I Came to Catch Crabs, But They Started Catching Me: A Review of the Dark Horror, Crabmeat

In the point-and-click horror game, Crabmeat, players can navigate through all available content in just a couple of hours—a typical trait of its Early Access format. The core objective is survival: locating the best spots to catch royal crabs to clear a crushing debt and protect one's family. However, this isn't a simple fishing trip; aggressive, monstrous crabs are intent on sabotaging any sailor venturing into these treacherous waters.

The game unfolds in a bleak, dystopian world governed by a fictional "Feodarchy." The protagonist, having borrowed money from the authorities for rent, failed to repay it on time. As punishment, he is exiled to the icy expanse of Antarctica with a grim task: to catch a quota of royal crabs. Should he fail, he faces execution, and the debt will be transferred to his family.

Initially, players must familiarize themselves with the controls. All actions—movement, environmental interaction, and item usage—are tied to the mouse. After about an hour of practice, players will find themselves accustomed to the mechanics, making even encounters with the formidable crabs manageable.

Operating the assigned vessel involves steering, setting speed, and raising or lowering the anchor. A map highlights both abundant crab fishing locations and traps left by previous debtors. Progress is further complicated by harsh weather conditions and marine obstacles, collisions with which can severely damage the ship's hull.

The developers have crafted a surprisingly detailed crab-catching process. It requires using bait, deploying traps into the water, patiently waiting for a catch, hauling the traps back aboard, and meticulously separating the quota-worthy crabs from marine debris. Exploring the traps left behind by previous debtors can also yield valuable items like medical kits, keys to hidden stashes, locker access, and ammunition.

Periodically, aggressive crabs will board the ship, seeking to damage crucial equipment. Failing to repel these invaders quickly results in extensive repairs. One memorable incident involved a crab, screaming "Crabonimo," latching onto the ship's wheel, causing a collision with a bait replenishment station and nearly capsizing the vessel.

Larger crab specimens often emit a chilling, witch-like scream before launching an attack. Players can defend themselves using an axe or a shotgun. The shotgun, however, inflicts low damage, ammunition is scarce, and reloading is slow, making it a resource best conserved for the eventual confrontation with the final boss.

Timers aboard the ship count down the allotted time for completing the mission. Even with a relaxed approach and occasional mistakes, the quota can be fulfilled well before the deadline. Additionally, propaganda materials from the Feodarchy, denouncing any deviation from their imposed norms, are scattered throughout the ship, adding to the game's grim atmosphere.

Conclusion

While Crabmeat currently offers a limited amount of content, reflective of its Early Access status, what is present is of high quality. Many actions are accompanied by unique animations, the crab-catching process is rich in detail, and the game world feels deeply developed, even accounting for subtle nuances like snow accumulating on deck.

As it stands, the game concludes rather quickly. There's a strong hope that the final version will introduce a variety of unique endings; the intriguing world of Crabmeat is simply too compelling to depart from so swiftly.