I first performed One other Crab’s Treasure on the aspect of the road behind the Day of the Devs occasion in LA earlier this yr, the solar obtrusive on a laptop computer display, shortly working out of energy. Subsequent to me sat Nick, the studio head, who watched patiently as a hungover blob tried to navigate his staff’s sport. 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 main instance of do sport growth proper, and a sport 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 workplaces damaged into forevermore and shaped of a diversified staff of largely new faces to online game growth. Younger and with contemporary concepts, they dropped One other Crab’s Treasure in April to wholesome success. As of writing, the sport has bought 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 best way, a brilliantly enjoyable sport 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 essential message.
What’s sensible about One other Crab’s Treasure is the staff’s very trendy strategy to sport and group administration. The dev staff knew that they had a rad sport on their palms 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, displaying 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 by means of 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.
Nevertheless, even Aggro Crab, who from the place I am sitting appears to be doing every little thing proper, is just not protected from the tough winds of 2024 and the present trade atmosphere. In the beginning of November, the staff introduced that funding for its third sport had fallen by means of. Which means that even whereas members of the staff had been selecting up Golden Joystick Awards and being celebrated by their friends, the monetary gears of the identical trade remained stationary.
To say this can be a bummer is an immense understatement. If the trade 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 stage of safety then that is a testomony to how unhealthy issues actual are. Nonetheless, it isn’t as if their efforts have gone unnoticed! This is hoping that come January, when company budgets are established and males in fits begin procuring round for studios to throw cash at, they shell out some dough for what’s going to absolutely be a shellfish steal.
For you, the participant, the sport is just not completed but! It is getting a brand new sport plus mode quickly in addition to a boss rush mode and different goodies. So seize it! It is a improbable sport effectively value your time, made by individuals who will certainly admire it.