Major spoilers for Another Crab’s Treasure ahead.
Another Crab’s Treasureis currently a very strong contender for one of the best indie games of 2024 - if not players' personal Game of the Year. It managed to attract many gamers of different walks of life, from its cute and colorful art style to the way it handlesthe Soulslike genre; offering difficulty features and an assist mode to make the game accessible to almost everyone who wants to try it out. This makes the story of the little crab, Kril, something almost anyone can enjoy if they giveAnother Crab’s Treasurea chance.
Kril’s journey begins when a “loan shark” comes by and claims that the little hermit crab owes taxes since his tide pool had fallen under the control of a crab duchess, andAnother Crab’s Treasureproperly starts as Kril dives into the ocean with the express aim of getting his home back. Along the way, Kril needs to kill that very same duchess (due to her being corrupted by Gunk,) help solve a treasure map, and understand his calling as a hermit crab. This leads him to understand that there’s more in the ocean than just himself, both literally and cosmically.
Another Crab’s Treasure is All About Changing Things For the Better
How Another Crab’s Treasure’s Story Pays Tribute to the Dramatic Nature of Soulslike Stories
If players weren’t ready for the sudden shift in tone when the crab duchess gets taken over by Gunk, then they likely aren’t prepared for the truth in The Bottom of the Drain. Kril and Konche find the Perfect Whorl, a shell with the power to save the ocean that only Hermit Crabs can use, but Chitan is used to kill Konche by an Umami god of the sea. After the fight, Kril promises to usethe Perfect Whorl shellto save Chitan from dying.
Before Kril has the chance, Firth, the Hermit Crab who’s had his journey run in tandem with Kril’s the entire time, puts it on and immediately lets the power go to his head. Using Chitan’s supposed last words on how Kril should take their anger and use it for good, he steals the Whorl and punches both Firth and Trash Island to pieces. When the two crabs land, Firth is killed by a fallen boot, marking yet another (albeit deserved)death inAnother Crab’s Treasure.
The True Message of Another Crab’s Treasure
Despite stopping the full brunt of Firth’s onslaught of trash, Kril doesn’t feel like he did anything good or helpful. Everything around him makes Kril question why he kept traveling and fighting when he could have stayed in the tide pool doing nothing, eventually deciding that he was looking for a home he still hasn’t found yet. Pawnathan goes against his past words when players found himat the start ofAnother Crab’s Treasureand refuses to give Kril his shell back. This makes Kril put his newfound anger and resolve to the test, leading him to kill Prawnathan to claim it.
As a video message similar to the start of the game plays, with a less naive message about the state of the world, Krill can be seen going back to get Chitan, who survived the encounter after all. This speaks tothe true message ofAnother Crab’s Treasure, which is that with an uncertain future ahead, people shouldn’t be complacent and do what is right for the good of others and the planet itself, shown by citizens learning how to stand up for themselves, and Nemma helping others with her restaurant. Most of all, Kril, who seems to be looking for his true home, travels and uses his newfound strength to be a hero to those in need with one strong sign of his resolve: giving the shell he fought so hard for to a homeless hermit crab who needed it more than he did.
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.
