Demo served up by The Crimson Maid

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Supernatural murder mystery from the creators of Last Days of Lazarus coming to PC and consoles in 2024

Last year GrimTalin and Darkania Works brought us Last Days of Lazarus, a beautiful but disturbing family tragedy filled with religious themes and haunting supernatural events. For an (unrelated) encore, the two solo Romanian developers are dipping back into a similar well for The Crimson Maid, a romantic murder mystery befalling another ill-fated family.

Marius is a young priest in training who rushes back to his family home when he learns that his father is near death. Marius's departure for the seminary two years earlier caused resentment and unwelcome repercussions for his family, so upon his return to the remote opulent manor, he must not only try to ascertain the cause of his father's failing eyesight and memory, but mend his strained relationships with his stern mother and insecure younger brother. Complicating matters is a beautiful new maid named Irina, who catches Marius's eye and tempts him in ways he knows are unbecoming of an aspiring cleric. However, this "blossoming romance will soon be tested as a dreadful murder shakes the tenuous balance of this noble family."

As with its predecessor, The Crimson Maid is a striking first-person 3D adventure. Here players can freely explore the "magnificent noble mansion and its lush estate" in search of clues, items and collectibles. There will be some light puzzle solving to do – some of it optional – but you'll also interact extensively with Irina and the protagonist's family in order to "discover how they feel, their deep desires and what they may be hiding." As you progress though a story about "blossoming love, devastating death, and celestial curses," this early twentienth-century period drama becomes a "journey of self-discovery as you eventually come to terms with your choices, their consequences, and the unexpected legacy of your lineage."

There is no target release date just yet, but The Crimson Maid is due to arrive on Windows PC sometime in 2024, along with console versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. For an early taste of what to expect, a playable demo is available now on Steam, taking place right at the start of the game.