• Hey everyone, staff have documented a list of banned content and subject matter that we feel are not consistent with site values, and don't make sense to host discussion of on Famiboards. This list (and the relevant reasoning per item) is viewable here.
  • Do you have audio editing experience and want to help out with the Famiboards Discussion Club Podcast? If so, we're looking for help and would love to have you on the team! Just let us know in the Podcast Thread if you are interested!

News Another Crab's Treasure, an underwater soulslike, coming to PC and consoles on April 25th (out now!)

Reader mode
Earthbounder said:
Really?

The footage I saw on the Switch Release Date trailer looks pretty good to me.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, they likely used the pc version, I might try to ask Nintendo a refund, it never run at 30fps, but around 20.
They even used pc screenshot on the eshop, the games doesn't look that good. If it wasn't for the framerate, it's OK.
 
SwitchUp got their video up. Taking a look as I post this.

Edit: Seems Aggro Crab will have a bigger patch for the Switch version soon, but yeah the performance isn't holding 30fps like it should! Seems more consistent while docked than undocked.

 
Last edited:
0
Polmo said:
Not on switch...
Click to expand...
yep its the right decision not to give Switch review copies. We would probably have seen a lot of 4s and 5s on switch mixed with the 7-9s the game has been getting and the talk would probably have being more about switch version, which could have negatively affected the sales of the game on every platform

I cant blame the publisher.

Ive noticed quite a few games struggle now on the switch
 
beej said:
yep its the right decision not to give Switch review copies. We would probably have seen a lot of 4s and 5s on switch mixed with the 7-9s the game has been getting and the talk would probably have being more about switch version, which could have negatively affected the sales of the game on every platform

I cant blame the publisher.

Ive noticed quite a few games struggle now on the switch
Click to expand...
What I blame is false advertising, the game doesn't run like the trailer or the pictures on eshop
 
Brock Reiher said:
Real souls heads know struggling to run double digit fps is a core part of the experience. Switch is arguably definitive?
Click to expand...
zgznasH.png

Extraordinarily good point
 
Gonna jump into this on Game Pass after work tonight. Still juggling Balatro, Peach, Mario v DK, Mario Wonder, and now this, Jusant, probably the final hour or so of Dead Space, and the Fallout 4 patch. BACKLOG!!!
 
Downloading now 🦀 👀

Feel a bit bad saying this, but the Switch version being stuttery poopswaine doesn't surprise me one bit. Hopefully the PS5 version runs at a stable 60 FPS (even if such a smooth framerate is against Miyazaki's vision).
 
I really hope that Switch patch comes out soon. I bought it this morning but 5 minutes into it and, even by my standards, the frame rate is a bit bothersome. Very excited to play the game when it runs smoother though!
 
0
Ok, time for some initial impressions! This writeup ended up being on the longer side, but I wanted to be thorough regarding what I've played so far. I've beaten the first four bosses, one of them being an early game optional wandering world boss, like Tree Sentinel from Elden Ring.

  • The game's vibrant style makes for a visual delight. The devs sought to create a brighter, more colorful world (in contrast to the darker settings of other Soulslikes), and that's readily apparent at every turn. They've mentioned the game being on the longer side ("weirdly ambitious, too big" being exact quotes), so I can't wait to see the wealth of locales the rest of this experience has to offer!

  • The game's NPCs and world navigation are giving me a light Okami vibe. Maybe that's weird to say, but it's my only frame of reference to describe what this game kinda feels like so far (outside of the obvious Souls inspiration). It's like Souls, Sekiro, and Okami rolled into one. "Okami with good combat" would also be apt!

  • Executing a parry into a riposte is highly satisfying. The combat leans far more into shield and parry than dodging (you're a hermit crab, after all), and I'm committed to respecting that, parrying my way to the finish line.

  • I'm playing the PS5 version, and performance is stable. Feels to me like a consistent 60 FPS, or damn near close! The Switch version wouldn't have been my first pick anyway, but seeing the impressions in this thread of it looking and running like poop... dang. If I were a Switch only gamer, I'd likely have held off on buying this. Be sure to get it on one of the other platforms, and don't bother with the 23 FPS "Miyazaki's true vision" version.

