Another Crab’s Treasure Review: Fear The Old Crab

‘Soulslike’ is arguably the most popular genre in our space outside of Warzone, Fortnite, and Fifa. It’s a genre that can provide unbelievable satisfaction courtesy of the trials and tribulations they present to the player; a sensation that is rarely matched in other games. But the enriching experience tends to spawn a conversation surrounding difficulty and accessibility that can be over-protective, gatekept, and at its worst, quite toxic. Aggro Crab set out to break the mold with their second game and wholeheartedly nailed the assignment with Another Crab’s Treasure.

With their vibrant and approachable take on the genre, Aggro Crab has crafted an incredible soulslike that both satisfies genre veterans and welcomes newcomers with open claws. Outside of a couple minor critiques, Another Crab’s Treasure is the shining example of how the genre should approach the wider gaming audience moving forward.

Arise Ye Crustation

Another Crab’s Treasure follows Kril, a shy hermit crab who wants one simple thing: to be left alone in his precious shell home. Kril’s story begins as a plastic shark snapper informs our hero that he owes the Dutchess taxes. Being an innocent hermit crab, Kril doesn't know who this Dutchess is nor understands obnoxious concepts such as paying taxes. Denying Kril’s payment of kelp, the snapper proceeds to claim Kril’s shell as his own and descends Kril into the depths of a grand treasure hunt brimming with endearing characters, vibrant landscapes, and of course, glorious trash.

The game excels in storytelling where most soulslikes either falter or present lore in an obtuse manner, resulting in scaring away many players. Another Crab’s Treasure is told through charming dialogue and amusing cutscenes backed by a cast of fantastic actors who help bring the sea to life in brilliant fashion. While there are amusing details in item descriptions and optional NPCs to chat with, everything you need is presented to you in a straightforward manner. 

There was never a moment I felt disengaged with the story I was being told. The largest benefactor here is Aggro Crab themselves. Since Going Under, Aggro Crab’s debut title, I’ve been a fan of the studio's absurd and blatant sense of humor. Their authentic and unhinged personality has been perfectly scattered throughout the sea. Between the precise comedic timing of dialogue and cutscenes, one-liners that may be wholeheartedly relatable to a spiraling millennial, references and easter eggs correlating to the real world, and so much more, it was hard to not catch myself smiling or laughing through every single moment of the hunt. It may not be for everyone, but godcalm - it is exactly my type of vibe.

Praise The Trash

Supporting the narrative is the overall aesthetic and presentational direction that creates a welcoming experience from the first step. The most apparent aspect is the use of color. The depths of the sea are beautifully painted with a diverse palette that allows each of the assets to pop out of the screen. It’s easy to assume a heavy use of blues and greens, which is absolutely present. But the contrast of deeper, more saturated tones keep the eyes invested. The vibrancy and explosion of colors are the clear distinctions that sets Another Crab’s Treasure apart from its genre counterparts.

While the narrative presents a horrifying and delusional commentary on pollution, the utilization of trash in the world helps make Aggro Crab’s interpretation of the sea inherently their own. Cities and landscapes built on a foundation of recognizable trash helps the world feel grounded. Despite being a game about a little crab doing his darndest to pay off his home, details such as playing card benches or pathways paved with obscenely long CVS-like receipts help a fictional sea feel as if it’s a part of our reality. Who knows - maybe it is! Regardless, pathways and benches are two of the countless details that stopped me in my tracks and surely added hours to my gametime. From styrofoam castles to the minor details on a packages Nutrition Facts, every step is a feast for the eyes.

The brilliantly named Sands Between would be the one exception to the rule. Some may interpret the open world area to be scarce and hold little detail outside of its key areas; a valid criticism. Personally, the scarcity added to the tension and environmental storytelling. The Sands Between serves as the sea’s connective land between each of the major biomes. Due to gameplay reasons, exploration is not encouraged in this particular area when you first enter. Speeding through from one point to another, The Sands Between feels lacking compared to the cities, forests, and other areas. But once you’re able to take a breath and freely explore, the desolate open world holds quite a few surprises of its own that trigger a sense of awe.

The main cast, fodder enemies, and NPCs bring the sea further to life, but it's the bosses that are the shining stars throughout the hunt. The cast of memorable bosses and their arenas are superbly designed. As you suspect, enemies and bosses are the product of Aggro Crab’s take on sea life. Using the concept (fact) of pollution riddling the sea, the studio puts their own humorous and/or clever twist on reality. I want to avoid spoiling anything in particular, as bosses are best left a surprise. So I will simply state that each boss, both mandatory and optional, was welcomed with a huge grin on my face.

I May Be But A Small Hermit, But I Will Die A King Crab.

Now we all know a vibrant soulslike with an enjoyable, engaging narrative is one thing, but it’s the gameplay, systems, and overall feel that determine whether another entry in the genre will either sink or swim. Another Crab’s Treasure not only swims, but it grabs the genre by its fins and propels it in a refreshing and necessary direction.

Before getting into the depths of the gameplay systems, it’s worth kicking off the discussion with the wonderful Assist Mode. Aggro Crab offers a suite of assist and accessibility options allowing players to cater the experience to their own comfort. There is, of course, the incredible joke-turned-option to give Kril a gun that will one-shot every enemy and boss. If a crab with a glock is a little too extreme, other options include the ability to reduce damage taken and lower enemy health, extra dodge invincibility and parry windows, preventing the loss of microplastic (aka souls) upon death, and preventing pitfall damage. All options can be activated either individually or engaged in bulk through recommended presets crafted by the developer; Hard (Default), Easier, and Story. While it may irrationally upset a certain sector of the audience, Another Crab’s Treasure sets the bars on what the genre should offer moving forward in terms of accessibility and approachability.

