Info about Crab Champions: Official game description: Crab Champions is a fast paced roguelike shooter. Travel solo or with friends across exotic islands defeating hordes of enemies, collecting loot and becoming as powerful as possible creating game breaking builds! KEY FEATURES ------------ * Run based: the fun of a looter shooter packed into intense 20-40 minute runs with the option to loop endlessly to survive as long as you can! * Smooth and responsive movement and combat * Carefully crafted visuals with a focus on quality while maintaining high performance * An original soundtrack made specifically for the game * Complete challenges to unlock cosmetic skins and put your skills to the test in Nightmare difficulty with modifiers to spice things up even further * Play solo or assemble a multiplayer squad: the game is balanced separately for different party sizes * Every choice matters: each run presents you with different loot combinations, enemy types and tough decisions * Solo developed by the creator of Crab Rave 🦀 * No lootboxes, microtransactions or ANY additional purchases required- all content is available to unlock in game by playing CHAOTIC FUN ----------- PARKOUR ISLANDS --------------- DEEP BUILD CRAFTING ------------------- TONS OF LOOT ------------ WARNING: This game allows you to create over the top and visually intense builds that may create flashing lights that could be potentially unsuitable for those that have an epileptic condition. Release date: 1 Apr, 2023 Categories: Roguelike, Third-Person Shooter, Cooperative Multiplayer, Build Crafting, Horde Shooter, Bullet-hell, Parkour Gameplay - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: No data - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: No data Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Highly Fun & Engaging Gameplay (weight 1): Players consistently praise the game for being exceptionally fun and engaging, both in single-player and multiplayer modes. Its fast-paced, chaotic, and often silly nature contributes to a highly enjoyable experience, making it a standout in the roguelike genre. - Polished Performance & Controls (weight 0.65): Players frequently highlight the game's polished feel, smooth performance, and responsive controls, especially considering its Early Access status. The excellent graphics and satisfying gunplay further contribute to a high-quality technical experience. - Addictive Replayability & Variety (weight 0.31): The game offers immense replayability due to its addictive gameplay loop, diverse build possibilities, and constant updates. Players find themselves returning for more, with each run feeling fresh and offering new challenges and combinations to discover. - Deep Customization & Build Variety (weight 0.24): The game excels in its deep customization and build variety, allowing players to create incredibly powerful and often 'broken' combinations. This system encourages experimentation and provides a strong sense of progression and satisfaction. - Dedicated & Responsive Developer (weight 0.21): The developer is highly praised for their active engagement with the community, consistent updates, and dedication to improving the game. This commitment to development significantly enhances the player experience and adds to the game's perceived value. - Unique Crab Theme Appeal (weight 0.16): The unique and humorous 'crab with a gun' theme is a significant draw for players. This quirky concept, combined with satisfying combat against other crustaceans, creates a memorable and enjoyable identity for the game. - Excellent & Catchy Soundtrack (weight 0.07): The game's soundtrack receives widespread acclaim for being excellent, catchy, and perfectly complementing the fast-paced and chaotic gameplay. It significantly enhances the overall immersive experience. Common complaints: - Enemy design and visibility issues (weight 0.1): Players report that enemies are often difficult to see due to low contrast, visual clutter, or blending with the environment. There are also concerns about repetitive enemy types, frustrating AI, and issues with enemies spawning in unreachable or unfair positions, sometimes even shooting through walls. Specific issues with crab enemy animations and behavior were also noted. - Performance and visual clutter (weight 0.09): The game suffers from significant performance issues, particularly when many projectiles, effects, or enemies are on screen, leading to severe frame rate drops. Visual clutter and excessive particle effects also contribute to a chaotic and unpolished experience, sometimes causing overstimulation or even hardware strain. - Inconsistent difficulty scaling (weight 0.09): The game's difficulty curve is inconsistent, with a sharp spike after the first playthrough, especially on higher difficulties like 'True Nightmare'. Players find it either too easy or overwhelmingly hard, leading to frustration and a lack of a balanced challenge. The late game can also become too easy or repetitive. - Repetitive and lacking content (weight 0.07): Players find the game repetitive