Crab Game Review (PC)

S̶q̶u̶i̶d̶ Crab Game, as much as it tries to promote the fact that it is its own thing, is, unsurprisingly, a little reminiscent of a certain Korean television series—a show that, due to “legal” reasons, doesn’t need to be named. But let’s be honest, Crab Game is everything that you think it is, and yes, it is a clone of a tentacled cult classic franchise. It’s so on the nose, in fact, that it bases its entire identity out of the same tracksuits, the same ideas, and the same child-like aesthetics. It is, for lack of a better description, Squid Game meets Roblox, and it doesn’t even try to hide it.

In any case I’d say that, if you have watched Squid Game, then you should know how Crab Game works. Identical in countless ways, it doesn’t yearn to alter the formula, but to add its own two cents to a cocktail that is, quite simply, perfectly distilled in its existing state. Crab Game doesn’t aim to bottle lightning, but rather, to sample its post-thunder nectar in a way that doesn’t require a pair of tweezers and a lot of legwork. I suppose, in truth, it doesn’t want to be a new game, but a game that can lean into familiar habits and still make something of itself. The question is, does it pull it out of the bag, or does it make Squid Game look like the obvious choice for a pre-midnight binge session?

When it comes to Crab Game, you know what it is that you’re getting yourself into before the opening credits begin to roll. In mere seconds, you connect the dots and embrace those pure a-ha moments. The Red Light, Green Light game reels you in, and the familiar aspects soon begin to emerge from the back corridors of a certain Korean drama. It isn’t an original game that you’re participating in, but a digital imitation of another, slightly more complex television series. Yet, you can’t help but sample its world. It’s shamefully lovable, and you know it just as much as the next person.

To quote, “I’ve played these games before!” seems rather fitting, given that you have, in all probability, played this game before. Like Fall Guys or, broadly speaking, Roblox’s numerous iterations of the source material, Crab Game invites you and up to thirty-four players to participate in a series of childhood games—activities that either involve outsmarting rivals, toying with the environment, or simply clobbering others with a baseball bat. In addition to its Red Light, Green Light map, you also have The Floor is Lava, Hide and Seek, Bomb Tag, King of the Hill, and, for good measure, a series of obstacle-filled races. There are several others, too — but you get the idea. It’s Fall Guys with a little extra cartoon violence.

The whole point of Crab Game is to outlive your foes. As each game passes, another handful of players fall victim to the timeline, until all but one player remains as the final pawn on the board. To get to that point, each player must engage in a series of ruthless battles, some of which require strategic planning, others that require brute force, blind luck, and a lot of sabotage. The idea, though, really isn’t that difficult to grasp. If, say, you can wave a baseball bat around and adhere to a simple set of schoolyard rules, then you can throw your name into the gauntlet and vie for a place on the podium.

If you’re beginning to wonder whether or not there is more to Crab Game than a catalog of mini-games — there isn’t. Or at least, there’s nothing here that sets Crab Game apart from its greatest adversaries. Like Roblox’s imitation of Squid Game, it mostly consists of people repeating the same courses, competing for the same prize, and working towards the same goal of claiming temporary bragging rights over their rivals. On that basis, it’s all relatively straightforward. It might not reinvent the wheel, but it certainly builds on a format that has been trialed and enhanced over time — and that still counts for something here.

Crab Game is evidently a budget-friendly experience, so it’s best not to waltz into it with high expectations. Visually, it leaves a tremendous amount of fat out of the frame, with a cartoon-like design that is lacking in technical polish and graphical complexity. Moreover, from a mechanic standpoint, it follows in a similar path, with simplified controls and a beginner-friendly interface that, frankly, doesn’t require a lot of effort to crack. And if you’re thinking, ‘well, Fall Guys does it better’ — well that’s because it is, with all due respect, a better, more financially stable chapter. Though, that isn’t to say that Crab Game isn’t an enjoyable game. While cheaper and not overly complex, it does provide the fun factor and a reason to replay its stages.

If you’re able to tiptoe into Crab Game with a vague sense of what it is that you’re getting into, then you honestly shouldn’t struggle to bide your time in its various mini-games. Could it be a better game? Yes. Is there a chance for it to overthrow its counterparts? No. Will you still enjoy it for what it is? Absolutely.

Verdict

Crab Game doesn’t exactly beat around the bush with its open book of Squid Game-inspired shenanigans, nor does it try to be something that it isn’t. Simply, it takes a concept, and it runs with it, not with the intent to redefine the genre or to emulate lightning, but to add its own cartoon-like twist to a pre-owned bottle. In most cases, I’d call that shovelware and be done with it. But in this instance, I feel as if I can make an exception. Crab Game might not be beautiful, and it might be severely lacking in original content. That said, it presents itself as a thoroughly enjoyable PvP game, and it proves that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to make it spin. Maybe that’s enough, maybe it isn’t.