Crimson Capes: The Indie Souls-like That Turns Real Swordsmanship Into Pixel Art

Crimson Capes drops you into a grim fantasy kingdom as a witch hunter and asks you to win every fight with footwork, feints and a very long sword. Developed and self-published by the indie studio Poor Locke, the 2D action RPG launched on Steam on February 12, 2026, and it has kept growing ever since, with two free expansions released since June. If it has slipped under your radar, here is what makes it stand out, and why its free demo is the easiest way to find out whether it clicks for you.

The Left Hand of the King

You play as Milon the Tempest, leader of the Crimson Capes, a guild of witch hunters who act as the king's strike force against evil wizards. As the Left Hand of the King, Milon takes on the work that knights and royal emissaries cannot be associated with. After the War of the Flame, the would-be usurpers scattered across the kingdom of Amvros, spreading corruption in their wake, and the Capes' first mission is to cleanse a cultist village and bring its Necromancer to justice. The story soon reveals that far more sinister powers are at play.

Swordplay straight out of the fencing manuals

Combat is the heart of Crimson Capes, and it is built on real technique. Fighters feint, thrust, cut and spin to open an enemy's guard before landing the decisive blow. According to the studio's press kit, Milon's montante, a two-handed greatsword, follows the movesets described in historical treatises such as those of Figueiredo and Godinho. The stated goal is a rhythmic, almost choreographed style of fighting that still feels like a power fantasy.

The toolset is broad: light and heavy attacks, feints, taunts, combos, dodges, deflections and parries, all layered with magic. The studio promised Souls-like encounters built on tight reads and punish windows, boss fights that test both your skill and your loadout, and optional Dynamic Hunts whose enemies and bosses are randomly generated each time. Between fights, you raid old ruins and magic towers, descend into dark caverns and cross mystical forests, in any order you like.

Sword and sorcery in a low-magic world

Magic is part of the arsenal, but it never drowns out the steel. The press kit describes Amvros as a low-magic setting where spells are subtle rather than explosive, which keeps the focus on swordplay. Each hero still has abilities that complement their fighting style: you can harness the winds, command thunder, raise flames or call upon darkness, and expand both your physical and magical skills as you gain experience.

It is also unapologetically brutal. Enemies can lose their heads, be brought to their knees for a finishing blow or be cut wide open, which is why the game carries warnings for violence, gore and some nudity. The gore is optional, though, and can be turned off in the options.

Pixel art with motion capture under the hood

Crimson Capes wears its pixel art proudly, but its animation pipeline is thoroughly modern. The studio motion-captures the animations, applies them to 3D models, then pixelates the result into sprites. According to the developers, this is what gives the fighters their fluid motion and the game its distinctive look, while high-contrast colors, strong lighting and effects such as god rays and depth of field set the mood of each area.

One guild, many Capes

Milon is not alone. The guild lets you take control of any of its heroes at any time, each with a unique fighting style and skill tree. Post-launch patch notes mention Capes such as Jonai and Feiyoun, and the latest free expansion added a ronin wielding a nagamaki, a long-reaching blade the developers compare to Milon's montante.

Hunt together, or invade as a Deathblade

Crimson Capes also has a multiplayer side, and it is asymmetric. You can hunt in online co-op alongside another Cape, or invade someone else's hunt as a Deathblade. Since launch, Poor Locke has added online duels that you can request from anywhere on the map, NPC Deathblade invasions and, in March, seamless co-op. Both players now keep their progress and can rest, level up and trade with peddlers, while the co-operator can switch to any hero of the guild, even one they have not unlocked yet.

Two free expansions since June

Post-launch support has been generous. Season of the Warrant, released in June, introduced Bounty Quests, in which you track down targets using clues scattered across Amvros, along with an optional CRT filter, remastered music and ambient sound, and mouse button controls. Tower of the Rose followed in September: the Capes pick up the trail of a witch who has been kidnapping people while a mysterious demon appears in Pointer's Woods. The update adds the ronin as a new playable hero, a new area called Hinterdale, five new bosses, new enemy types, a dungeon and new gear, including a Black Cape that lets you take on the appearance of a Deathblade.

Try the demo first

Crimson Capes is available now on Steam for Windows at $14.99, in English only. A free demo is still available on its store page, and it is the best way to see whether its deliberate, footwork-heavy combat is for you. At the time of writing, 88% of its Steam user reviews are positive, for a Very Positive rating. As an old-school touch, the game files even include an instruction manual, a game guide and a printable world map.

You can find Crimson Capes on Steam and learn more on its official website.

Images and videos: Poor Locke.