Another Crab's Treasure

Another Crab's Treasure is a soulslike action game where you play as Kril, a hermit crab on a quest to reclaim his stolen shell. The premise is goofy, but the adventure is heartfelt and the combat is demanding, with clever mechanics that make the genre feel fresh.

The Good

The shell system is brilliant. Instead of a fixed shield, you scavenge trash from the ocean floor to wear as protection. A soda can, a tennis ball, a thimble. Each shell has different stats and special abilities. Finding a new piece of garbage has never been so exciting.

The writing is sharp and funny without being obnoxious. Kril's journey through a polluted ocean touches on environmental themes without becoming preachy. The supporting cast of sea creatures is memorable, and the story goes places you won't expect from a game about a tiny crab.

Accessibility options deserve special praise. There's a full suite of difficulty modifiers, including an "invincibility" toggle for players who just want the story. This is how you do difficulty in 2024. Let players tailor their experience without judgment.

The world design captures that soulslike interconnectedness. Shortcuts loop back on themselves, and there's genuine satisfaction in unlocking a path that connects two distant areas. The underwater setting allows for vertical exploration that feels fresh.

The Not So Good

Technical issues mar the experience. Frame rate drops, occasional crashes, and some wonky physics can frustrate. The camera especially struggles when combat happens in cramped spaces, which is often when you're a small crab.

Platforming sections range from fine to infuriating. The game's movement system wasn't designed for precision jumping, and some late-game sections demand exactly that.

A few bosses feel unfair rather than challenging. The line between "tough but learnable" and "why is this hitbox so broken" gets crossed occasionally.

Verdict

Another Crab's Treasure proves there's still room for innovation in the soulslike genre. It's funny, creative, occasionally touching, and properly difficult when you want it to be.

If you've bounced off traditional soulslikes due to their oppressive atmospheres, this might be your gateway. If you're a genre veteran looking for something different, Kril's adventure offers a fresh shell to inhabit.

Just watch out for the microplastics.