Another Crab's Treasure

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Another Crab's Treasure
Developer(s)Aggro Crab
Publisher(s)Aggro Crab
Writer(s)Caelan Pollock
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
ReleaseApril 25, 2024
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike action-adventure video game developed and published by Aggro Crab. The game was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on April 25, 2024.[1]

Gameplay[edit]

Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike action-adventure video game played from a third-person perspective. The player controls Kril, a crab stripped of his protective shell. Shells function as Kril's armor, granting defensive capabilities, statistics, and even unique abilities. By scouring the seabed, Kril can transform discarded trash into functional tools for survival. A rusty can becomes a defensive powerhouse, while a chipped bottle transforms into a ranged weapon. Combat is deliberate and slow-paced, demanding players to dodge enemy attacks, identify openings, and leverage their shell's abilities to survive.[2] Microplastics, remnants of the polluted world, become Kril's currency for upgrades and resources. Unlike most Soulslike games, Another Crab's Treasure allows players to change the difficulty at any time.[3] Additionally, Kril uses the same weapon, a discarded fork, for the duration of the game, although he is able to upgrade it.

The underwater world is a web of interconnected environments. As Kril navigates these treacherous landscapes, he encounters environmental puzzles and gradually unveils the story of the polluted ocean and its history. Similar to the Soulsborne series that inspired it, Another Crab's Treasure offers a challenging experience.[4] Enemies inflict significant damage, death comes with a penalty, and victory hinges on learning enemy patterns and strategizing one's approach. The world itself is designed for exploration, with shortcuts and hidden areas waiting to be discovered. Newfound abilities grant access to previously unreachable locations, encouraging players to revisit areas and delve deeper. Environmental storytelling is emphasized by Aggro Crab, integrating the narrative into the world design, item descriptions, and cryptic messages from fellow inhabitants.[5][6]

Plot[edit]

In a quiet tide pool, Kril, a misanthropic hermit crab, is informed by a loan shark that the tide pool has been annexed by the undersea Duchy of Slacktide, and Kril owes backtaxes. Unable to pay, due to Kril having been separated from ocean society for most of his life, the Loan Shark confiscates his shell as collateral and returns to the ocean.

Kril follows, and finds many of the ocean's denizen overcome with a strange affliction that renders them nihilistic and violent. He arrives at Fort Slacktide, where he strikes a bargain with the vain and greedy Duchess Magista to obtain a treasure in exchange for his shell. However, upon Kril's return to the castle with a pearl from a nearby cave, Magista and her guards have succumbed to the affliction, and Kril is forced to kill her in self-defense.

Kril pursues the Loan Shark to New Carcinia, a massive city built out of trash in a nearby reef. There he meets Firth, an entrepreneuring hermit crab; Nemma, the owner of a tavern in the lower crust of the city: and Konche, the hermit crab curator of the city's museum. Kril eventually finds his shell in the possession of Prawnathan, the shrimp proprieter of a pawn shop, who refuses to return it. Before Kril can fight back, a garbage patch passes over the city, raining garbage onto it. During the trash rain, a torn cereal box lands in the city. The pirate-themed children's maze printed on the back of the box is interpreted by the citizens as a treasure map. Roland, the wealthy and powerful isopod CEO of the trash-scavenging Shellfish Corp, intimidates the citizens into backing off and allowing his company to find the treasure unopposed, but Kril's declaration to find the treasure to buy his shell back spurs the other citizens into joining the treasure hunt as well.

Kril ventures across the ocean, finding pieces of the map and learning from Chitan, a lobster that formerly guarded Fort Slacktide and has become a traveling vigilante, that the affliction, referred to as "Gunk", has been spreading and getting progressively worse. After finding the pieces of the map, the treasure is revealed to be in a sea of polluted sludge near a drop-off. Roland, as the only crustacean with the resources to dredge the slurry, confiscates the map to take the treasure unopposed. Krill, Nemma, Konche, Firth, Chitan, and a handful of townsfolk band together to find a vessel that can traverse the lake. As they sail to catch up with Roland, the other crabs discuss their plans for if they find the treasure and agree to split it amongst themselves, save for Kril, who only wants to buy his shell back and return to his old, isolated life. The group catches up with Roland's barge and are ambushed. After a fight with Kril, Roland is able to dredge up a large treasure chest, which he claims for himself. Kril angrily admonishes Roland for his privileged position and attempts to take the treasure, resulting in the barge capsizing and sending everyone into the depths below.

