’s a challenging action-adventure game that prioritizes careful and strategic movement during even the smallest fights because death is common, and death is punishing. Each time you defeat a foe, you gain ‘Microplastics,’ which can be used both in the many shops found in New Carcinia also to augment your own stats. But dying means that you lose these microplastics, with only a single chance to be able to recover them from the location of your demise.

As frustrating as this mechanic can be, the game never feels unfair; each defeat was followed by only a moment of grief before I made a mad dash back to my lost loot, filled with the drive to do better next time. Progressing through each area did have some hurdles, but they were never so daunting that I wanted to give up. Each moment of progression feels truly rewarding, and each battle feels important since carelessness will quickly lead to your end.

Aquatic Adaption: The Ebb & Flow of Combat

Bolstering all of this is the core mechanic of Another Crab’s Treasure: shells! There are a large number of different shells available to the player, each with its own defensive capabilities, weight classes, and health bar. You’re incentivized to wear one since you take massive damage without it, you lose access to your shield without it, and certain equipable stat boosts are unavailable to you while you are ‘naked.’ Each shell also has a special ‘Umami’ ability as well, which can often turn the tide in battle. Since your shell is guaranteed to never last forever, you’re constantly switching up shells with whatever you can find, leading to the player needing to adapt at a moment’s notice.

You’ll likely have a favorite shell and a favorite ‘Umami’ ability before the game is over, but even once you are able to ensure you respawn with that shell thanks to ‘Shell Insurance,’ it will still only last so long. Experimentation is key and it’s immensely engaging to be constantly switching your approach to combat on the fly. With the addition of skill-tree abilities, your repertoire feels like it’s evolving during every moment of Kril’s adventure. This reaches its climax during the many boss encounters in the game; it feels truly cathartic to die so many times, only to learn just a little bit more each time until you finally conquer your foe. Another Crab’s Treasure never lets up when it comes to its bosses either; some are definitely easier than others, but they demand that you take them seriously.

Wealthy Waters: Exploring the Depths

Even when you put the combat to the side, Another Crab’s Treasure is great for its rewarding sense of exploration. Areas usually do offer a fairly linear route to get to your destination, but there’s often more found away from the beaten pathways of the ocean’s realms. While never truly dipping into being a true collect-a-thon platformer, I definitely drew comparisons in my mind to those games on occasion. Seeing something glowing off in the distance is a good incentive to go exploring, and while you may not always find something rare, chances are you’ll at least gain something you can sell for more Microplastics.

It’s just a joy to explore these areas anyway, for how visually diverse they are and all the fun little details that have been packed in. The vastness of the ocean is very well realized within certain zones, while the areas that are piled up with trash from the human world turn everyday products into landmarks and unique contraptions. There are references on so many of these discarded objects, too, to titles that Aggro Crab has developed, to other indie hits, and even to some of FromSoftware’s own titles. Another Crab’s Treasure isn’t what I would call a beautiful game, but it is a visually interesting one, with so many charming inclusions that make it impossible not to crack a smile as you explore.

The sometimes moody vibe of each zone also tunes in well to some of the darker implications of the narrative, and the soundtrack is a great accompaniment to this. The OST really enhances the whole experience, making each boss battle tense and exciting, giving each zone its unique flavor and selling the more comedic moments of the story. A nice touch, too, is the variety of footstep sounds; as Kril skitters around, his steps will generate a different sound depending on what he’s walking on, and in a world where a flip-flop is sometimes used as a bridge, this can lead to a surprising amount of variety. I just think it’s worth noting, and it just illustrates how much care and attention has gone into the presentation of the game.

Polluted Pearls: Your True Nemesis

It’s unfortunate, then, that there does seem to be a lack of polish in some other areas of the game. Early on I was encountering some awkward glitches while climbing up netting, and it’s possible to die in one area if you try to grapple across a patch of water. None of these issues are really gamebreaking at all, they were just a noticeable hiccup in the quality of the game that I couldn’t help but notice. It’s likely some of these issues will be fixed post-launch, though, so I’m not too worried about them going forward.

However, what I feel like is a bigger issue is the camera. This is probably the biggest obstacle in the game, in my opinion. In more open areas, the problems are non-existent, but once you start fighting in more enclosed areas, the camera knocks into the walls more often than not, and it starts to interrupt the flow of the combat, making it much more difficult to concentrate on your unhindered opponents. This does not make the game unplayable, however, and once you get used to the camera’s ‘quirks,’ the ebb and flow of the combat returns. It’s just a blemish on Another Crab’s Treasure that is impossible to ignore.

In terms of other flaws, I feel that those who are more familiar with Soulslikes might find this game a little on the easy side. For me, a beginner to the formula, however, it was perfectly balanced. I think the game difficulty is balanced and customizable enough when you consider how many variables there are to experiment with.

Closing Thoughts: Is Another Crab’s Treasure A Clawsome Time?

Another Crab’s Treasure has taught me why the souls-like formula is as beloved as it is, and I say that without hyperbole. The size of the difficult mountain can be intimidating, and I often found myself stumbling, desperately reaching for some progression, but I always felt that the game respected me and my time. It meets you at its level and encourages you every step of the way, and while it offers you some aids to lessen the frustration, it never cheapens out when it comes to the core combat encounters. I can’t stress enough how exhilarating that rush is when you start improving during a boss, that even if you die at that time, you can still see the light at the end of the tunnel. Then when that health bar finally empties, you feel a genuine sense of accomplishment, that you have conquered the mountain.

So, for those who have never tried Soul-like before, I urge you to try this game, as it feels like the ideal starting point. Those who are more experienced might find challenges in this game, too, if enough creativity is applied in the right place. Regardless of experience level, though, you’ll find hours of charming, enjoyable, and tense gameplay here. Aggro Crab has done an amazing job turning Another Crab’s Treasure into a game truly worth getting your claws into.