Crimson Capes reimagines the core pillars of the Souls formula in 2D with deliberate combat and online multiplayer
Independent studio Poor Locke has announced that Crimson Capes will be launching on PC via Steam on February 12. The game is a dedicated sword-and-sorcery action adventure that translates the tactical, high-stakes combat of the Souls genre into a side-scrolling pixel art world.
In Crimson Capes, players take on the role of Milon the Tempest, a witch-hunter tasked with dismantling a conspiracy of wizards across the ruined kingdom of Amvros. As a member of the Crimson Capes guild, players hunt down targets across towers, caverns, and mystical forests, uncovering darker forces behind the realm's corruption.
The combat system is built around deliberate, animation-committed swordplay inspired by realistic fighting techniques. Mastery of feints, thrusts, and guards is essential for survival. Players can choose from four playable heroes, each with a distinct weapon style and skill tree. Magic is also integrated directly into the flow of combat, featuring elemental abilities such as wind, thunder, and fire.
One of the standout features is the implementation of classic Souls-style multiplayer in a 2D space. Players can join forces in online co-op to hunt together or invade other players' missions as a Deathblade, introducing unpredictable PvP encounters to the experience.
"From the very beginning, Crimson Capes was built around deliberate combat that rewards initiative, precision and quick thinking," said Dimitris Tsatsis, programmer at Poor Locke. "We wanted to bring the tension, discipline, and satisfaction of the Souls experience into 2D, by rethinking how the level design, vibe and multiplayer interactions work in a side-scrolling space."
Beyond the main campaign, the game includes optional Dynamic Hunts with randomly generated enemies and bosses, offering a layer of replayability reminiscent of Bloodborne’s Chalice Dungeons.
Crimson Capes features rotoscoped animations and hand-drawn environments that evoke the atmosphere of classic pulp fantasy tales like Conan and Elric. The game will be available for $15 on February 12, with a 10% launch discount. While the initial release is focused on PC, console versions are planned for a later date.
If you are a fan of challenging 2D combat and dark fantasy, you can wishlist Crimson Capes on Steam.
