RPGamer reviewed the tactical RPG Capes:

Capes Review

New Age Heroes

Many of us loved superheroes and always wanted to be one as a kid. However, real-life cases of obtaining powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider are rare to say the least, so we’ve had to settle upon other ways to live the dream, like playing videogames. Videogames such as Spitfire Interactive’s Capes, which brings a tactical slant to the superhero proceedings.

Set in King City, Capes takes place twenty years after an event known as the Showdown. Most heroes died or went missing that day, leaving the city in the hands of the Company. Having set themselves as the rulers of the city, the Company has outlawed all superheroes. They catch, cage, and experiment on any and all super-powered beings. The only ones who can stop them are a team of younger heroes led by their mentor Doctrine, one of the few survivors of the Showdown. This team takes on several of Doctrine’s old foes as they attempt to take back King City.

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Capes starts off with an interesting superhero premise of a dystopian city that is controlled by the villains. At the start, the gameplay can be rewarding and engaging, while the characters are well voice-acted, and the game has some nice tactical gameplay until the mid-game. However, things don’t manage to carry through and the latter parts of the game leave much to be desired. Those looking for a new superhero strategy game will get some enjoyment out of Capes, but could easily find themselves hoping there was more to it.

Score: 2.5/5

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Mortismal Gaming reviewed Capes:

Capes - Review After 100%

RPGFan reviewed the tactical RPG Capes:

Capes Review

Superheroes have found themselves represented in a multitude of genres over the years, from action-adventure to match-3, but the principles of patient strategy and slow control haven’t really been explored in the turn-based RPG space. While a few examples exist, they’ve had questionable success for one reason or another. Spitfire Interactive seek to change that with Capes, a tactical turn-based RPG with a dash of flawed superhero characters and a smattering of dastardly villains. They’ve enlisted the support of Morgan Jaffit (writer on 2002’s real-time RPG Freedom Force) to craft a story that would sit comfortably among weekly comic series of the last forty years. Although Capes’ graphics and mission design never soar to the greatest of superhero heights, the tight focus on tactical battling and team-based synergies offers a breezy romp worthy of a double-page spread or two.

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Capes offers a fresh theme in the TRPG market, with a story of flawed superheroes fighting for justice in an oppressed city. The turn-based combat is sleek and well-balanced and the unique Team-Ups offer a bevy of approaches to address mission challenges. The UI is clear and concise, and the game does a great job of presenting key information to make effective tactical choices. It’s a pity that a few hindrances, both graphically and in the repetitive combat, hold the game back from being truly epic, but if you want a little bish, bash, and boff with your tactical, turn-based RPG, you could do a lot worse than playing superhero with Capes.

Score: 81/100

The Koalition reviewed Capes:

Capes Review – Strategic Superhero Gaming

What if you took the world of superheroes in the aspect of the TV show Heroes and mixed it with turn-based strategy tactical games like XCOM, well then you would get a very thought-out game called Capes. Capes is the debut title from Australian-based company Spitfire Interactive with publisher Daedalic Entertainment.

Capes draws its comic references from the 80s and 90s. This was when they were still goofy and cheesy but also starting to venture into darker subject matter like Image Comics with Spawn or Wild C.A.T.S. This was the perfect time for a comic book reader, with the new character backgrounds, the design change, the tone of the comics, and the amount of original ideals.

The mood for Capes is straightforward, there are no superheroes anymore they all have been unalived, and only The Company and the Capes remain. In King City, superheroes (referred to as capes) have been banned for the last two decades after a mysterious group known as The Company came in and promised to get the masked vigilantes under control.

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I believe that they chose to work more on the core of the game to make a great product than to work on the parts of the game and leave it open for bugs and such. I really enjoyed Capes, the idea is great and the play was very decent. It was challenging at times and I didn’t want to see where it was going so that was fun. I think that for its first release, Spitfire Interactive hit a home run. I can not wait to see what else this small company has in store for the future.

Score: 4/5

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PC Gamer reviewed Capes (Video Edition):

Capes Review

Superheroes clash in this turn based strategy game. Recruit, train, and deploy your team in order to take back the city from the villains that hold it hostage. Is it a super game though?

The tactical RPG Capes has been released:

Capes - Official Launch Trailer

Capes is a superhero turn-based tactics strategy game developed by Spitfire Interactive. Players will recruit, train, and dispatch their team of heroes to save the city from certain doom.

PC Gamer checked out the upcoming Capes:

CAPES REVIEW

Every hero has their unique super-strengths in this wonderfully intense turn-based strategy game.

All the best superhero teams have one thing in common: everyone has their role. While Wolverine's charging in, claws flashing, Cyclops is up on a ridge shooting down lasers, Iceman is zipping around freezing foes, Jean Grey is delving into a supervillain's mind, and Colossus is body-blocking energy blasts. 

That's what your squad of superheroes feels like in Capes as you're directing them in turn-based battles. From teleporter Rebound to psychic Mindfire to speedster Mercurial, each character is wonderfully distinct, and securing victory means combining their unique powers to enhance their strengths and cover their weaknesses.

