This review contains spoilers
The immense excitement I had regarding this game paid off. The world design and art direction go to such great heights and elevates the social commentary within the plot. There is not only a powerful message about consumerism found within, but also about how society falls when the rich and powerful remain there. I also loved the characterization of Krill and him trying to find his purpose in a world that doesn't benefit the lower class. Although I think the ending was a bit abrupt (Chitan is ok I guess?), I really enjoyed it from a gameplay perspective. Three bosses in a row?? Truly threw me for a loop and kept me on my toes. Some of my favorite areas include The Unfathom and The Old Ocean, the former having this ominous voice teaching Krill of the dangers of rising to the top. I loved the shift in tone in this area, which I felt emphasizes how much damage we do when we step on others to achieve our goals. The way the game turns into something more grand and epic after this point in the story was so, so moving honestly. Especially during the Old Ocean! Navigating this section also revealed to me how great the level design is. I think the strongest platforming and puzzle sections were in Floatsam (especially the part with the magnetic platforms), the Unfathom, and The Old Ocean.
Minus a few standout tracks, I found the soundtrack to be just ok to very good. These standouts for me included some of the boss themes and The Old Ocean. The voice acting was also just ok. Although I think Inkerton was the standout here. He sounds AMAZING and has range that most of the other voices didn't.
My only problems lie with the gameplay towards the beginning, and some framerate problems. The first few hours are a bit slow, mostly because you don't get the skill tree until later, which greatly improves combat. The framerate also hangs when loading certain areas, which proved to be very annoying at times, but it was at least never in the middle of a battle. Speaking of battles, loved the bosses a ton. Once you’ve upgraded your abilities through the Umami skill tree, the gameplay becomes so satisfying and rewarding. I loved the bloodborne abilities the most and the parrying is super fun. Seriously in my top three for soulslike combat!
Nevertheless, the wait for this game was worth it in my eyes. Another Crab's Treasure is a souls-like that deserves your attention with incredible writing and gameplay that is fresh enough to offer a unique experience.
Minus a few standout tracks, I found the soundtrack to be just ok to very good. These standouts for me included some of the boss themes and The Old Ocean. The voice acting was also just ok. Although I think Inkerton was the standout here. He sounds AMAZING and has range that most of the other voices didn't.
My only problems lie with the gameplay towards the beginning, and some framerate problems. The first few hours are a bit slow, mostly because you don't get the skill tree until later, which greatly improves combat. The framerate also hangs when loading certain areas, which proved to be very annoying at times, but it was at least never in the middle of a battle. Speaking of battles, loved the bosses a ton. Once you’ve upgraded your abilities through the Umami skill tree, the gameplay becomes so satisfying and rewarding. I loved the bloodborne abilities the most and the parrying is super fun. Seriously in my top three for soulslike combat!
Nevertheless, the wait for this game was worth it in my eyes. Another Crab's Treasure is a souls-like that deserves your attention with incredible writing and gameplay that is fresh enough to offer a unique experience.