4/5 ★ – seekerofshade's review of Another Crab's Treasure.

Another Crab’s Treasure surprised me in a lot of ways. The colorful, cutesy art style was a big draw for me—unlike typical dark and gloomy souls-likes, this game was bright and engaging, which made me want to try my first souls-like experience. To my surprise, I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. The art style and humor helped me get into the challenging combat, and it even made me consider trying other souls-likes in the future. However, things changed when I got to the Pale Palace area. The platforming here brought in a frustrating difficulty spike, with confusing navigation that forced me to check guides to figure out where to go. The real issue, though, was the Praya Dubia boss fight. I was locked into a shell that didn’t suit the dodging-focused battle, which made it feel unfairly punishing. Not being able to change my shell at such a crucial moment broke the game’s flow and, ultimately, my enjoyment. I stepped away from Another Crab’s Treasure after feeling I’d given it a fair shot. I liked 90% of the game, and would still recommend it—especially for those new to souls-likes who want a more approachable entry. It’s a unique game with a lot of charm, and it’s worth a try, even if you don’t finish it.