Another Crab’s Treasure [PC] | REVIEW

I haven’t played a souls-like release quite as charming as Another Crab’s Treasure, with the strategic shell-based combat, vibrant world, and wealth of accessibility options ensuring it stands out as one of the more unique and delightful releases in the genre.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Another Crab’s Treasure puts players in the role of Kril, a hermit crab on a mission to reclaim his shell after seeing it stolen from him by a shady (and literal) loan shark looking to collect on a debt. It turns out his journey won’t be an easy one, with plenty of aquatic foes looking to bring him down along the way. Luckily, he’s a creative sort, and by using the countless pieces of junk he finds within the ocean as a makeshift shell, he’s able to put up a fight.

Yeah, if it wasn’t clear already, Another Crab’s Treasure doesn’t take itself too seriously, with Kril’s tale a charming one that brings with it plenty of genuine laugh out loud moments. The world is delightful to be a part of and Kril is endearing in his own little way, whilst the manner that the story builds into something bigger as you progress ensures that’ll players will be kept engaged throughout. Oh, and the fact that you’re often using literal trash that’s been thrown in the water to your advantage? That’s explored too, with Another Crab’s Treasure not afraid to delve into environmentalism themes and the effect that humanity’s negligence has on the ocean.

When it comes to the gameplay, Another Crab’s Treasure embraces a souls-like approach, albeit with a fun little twist to combat that sees you utilising varied items as makeshift shells that change how you play. Each item you equip brings with it its own special ability and stats that help differentiate them from one another, whilst some offer different levels of weight in their build to make Kril more nimble or slower with his attacking style. You know how certain weapons are better embraced for different playstyles in typical souls-like releases? Well, this is Another Crab’s Treasure’s take on it, and it’s really, really cool.

“I wouldn’t normally recommend a souls-like to younger gamers, but with players able to fine-tune things like damage, enemy health, or even make themselves invincible, it could be the perfect title to give them their first taste of this genre of gameplay.”

You only have the one weapon throughout the game (a fork), so the use of your shells helps diversify your attacking options. For example, having a soda can equipped on your back allows you to blast out bubbles at your enemies, whilst the sushi roll allows you to recover some health mid-battle by taking a bite. Meanwhile, the tennis ball allows you to roll around the environment or into enemies, whilst the boxing glove allows you deal damage to enemies by pounding down on the ground. There are a LOT of these to find across the world (over sixty in total) so there’s plenty to play around with to find the one that suits you. Be warned, though: your makeshift shells can only take a set amount of damage before breaking, but with each environment you explore littered with options, you won’t have to go bareback for too long.

Kril is handy with his trusty fork too, which can be used to unleash combos of attacks on foes. New combat abilities can also be unlocked in the skill tree to build upon your attacking options, so combat continually evolves as you play. Another Crab’s Treasure takes a simpler approach in this regard, but it’s effective and ensures that players will always feel like they’re able to handle the tricky situations they might find themselves in. The game adds a crustacean twist to things like defensive manoeuvres too, with Kril hiding in his shell and popping out at the right moment as a means to parry incoming attacks. Enemies have a stagger meter in place that allows you to daze them and parrying is the best way to build upon it, so it’s certainly worth taking a defensive approach and working on your timing if you want to be efficient in battle.

There are other systems in play that enhance your combat capabilities, with collectible Stowaways able to be equipped to grant a variety of buffs, whilst Adaptations earned from conquering bosses give Kril a powerful ability that can be used to get him out of a fix. It just further emphasises the depth found in the game’s combat, with plenty of options available for players who really want to fine-tune their build and make an unstoppable crustacean out of Kril.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The enemy encounters in Another Crab’s Treasure are fun, with a good variety of mobs of foes to face that offer a formidable test of your skills. Admittedly, they’re not as harrowing as some of the foes I’ve seen in similar souls-like titles, especially since their attack patterns are easier to predict, but they’ll still keep you on your toes as you progress through levels. The bosses on the other hand can be a LOT more challenging, with each demanding you strategize perfectly to take them down. They’re memorable encounters that blend together the cartoon-like charm of the world with the more fearsome presence of a bulkier and nastier sea creature, with each offering a creative (and often devastating) move set that’ll REALLY put your skills to the test. I was a big fan, with the boss encounters some of the best that I’ve seen in a souls-like that wasn’t made by From Software.

Another Crab’s Treasure really nails combat with its creative approach to your skillset, whilst it even mixes in a few platforming aspects when exploring to ensure traversal is equally enjoyable. It does have a few little technical issues though – I found myself stuck in the environment on a few occasions (twice during the same boss battle at one point) and even falling through the map, whilst an even odder bug saw the game not recognise my button inputs (this was a one-off). There were a few moments of slowdown when playing too, though those were few and far between so it might have been my PC rather than a game issue. Add the occasional moment of the camera glitching out and it’ll be clear that Another Crab’s Treasure isn’t perfect on the technical side of things. None of these issues are game-breaking by any means so I feel bad complaining about them, but they were noticeable when playing.

But other than that? Another Crab’s Treasure offers a really charming adventure that completely hooked me in. I haven’t even mentioned how pretty the game world is to look at with its delightfully vibrant undersea landscapes, whilst the variety of assists on offer ensure players of ANY skill level will be able to enjoy the action. I wouldn’t normally recommend a souls-like to younger gamers, but with players able to fine-tune things like damage, enemy health, or even make themselves invincible, it could be the perfect title to give them their first taste of this genre of gameplay.

Developer: Aggro Crab
Publisher: Aggro Crab
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1887840/Another_Crabs_Treasure/