Kril awakens in the Unfathom, the ocean's abyssal depths. He finds Firth with the treasure, revealed to be a fortune in American 100 dollar bills, rendering it worthless to undersea society. Firth ruthlessly scolds Kril for dragging them all on this quest and for getting them trapped in the Unfathom. Dejected, Kril begins wandering through the darkness, nearly succumbing to the Gunk, but is saved and nursed back to health by Nemma. Agreeing to help Nemma, Konche, and any other survivors find a way back to New Carcinia, Kril explores the Unfathom, eventually finding a Moon Snail Shell, one of the game's save and fast-travel points, which he uses to help Nemma return to New Carcinia. Konche, however, recognizes the architecture of the ruins in the Unfathom as belonging to an ancient crab kingdom that houses a treasure that could make them all rich, inviting Kril to investigate with him.

Kril and Konche eventually find the entrance to the Old Ocean, a bleached coral reef holding the ruins of Carcinia, the former seat of power for the fallen kingdom. Konche, who grew up in old Carcinia, reveals the treasure to be a shell capable of conferring godlike power to its wearer called the Perfect Whorl, created by hermit crab sorcerers and coveted by Carcinia's king. Kril and Konche locate the Perfect Whorl deeper below the city. Before they can claim it however, a Gunk-afflicted Chitan kills Konche. After freeing Chitan from the entity controlling her, a large wrathful siphonophore, Kril attempts to heal her with the Perfect Whorl, only for Firth to steal it first and escape.

Chasing Firth to the trash island on the sea's surface, Kril confronts him as Firth explains his plan to bury New Carcinia in trash to reap the benefits, despite the dangers from the Gunk that would result. Kril is forced to defeat Firth and shatters the Perfect Whorl in the process, unintentionally sending the trash island onto New Carcinia. The city is buried in trash, and although the citizens are happy, the danger of the Gunk still remains. Kril ponders what his next goal is as we walks to the pawn shop. He confronts Prawnathan and strikes him down, finally reclaiming his shell.

An epilogue reveals that New Carcinia has begun cleaning up its trash, Chitan has survived and continues to train, and Kril has decided to continue as a traveling adventurer, using his skills to protect people from monsters and those succumbed to the Gunk. A final shot reveals that he gave his shell to a homeless hermit crab.

Development[edit]

Another Crab's Treasure was announced during a Nintendo Indie World presentation in 2022. Aggro Crab showcased the game's Soulslike concept.[7] Following the announcement, details about the game emerged throughout 2023. Information regarding the core mechanics like the "Shell System" – where discarded trash becomes Kril's customizable armor – and the emphasis on exploration and environmental storytelling were revealed. Additionally, the developers confirmed the game's release platforms, including Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox One and Series X/S. The confirmation of Xbox availability, including its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass on launch day, came in June 2023. Aggro Crab announced that the game would be released on April 25, 2024.[1]

Reception[edit]

Another Crab's Treasure received "generally favorable" reviews from critics according to Metacritic.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Ollie, Reynolds (February 22, 2024). "Another Crab's Treasure Is Looking Awesome As It Secures An April Release". Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  2. ^ Bunting, Geoffrey (August 2, 2023). "Another Crab's Treasure Does What Elden Ring Won't". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Cooper, Dalton (October 14, 2023). "New Soulslike Game Has Hilarious Easy Mode". Game Rant. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Colbert, Isaiah (October 10, 2023). "Crab Soulslike Lets You Whip Out A Gun When Going Gets Tough". Kotaku. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  5. ^ McWhertor, Michael (May 11, 2022). "Finally, a crustacean-themed 'Soulslike'". Polygon. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  6. ^ Cotts, Josh (March 3, 2024). "Why There May Never Be Another Soulslike Game Like Another Crab's Treasure". Game Rant. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Nightingale, Ed (February 21, 2024). "Undersea Soulslike Another Crab's Treasure gets release date". Eurogamer. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Another Crab's Treasure". Metacritic. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  9. ^ LeBlanc, Wesley (April 24, 2024). "Another Crab's Treasure Review". Game Informer. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  10. ^ Carr, James (April 24, 2024). "Another Crab's Treasure Review - Shellden Ring". GameSpot. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  11. ^ Northup, Travis (April 24, 2024). "Another Crab's Treasure Review". IGN. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Stone, Abbie (April 24, 2024). "Another Crab's Treasure review". PC Gamer. Retrieved April 28, 2024.

External links[edit]

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