Developer Studio Poor Locke has confirmed that its upcoming sword and sorcery title, Crimson Capes, is scheduled to launch on PC via Steam on 12 February 2026. The game is a 2D action adventure that strives to adapt established Souls-like mechanics into a side-scrolling format, featuring a combination of methodical combat, non-linear world exploration, and integrated online multiplayer components.
The game’s narrative follows Milon the Tempest, a witch hunter responsible for leading an elite guild known as the Crimson Capes. Players are tasked with investigating a conspiracy of wizards across the kingdom of Amvros, taking on various contracts that gradually reveal the broader forces at work within the realm.
The gameplay focuses on animation-committed swordplay, drawing inspiration from realistic fighting techniques. This system requires players to utilise feints, thrusts, and guards, prioritising timing and positioning over button-mashing. There are four playable heroes available, each equipped with unique weapon styles and skill trees. Magic also plays a direct role in encounters, with elemental abilities based on fire, wind, thunder, and darkness woven into the combat flow.
Structurally, the game world aims to allow for non-linear exploration. Players can navigate locations such as ancient strongholds and mystical forests in any order they choose, discovering artifacts and narrative details hidden away from the main path. The experience also includes a multiplayer system where users can participate in online co-op as fellow hunters or engage in PvP by invading other players’ sessions as a Deathblade.
Dimitris Tsatsis, a programmer at Poor Locke, explained the developer’s goals regarding the translation of specific gameplay tensions into a two-dimensional space, sharing:
From the very beginning, Crimson Capes was built around deliberate combat that rewards initiative, precision and quick thinking. 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.
