Ethan Crossfield 
With Darksiders 4 still lacking a firm release window, Crimson Moon offers a striking alternative for fans of gothic action games. The upcoming Steam title reverses the usual matchup by placing players in control of violent angelic Nephilims rather than warriors battling them, while adding replayable missions and optional two-player co-op.
What Happened: Crimson Moon Brings Angelic Combat to Steam
Crimson Moon is listed for a September 2026 launch on Steam. Its story follows Nephilims, beings with both angelic and human traits, as they attempt to reclaim the fallen city of Gildenarch and prevent demons from wiping out humanity. Players can tackle the campaign alone or invite a friend, with both participants fighting through vampires, demons, and enormous abominations.
The combat is built around familiar soulslike ideas: deliberate movement, dodge rolls, parries, flanking, finishing attacks, challenging bosses, and loot-filled exploration. Runs are designed for replayability, and each deployment begins with a player-created loadout. Weapons, armor, throwables, modifiers, melee equipment, and an angelic transformation can all change how a mission is approached.
Why It Matters: A Soulslike With a Darksiders-Style Inversion
Crimson Moon’s clearest point of difference is its supernatural power set. Instead of fighting angelic enemies from the outside, players can transform into powerful angelic forms. One demonstrated ability gives the character golden wings, increasing attack speed and enabling rapid dashes between targets. Other showcased attacks include luminous spins and destructive beams of light.
Those abilities appear to function as major, limited tools rather than permanent upgrades, meaning players will need to choose the right transformation during loadout preparation and manage its cooldown in combat. The combination of angelic powers, gothic environments, and souls-inspired encounters gives the game an identity that may appeal to players who enjoy Darksiders’ visual language but want a different role within that world.
What to Watch Next: Builds, Co-op, and the Hub World
Between missions, players can return to a central hub inspired by the safe areas found in other soulslikes. Four NPCs provide distinct services and background details. Gallant offers enemy-hunting bounties, Mereda exchanges upgrades for lore scrolls, Lotte sells consumables, and the vampire blacksmith Gajov upgrades equipment and offers new gear in exchange for souls.
The mission structure should be especially important for co-op groups. Players can build around a partner’s strengths or create a self-sufficient solo setup before deploying from the war table. The main questions are whether the angelic transformations will create meaningful build variety and whether repeated runs will stay compelling ahead of the September 2026 window.
Key Takeaways
- Crimson Moon is currently listed for September 2026 on Steam.
- The game supports solo play and two-player co-op.
- Players combine melee weapons with selectable angelic transformations.
- Missions emphasize replayable runs, changing loadouts, and difficult encounters.
- A four-character hub provides bounties, upgrades, lore rewards, consumables, and gear.
Expert View
Crimson Moon’s strongest hook is not simply that it resembles Darksiders; it is that it changes the player’s position in that fantasy. Controlling the angelic side gives the game a clear identity, while co-op and run-based loadouts could broaden its appeal beyond traditional soulslike audiences. Its September 2026 target leaves plenty of time for the developers to demonstrate how deep those systems really are.