and stale after a while, citing a lack of content updates, new game modes, and weapon variety. The late game, once everything is unlocked, loses its appeal, and the overall gameplay can feel grindy. - Limited weapon variety and balance (weight 0.06): Weapon variety is a major concern, with many weapons feeling similar or uninspired. Players desire more unique weapon mechanics and better balance, as some weapons are perceived as weak or useless. The random gacha-like system for unlocking weapons is also disliked. - Flawed loot and progression systems (weight 0.05): The loot and progression systems are problematic. Players report repetitive loot drops, a lack of epic/legendary items, and an overabundance of specific item types like grenades. The key and crystal systems are also criticized for being restrictive, with limited key usage per run and reduced crystal acquisition. - Negative impact of recent updates (weight 0.03): Recent updates, particularly the 'final patch,' have been poorly received by players. Many feel that these updates have nerfed favorite builds, limited power scaling, and generally ruined the game's unique appeal and fun for casual players. - Underwhelming audio and settings (weight 0.02): The game's audio design, particularly the music, is considered underwhelming, repetitive, and sometimes unfitting. Players also desire more settings options and greater gameplay diversity based on in-game decisions. - Frustrating achievement grind (weight 0.02): Achieving 100% completion is described as an obnoxious and repetitive grind. Many achievements are perceived as requiring excessive luck or specific multiplayer setups, making the process frustrating. - Poor new player onboarding (weight 0.02): New players struggle with the game's lack of in-game information and tutorials, often needing to consult external communities like Discord to understand mechanics. The lobby system is also described as complicated, making the initial experience daunting. Gameplay feedback: - Varied Gameplay & Difficulty (weight 0.19): The game offers significant gameplay variety through its roguelite elements, diverse weapon and ability combinations, and customizable difficulty settings. Players can adjust the challenge, with 'Nightmare' and 'True Ultra Chaos' modes providing extreme difficulty for experienced players. - Fast-paced Crab Shooter Roguelike (weight 0.19): The core gameplay loop revolves around players controlling an armed crab in a fast-paced, third-person shooter roguelike. Players engage in chaotic combat against various enemies, often described as a 'bullet hell' experience. - Extensive Upgrade & Loot System (weight 0.13): A key aspect of the game is the extensive system of upgrades, perks, and weapon unlocks. Players continuously acquire new items and build powerful synergies, leading to satisfying progression and diverse build crafting. - Similar to Risk of Rain 2 (weight 0.04): Many players compare the game's mechanics and feel to other popular roguelikes and shooters, most frequently citing Risk of Rain 2, but also mentioning Doom Eternal, Ultrakill, and Vampire Survivors for its fast-paced action and stacking power-ups. - Manageable Run Length & Loops (weight 0.04): Runs typically last around 30-90 minutes, offering a good balance for quick sessions or extended play. The game features a looping mechanic, allowing players to continue runs indefinitely for increased challenge and rewards. - Strong Multiplayer Co-op (weight 0.04): The game supports multiplayer co-op for up to four players, which is highlighted as a significant positive. Playing with friends enhances the chaotic experience and can mitigate some of the game's challenges. - High-Level Player Achievements (weight 0.03): Some players have invested significant time into the game, achieving high-level accomplishments such as diamond ranks, completing all challenges, or reaching extremely high island counts in single runs, demonstrating long-term engagement for dedicated players. - Permadeath & Movement Focus (weight 0.02): The game incorporates roguelike staples such as permadeath and no mid-run saving, encouraging players to immediately restart after failure. Combat emphasizes constant movement and dodging projectiles. Performance notes: - Excellent overall performance (weight 0.08): The game is generally well-optimized and runs smoothly across a wide range of hardware, including older systems and the Steam Deck. It also boasts fast loading times and a small installation size, contributing to a fluid experience. - Hardware impacts visual experience (weight 0.02): While generally well-optimized, some players note that higher-end hardware enhances the visual experience. Conversely, very low-end or specific PC builds may still struggle to maintain high frame rates, indicating that individual system configurations play a role. - Improved island transition speed (weight 0.01): Travel time between islands has been significantly reduced, now being almost instant in single-player and very quick in multiplayer, which improves the flow of the game. - Steam