Windows Central Verdict
A deeper combat system than meets the eye.
Accessibility options that bring a soulslike experience to everyone.
Fun, enjoyable dad humor that’s stuffed full of sea-worthy puns.
RGB in Atlantic city.
Too many standard soulslike abilities are locked behind an upgrade tree.
Some unbalanced and unpolished combat mechanics can lead to critical moments going the wrong way.
Well, you’re in luck with the release ofAnother Crab’s Treasure.
RGB in Atlantic city.
Another soulslike that’s already on Game Pass!
This review was made possible with a review code provided by Aggro Crab.
The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.
Shouldn’t everything get electrocuted since.. water?
It was played through on Steam, and also tested on Xbox Series X for performance.
What is Another Crab’s Treasure?
Who knew consuming microplastics could make you stronger and healthier?
The ocean believes in the second amendment.
Rescue your shell, and maybe save the ocean along the way.
If you’re going to do a soulslike experience, you must ensure the combat is watertight.
For much of the experience, it is.
The comedic effect of cars running you over offsets the sads.
We’ll tackle the leaks a little later, but for now, the positives!
Stamina monitoring is out the porthole in Another Crab’s Treasure.
You might be thinking, “Oh, so I can roll-2-win,” not exactly.
The enemy all the way in the back is the one that’s locked on, and this can happen mid combat.
The stamina management found in soulslike games is replaced with keeping watch over their shell’s durability.
Shells have vast ranges in durability, defensive capability, and attack bonuses.
These shells also serve a weaponry function depending on the jot down of shell you’re using.
The barb pull power is one of the abilities that’s new and worth the skill tree.
On top of the shell mechanics come magical abilities called Adaptations.
In my playtime, I found six of them, but there could be more!
Shell durability, enemy health, increased dodge windows, infinite health, and even a handgun.
It can be real pretty at times!
That’s right, a pistol.
It’s actually really shucking hilarious when it’s equipped on the crab.
The hermit loads into the magazine and can one-shot literally every single enemy in the game.
No reload, infinite ammo, and bullets that don’t mind being shot through water.
You’ll be kraken up in no time.
It’s shrimply amazing.
Otherwise, you might want to skip the text and cutscenes.
Heck, you level in this game through the consumption of Microplastics.
Remember when I mentioned the “leaky” parts of combat?
It comes in the form of some questionable fighting mechanics.
Such as the use of the lock-on camera system.
Pretty standard in soulslike games, universal, in fact.
There’s an automatic relocking mechanism that takes over after defeating an enemy.
There are no giant ranged abilities, so it shouldn’t matter.
Technically, you might turn off the automatic relocking.
Still, you’re removing an essential feature found in many soulslike games.
Speaking of crucial features, let’s talk about the upgrade system.
There are three branches for the player to peruse and unlock as they adventure.
Some additions are great, like the hammer ability.
In Another Crab’s Treasure, that’s locked behind the skill unlock system.
To top it off, you also lose a shell if it’s equipped as a hammer.
It’s not a choice I enjoyed or agree with.
There are also some issues with balance, or at least I feel like there are.
However, an example from the top of my head is a shield enemy players encounter about halfway through.
While holding their shield, with absolutely zero tell, they’ll swing and hit the player almost instantly.
Another nitpick is the camera system’s clunkiness here and there.
If you enjoy challenging games like Remnant 2 and Elden Ring, you’ll love this, too.
It’s just not nearly as serious, and that’s alright!
The accessibility options open this up to everyone, and I mean everyone.
I love what they’ve done with them, and they don’t take away from the experience whatsoever.
The game’s humor was a standout feature that had me laughing out loud on several occasions.
I just need a little time to refill my oxygen tank before diving back into the game’s world.
