JOIN THE CRAB REVOLUTION
Knights of the Deep is an online, action-packed arena fighting INDIE game with crustaceans made by 3 people with Unreal Engine 4. Choose your favorite from a selection of 8 brawlers from the sea and duke it out against each other using a variety of weapons and special abilities. Each crustacean has a unique playstyle, learn them all and dominate the battlefield!
CRUSTACEANS
Pick your favorite champion from the deep!
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LOBSTER
Homarus americanus
New Latin, from French homard lobster, from Middle French, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse humarr lobster.
The armoured prince of crustaceans, the lobster is an all-around fighter with a tough exoskeleton and a pair of powerful claws, which he can use to pinch, punch, cut and swipe at his opponents. They are very aggressive by nature, but they may show a softer side as well. They are also quasi-immortal, and grow bigger and stronger with age. For the Lobster, winning a fight isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.
“With great claws comes great responsibility.”
BLUE CRAB
Callinectes sapidus
From the Ancient Greek κάλλος,
"beautiful" + nectes, "swimmer", and
Latin sapidus, "savory".
“Just find ’em and slice ’em!”
This beautiful blue swimmer from the American coast is a fast and dangerous bruiser who can slice his foes with ease, if they let him get too close. Once within his reach, it would be extremely difficult to escape or discourage his pursuit. The Blue Crab’s hostility can be almost endearing, for he is more likely to stand his ground with upraised claws than sprint away, even if met with seemingly insurmountable odds. The Blue Crab is a simple, yet effective warrior!
PORCELAIN CRAB
Neopetrolisthes maculatus
Porcelain crabs are an example of carcinisation, whereby a noncrab-like animal (in this case a relative of a squat lobster) evolves into an animal that resembles a true crab.
“In the land of pigment, Porcelain shines bright."
Allegedly, porcelain was invented in the Shang Dynasty 1600 B.C.E. in what's now mainland China but it still took the chinese over a thousand years to master the high-fire glazing technique that produced such valued wares sought all over the world. Millions of years before though in the late Jurassic epoch nature had its own plans in mind and the Porcelain Crab needs neither silica nor fire to develop its' shiny shell and sharp claws. So sharp a chelae that it can cut through armor like it's a child's birthday cake. Over a hundred million years of underwater struggle have yielded their share.
KELP CRAB
Pugettia producta
Pugettia producta can be found within pools of surfgrass. The surfgrass acts as a shield from the sunlight and predators. If a person were to pull some surfgrass away from the P. producta, then she would see its chelipeds in action, pulling the grass back over itself to keep hidden from the sun.
"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest of Kelps."
There among the floating blades of surfgrass lives a crab by the name of Kelp. Shaded from the world's harsh brilliant light, he ruminates the course of the ever changing tides while moving up and down his giant underwater forest. Desiring neither to be eaten fresh or cooked, the Kelp Crab took what otherwise could be the stuff of sushi masters and turned it into a dangerous instrument of mayhem capable of dragging its opponents close or pushing them afar into their deaths. Their lives now hang upon a thread or rather you could say they hang upon a kelp. And over time, as a sign of commitment to their deadly art, the wiser Kelps can be seen with a rough patch of kelp graciously growing on top of their shiny carapaces.
COCONUT CRAB
Birgus latro
Anything left unattended on the ground is a potential source of food, which they will investigate and may carry away – thereby getting the alternative name of "robber crab".
"A powerful hug means more than a thousand meaningless words."
A victim of the most ill-mannered slander campaign ever set upon a crustacean, the Coconut Crab appears to be indifferent by his bad reputation. A thief, a monster, a big bully with cannibalistic tendencies, etc. And perhaps he may be all that and much more that we dare not know, but listen to me: beneath those reddish murderous eyes there is someone (or something) that needs a hug. You just have to give him a chance!
TASMANIAN CRAB
Pseudocarcinus gigas
Legend goes that the Tasmanian Crab was once white as snow, but centuries of bloodshed have stained his carapace with the remains of gruesome battles. These remnants have hardened into a shiny rorschach blot of war whose beauty only increases as the carnage continues.
"The war is long, life is short."
Over 50 years ago the Australian Army engaged into battle with the emu for dominance of the plains. In the meantime, the population of the Tasmanian Giant Crab kept on growing, multiplying in number and size. The day might be near when the Australian Army might need to engage into amphibious warfare against this red monstrous giant-sized carcinised weapon of mass underwater destruction. Bigger than the Coconut Crab and the Japanese King Crab, the Tasmanian King Crab brings size to the table and will not stop on eating other members of its own species to satiate its neverending need for growth. Humans might be next.