  • There's a bit of jank here and there (loading hitches, music glitches, and occasional camera woes), but nothing major, and this stuff thankfully doesn't negatively impact the experience to any notable extent, for anyone who might've been curious about that.

  • Word of advice: turn off the "Focus Letterboxing" setting in the options menu. By default, this game's lock-on imposes a letterboxed effect, but I find it isn't particularly helpful, and only narrows your environmental awareness when in combat.

  • Really nice to see the accessibility options on offer. All kinds of players can enjoy this game! I prefer a more challenging experience, but those who don't are just a few simple menu settings away from being able to make the game as breezy as they wish, and that's rad. The default for these types of games should be "excruciatingly hard if you're into that, and cinnamon roll easy if you aren't". Between this and my appreciation of non-slideshow framerates, I don't think Miyazaki would wanna be my friend. Sad...

Last, but not least, here's a few early game screenshots:

Really digging these character designs. Look at this cool lobster bloke and lass!

18f182bf89a83-screenshot-Url.png


Our friend Mario's name on a pack of cigarettes doesn't seem very family friendly to me. I wonder if this is censored in the Switch release... ?

18f182c20ad52-screenshot-Url.png


The kind of honest and straightforward loading screen tip we all need.

18f182c450a14-screenshot-Url.png
Click to expand...
 
Oh, just one more:

  • Unlike Souls, there's an overt narrative here, with your little crab buddy having his own dialogue, voice acting, and a defined goal / purpose. There's already been a bunch of NPCs to chat with, and they're coherent, as opposed to the cackling hag wearing a nappy on her head you might encounter in a FromSoft poison swamp. I do love From's approach, but Another Crab's Treasure isn't interested in replicating it, and that's fine and dandy. It wouldn't fit this game's tone.
 
Aurc said:
Ok, time for some initial impressions! This writeup ended up being on the longer side, but I wanted to be thorough regarding what I've played so far. I've beaten the first four bosses, one of them being an early game optional wandering world boss, like Tree Sentinel from Elden Ring.

  • The game's vibrant style makes for a visual delight. The devs sought to create a brighter, more colorful world (in contrast to the darker settings of other Soulslikes), and that's readily apparent at every turn. They've mentioned the game being on the longer side ("weirdly ambitious, too big" being exact quotes), so I can't wait to see the wealth of locales the rest of this experience has to offer!

  • The game's NPCs and world navigation are giving me a light Okami vibe. Maybe that's weird to say, but it's my only frame of reference to describe what this game kinda feels like so far (outside of the obvious Souls inspiration). It's like Souls, Sekiro, and Okami rolled into one. "Okami with good combat" would also be apt!

  • Executing a parry into a riposte is highly satisfying. The combat leans far more into shield and parry than dodging (you're a hermit crab, after all), and I'm committed to respecting that, parrying my way to the finish line.

  • I'm playing the PS5 version, and performance is stable. Feels to me like a consistent 60 FPS, or damn near close! The Switch version wouldn't have been my first pick anyway, but seeing the impressions in this thread of it looking and running like poop... dang. If I were a Switch only gamer, I'd likely have held off on buying this. Be sure to get it on one of the other platforms, and don't bother with the 23 FPS "Miyazaki's true vision" version.

  • There's a bit of jank here and there (loading hitches, music glitches, and occasional camera woes), but nothing major, and this stuff thankfully doesn't negatively impact the experience to any notable extent, for anyone who might've been curious about that.

  • Word of advice: turn off the "Focus Letterboxing" setting in the options menu. By default, this game's lock-on imposes a letterboxed effect, but I find it isn't particularly helpful, and only narrows your environmental awareness when in combat.

  • Really nice to see the accessibility options on offer. All kinds of players can enjoy this game! I prefer a more challenging experience, but those who don't are just a few simple menu settings away from being able to make the game as breezy as they wish, and that's rad. The default for these types of games should be "excruciatingly hard if you're into that, and cinnamon roll easy if you aren't". Between this and my appreciation of non-slideshow framerates, I don't think Miyazaki would wanna be my friend. Sad...

