Fight Crab 2 adds playable humans for a Titanfall-esque twist
Fight more crabs
Explaining the concept of Fight Crab feels redundant because, well, it’s all right there in the name. It’s a fighting game… with crabs. The kaiju crustaceans left such a good impression that developer Calappa Games went fishing for more maybe-not-voluntary battlers and announced a follow-up: Fight Crab 2. Just in case you’re uncomfortable with imposing a combat sport on sea creatures, the sequel adds humans to the mix, so you can enjoy the zany announcement trailer with a clear conscience.
Following on from the last game, our crab gladiators are equipped with comically outsized human weapons such as your standard axes, medieval shields, and Berserk-style greatswords. Gladiator crabs are trained to use almost every tool though, from riding vehicles to handling jet boosters. And in true kaiju fashion, they’ve also evolved to use special supernatural spells like shooting lasers out of their adorable little eyes. You can in fact customise your crustacean with over 40 skills this time.
In a Titanfall-esque twist, the main draw for the sequel are the playable humans (I’d do almost anything for a Prepare For Titanfall equivalent moment where the crabs zoom into battle from above, but hey ho). I think the smaller human perspective makes the fights seem even more Herculean in scale, and the first game’s Dark Souls inspirations should become more apparent when you battle hard-shelled titans as a puny human.
Nate Crowley (RPS in peace) thought the original game was a “perfectly crafted” joke and a “genuine love letter to the concept of crabs” in his Fight Crab review, but the control scheme made it a less successful fighting game. To address that complaint, the sequel will introduce a “modern” control option, which is “closer to a typical third-person action game,” according to a recent press release.
Fight Crab 2 comes from the studio behind other crustacean-centric games, Ace Of Seafood and Neo Aquarium: The King Of Crustaceans. The fighting game sequel came about because developer Nusso wanted “even more people to play with my crabs!”. A respectable reason to do anything in life, I think.
Fight Crab 2 plans to enter early access on Steam this winter with a singleplayer Career Mode, as well as local and multiplayer matches. I'm jealous to say that PAX West attendees can play a demo at Playism's booth from September 1st to September 4th.