The Crimson Maid News

You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone with anything bad to say about Dr. Filumen. He has been caring for Leon Rosenthal since soon after his symptoms began. Although he has failed to cure him, the family agrees that his endeavors slowed down the illness and even allowed him brief moments of clarity - for which Catrina is particularly grateful.


During his house calls, Dr. Filumen has befriended Remus, who considers him the only one willing to understand him, unlike his unsupportive family. The doctor believes Catrina isn't too pleased by this friendship, for reasons unknown to him. A fact rather surprising, considering his utmost respect for Lady Rosenthal and his willingness to take the long drive from his neighboring town all the way to the mansion whenever Leon's condition deems it necessary.

As he'll tell you himself, given the opportunity, Dr. Filumen served during the war as a doctor, a fact which helped him easily gain Leon's trust, due to their shared experiences and opinions - both have served, yet neither approve of war.

Poor Remus! Always in last place, even when running alone. Despite having stayed with his parents when Marius, his brother, abandoned the family, he never felt gratitude for his commitment. Even as he assumed the unwanted role of being in charge of the family factory, he was only met with criticism and contempt. Nothing he does ever seems to be good enough for anyone.


Even though he was often overshadowed by his older brother. Remus looked up to him growing up. As such, he resents Marius for abandoning him. The responsibilities that were always intended for the older son unexpectedly fell on his shoulders, overwhelming him.


The only silver lining for Remus is his close friendship with Dr. Filumen, his father's trusted physician. Despite the age difference, the two are like two peas in a pod, as the doctor jests. Remus cherises his friend and heeds his advice in all matters, as he feels he is the only one interested in his well-being.

Though he acts dettached and bitter towards his family, in his heart he yearns for their approval. With the certainty he will never gain it though, most of all, Remus wants to be left in peace.

Coming from a military family herself, Catrina married up in the world. Despite her not being of noble lineage, she married Leon Rosenthal due to the friendship between their fathers. Though an arranged marriage, it proved a fortunate one, as the bond and respect between Catrina and Leon is a cause for envy in their circle. They raised a beautiful family together and have the respect of their peers.

Over the years, Catrina gained a reputation of sternness - fair, but implacable. To those unfamiliar with her family's origins, she was the epitome of a noble lady. Unbeknownst to everyone but her husband, her demeanor was motivated rather by insecurity and the fear of being seen as a social climber.


Her family and its reputation are everything to Catrina. Some would badmouth her for caring more of the latter than the former. But Catrina knows that reputation is everything in this cutthroat world and that, in losing it, her family's well-being would be at risk as well. Besides, she is obsessively proud of her husband and his accomplishments and would do anything to keep his reputation intact.


Being married to Leon was Catrina's biggest stroke of luck and her most important accomplishment is being sincerely and deeply loved by him. She returns his feelings and respect twice over and would do anything for her husband, putting him first even before herself or their two sons. After Leon became ill, Catrina's sole purpose became caring for him and protecting his legacy - which often put her at odds with a struggling-to-cope Remus and made her resent Marius, the admittedly more capable son, for abandoning the family.

If you've played any of my games before, you know I always have controller support in them - not least of all because all my games also release on consoles, so it's a must. The Crimson Maid is no different, of course. But, for this game, I played around a bit more on the vibrations side and I'm quite happy with the results.


The first instance where the improvements become visible is in the first chapter, when you interact with the fountain wheel. Spinning it feels very physical when you hold the controller in your hands. There are many such instances in the game, as we wanted to have an enhanced tactile feel created by a combination of interactions, visual cues, sounds and vibrations.

Now, mouse and keyboard are just fine and they're a great way to play The Crimson Maid too - especially when you're solving the optional puzzles with swapping ceramic tiles. But if you truly want to feel the game, try using a controller, preferably an Xbox Series one if you have it, as everything has been tweaked extensively for that one.


There are of course options in the game to adjust the control experience to your liking, including camera speed, inverting axis and even turning off the vibrations - but why would you?

It's difficult to talk about controllers and vibrations, as it's best to try them out for yourself. So, if you haven't already, give our demo a play with a controller and feel the game. And please don't forget to wishlist The Crimson Maid.

Leon is the heir of the Rosenthal noble family and a much esteemed pillar of the community. He is married to Catrina and they have two sons, Marius and Remus. Coming from a long line of military figures, Leon himself is a decorated war hero, having fought during the Independence War, along with his brother and father - a general in the Romanian Army. When asked, though, his views on war are not what you'd expect - he abhors the notion completely and has raised his two sons as pacifists, breaking the tradition of his lineage.


Leon was the sole inheritor of the family fortunes, as his brother was disowned after he allegedly committed war crimes during the Independence War. Yet, long before receiving his inheritance, Leon had started a family business with his wife, Catrina - a small stained glass workshop that he grew into a large factory of renowned craftsmanship. After his father's passing and against his will, he split the inheritance with his renegade brother and invested a large part of his half in social projects, such as an orphanage, a school for young girls and a canteen for the poor. He became famous not only for his craft, but also for his generosity and his dedication to the wellbeing of his community.


When Leon retired, his decision was decried by all of his clients and associates. Rumours are that it was not simply age that led to his retirement, but rather a strange illness that overtook his mind. While sympathetic to his condition, it was the general consensus that his successor, his son Remus, couldn't possibly live up to Leon's reputation, both as an artisan and as a fair and skilled businessman. Nor did Remus seem interested in continuing his father's charitable work.