The newest Aggro Crab title Another Crab's Treasure is a self-described Soulslike, but at first glance, one wouldn't be faulted for questioning that descriptor. It does a lot to differentiate itself from other games in the genre and create a unique world with its colorful art style, friendly and funny characters, and a heavy focus on platforming.
Another Crab's Treasure: How Long to Beat
Another Crab's Treasure will take players longer than they think to complete Kril's underwater adventure to claim his shell.
But at its core, Another Crab's Treasure is a difficult and unforgiving entry in the Soulslike genre. From dodge rolls to difficult bosses and a Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice combat flow, Another Crab's Treasure mechanics make it one of the most brutal Soulslikes out there.
Players who want a more laid-back experience should check the Assist Mode settings for a variety of modifiers that smooth out the Soulslike's unforgivingly sharp edges.
7 I-Frames And Dodge Rolls
It's Not A Soulslike Without Dodge Rolls
The Dodge Roll in Another Crab's Treasure is very similar to the dodge mechanic in the Souls series and other FromSoftware titles. With a button press and a directional input, Kril will quickly dodge out of the way of incoming attacks. There is no Stamina system in Another Crab's Treasure, and you can dodge as much as you like.
But the thing that really makes the dodge in Another Crab's Treasure so similar to the dodge in Soulslike games is its I-Frames. Short for Invincibility Frames, I-Frames let players completely avoid damage for a fraction of a second while dodging. When timed correctly, this enables dodge rolls to completely avoid incoming damage, but requires some precise skill from players to master.
6 A Sekiro-Like Stagger System
Keep Up In Combat To Stagger and Stun Opponents
Though it is described as a Soulslike on its various game listings, Another Crab's Treasure is really a lot more like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Kril won't get up again for a second try after he dies, but you do only get one weapon, and the combat is structured as such to encourage you to stay in combat instead of dipping in and out.
Another Crab's Treasure: How To Give Kril A Gun
Yes – you can give Kril a gun in Another Crab's Treasure, and it's about as game-breaking and hilarious as one would expect.
The main mechanic is the Capsize system. As Kril continues to deal damage to an enemy in rapid succession, a small yellow bar will build below their normal HP bar. When this reaches max, and the HP bar starts to glow yellow, Kril has a few seconds to do a Heavy Attack to Capsize their enemy.
This does not enable an instant-kill like in Sekiro, but it will stun them for a few moments – and it even works on bosses.
5 No Map Markers Or Quest Icons
Figure It Out For Yourself – It's More Rewarding
One of the hardest things for players new to Soulslikes to get accustomed to is just how little the genre holds players' hands. A common feature in Soulslikes – or lack thereof – is the way that quests are presented. NPCs will describe a place, how to get there, and what they want you to do, but that's about all the guidance Kril gets.
There is no Quest tab in the menu, there is no way to check a world map and see a symbol depicting where you should go. Instead, players have to follow directions and immerse themselves in the world to find their way around. For players new to the genre, this is something that can be difficult to get used to.
4 Parrying, But Not How We Know It
Parrying Happens On Releasing A Block, Not Initiating One
A staple of the Souls series, Elden Ring, and especially Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the ability to Parry enemies and follow up with a Riposte or critical hit. In most Soulslikes the Parry animation is based on when you press the Parry input.
Another Crab's Treasure: How To Get To The Moon Caves
To get to the Moon Caves, Another Crab's Treasure players must take a route that is not obviously highlighted in-game.
Parrying is present and an important feature of combat in Another Crab's Treasure, but the way Kril parries is different than what most are used to. When Kril leaves his shell after blocking, you can Parry an attack. Be sure to learn the timing of this game's unique parry system to master the flow of combat and continually build the Capsize meter.
3 Varied Attack Animations & "Weapon Arts"
Memorize Enemy Attacks & Your Own Special Moves
Something all players have to learn pretty fast in any Souls game is that all weapons have unique animations, hitboxes, and attack patterns. A Broadsword in Elden Ring swings differently than a Zweihander, for example. And bosses and enemies all have unique behaviors in combat, and attack patterns that you have to learn to figure out opportunities to get your own attacks in.
Kril can only wield the Fork in Another Crab's Treasure, but it still has unique animations and attack patterns – especially if you get the ability to turn it into a hammer.
Though the game doesn't have multiple weapons and traditional weapon arts, the shell-swapping system of Another Crab's Treasure essentially offers the same thing. Each Shell has a unique Shell Ability, each of which can be useful for different situations. Be sure to try out a wide variety of Shells to find the ones that you like the most, and spend time learning Kril's various attack patterns.
2 Losing Microplastics On Death
You Can Recover Them, If You Don't Die Again
When Kril is defeated in Another Crab's Treasure, and if no Accessibility options are enabled, he will drop all collected Microplastics. Players must return to the same location where they died to recover their Microplastics (and the Shell they were wearing, if it isn't broken).
Another Crab's Treasure: How to Increase Stowaway Capacity
Stowaways offer passive bonuses to Kril in Another Crab's Treasure. Here is how to get increased capacity to equip more of them.
But, if Kril dies again without collecting his dropped Microplastics, they will be lost forever. This mechanic is a staple of most Soulslike games, and incentivizes players to spend their resources and be careful when going to recover them.
1 The Sands Between & Other Soulsborne References
What is this, Dark Shoals? Shellden Ring?
In addition to all the Soulslike features in Another Crab's Treasure, the game features a bunch of Souls references that aren't necessarily indicative of its genre and difficulty of gameplay. For example, after leaving New Carcinia for the first time, players run into a central area called The Sands Between – a reference to the Lands Between of Elden Ring.
You can find Soulsborne references all over the world in Another Crab's Treasure, from boxes of Elden Bay seasoning to a costume that looks like Solaire of Astora's iconic armor. There are lots of references to the things that inspired the Souls formula in the first place too, like a Shell that references the Berserk manga.
Another Crab's Treasure
- Released
- April 25, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Crude Humor, Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Aggro Crab
- Engine
- Unity
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
