The Crimson Scales is a free to play strategy RPG available in early access on PC. This digital title delivers a complete standalone campaign drawn from a popular fan-made expansion originally created for the tabletop game Gloomhaven. Players take command of mercenary parties on a lengthy narrative journey filled with tactical decisions, character development, and automated rule handling that keeps the focus on strategy rather than component management.
Gameplay
Core play revolves around turn-based tactical combat on varied scenario maps. Each mercenary in the party of up to four characters receives two action cards per turn, and players must select and resolve these cards in a coordinated sequence while accounting for initiative order, line of sight, and enemy positioning. Resource management plays a central role, as cards are discarded or lost after use and only refresh under specific conditions.
Between missions the party returns to a central hub to visit the shop, spend gold on equipment, and review progress toward party achievements. Character advancement occurs through leveling, which unlocks new ability cards, and through the selection of perks that modify decks or grant bonuses. The branching flowchart determines available scenarios based on prior choices and completed objectives, creating multiple paths through the campaign.
Enemy behavior runs automatically via built-in AI that follows printed rules. When an ambiguous situation arises the game presents clear prompts for player resolution. All bookkeeping, including attack modifier decks, status effects, and scenario tracking, happens without manual intervention.
Game Modes
The current early access release centers on a single-player campaign experience. This mode supports multiple separate save files so different parties or difficulty approaches can run concurrently. The full campaign contains more than fifty scenarios connected through the flowchart system.
Multiplayer support and dedicated solo scenarios remain in development and are scheduled for addition during the early access period. No other modes are available at launch.
Characters and Progression
Eleven distinct mercenary classes appear in the digital version, each with unique ability decks, strengths, and thematic playstyles. Progression systems allow players to level characters, expand their card pools, apply perks, and equip items purchased from the in-game shop. Party achievements provide additional long-term goals that unlock further opportunities or rewards as the campaign advances.
These systems encourage repeated playthroughs with different class combinations and perk selections, as choices directly influence combat effectiveness and available narrative branches.
Is It Worth Playing?
The Crimson Scales suits players who enjoy deep tactical decision-making in a campaign format without the overhead of physical components. Its automated systems remove common friction points from similar board game adaptations while preserving the core loop of planning actions, managing limited resources, and adapting to battlefield developments.
Because the early access version already contains the complete single-player campaign, interested players can experience the full story and character progression immediately. Those who prefer cooperative or competitive multiplayer elements may wish to wait for the planned additions. The title remains free to play, lowering the barrier for anyone curious about its strategic depth and branching campaign structure.