Soulslikes have begun shattering every formulaic mold that FromSoftware designed. Even thoughnot every Soulslike is as immediately impactful or visible as Neowiz’sLies of Pwas, it continues to be a popular subgenre of action-RPG or action-adventure games that many studios are excited about iterating on. Soulslikes have been predominantly bleak and dark in their content matter due to a dreary atmosphere being perfectly worthy of such unforgivingly brutal consequences in gameplay; however, that sentiment is headed out the door as one recent Soulslike staunchly defies it.
To be clear,Another Crab’s Treasureisn’t for the faint of heart. As a Soulslike, Aggro Crab’s latest delivers the same precise, rhythmic combat anyone would expect out of aDark Soulsgame. It also isn’t afraid to put players in the path of an optional OP boss—the Shallows’ Royal Shellsplitter—before they even acquire their first ‘shell.’Another Crab’s Treasureis evidence that Soulslikes can be purely whimsical, lighthearted, and wholesome while maintaining a degree of difficulty in their gameplay mechanics, which could translate well to a trueSpongeBob SquarePantsSoulslike.
Another Crab’s Treasure is a Soulslike in SpongeBob SquarePants’ Clothing
Just likeMarvel Rivals’ art style is reminiscent ofOverwatchorArcane,Another Crab’s Treasure’s art style is remarkably comparable toSpongeBob SquarePantsgames.Another Crab’s Treasurethen takes that a step further by having UI and collectible characteristics stripped from those games, too. It’s easy enough to make a comparison betweenAnother Crab’s TreasureandSpongeBob SquarePantsgames due to them both involving nautical nonsense with splashes of color and creative sea creature models, but that only scratches the surface of their shared art direction and if players didn’t know any better it could nearly be in the same underwater world as Bikini Bottom.
Another Crab’s Treasureincludes Easter eggs for explicitly influential referencessuch as the Sands Between likening itself to the Lands Between fromElden Ring, but alsoSpongeBob SquarePants’ Mr. Krabs as a skin for Kril.
Another Crab’s Treasure is a Natural Next Step for SpongeBob SquarePants
AllSpongeBob SquarePantswould need to do is implement Soulslike gameplay into its same environments and biomes and it could undoubtedly achieve whatAnother Crab’s Treasurehas. There’s a quirkiness in the novelty ofAnother Crab’s Treasurebeing an original game becauseSpongeBob SquarePantshas already been around for so long anyhow, but aSpongeBob SquarePantsSoulslike is more than possible now thatAnother Crab’s Treasurehas laid the framework for it.
The main difference or challenge in this adaptation, if there ever was one, would be howSpongeBob SquarePantscould iterate on Soulslike combat. It wouldn’t have all themiscellaneous shells featured inAnother Crab’s Treasure, for instance, and SpongeBob would likely stick to a spatula as his default weapon.
The character would either need a whole other gimmick or simply have other items and consumables (Glove World gloves and Kelp Nougat Crunch bars, perhaps) he could use in combat, particularly if the hypothetical game wanted to lean more towardSekiro: Shadows Die Twiceratherthan a traditional Soulslike. Of course, SpongeBob’s karate could certainly come in handy.
That said, it would be thrilling to see how established regions like Rock Bottom, Bubbletown, or Goo Lagoon could be adapted into Soulslike biomes with their own respective enemies from the cartoon’s lore. If Aggro Crab itself was given the license for aSpongeBob SquarePantsSoulslike it’d now be a match made in cartoony heaven witheverythingAnother Crab’s Treasurehas brought to the Soulslike subgenre.
Another Crab’s Treasure
WHERE TO PLAY
As Kril the hermit crab, you’ll need to wear the trash around you as shells to withstand attacks from enemies many times your size. Embark on an epic treasure hunt to buy back your repossessed shell, and discover the dark secrets behind the polluted ocean.TRASH OR TREASURE?In this undersea society, trash is not only a way of life, but a valuable resource, used for everything from fashion to firearms. But with the presence of trash comes a mysterious infection known as the Gunk, which could spell doom for the entire ocean.LEARN FROM NATUREAs Kril explores the ocean, he’ll gain a variety of Umami Techniques—powerful attacks learned from the denizens of the seas. Punch your enemies with the overwhelming might of a Mantis Shrimp, ensnare them with the horrifying Bobbit Worm, and much more.UNEXPLORED DEPTHSThe ocean goes deeper than one can imagine. Fight your way through kelp forests, coral reefs, sand castle cities, and even the unfathomable darkness of the deep-sea trenches, all in the name of getting back your prized shell.