Last, but not least, here's a few early game screenshots:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the impressions! It sounds awesome.

Does anyone have any takes on the Switch version? I want to buy it, because I need some Souls action in my life, but I'm not sure if the performance is so bad I should wait for a patch or if it's manageable and I can jump in?

But then, my PC sucks and I went through the entirety of Dark Souls III in an ungodly FPS rate. So maybe I'll be fine.
 
Ok, I caved and got the Switch version. I've played a couple of hours so far, all docked, and it runs... decently enough for me.

Also, the game itself is an absolute banger.
 
Earthbounder said:
Ok, I caved and got the Switch version. I've played a couple of hours so far, all docked, and it runs... decently enough for me.

Also, the game itself is an absolute bang
Click to expand...

Second this. Docked is decent. Tried it portable and boy that was rough (It's still better than SAO alicization in both modes )
 
Update from the devs:
  • The game seems to be reacting differently to different Switches
  • Fixing it is their "highest priority"
  • In the meantime they recommend playing docked, and saving/closing/re-opening the game every couple of hours
 
Switch ruining another game launch, thanks Nintendo.

Bruh this game looks really good, why haven't I seen it before? Guess I should have watched the last indie direct. I've been burnt out on Soulslikes but this looks really good, this and Elden Ring and Demon's Souls remake might just get me back into the genre.
 
AngryAlchemist said:
Switch ruining another game launch, thanks Nintendo.

Bruh this game looks really good, why haven't I seen it before? Guess I should have watched the last indie direct. I've been burnt out on Soulslikes but this looks really good, this and Elden Ring and Demon's Souls remake might just get me back into the genre.
Click to expand...
It's a real shame tbh, i would have expected the game to be developed first on the Switch, with it being the most marketed on the switch.

Like, a delay or even not launching the game would have been the better option, since at the end of the day the one getting screwed is the consumers.
 
Steve said:
It's a real shame tbh, i would have expected the game to be developed first on the Switch, with it being the most marketed on the switch.

Like, a delay or even not launching the game would have been the better option, since at the end of the day the one getting screwed is the consumers.
Click to expand...
Yes, the strategy they used doesn't make any sense, clearly a game that resonates very well with the Switch audience.
 
Steve said:
It's a real shame tbh, i would have expected the game to be developed first on the Switch, with it being the most marketed on the switch.

Like, a delay or even not launching the game would have been the better option, since at the end of the day the one getting screwed is the consumers.
Click to expand...
Putting my joke aside, it does suck that the game isn't optimized well for the Switch. With that being said, I think people are really missing some perspective if they think the game shouldn't have launched at all so that it could be delayed. The game is currently the #7 best selling game on Steam. It probably could have sold even better if it launched later with a stable Switch version, yes, but it's selling really well and it's an indie game ... indie developers need the cash flow. It's not like they are abandoning the Switch version. I think more people would complain if it just launched on Switch at a later date, to be honest, and you would get less people interested in it too. Damned if you do damned if you don't, all they can do is learn from this.

LinkURL said:
This game is basically a sixth gen game in HD, with no reason for it to run so poorly on the Switch.
Click to expand...
Hold on, let me email AggroCrab and let them know that LinkURL on Famiboards said there's absolutely no reason for it to run so poorly on Switch, that will narrow it down for them!

...And that doesn't stop Gamefreak from doing the same thing. It also doesn't stop Link's Awakening HD or Thousand Year Door from having performance issues. And yet those games will get infinitely more defended and this more criticized, because it's an indie game in an unestablished franchise with no premade following. I'm sorry but it sounds almost clownish every time this happens to an indie game and people act shocked then shit on the indie devs. Yes, it's not great they released it with performance issues, no it's not an excuse that because they're indie it's ok .... but there's absolutely valid reasons that a studio of a few people not backed by millions of dollars might not be able get the game to perform great. They only have one dedicated programmer ffs. Making games is hard.
 
