Crimson Capes Is The 2D Soulslike You Didn’t Know You Needed
Crimson Capes drops you into a beautiful, 2D world where every sun ray and water reflection masks a lethal threat waiting to end your run. This isn’t your typical mindless button-basher; it’s a Soulslike adventure RPG where the stakes are high, and the combat is heavy. You’ll explore fascinating locations with animated backdrops that feel alive, but step out of line, and the local hostiles will remind you exactly why the parry button exists.
Specs & HUD |
Gameplay Review & Mechanics Breakdown |
Performance & Fidelity |
Settings, Customisation & Control Details
Crimson Capes Steam Review: Specs & HUD
- Download size: The game comes in at a very lean 680.21MB.
- Steam achievements: Full support is included for the trophy hunters out there.
- The map system: It fills in as you play and shows all travel points, though you can also click a link to boot a browser page to show the full map.
- Blue flower beds: These act as your save points, where they heal you, give you 3 petals for healing, and respawn enemies; they also handle fast travel and levelling up.
- EXP and currency: Earned from killing people, this is used for buying new attacks and acts as currency with shop vendors.
- The manual: A knowledge menu fills in with stuff you learn, like tutorials for combat, exploration, etc, as you progress.
- HUD and prompts: You get constant button prompts during the opening prologue, and the Guild Castle features help signs to keep you moving.
Gameplay Review & Mechanics Breakdown
Combat is not just hack and slash; you have to learn parry, patterns of attacks, break attack poises, and then use your attacks. It sounds a lot, and it is, but once you nail it, it feels so good. Over time, combat gets more and more advanced, unlocking new attacks and combo styles like breaking blocks and getting in a cheeky attack. It’s a Soulslike adventure RPG at heart, meaning the learning curve is real and will be different for everyone.
The locations look fascinating and have many routes and secrets to find, which opens up the game a lot. You’ll hit big boss encounters regularly, but luckily, they generally have a blue flower bed save nearby, so you aren’t running miles just to die again. Charge is built up by fighting and lets you do things like electrify your sword, though it depends on what you have equipped as to what happens. If you want some backup, online Co-op is in the game now, and you can host, join, and set up private game rooms, or even have Duels via online with the same options.
Crimson Capes Steam Review: Performance & Fidelity
- Visual style: The game has a beautiful look to it, from the reflections in the water to the sun rays penetrating the world; it just looks so good.
- World design: The game world is 2D with animated backgrounds and foregrounds that give it real depth.
- Cutscenes and art: It features in-game cutscenes, art screens, and in-game character interactions to keep the story moving.
- Stability: The game runs well, and the small download size makes it an efficient install for the level of detail on screen.
Settings, Customisation & Control Details
- Controller support: You get full controller support, which is the way this needs to be played.
- Rumble features: Controller Rumble can be toggled in the settings.
- Visual toggles: Options include gore, display, resolution scaling, FXAA strength, bloom, and screen blur.
- Detail levels: You can adjust animate foliage, cloth quality, and background quality.
- Audio control: Features separate volume sliders for ambience, effects, and music.
- Interface: Settings allow you to tweak interface prompts to your liking.
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Crimson Capes Review
Summary
GOOD STUFF
The game has a beautiful look to it, from the reflections in the water to the sun rays penetrating the world; it just looks so good. I do like the game, and while it can be frustrating at times, the combat is its selling point, as is the vast world to explore. Combat is not just hack and slash; you have to learn parry, patterns of attacks, and break poises, but once you nail it, it feels so good. You get plenty of depth with online Co-op and Duels, and the way the world opens up with secrets and different routes makes exploration feel rewarding.
BAD STUFF
There is a learning curve to combat, and this will be different for everyone, which can lead to some real frustration. I found the new attacks to be OK, but they were lacking and didn’t mix the combat up enough, plus there is no replay value after you finish the game. The map is very basic and not great for reading quickly or knowing where to go. Also, clicking the link for the full map launches a browser and gives you no way to go back to the game unless you click the game window, which is not ideal for controller players and messes up big picture mode. Accessibility is also a letdown with no dyslexic font, colourblind support, or any game support options.
FINAL VERDICT
Crimson Capes is a gorgeous but demanding experience that proves 2D can be just as punishing as any 3D Soulslike. The combat system is the true star here, rewarding those who take the time to move past the hack-and-slash mindset to master parries and patterns. It’s got some technical annoyances with the map and a total lack of accessibility, but the atmosphere and world design are top-tier. If you want a vast world to get lost in and don’t mind a steep climb to get good, this is well worth the entry price.
