The core gameplay loop of Another Crab’s Treasure should feel familiar to veterans of the Soulslike genre, as players will have to take down difficult bosses to gain new skills while collecting the various shells available for the game’s protagonist, Kril. Within these collectibles lies the primary way players can shake up their gameplay style in Another Crab’s Treasure, with the bulk of Kril’s new skills taking the form of Adaptations and Shell Spells. Like the Souslike games that have come before it, these abilities will be crucial in giving players the best chance to survive the foes Kril will face on his journey.
With Another Crab’s Treasure following the story of Kril as he seeks to recover his stolen shell, it would stand to reason that collecting shells would be an integral part of the game’s story. Not only do these shells thematically fit into Another Crab’s Treasure, but they also affect the game’s combat mechanics by equipping Kril with special Shell Spells. In an interview with Game Rant, Aggro Crab studio head and art director for Another Crab’s Treasure Nick Kaman explains how the game’s Adaptations and Shell Spells give Kril the advantage he needs to take down his adversaries while fitting in the game’s lore surrounding the Umami life force.
Why There May Never Be Another Soulslike Game Like Another Crab’s Treasure
Another Crab’s Treasure is unlike any soulslike game before it, and it’s likely to either set a new precedent or forever be the only one of its kind.
Another Crab’s Treasure Utilizes Adaptations and Shell Spells to Give Kril New Abilities
Seasoned Soulslike players are likely used to the concept of gaining new weapons or abilities upon defeating a boss, as games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring make this a key incentive for players to tackle their toughest foes. Another Crab’s Treasure features a similar mechanic in the form of Adaptations, which grant new abilities to Kril based on the enemies he’s defeated. As Kaman explains,
“You gain these adaptations – like magic powers and spells – by defeating other monsters, other sea creatures. What you’re getting is the evolutionary adaptation that that sea creature possesses and is known for.”
Thematically, this mechanic is justified within Another Crab’s Treasure through the game’s life force known as Umami, which binds the lives of all sea creatures together. The magic of Umami allows Kril to take on the abilities of the creatures he defeats as a sort of evolutionary advancement. Kaman explains this concept by giving examples of the type of abilities players can expect to earn, noting that,
“You might get the mantis shrimp’s mighty punch as an ability or an electric eel’s electricity, stuff like that.”
How Shell Spells Tie into the Game’s Concept of Umami
Aside from the Adaptations players will get by defeating bosses, the other skills Kril can gain in Another Crab’s Treasure are Shell Spells from each of the game’s unique shells. There are a total of 69 shells for players to collect in the game, and each one grants Kril a unique ability. These abilities vary from shell to shell, but each one plays into the overarching Umami life force at the heart of Another Crab’s Treasure‘s world. As Kaman explains,
“The ‘Umami’ that we’ve been talking about is this life force of all the creatures in the ocean, taken from the Japanese word for a savory flavor found in many seafood dishes. There’s this life force that intertwines all these creatures and will even allow you to do something as magical as using their powers in your own right.”
It’s this Umami that not only allows Kril to gain the Adaptations of the Soulslike bosses he defeats but also allows him to take advantage of the power hidden within each new shell he obtains. For example, a shell like the Soda Can Shell lets Kril use the Shell Spell “Depressurize” and the Party Hat Shell gives Kril access to the “Party Time” Shell Spell. Through the power of Umami, players will get to find the right combination of Adaptations and Shell Spells that works best for them.
Another Crab’s Treasure
Aggro Crab’s Another Crab’s Treasure provides a maritime twist on the Souls-like formula. Using the trash around him as armor and weapons, Kril must travel across an underwater kingdom while fighting off all sorts of impressive threats.
- Released
- April 25, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Aggro Crab
- Publisher(s)
- Aggro Crab
- Genre(s)
- Adventure , Soulslike , RPG
- Engine
- Unity
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Crude Humor, Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