Even while playing with the default settings, Another Crab’s Treasure consolidates the soulslike formula and mechanics to their roots that both feels refreshing for veterans and welcoming for newcomers. Where Elden Ring, for example, tasks the player with balancing eight attributes that affect 24 individual stats, Another Crab’s Treasure has four attributes that affect five total stats. There is one single weapon in the game that you can upgrade with one particular item. Instead of constantly balancing equipment for particular builds, all outfits are simply cosmetic. One may argue that stripping the traditional soulslike formula back could feel restrictive. But instead, the simplified core systems are supported and elevated through thoughtfully crafted mechanics such as special adaptation attacks and stowaway accessories that provide buff and status effects. But where Another Crab’s Treasure begins to carve out its own voice in the genre is with the shells.

As opposed to shields, Kril utilizes makeshift shells found throughout the sea in order to protect himself from danger. Shells come in a variety of shapes and sizes from baby shoes, sauce nozzles, and even the husks of fallen crabs. Finding a new shell is always an amusing discovery that sparks joy simply due to the object itself, but it’s the attached shell spells that make the mechanic super interesting. With the aforementioned systems being heavily streamlined, shell spells allow players to implement a bit of strategy with shells depending on the situation. Is there a particular attack you’re having trouble avoiding? The crab husk’s decoy shell spell will take the heat off your back. Surrounded by gunked out crabs? The sauce nozzle’s twist top will spin Kril at a high velocity and annihilate a horde of enemy fodder. 

Stripped down systems and refreshing mechanics are great and all, but it all comes down to the combat itself. Audiences who have played the FromSoft titles have a specific standard in mind when discussing the feel. Dropping myself into that category, there have been countless times where the combat wasn’t clicking in another game and I never returned. Thankfully, that is not an issue here. Another Crab’s Treasure feels fluid, impactful, and ever-so-satisfying. Again: the name of the game is “streamlined.” Combat is tied to a single button with light and heavy attack variations. There is also a skill tree that allows Aggro Crab to dish out new maneuvers at a breathable pace without overwhelming the player. Three of the early skills actually serve as touchstones to FromSoft mechanics; parry attacks, grapple hook enemies, and regain shell health through attacks. Bloodborne being my Miyazaki joint of choice, I found myself taking advantage of the shell health regain quite a bit. No matter the type of player you may be, there’s a comfort mechanic or skill in place for everyone.

Long-Lost Old Bay Speaks To Us All

Outside of the combat and all of the correlating systems, Another Crab’s Treasure holds a great emphasis on exploration. Each biome, the central hub of New Carcinia, and The Sands Between are riddled with secrets, references, precious loot, and even the optional boss or two. No matter the discovery, the reward was always worth going off the beaten path a bit. Supporting explorations lies a beautifully rendered hand-drawn treasure map showcasing Kril current area. While I was able to work with what was available, the map is my biggest critique towards the game as a whole. The map is static, so you can only catch a glance of your immediate surroundings. There were countless moments, especially exploring The Sands Between, where I involuntarily pulled up the map to scroll around and catch my bearings but was unable to do so. The lack of markers became another pain point when backtracking towards the end game and exploring. There were a number of moments throughout my 17 hour adventure where I came across a blocked path or an NPC quest that required a specific skill or ability. By the time I gained the proper tool, I completely forgot the precise location of those NPCs or blocked paths. It would have been awesome to mark key points as I progressed through the game and return later on without relying on memory. With how much Another Crab’s Treasure does right with approachable combat, the map restrictions felt a bit out of place. 

The genre encouraging players to explore is not uncommon, but it’s the unexpected genre blend that helps Another Crab’s Treasure stand out from the pack. The DNA of a classic mascot platformer shines through the maneuverability of Kril and design of the sea. Between jumping across towers, grappling along fishhooks, and floating my way through an intricate platforming puzzle, I couldn’t help but reminisce about Banjo-Kazooie while navigating through the sea. On paper, it shouldn’t work. But with thoughtful and intelligent game design, the mascot platformer/soulslike mash-up creates a gameplay loop that leaves you wanting more. Now this is not to say platforming is perfect. There were a handful of moments I found myself stuck in between ramps or unfairly fell into the pit. It’s a minor annoyance in the grand scheme as both pitfall respawns and shortcuts are (for the most part) forgiving. 

Breakdown

Game: Another Crab’s Treasure

Developer / Publisher: Aggro Crab

Availability: Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Switch

Reviewed on Steam Deck and PlayStation 5

Pros:

+ Endearing narrative backed brimming with humor and charm

+ Breaks down barriers with the Assist Mode

+ Streamlined systems supported by refreshing mechanics

+ Rewarding exploration and sense of discovery

+ Memorable boss encounters

+ The unique blend of soulslike and mascot platformer

+ Strikes a beautiful balance for both veterans and newcomers

Cons:

- The static map

- The occasional platforming gripe

Final Thoughts

All of what has been discussed may deter the hardest of hardcores away. Speaking as a massive fan of the games that pioneered the genre, the streamlined systems are a breath of fresh air that only amplified my moment-to-moment experience. Another Crab’s Treasure proves that the genre doesn’t have to be heavy handed on overwhelming systems in order to find success. It’s abundantly clear that Aggro Crab genuinely understands what makes a good soulslike at its heart, how to put a unique and refreshing spin on it, and why making the genre approachable, accessible, and simply fun for all players matters.

Reviewed by Mike Towndrow