Crab Champions is a third-person shooter with roguelike elements developed by Irish music producer and solo game developer Eoin O’Broin, also known as Noisestorm. The game was released in early access on Steam on April 1, 2023. Due to the nature of its chosen release date, many thought Crab Champions was just an elaborate April Fool joke. However, as outrageous as it may look, the game is as real as it gets.
In Crab Champions, players take control of a crab and battle their way through a series of levels, collecting weapons and upgrades as they go. The game features a variety of different weapons, including shotguns, pistols, and rocket launchers, as well as a variety of different upgrades, such as increased health, damage, and movement speed.
So is the game fun to play? Or is it just one of those low-effort games that are practically a waste of money? Read on and find out. Here is our review of Crab Champions.
What is Crab Champions?
The crab rave guy, Eoin O’Broin, also known as Noisestorm, made Crab Champions. He is an Irish music producer and solo game developer. He released the song “Crab Rave” in 2018, which quickly became a meme and internet sensation. The song’s success inspired O’Broin to create a game based on the song, and Crab Champions was released in early access in 2023.
Despite how outrageous it looks and insane its premise is, Crab Champions has received positive reviews from critics and players alike. It has been praised for its fast-paced gameplay, its unique art style, and its sense of humor. The game is currently available on Steam in early access, and it is expected to be released in full later this year.
Here are some of the key features of Crab Champions:
- Run-based gameplay: Each run is different, with randomly generated levels and enemies.
- Fast-paced combat: Blast your way through hordes of enemies with a variety of different weapons.
- Roguelike elements: Permanent death and a variety of different upgrades add a lot of replayability to the game.
- Tight controls: The game controls are tight and responsive, making it easy to take down your enemies.
- Catchy soundtrack: Each run is paired with a catchy soundtrack. It does not matter how many times you have already heard it, you will still bob to its tunes.
- Outrageously fun premise: Whoever thought it will be a blast to play as a weapon-building crab to take down waves and waves of enemies in the first place is a genius indeed.
Crab Champions Gameplay
Crab Champions’ gameplay is as straightforward as it gets. You play as a crab in a third-person shooter setting blasting away at several enemies on an island. You will progress from one level to the next and acquire better weapons as you go.
However, the game is more dynamic because of its inclusion of interesting roguelike elements. The levels are randomly generated, and the enemies and weapons that you encounter will vary from run to run. This adds a lot of replayability to the game, as you’ll never know what to expect.
For such an interesting-looking game, you wouldn’t necessarily think that it will have tight controls and smooth movement gameplay. However, that is exactly what you’d get in Crab Champions. The crab’s movement is really fun once you get the hang of it.
Nevertheless, there is a bit of a steep learning curve in this game. Many of your early runs in Crab Champions may result in failures. Just don’t give in and do better every time. Sooner rather than later, you’d have the game in the palm of your hand.
The Downsides
True with most games in existence, Crab Champions also have its set of flaws that needs fixing. For one, the spectating feature when playing with other people is still very clunky and downright uncomfortable. At its current state, the camera seemingly can’t keep up with the movements of the players you are trying to spectate.
Moreover, the game’s multiplayer aspect needs a lot of improvement as well. It will take you a couple of tries to actually get the multiplayer to work.
Those are just a few of the downsides plaguing Crab Champions in its current build. However, it is worth reminding everyone that the game is still in early access, so there is still definitely more room for improvement. Expect these issues to get a fix in the coming months.
Max Players for Multiplayer
The maximum number of players in Crab Champions is 4. You can play with up to 3 other players, either through Steam friends support or normal matchmaking. There is also a solo mode, where you can play against endless waves of enemies and bosses.
What Console Is Crab Champions On?
Crab Champions is currently only available on PC via Steam. The developer has said that they are considering porting the game to consoles in the future, but there is no specific release date or platform information yet.
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of Crab Champions in its current build:
Pros:
- Fast-paced, third-person shooter gameplay
- Roguelike elements add a lot of replayability
- Stunningly catchy soundtrack
- Tight controls
Cons:
- Can be difficult at times
- Some technical issues
Again, Crab Champions is still in its early access. The pros and cons listed here can easily change whenever. That said, you can keep track of the game’s development and plans for the future through its giant billboard feature in the overworld. There, you can see the intended new biomes, enemies, changes to bosses, and so much more.
Final Thoughts
Do not judge Crab Champions solely by how it looks. If you can get over its insane premise and less-than-stellar graphics, you can find a fun game that can appeal to fans of both third-person shooter and roguelike genres. All in all, the game is well-made, fun to play, and has a lot of replay value. If you’re looking for an unconventional game to sink your claws into, then Crab Champions is definitely worth checking out.