AngryAlchemist said:
Putting my joke aside, it does suck that the game isn't optimized well for the Switch. With that being said, I think people are really missing some perspective if they think the game shouldn't have launched at all so that it could be delayed. The game is currently the #7 best selling game on Steam. It probably could have sold even better if it launched later with a stable Switch version, yes, but it's selling really well and it's an indie game ... indie developers need the cash flow. It's not like they are abandoning the Switch version. I think more people would complain if it just launched on Switch at a later date, to be honest, and you would get less people interested in it too. Damned if you do damned if you don't, all they can do is learn from this.
Click to expand...
I think no one would complain if the game didn't release on the Switch, like, the cashflow will most likely come from their Gamepass deals and from PS5 and steam, not releasing on the switch wouldn't be the end of the world and later switch launch would be more than welcome.

Still, the game was marketed most for Switch players the most, with Indie directs and some small marketing, with that i would think most people thought of a well optimized game, but the game will be patched and hopefully run better.
 
Steve said:
I think no one would complain if the game didn't release on the Switch
Click to expand...
... I ... respectfully disagree. I've seen more than enough threads where people get mad at indie devs for not releasing on Switch day one. Some relationships were even broken over it, like how the dev of A Hat in Time got harassed enough till they made an angry reply on Twitter then got trashed on the Switch community for it. It took them years to release their game on Switch after that and a lot of people said they wouldn't buy it out of protest ..... over an angry comment they made because they were harassed. I'm not saying it would have been as bad for this game, but as someone who's seen this same conversation many times, and as someone who follows sales charts, yes delaying your game absolutely affects your sales and receptions. Not always, but usually you need to be a big game with a big marketing budget for it not to matter. Indie games REALLY benefit from an unfortunately short hype and word of mouth cycle, people are impatient or lose interest easily.

Steve said:
Still, the game was marketed most for Switch players the most, with Indie directs and some small marketing, with that i would think most people thought of a well optimized game, but the game will be patched and hopefully run better.
Click to expand...
Never forget, Nintendo marketed this with a first party title on an official Nintendo live stream ..... this was the only other game featured alongside Origami King
OTPr2qV.png

this was after months of no Switch news btw
 
AngryAlchemist said:
... I ... respectfully disagree. I've seen more than enough threads where people get mad at indie devs for not releasing on Switch day one. Some relationships were even broken over it, like how the dev of A Hat in Time got harassed enough till they made an angry reply on Twitter then got trashed on the Switch community for it. It took them years to release their game on Switch after that and a lot of people said they wouldn't buy it out of protest ..... over an angry comment they made because they were harassed. I'm not saying it would have been as bad for this game, but as someone who's seen this same conversation many times, and as someone who follows sales charts, yes delaying your game absolutely affects your sales and receptions. Not always, but usually you need to be a big game with a big marketing budget for it not to matter. Indie games REALLY benefit from an unfortunately short hype and word of mouth cycle, people are impatient or lose interest easily.


Never forget, Nintendo marketed this with a first party title on an official Nintendo live stream ..... this was the only other game featured alongside Origami King

this was after months of no Switch news btw
Click to expand...
Thanks for the response and i fully get your point, but surprisingly i haven't seen any discourse based on Indie games getting delayed on the switch, like when it's released it's released. Maybe it's the algorithm being more nicer to me and not letting me see the negativity surrounding this matter.

The bakuman thing is a shame tbh.

Whelp... That's that, i don't really have much to say, hopefully the patches fixes the performance in the future.
 
Today's session was fun. Once you arrive in the city, you're greeted with lore, a bunch of characters to interact with, and a handful of helpful shops to peruse. Progressing into the area past it, there's a tough boss the game wants you to avoid for the time being, but I "sequence broke to beat the bloke", and it made for a satisfying win. That's two bosses you're able to kill earlier than you're meant to, should you be so inclined.

More screenshots! This is a pretty game:

18f1d3a30d966-screenshot-Url.png

18f1d3947b555-screenshot-Url.png

18f1d3923a389-screenshot-Url.png


Even in the depths of the sea, I'm always on the lookout for blokes, and this lad's a proper one! Tip for this prickly chap: keep bumping into him (or shielding against him) until you've exhausted his unique dialogue. He'll give you a posh ability!

