Games Happy

If Crimson Moon seems to be in any respect acquainted to you, it is in all probability as a result of it was introduced earlier this yr in the course of the February 2026 PlayStation State of Play. Nevertheless, coming from a comparatively unknown developer in ProbablyMonsters and showcased alongside a number of extra recognizable recreation sequence, I’d not be stunned if Crimson Moon struggled to take care of consideration among the many quite a few different video games popping out this yr.

Crimson Moon is a mission-based motion RPG the place you management a half-angelic warrior referred to as the Nephilim. Your aim to wipe out an undead horde referred to as the Legion, as ruthlessly as potential. A surface-level comparability brings to thoughts Darkish Souls, in fact, however that is apparently not the one supply of inspiration. I met with the event workforce at GDC the next March, who confirmed me a hands-off demo on the time. “Darkish Souls, Darksiders, Diablo, Lies of P, Nioh, Elden Ring … we play all of them,” is what Chief Product Officer Mark “Bot” Subotnick advised me.

After assembly with the event workforce a second time and at last going hands-on with Crimson Moon at Summer season Sport Fest Play Days, my quick takeaway is that the sport appears to get not less than one essential element proper — it feels good to play.

Swings along with your varied weapon sorts have a sure acceleration to them such that the timing of assault animations is simple to get accustomed to. The contact with the enemy feels appropriately weighted and intuitive, all accompanied by satisfying sound results. I’ve some expertise with motion RPGs on this fashion, and getting used to the fight controls got here naturally and rapidly. It appears deliberate effort was put right here to forestall the sport from feeling floaty or weightless. My minor qualm right here was that the lock-on habits and digital camera controls might use somewhat little bit of polish.

One half about Crimson Moon that’s considerably distinctive compared to its motion RPG contemporaries is that it makes use of one thing much like a ‘lives’ system. Should you lose all of your well being in fight, be it to a shock assault or a poorly timed dodge, you are not essentially out of it but. You get three ‘revives’ that permit you to come again from the “lifeless” and proceed on, beautiful enemies in your means. On this means, the sport feels somewhat bit extra arcade-y, which can assist the sport discover an id away from different mission-based RPGs like Nioh. You’ll be able to transfer somewhat sooner and be somewhat extra reckless, understanding you’re not less than given some wiggle room to make a mistake or two.

All of Crimson Moon could be performed in co-op as nicely. I am unable to converse to how nicely this works in follow, as a result of neither the demo I noticed at GDC nor the demo I performed at SGF showcased this function. Even middling video games could be enjoyable with a buddy, though different video games (akin to Nioh 3) could also be extra fascinating choices.

Whereas I got here away feeling fairly good concerning the fight controls, different parts of the demo left me extra unsure or perhaps a little bit confused. The extent design is uneven at greatest, for starters. One of many essential parts to motion RPGs with out a map (akin to Darkish Souls or earlier Nioh titles) is that the design of the world, each aesthetically and mechanically, ought to naturally information gamers to the place they should go whereas rewarding a way of wanderlust. Crimson Moon did not ‘really feel’ proper right here. I am undecided if the degrees within the recreation are literally procedurally stitched-together connecting ‘rooms’, however that is what it appeared like regardless. Granted, I solely obtained to play one degree throughout my time with the sport, however the demo didn’t put its greatest foot ahead on this regard.

Crimson Moon can also be described as being ‘constructed round intense, replayable missions’. After I talked to the event workforce at GDC, they described the sport as a ‘mission roguelike’, though it is not fairly clear how this really manifests within the recreation. Many video games have mission-based buildings with out being ‘roguelike’ in nature, and it wasn’t clear to me how this comes collectively mixed with its motion RPG fight stylings. Throughout my demo, I did see a variation of the ‘choose one-of-three boon power-ups’ that has turn into commonplace in roguelike video games, on this case including small modifiers to my assaults. I am truthfully undecided if there’s extra to it than that.

I additionally do not understand how character build-craft works within the massive image, or what components of the development are everlasting and what components are temporal. I am undecided how amassing loot suits into this idea, both. Motion RPGs could be made or damaged relying on the choices obtainable in creating your character or progressing your construct, however I could not get a grasp on these parts. In a means, I really feel like I left the demo with extra questions than solutions.

The bigger construction of a mission-based roguelike recreation, or no matter Crimson Moon really is, is little question troublesome to painting correctly in a 20-minute demo. I do not understand how the short-loop / long-loop roguelike development works, and once I spoke with the event workforce at GDC, they did not appear sure both.

Crimson Moon is at present scheduled to launch in September. I in all probability need not inform you that September is completely packed (take a look at our RPG launch date calendar), and I am sure that what I’ve seen and performed of Crimson Moon to this point will not have me carving out time for it. RPG followers have already got lots to select from between Fireplace Emblem, Trails, Onimusha, Management, and others, so Crimson Moon may battle to say house in a crowded month.

I stay unsure however interested by Crimson Moon. We might use extra mid-sized RPGs that are not huge behemoths or small-scope indies.