When did I first hear about Certain Affinity’s upcoming XBLA action-RPG Crimson Alliance? Honestly, it was when Summer of Arcade announced it as the free gift for anyone who purchased all five Summer of Arcade titles (one of which happens to be a Kinect-only title, which is causing a bit of a ruckus in the sans-Kinect demographic). Digging a little deeper, I found a game that I’m really looking forward to.
Crimson Alliance is an action-RPG game that reminds me a great deal of Torchlight, which was one of my favorite XBLA games this year. If it reminds me so much of Torchlight, then why should I even bother when I already have Torchlight? Well, Crimson Alliance brings four-player co-op to the table, both locally and online (though I’m not sure if you can have two local players with two online players simultaneously, which would be preferable) with a shared, non-split screen. This means I can take a mercenary, wizard, or assassin into battle with my friends’ mercernaries, wizards, or assassins and really wail on some monsters.
Your character(s) will enter the world of Crimson in a battle against a sinister cult, known as the Cult of the Soul Siren. Battle the Cult through labyrinthine crypts and ruined cities populated by mini-bosses and minions while avoiding deadly traps and pillaging hidden treasures. Each of the three main character types has his or her own motivation, which will be revealed in a story-driven cooperative campaign full of “betrayal, foul magic, and ancient secrets.”
Who doesn’t like that stuff?
Pricing has yet to be announced, but it is expected to be similar to current Summer of Arcade title pricing. Either buy it when it comes out, or get it for free by purchasing all of this year’s upcoming Summer of Arcade titles. The choice is yours!
