Summary
A unique type of third-person action-RPG that struck an incredible balance between challenging and satisfying,Dark Soulswould go on to spawn countless imitators over the following years, eventually forging a whole new genre now known as Soulslike. But while manySoulslike gamesstill struggle to find that perfect balance between challenge and reward,Another Crab’s Treasureconsistently hits the nail on the head.
After playing just a few hours ofAnother Crab’s Treasure, it’s clear how passionate developer Aggro Crab is, and how much it genuinely understands the fundamentals of the Soulslike genre as a whole, its roots, and how it’s evolved over the last decade or so. This understanding and passion has resulted in one of the best Indie Soulslikes in recent memory, but whileAnother Crab’s Treasureembraces many of the conventions of its genre, it also isn’t afraid to break some rules when it needs to.
The Biggest Ways Another Crab’s Treasure Breaks Soulslike Conventions
Another Crab’s Treasure Has a Clear Narrative
FromSoftware gamesare notoriously obtuse when it comes to their narrative. In most cases, a FromSoft game will open with a quick cutscene that overwhelms the player with a vague account of the world’s intricate history up until that point, and that’s about all the direct storytelling that the game has to offer. From there, players have to piece together the game’s story and lore through lines of dialogue, environmental clues, and item descriptions. While many fans love this puzzle-like approach to storytelling, few Soulslikes can do this as well as FromSoft, resulting in too many Soulslike games that lack a compelling narrative.
Thankfully,Another Crab’s Treasurethrows this convention out of the window at the very first opportunity, instead deciding to directly tell the player exactly what’s happening in the world, and how the protagonist fits into it all. Adopting this approach not only keeps the player invested in the game’s events, but also allowsdeveloper Aggro Crabto put its surprisingly deep satirical commentaries front and center of the experience.
Another Crab’s Treasure’s Bright and Cheery Atmosphere
Though they have brighter areas, much of FromSoftware’s catalog spends the majority of its time in dark, oppressive locations. While this moodier art style works well forgames likeDark SoulsandBloodborne-reinforcing the sense of foreboding and danger that’s core to the experience - it’s since been used countless times in other Soulslike titles that attempt to evoke that same atmosphere, which makes the gloom feel repetitive or banal in some instances.Another Crab’s Treasuremanages to clearly stand apart from those past Soulslikes by going in the opposite direction, delivering a bright and colorful world that’s filled with charm and cartoony visuals.
Another Crab’s Treasure’s Player-First Approach
For the last few years,difficulty in the Soulslike genrehas been a bit of a hot topic in the gaming landscape. On one side of the fence, fans of Soulslikes' high level of challenge believe that difficulty options shouldn’t be present in the game as they could ruin the carefully balanced vision that the developers have worked hard to deliver. On the other hand, many fans believe that adding some kind of difficulty options would help to make Soulslikes more accessible.
Another Crab’s Treasurefully embraces the latter school of thought, delivering an impressive suite of accessibility options that are available right from the start of the game. From reduced enemy health pools, to increased parry windows, to even the option togive player-character Kril a gigantic gunthat one-shots enemies,Another Crab’s Treasurelets the player customize their experience completely.
Another Crab’s Treasure
WHERE TO PLAY
As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell, and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.TRASH OR TREASURE?In this undersea society, trash is not only a way of life, but a valuable resource, used for everything from fashion to firearms. But with the presence of trash comes a mysterious infection known as the Gunk, which could spell doom for the entire ocean.LEARN FROM NATUREAs Kril explores the ocean, he’ll gain a variety of Umami Techniques—powerful attacks learned from the denizens of the seas. Punch your enemies with the overwhelming might of a Mantis Shrimp, ensnare them with the horrifying Bobbit Worm, and much more.UNEXPLORED DEPTHSThe ocean goes deeper than one can imagine. Fight your way through kelp forests, coral reefs, sand castle cities, and even the unfathomable darkness of the deep-sea trenches, all in the name of getting back your prized shell.