Deck battery drain fixable (weight 0): While the Steam Deck can experience battery drain on default settings, this issue is easily mitigated by adjusting a few in-game settings. - Minor bugs present (weight 0): Players have reported the presence of minor bugs within the game, though the specific nature or impact of these bugs is not detailed. - New update causes server lag (weight 0): One player reported being lagged out of a local server after the newest update, suggesting a potential, albeit isolated, issue with recent patches. Recommendations: - Highly Recommended & Great Value (weight 0.37): Players overwhelmingly recommend the game, citing its excellent value for money and overall fun. Many consider it a must-play and one of the best games they've experienced, especially for its price point. - Best Played with Friends (weight 0.31): Many players emphasize that the game is best enjoyed when played with friends, highlighting its strong cooperative multiplayer experience. - Ideal for Roguelike/Shooter Fans (weight 0.09): The game is highly recommended for fans of roguelike and shooter genres, particularly those who enjoy fast-paced action, build experimentation, and games like Risk of Rain 2, Hades, or Binding of Isaac. - Promising Future Updates (weight 0.03): Players acknowledge the game's current state and express excitement for future updates, believing it has great potential for further refinement and content additions. - PC Performance Considerations (weight 0.01): Some feedback suggests that the game might require a good PC for optimal performance, with recommendations to lower settings even on capable machines. - Specific Player Preferences (weight 0.01): Based on limited feedback, some players advise caution or suggest the game might not be for those who don't enjoy seeing numbers grow or prefer less 'bullshit' deaths. Other player notes: - Strong anticipation for future content (weight 0.13): Players are highly anticipating future updates and the full release of the game, noting its current Early Access status. They appreciate the frequent updates and expect continued content additions and improvements. - Affordable price point (weight 0.02): The game's low price point is frequently mentioned as a positive aspect, making it an accessible and worthwhile purchase for many players. - Initial perception as a 'meme game' (weight 0.02): Some players initially perceived the game as a simple 'meme game' or an 'asset flip' due to its random concept and lack of a clear story, though many later found it to have more depth. - Visually appealing art style (weight 0.01): The game's visual presentation, including its art style and environments, is generally well-received, described as pleasant, stunning, and polished. - Minor UI and keybind issues (weight 0.01): Minor issues with UI and default keybinds were noted, though keybinds are easily remappable. This suggests areas for potential quality-of-life improvements. - Suggestions for lobby totem improvements (weight 0.01): Specific suggestions were made regarding the lobby totem, such as adding permanent upgrades or allowing multiple item selections, indicating a desire for more lobby utility. Emotions: - Satisfaction (weight 0.34): Players feel satisfied due to the game's high overall quality, including its solid design, engaging gameplay loop, and excellent replayability. Key factors include the value for money, consistent updates, satisfying progression, and the ability to create powerful, 'overpowered' builds. The game's performance, visuals, music, and co-op functionality also contribute significantly to player contentment. - Excitement (weight 0.19): Excitement stems from the game's fast-paced, chaotic, and frenetic gameplay, often described as an 'unapologetic blast.' Players are thrilled by the potential for powerful damage combinations, the unique concept of playing as a crab with guns, and the anticipation of future content and updates from the developers. The game's addictive nature and high replayability also fuel this excitement. - Joy (weight 0.15): Joy is primarily derived from the game's sheer fun factor, especially when playing with friends in co-op mode. Players enjoy the humorous and silly aspects of the game, the smooth gameplay mechanics, and the satisfaction of breaking the game with overpowered builds. The game's addictive nature and replayability contribute to a consistently enjoyable experience. - Frustration (weight 0.06): Frustration arises from various technical and design issues, including performance problems like FPS drops and lag, particularly with many on-screen effects. Players also experience frustration due to inconsistent difficulty spikes, perceived unfair enemy design (e.g., 'beam skulls,' 'grubs'), and issues with the unlock or save systems. Multiplayer wait times and balance changes that nerf favorite builds also contribute to this emotion. - Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Enjoyment is a broad emotion driven by the game's fun and accessible nature, making it a great 'time-killer.' Players appreciate