Crimson Capes is a Sword & Sorcery Action-RPG in development by the Poor Locke team.

The Game

Crimson Capes is a combat-focused action-rpg set in a sword & sorcery fantasy setting. The player takes control of a witch-hunter called “Tempest” who has been ordered by his king to take down a conspiracy of wizards. With heavy focus on swordplay and realistic medieval combat, the player will experience a unique combat setting with each enemy requiring a different approach. As the player progresses through the campaign they will acquire new combat techniques and magical powers to enrich and accommodate their unique playstyle.

The game takes place in a low-magic Sword & Sorcery setting, meaning that although magic exists in the game’s world, it is not flashy and explosive. The subtle nature of a low-magic setting allows for a more focused and less noisy combat, giving priority to swordplay.

Examples of spells are: a murder of crows descending upon the victim to disorient them, vines taking life and trying to entangle the hero, darkness blocking out the sun making it harder to see, casters dissolving into dust and appearing behind the player.

The core gameplay is focused on swordplay and anticipation. During each stage the player will combat their way through multiple hostile areas populated with a variety of humanoids, beasts and magical enemies. Equipped with a montante(greatsword) the hero uses actual montante moveset rules as written in medieval handbooks, mainly the rules of Figueiredo, Luis Barbaran II and Godinho. The goal of this system is to give the players the feeling of rhythmic choreography and swashbuckling, setting the stage of a power fantasy.

The protagonist is called the Tempest and is the leader of the Crimson Capes, a faction of witch-hunters who serve as the king’s strike force against evil wizards. They get their name from the blood-red capes they don, which grant them magic powers. The faction’s stronghold is a repurposed temple called Providence, located near the king’s castle and serves as the main hub where members of the faction rest and upgrade their equipment.

The player takes on witch-hunts and embarks on them in whatever order they please. Before leaving for a hunt, they can set their equipment loadout that will serve them for the duration of the hunt. During each mission they will find weapon and armor upgrades along with equip-able magic items called fetishes. Fetishes can be changed on the fly, but weapon and armor modifiers can only be changed in Providence. After a successful hunt, the player obtains the blood of the slain wizard and can infuse it in his crimson cape at the hub, in order to gain a magical power corresponding to that specific wizard.

Visuals

The art style is aimed to be a unique mix of pixel art and 3D animation. Actor models are rotoscoped and used as pixel art sprites. Colors are high in contrast and bright with plenty of lighting. Use of post processing effects gives the ability to add god rays, depth of field, lighting effects and enrich the atmosphere.

The animations are motion captured and applied on 3D models, then pixelated and used as sprites. This allows for fluid motion and a distinctive look. The use of early animation cancels through buffered animations allows for tight and responsive controls.

Gameplay

With the sole focus on combat and swordplay, the player is given a large moveset along with a plethora of abilities and items. The core of the flow is exploring, interacting with the world, facing combat encounters with increasing challenges and unique rewards.

Given that there is no dedicated jump action, the exploration is accommodated by ladders, building/cave entrances, elevators and predetermined jump points. Levels are mainly linear with some loops and optional branches that reward players with items and lore.
Interaction with the world is done through destroying evil altars, talking with NPCs, completing side quests and collecting items or parts of items.

Combat is the core of the gameplay. Encounters are predetermined and increase in intensity as the player gets closer to the end of the level. A boss is at the end of every level that puts the player’s abilities and loadout to the test. Combat includes light attacks, heavy attacks, feints, taunts, combos, dodging, deflecting, parrying and finally magical abilities.

You can wishilist the game now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2488540/Crimson_Capes/

We are aiming for release in 2025

Contact the Team: crimsoncapesgame at gmail.com