I first performed Another Crab’s Treasure on the facet of the road behind the Day of the Devs occasion in LA earlier this yr, the solar obvious on a laptop computer display, rapidly operating out of energy. Subsequent to me sat Nick, the studio head, who watched patiently as a hungover blob tried to navigate his staff’s recreation. He muttered “attention-grabbing” as I struggled to navigate the tutorial at first, I assume in awe at how lengthy it took me to leap into the ocean and begin the sport correct. It stays essentially the most embarrassing second I had this yr.
And but, of all of the video games that got here out this yr, all of the indie darlings, daring double A’s, big-budget triple A’s, and the occasional hilarious quadruple A, it was this quirky little crab journey that stood out to me. A primary instance of learn how to do recreation improvement proper, and a recreation I may (and have) advisable to everybody I can get my claws on. One other Crab’s Treasure is particular, and an actual gem of 2024.
Created by Aggro Crab, the studio is seemingly cursed to have its offices broken into forevermore and fashioned of a various staff of largely new faces to online game improvement. Younger and with contemporary concepts, they dropped One other Crab’s Treasure in April to wholesome success. As of writing, the sport has offered not less than 500K copies as of November 1 (not shabby for an indie by any means) and has gained quite a few awards. It is also, by the way in which, a brilliantly enjoyable recreation that brings a splash of enjoyable and vibrancy to a subgenre that oftentimes can get misplaced within the doom and gloom, all with out foregoing an vital message.
What’s sensible about One other Crab’s Treasure is the staff’s very trendy strategy to recreation and group administration. The dev staff knew they’d a rad recreation on their fingers however they did not simply throw it on the market. They did some fantastic group administration work that capitalised on even the tinniest alternative to make memes and construct rapport, exhibiting an understanding of how the present social media panorama works. They collaborated with influencers and made essentially the most of them, pushing them simply sufficient to make waves however not an excessive amount of to drown out the sport itself. The staff’s younger expertise expressed themselves splendidly via their work, providing revolutionary twists on style requirements and a youthful vigour to the sport’s vibe. It additionally has a sick authentic soundtrack – nice job Felix.
Nonetheless, even Aggro Crab, who from the place I am sitting appears to be doing all the pieces proper, is just not secure from the tough winds of 2024 and the present business setting. Firstly of November, the staff announced that funding for its third game had fallen through. Which means even whereas members of the staff have been choosing up Golden Joystick Awards and being celebrated by their friends, the monetary gears of the identical business remained stationary.
To say this can be a bummer is an immense understatement. If the business is just not a spot the place groups like Aggro Crab can thrive, and video games like One other Crab’s Treasure are sufficient to make sure a degree of safety then that is a testomony to how dangerous issues actual are. Nonetheless, it is not as if their efforts have gone unnoticed! Here is hoping that come January, when company budgets are established and males in fits begin buying round for studios to throw cash at, they shell out some dough for what’s going to certainly be a shellfish steal.
For you, the participant, the sport is just not performed but! It is getting a brand new recreation plus mode quickly in addition to a boss rush mode and different goodies. So seize it! It is a improbable recreation properly value your time, made by individuals who will certainly recognize it.