the fast-paced action, engaging gameplay loop, and the freedom to experiment with builds. The game's music, multiplayer capabilities, and the overall chaotic experience also contribute to a highly enjoyable time. - Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment often comes from unmet expectations, such as the absence of specific content (e.g., 'Crab Rave' music) or the removal of beloved features. Players are also disappointed by technical issues, perceived poor balance changes, and a lack of late-game content or variety. Issues with multiplayer matchmaking and the game's save system also contribute to this feeling. - Amusement (weight 0.04): Amusement is sparked by the game's unique and often absurd concept of crabs with guns, leading to silly and humorous moments. Players find humor in unexpected deaths, chaotic gameplay scenarios, and the ability to create hilariously overpowered builds that 'break' the game. The game's quirky elements and meme potential also contribute to its amusing nature. - Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is directed towards the game's high technical polish, impressive visual effects, and overall craftsmanship, especially considering it's often developed by a solo creator. Players admire the developer's dedication, continuous improvement through updates, and the game's ability to deliver a high-quality experience comparable to or even surpassing other titles in its genre. - Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is felt for the developer's active community engagement, responsiveness to feedback, and consistent updates that improve the game. Players value the game's monetization model (lack of microtransactions), its original concept, and the evident care and thought put into its development, including its art and music. - Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise arises from the game exceeding initial expectations, particularly its unexpected quality and depth for an Early Access title or a game with a seemingly simple concept. Players are surprised by how fun, polished, and addictive the game turns out to be, often remarking that it has 'no right to be this good.' - Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is driven by the ongoing development and the desire for future content, such as new worlds, enemies, and features. Players eagerly await the full release of the game and look forward to many more hours of playtime as new updates are rolled out. - Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is expressed through desires for future improvements and additions, including specific cosmetic options, more players in multiplayer, and new game modes. Players also hope for continued balance changes, accessibility features, and the overall growth and success of the game. - Addiction (weight 0.01): Addiction describes players' inability to stop playing the game, often leading to extended play sessions and a constant desire for 'just one more run.' This is driven by the engaging and ever-changing gameplay loop, the satisfaction of progression, and the thrill of creating powerful builds. - Desire (weight 0.01): Desire reflects specific wishes for new content and features, such as more maps, weapon variety, multiplayer modes, and language support. Players also express a desire for more frequent updates and specific gameplay mechanics like leaderboards or new grenade types. - Love (weight 0.01): Love signifies a strong positive emotional attachment to the game, often stemming from its alignment with preferred genres (e.g., roguelike, great movement) and its overall high quality. The game's aesthetics and soundtrack also contribute to this deep affection. - Challenge (weight 0.01): Challenge is experienced through the game's difficulty, particularly on harder modes and when attempting specific achievements. Players find satisfaction in overcoming these challenges and mastering the game's mechanics, leading to a rewarding experience. - Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is a strong negative reaction, primarily caused by critical issues like the random deletion of save files and significant loss of progress. Players also express anger towards perceived unfair enemy designs, frustrating loot systems, and negative changes introduced in updates. - Relaxation (weight 0): Relaxation is achieved through the game's suitability for casual play and its ability to help players de-stress. The game's atmosphere and straightforward gameplay provide a comfortable and calming experience. - Enthusiasm (weight 0): Enthusiasm is demonstrated through strong recommendations and high praise for the game's overall quality and value for money. Players are highly enthusiastic about the game's potential and its standing as a legitimate contender in its genre. - Confusion (weight 0): Confusion arises from unclear game mechanics, changes to existing systems (e.g., health system), or a lack of tutorials for new players. Players may also feel confused if the game doesn't meet specific genre expectations or if new achievements are unclear.}