Another Crab's Treasure
A Soulslike game starring a hermit crab seeking his stolen shell.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Another Crab's Treasure, a Soulslike game from developer Aggro Crab, launched on April 25, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
The game is played from a third-person view. Players control Kril, a hermit crab who loses his shell to a loan shark for unpaid taxes. Unlike many Soulslikes, the difficulty can be adjusted at any time, though it starts on Hard. Kril wields a single weapon—a discarded fork—which he can upgrade with Stainless Relics. Combat involves dodging attacks from polluted enemies and striking when they're vulnerable. Trash-based shells act as armor, offering different levels of protection. While tucked inside a shell, all damage except Grab attacks is absorbed, but the shell takes damage and can break. Each shell also has a unique Shell Spell, powered by mana called Umami. Filling an enemy's Balance meter causes them to Capsize, leaving them open for a critical hit.
The underwater world is a network of interconnected areas, some linear and others open. Microplastics, remnants of pollution, serve as currency for upgrades and resources. Dying costs all Microplastics, which can be recovered by returning to the death site, but dying again before retrieval makes them vanish permanently. Early on, an NPC called the Moon Snail unlocks a skill tree, offering new offensive and defensive options. Kril can also learn Adaptations—powerful abilities that cost Umami. The game features more advanced platforming than most Soulslikes, including short swimming after jumps, climbing netting, and using a fish hook to grapple to marked objects. Moon Snail Shells act as bonfires, where players can spend Microplastics and fast travel. Dying to most bosses offers a respawn at a floating Moon Jelly instead of the nearest shell. Some Adaptations, like the Mantis Punch, unlock previously inaccessible areas. Aggro Crab emphasizes environmental storytelling, weaving the narrative into the world design, item descriptions, and cryptic messages.
Kril, a misanthropic hermit crab living alone in a tide pool, has his shell taken by a loan shark as collateral for taxes he supposedly owes Magista, the duchess of Slacktide. He meets the duchess, who agrees to trade his shell back for a treasure. Kril encounters the Moon Snail, who unlocks his ability to use Umami magic. He finds the treasure, but discovers Magista and her guards have
- Developer
- Aggro Crab
- Publisher
- Aggro Crab
- Release date
- April 25, 2024
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre
- Soulslike
Lore & Background
Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike game played from a third-person perspective. The player controls Kril, a hermit crab whose shell is confiscated due to unpaid taxes. Unlike most Soulslikes, the game allows players to change the difficulty at any time, though it is set to Hard by default. Kril uses a discarded fork as his weapon throughout the game, upgrading it with Stainless Relics. Trash-based Shells serve as armor, each with a unique Shell Spell that costs Umami (mana). Filling an enemy's Balance meter causes them to Capsize, opening them for a critical hit. The underwater world is interconnected, with microplastics serving as currency. Death causes loss of microplastics, retrievable at the death site. A skill tree unlocked via the Moon Snail offers new options, and Adaptations are powerful abilities costing Umami. The game features advanced platforming, including swimming, climbing netting, and grappling with a fish hook. Moon Snail Shells act as bonfires for fast travel and microplastic cashing. Environmental storytelling integrates narrative into world design, item descriptions, and cryptic messages.
Reader's Guide
Another Crab's Treasure is significant as a Soulslike that introduces a unique difficulty-adjustment system, allowing players to change the challenge at any time, a departure from the genre's typical fixed difficulty. Its setting—an underwater world where pollution is central to both gameplay and narrative—offers a fresh thematic take. The game's emphasis on environmental storytelling, where the plot is conveyed through world design and item descriptions, aligns with modern game design trends. The use of trash as armor and currency (microplastics) directly ties gameplay mechanics to the game's environmental message. The game received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic and strong approval on OpenCritic, with 81% of critics recommending it. Its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass at launch broadened its accessibility. The game's legacy lies in its successful blending of Soulslike mechanics with a whimsical, yet serious, ecological narrative, and its willingness to let players tailor the difficulty to their preference.
Did You Know?
- Another Crab's Treasure allows players to change the difficulty at any time, though it is set to Hard by default.
- The player character Kril uses a discarded fork as his weapon for the entire game.
- Microplastics, remnants of a polluted world, serve as the game's currency for upgrades and resources.
- The game was included on Xbox Game Pass on its launch day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Another Crab's Treasure?
Another Crab's Treasure is a Soulslike action game developed and published by Aggro Crab, released on April 25, 2024. It follows Kril, a hermit crab who must journey through a polluted world to reclaim his shell after a loan shark seizes it over unpaid taxes.
What weapon does Kril use in Another Crab's Treasure?
Kril fights the entire game with a single discarded fork, which he can upgrade by collecting Stainless Relics. Combat revolves around dodging polluted enemies' attacks and landing strikes during their brief vulnerable openings.
Is Another Crab's Treasure as punishing as other Soulslikes?
The game begins on a Hard difficulty, but it breaks from the genre norm by letting players raise or lower the difficulty at any moment during a run. This means you can ease up or crank it back up without restarting.
What platforms is Another Crab's Treasure available on?
The title launched on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S all on the same day, April 25, 2024.
What is the core loop of Another Crab's Treasure?
You explore a trash-strewn, third-person world, battle corrupted enemies, and collect scrap materials to craft new shells for Kril. The progression loop pairs classic Soulslike exploration with a unique shell-collecting and upgrading system.
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