Another Crab's Treasure

I finally found the time to play and finish this little indie gem. If someone had told me a few years ago that there would be a Dark Souls-style game starring SpongeBob-looking sea creatures, complete with a sociopolitical message, I would have been skeptical. If they had then told me I’d end up playing it all the way to 100% completion, I probably would have laughed. Developed by Aggro Crab, already known for Going Under, another highly satirical game, *Another Crab’s Treasure* is a story that hides a surprising amount of bitterness underneath layers of humor, vibrant colors, and an absurd number of references. Without getting into spoilers, you play as Kril, a hermit crab whose home — his shell — has been repossessed. In his attempt to get it back, he ends up confronting the many problems affecting the creatures of the sea, particularly ocean pollution and a rather vicious capitalist system. That said, this isn't trying to be a political manifesto. It's primarily a comedy, packed with jokes, terrible puns, and an absurd number of references to other games, especially FromSoftware titles. Despite its bright colors, cheerful presentation and hilariously "corporate" soundtrack, the game is perfectly capable of hitting surprisingly hard when it wants to. Gameplay-wise, this is essentially a streamlined Soulslike, borrowing mechanics — and aesthetics — heavily from FromSoftware: Sekiro, Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and even King’s Field. Combat is satisfying without becoming unnecessarily complex, there is a decent amount of build variety, and there are several genuinely memorable bosses. Exploration is also enjoyable, albeit fairly linear, and is made considerably more interesting by the platforming sections, some of which can actually be quite challenging. The extra features are another nice touch. Boss Rush and NG+ aren't just throwaway additions, with the latter actually changing the experience by adding new bosses and modifying existing encounters. For a relatively small indie game, Another Crab’s Treasure manages to be funny, charming, mechanically solid, surprisingly challenging, and occasionally much darker than its cheerful aesthetic would suggest. Highly recommended.