CRABS MUST DIE!

Developer: Roman Kharlamov | Publisher: Roman Kharlamov | Release Date: 2025 | Genre: Action / Adventure / RPG / Open World | Website: N/A | Purchase: Steam

Crash-landing on a hostile alien planet is already a bad day, but CRABS MUST DIE! makes things even worse by filling the place with mutated crabs, raiders, zombies, rogue robots, and just about everything else that wants to turn you into lunch. Armed with whatever weapons you can scavenge and a battered bike to help with exploration, players must survive long enough to figure out what is going on and shoot a lot of crabs along the way.

CRABS MUST DIE! is described by its solo developer as a compact open-world shooter with light RPG and survival elements, which is a very accurate summary. This is not a massive Fallout-style epic filled with branching quests and deep character systems. Instead, it feels more like a small, scrappy, low-budget love letter to that kind of post-apocalyptic exploration, only with significantly more crustaceans.

The setup is simple. Players find themselves stranded on a forgotten planet and must explore the surrounding area, scavenge resources, complete quests, level up, and fight through hostile locations. The world is not enormous, but it is large enough to give the game a sense of adventure. There are camps, enemy groups, lootable areas, NPCs, and enough odd encounters to make wandering around worthwhile. It is the kind of open world where the rough edges are obvious, but so is the enthusiasm behind it.

Combat is the main attraction. The game is played from a first-person perspective, and players get access to a selection of firearms and melee options for dealing with the local wildlife and less friendly humanoids. Shotguns, rifles, and other weapons all do the job, although the shooting is more functional than polished. Enemies tend to rush, shoot, explode, or simply overwhelm through numbers, so fights can become chaotic quickly. The crabs are obviously the stars of the show, but the addition of raiders, zombies, and robots helps prevent the enemy roster from becoming too repetitive.

The RPG elements are light but useful. Completing tasks and killing enemies rewards progress, allowing players to improve their character and become better equipped for tougher areas. Looting is also important, as better weapons, supplies, and resources make survival easier. There is some pleasure in scraping together enough gear to push deeper into hostile territory, even if the systems are not especially deep.

The bike is another neat addition. The world would feel much slower to traverse on foot, so having a vehicle helps give exploration a better rhythm. It is not the smoothest or most refined vehicle implementation around, but it fits the scrappy tone of the game. There is something amusing about riding across a strange planet on a beat-up bike while mutated crabs and other enemies lurk nearby.

Quests are generally straightforward, with plenty of fetching, fighting, and clearing out threats. The writing has a rough sense of humor, and the tone never takes itself too seriously. This works in the game’s favor because the premise is already ridiculous enough that a completely serious approach would have felt out of place. Not every joke lands, and some dialogue is a little clunky, but the oddball personality helps make the game more memorable than it otherwise might have been.

Visually, CRABS MUST DIE! is a mixed bag. The game was made by a solo developer, and this is apparent in the animations, character models, and general polish. Some elements can look awkward, and the world lacks the detail or refinement of bigger-budget open-world shooters. However, the environments still have enough variety to make exploration enjoyable, and the strange sci-fi wasteland atmosphere works well enough. The game’s roughness is obvious, but it is rarely enough to ruin the experience.

The audio is similarly modest. Weapons sound decent, enemies make enough noise to alert players to danger, and the soundtrack supports the action without drawing too much attention to itself. Voice acting is not a major focus, and the overall sound design is more functional than impressive. It gets the job done, but it is not likely to be the part of the game players remember most.

Controls are mostly straightforward for anyone familiar with first-person shooters. Movement, aiming, shooting, looting, and interacting with objects all work as expected. The game can feel a little janky at times, especially during busier combat encounters or when dealing with vehicle movement, but it remains playable throughout. Players expecting the polish of a big-budget shooter may struggle with the rough edges, while those willing to meet the game on its own terms will have an easier time enjoying it.

The biggest strength of CRABS MUST DIE! is that it knows its scope. It is not trying to compete directly with massive open-world RPGs. Instead, it offers a compact adventure that can be completed in a handful of hours. This works in its favor, as the game ends before its simpler systems become too stale. The downside is that players looking for deep progression, elaborate quests, or a huge world to get lost in will probably come away disappointed.

Overall, CRABS MUST DIE! is an uneven but charming indie shooter. It is janky, rough, and clearly limited by its small-scale development, but it also has personality. The combination of open-world exploration, light RPG mechanics, scavenging, bike travel, and crab-blasting action makes for an entertaining little adventure if expectations are kept realistic. It is not a hidden masterpiece, but it is the kind of weird passion project that is easy to root for.