Summary
A genre pioneered by FromSoftware’sDark Souls, a high level of challenge quickly became part and parcel of the Soulslike genre. But the key thing that separatesa good Soulslikefrom a bad one is how it implements and balances this high level of challenge. A good Soulslike needs to make its difficulty feel rewarding and fair, and for the most part,Another Crab’s Treasureunderstands this careful dynamic.
The vast majority of combat encounters inAnother Crab’s Treasurewill feel very fair. Enemy attacks are usually well-telegraphed in advance, windows for counterattacks are usually quite gracious, and the parry’s timing is quite forgiving. All of this combines to makeAnother Crab’s Treasure’s challenging combat feel fair and rewarding. However, there’s one feature that flies in the face of this meticulous balance.
One-Hit Kills Might Not Belong in Another Crab’s Treasure
One-Hit Kills Always Feel Cheap in a Soulslike
In the vast majority ofcombat encounters inAnother Crab’s Treasure, players will be strafing around their opponent, blocking oncoming attacks, parrying where they can, and dishing out their own combos when possible. As discussed up top, these encounters are almost always challenging but fair, but the same can’t be said forAnother Crab’s Treasure’s boss fights. While all ofCrab’s Treasure’s boss fights follow this same general Soulslike combat rhythm, most also have access to a move that depletes a significant portion of the player’s health bar, and towards the start of the game, it can kill the player in just one hit.
This one-hit kill move ends up makingAnother Crab’s Treasure’s boss fightsfeel a little cheap at times. While even regular enemy attacks in Soulslike games always deal a decent amount of damage, there’s always enough health left over for players to take a step back, assess where they went wrong, and correct that behavior. This loop of getting damaged and then learning from mistakes is what often makes a Soulslike feel so rewarding to play. One-hit kills, however, don’t allow for this learning loop to take place, instead punishing the player dramatically for failing to avoid just one attack, which can feel pretty defeating.
This sense of defeat is made much worse when the one-hit kill comes during a boss fight. Inherently some of the most difficult enemies in the game,Another Crab’s Treasure’s bossescan put up a tough fight that can last quite a while. This grind is necessary to fuel the satisfaction that comes from eventually defeating the boss, but it can quickly lead to frustration when a good run is abruptly ended by a one-hit kill, especially when the player has been performing perfectly up until that point.
One-Hit Kills Do Have Their Upsides in Another Crab’s Treasure
ButAnother Crab’s Treasure’s one-hit killsaren’t without a silver lining. So much ofAnother Crab’s Treasurehas been designed to give newcomers to the genre an accessible entry point, and in all fairness, these one-hit kills offer a valuable Soulslike lesson. One-hit kills aren’t too rare in Soulslike games, and at least the ones inAnother Crab’s Treasureare heavily telegraphed before they occur, which is much easier on newcomers than some other Soulslikes.
It also helps that these one-hit kills inAnother Crab’s Treasureare at least given a fun, often surprisingly brutal animation, one that ties in nicely with their unique visual design. One of the best examples of this isAnother Crab’s Treasure’s first optional boss, the Royal Shellsplitter, whose one-hit kill move sees the boss grab the player character, place them on his makeshift guillotine, and drop the blade onto their head. It’s still a frustrating way to die, but at least it looks cool.
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.