MANTIS SHRIMP
Their punch is so fast it results in ‘cavitation’ bubbles. This is a super heated bubble and small flash of light, which for split seconds also generates temperates of 4,400c (which is nearly as hot as the sun) in the surrounding water.
“Can't touch me!”
George Foreman may have become famous for his punching abilities as one of the most powerful humans in history but pound-for-pound the Mantis Shrimp remain indisputed as the hardest hitting bio-kinetic muscular reaction to be recorded in nature's history. So powerful punch can cause the temperature of the seawater to reach the temperature level of the surface of the sun. If one's to watch closely, the super-nova can be seen whenever the chelae are fully-charged, ready to big-bang into a destructive force. Should a Mantis Shrimp grow to the size of a human being, there's no telling what could happen and maybe no boxer, or grilling set, could save mankind from its rage.
FIDDLER CRAB
In a controlled laboratory setting, fiddler crabs exhibit a constant circadian rhythm that mimics the ebb and flow of the tides: they turn dark during the day and light at night.
“Walk sideways and carry a big pincer."
Of all Nature's creations, crustaceans are without a doubt the most remarkable. However different they may be, in size or skill, all of them are most graciously furnished with the means to thrive and conquer. The Fiddler Crab is no exception to this generous rule. He may not be the most imaginative crab around, but who needs to run and reason when you have the biggest claw in the whole wide sea?
COMING SOON
SPINY CRAB
PISTOL SHRIMP
HERMIT CRAB
Porcupine crabs are one of 40 species of king crab, all of which are descendants of the hermit crab. They grow to be much larger than their ancestors, even though they still bear some resemblance. Higher numbers of these crabs are found as water depth increases.
When making a list of the loudest, most dangerous creatures on the planet, the diminutive Pistol Shrimp rarely comes to mind. In reality, however, the tiny creature is one of the top contendors in both categories, making it possibly the most dangerous creature on earth.
Hermit crabs have a fierce, fighting mentality and have been known to battle each other. When a hermit crab wants another crab’s shell, he’ll fight for it. A shell-obsessed crab will frequently initiate a battle with another crab in the hopes of winning a new shell.
TIGER SHRIMP
HARLEQUIN SHRIMP
SPINY LOBSTER
The tiger prawn was accidentally released from a research facility near South Carolina in 1988, allowing the shrimp to spread as far south as Florida by 1990. It proceeded to destroy native shrimp communities all around the globe.
A kind of specialist predator, Harlequin shrimp usually only feed on starfish. They are very skilled at flipping over a slow starfish on its back, and eating the tube feet and soft tissues until it reaches the central disk.
EMPEROR SHRIMP
CRAYFISH
An emperor shrimp is never spotted on its own. It will always be hitch hiking on the back of a much larger, slow moving species of Holothurian (the scientific term for sea cucumber) or one of the larger species of Nudibranch, such as the Spanish Dancer (Hexibranchus sanguineus).
Blue crayfish are nocturnal animals and love darkness. They also like to burrow and hide in caves. Procambarus Alleni, like their cousins Procambarus clarkii, are very aggressive and territorial. Although there can be some exceptions to this rule, there are no guarantees of peaceful cohabitation.
PRESS KIT
DEVELOPER:
Studio Prima Materia
PRESS/BUSINESS CONTACT:
SOCIAL:
Steam
RELEASE:
Q4 2023 on PC
Q2 2024 on Consoles
DESCRIPTION:
Knights of the Deep is an online, action-packed arena fighting game with crustaceans. Choose your favorite brawler from the seas and duke it out against each other using a variety of weapons and special abilities. Each crustacean has a unique playstyle, learn them all and climb the hierarchy!
Developed in Unreal Engine 4, Knights of the Deep inspiration came from mixing the party-like fun of fighting games such as Power Stone and Smash Brothers with the skill-based combat of games akin to the Soul-series. Essentially, it's like the open sea. Easy to get into it and have a blast with your friends, but if you stay too long you might just get a little bit too salty.
SCREENSHOTS:
THE STUDIO
Thiago Cancian
CEO/Lead Art Director
Rafael Brum
Lead Programmer/3D Artist
Arthur Dullius
Lead 3D Artist/Animator
Studio Prima Materia is an independent game development team based in Brazil. We aim to deliver amazing online multiplayer experiences for casual and hardcore players alike.