18f1d39c50d64-screenshot-Url.png

18f1d3a043698-screenshot-Url.png

18f1d3ae49e12-screenshot-Url.png

18f1d3a71e325-screenshot-Url.png

18f1d38fa3240-screenshot-Url.png
Click to expand...

T-Hell said:
Game looks visually beautiful, to be honest. And that map art.. damn.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the map art is a visual treat for sure.

18f1d3987ed24-screenshot-Url.png

Hero of Legend said:
Click to expand...

They didn't pass up the opportunity:

18f1d3a9c6954-screenshot-Url.png
 
AngryAlchemist said:
Putting my joke aside, it does suck that the game isn't optimized well for the Switch. With that being said, I think people are really missing some perspective if they think the game shouldn't have launched at all so that it could be delayed. The game is currently the #7 best selling game on Steam. It probably could have sold even better if it launched later with a stable Switch version, yes, but it's selling really well and it's an indie game ... indie developers need the cash flow. It's not like they are abandoning the Switch version. I think more people would complain if it just launched on Switch at a later date, to be honest, and you would get less people interested in it too. Damned if you do damned if you don't, all they can do is learn from this.


Hold on, let me email AggroCrab and let them know that LinkURL on Famiboards said there's absolutely no reason for it to run so poorly on Switch, that will narrow it down for them!

...And that doesn't stop Gamefreak from doing the same thing. It also doesn't stop Link's Awakening HD or Thousand Year Door from having performance issues. And yet those games will get infinitely more defended and this more criticized, because it's an indie game in an unestablished franchise with no premade following. I'm sorry but it sounds almost clownish every time this happens to an indie game and people act shocked then shit on the indie devs. Yes, it's not great they released it with performance issues, no it's not an excuse that because they're indie it's ok .... but there's absolutely valid reasons that a studio of a few people not backed by millions of dollars might not be able get the game to perform great. They only have one dedicated programmer ffs. Making games is hard.
Click to expand...
Okay, I admit my mistake, there is a reason the game doesn't run well on the Switch, and it's not the outdated hardware, it's bad optimization.
It's an indie study, and I understand that making games isn't easy, but it's also not cool to use screenshots and videos from other platforms in marketing the game, clearly implying that it's in a state that it really isn't. They even had the courage to say that on some Switches it is running well and would be particularities of each hardware, man this practically does not exist in a console ecosystem, and even more so on the Switch which has never received a hardware revision.
And we're not talking about some frame drops, but rather completely unstable framerate in some areas to the point of being unplayable.
And the fact that there are other Switch games with low optimization is just another reason for shame for the developers of each of these games.
I believe that Anothers Crab Treasure will receive optimization patches over time, and probably without six it will owe nothing to other versions. But putting the bad state at lauch into account for the Switch's hardware is meaningless, as the game doesn't have the graphical complexity to demand so much from the console. Anyway, even if the Switch 2 already existed, most likely the current Switch version would also still be made since it is a platform with almost 140M sales with the most suitable audience for the game.
 
0
Aurc said:
This is currently at "Overwhelmingly Positive" review consensus on Steam 🦀 🎉
Click to expand...
So it's making some waves, huh?

Revolsin said:
oh, oh gosh. right away this feels lovely to play. old-school platformer vibes. it's so smooth, and the text boops are so charming
Click to expand...
Dang, I'm almost tempted to get this for Steam. But then I wouldn't be able to play it much anyway...
 
Can't wait to get back to this later today, I sorta can't stop thinking about it.

Revolsin said:
old-school platformer vibes
Click to expand...

Yeah! I think that's a big reason why this game rips. Platforming and navigating around with your grapple hook is so much fun, and the way that and the combat weave in and out of each other is super satisfying.
 
I've been playing via Gamepass and really loving. Still pretty early, but can anyone confirm if you ever get a map? I just want to be able to open that map that shows on the loading screen, but haven't come across anything like that yet.
 
Joedev said:
I've been playing via Gamepass and really loving. Still pretty early, but can anyone confirm if you ever get a map? I just want to be able to open that map that shows on the loading screen, but haven't come across anything like that yet.
Click to expand...

it's in your menu, tab over to the left where it says 'location'
 
0
Reader mode
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top Bottom