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Really, though, it's not the story that pulls you along - it's the depth of strategy on offer. The drama isn't in the cutscenes, it's in every nail-biting turn as you try and figure out the perfect combo to get you out of another fine mess. It can be a serious challenge - if you're the kind of person who hates the idea of reloading the same mission multiple times looking for the right approach, this probably isn't for you. But meet it on its own terms and Capes will give you 20-30 hours of wonderfully substantial and engrossing superhero strategy.  

THE VERDICT 
An awkward story doesn't hold Capes back from being one of the best turn-based strategy games of recent years.

Score: 80/100

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Couchpotato spotted a Capes review on CGM:

Capes (PC) Review

Not All Heroes

Capes caught my eye pretty immediately because it’s been quite a while since I’ve played a good turn-based strategy game. Actually, that’s not entirely true, Nexus 5 was a quite good turn-based strategy game, but I guess I was looking for a good turn-based strategy like Fire Emblem - maybe we need a name for that subgenre…Emblemlikes?

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As such, the battles feel very unenthusiastic and lack the excitement and tension you would expect from something like this. I get that the whole vibe of the game is the cyberpunk dystopian future, but when your gameplay is slow and methodical, and you’re ALSO adding superheroes into the mix, you need upbeat, exciting music to keep the player invested.

Like I said, Capes isn’t a bad game it’s just, ironically, not one that realizes its full potential. Its foundation is solid enough, and fans of Emblemlikes will probably have a good time with this, but without the backing of distinct audio and visual presentation, it gets lost in the sea of more distinct RTS games.

Score: 7/10

Nintendolife interviewed Spitfire Interactive about X-Men, XCOM and Capes:

Feature: Spitfire Interactive Talks X-Men, XCOM, And "What Age Has To Say To Youth" In 'Capes'

A new (Midnight) Sun rises

We first caught wind of Capes in the hazy days of early 2023. The turn-based superhero tactics set-up sounded like a novel idea, albeit one that we were worried might tread on the toes of one Marvel's Midnight Suns which, remember, we were still expecting to see on Switch.

That Switch port was eventually cancelled, and we Nintendo fans were left with an 'XCOM-meets-X-Men' gap in our game libraries. Almost one year on, Capes is set to fly into that gap.

But a Midnight Suns clone this is not. There's no Spidey, Wolverine or Doctor Strange to be found here. Instead, developer Spitfire Interactive brings together a team of original heroes, a fresh storyline and comic book references a-plenty to provide a new take on the equally new subgenre.

As we approach the game's 29th May release date, we were lucky enough to sit down with two of the creative minds behind Capes, Cade Franklin (Creative Director / Designer) and Morgan Jaffit (Writer) to get into the weeds of what goes into making a game like this in the age of the superhero.

Our conversation covered an Endgame roster-sized list of topics including the team's tactical inspirations, favourite comic books, Switch port challenges and Cade's time on LEGO Masters Australia (yes, really). So, get your super suit on and let's take off.

Nintendo Life (Jim Norman): Let's start with the big question - can you tell me a bit about Capes and why you decided to make it a strategy game?

Morgan Jaffit, Writer: It really came from the passion of our Tech Director, James Scott. James was a big fan of Freedom Force — a pausable strategy game that I had been involved with nearly 24 years ago — and he's also a huge superhero fan so he was keen to build something on that basis.

A two-phase strategy game made a lot of sense for us as a team. Most of us previously worked on Hand of Fate, a game that combines turn-based elements, card play and some live action. On that project, we learned that live-action combat is really hard! It's difficult to deliver and you're competing with the best studios in the world — the God of Wars and the Arkhams. Our preference has always been to pick a place where we think we can have a strong impact.

Turn-based strategy was an excellent opportunity to do that. We felt like we had some things to say in that space to add to the genre and the conversation.

Was this in a pre-Marvel's Midnight Suns world?

Morgan: Yes, it was! Almost every game I have worked on has had some great big competitor moving around at the same time and I think that there's a reason for that. There's a real truth to ideas having 'their time'. Some pressures exist in the environment that lead to similar games.

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Learn more about Mercurial - a teammate in Capes:

Capes - Meet the Team: Mercurial

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PC Gamer checked out the tactical RPG Capes:

Capes is a superhero game about the legacy its heroes inherit, but also the legacy of turn-based tactics as a genre

"X-Men meets XCOM" may be a glib summary, but it's not totally inaccurate.

Irrational's Freedom Force games celebrated the Silver Age of comics in all its goofy glory, with a cast of characters including a time-traveling robot called Microwave and a witch named Alchemiss. Capes evokes a later, more serious era: the Bronze Age of the 1970s and '80s, after Stan Lee ditched the Comics Code Authority's seal of approval to publish a Spider-Man story about drugs. It was a time when superhero stories became grittier, more political, and often dystopian.

Different as they are, Freedom Force and Capes share the influence of Morgan Jaffit. A writer on Capes, Jaffit was part of Ken Levine's Irrational Games during the Freedom Force era, and it's no coincidence that Capes references the period in comics history immediately following the one Freedom Force does. 

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Gameranx interviewed Creative Director Cade Morgan about Capes:

Capes Interview – Combat, Inspirations, Post-Launch Plans & More

We had the chance to speak with Creative Director Cade Morgan.

Are you ready to step into some new shoes and potentially a cape? Prepare those spandex costumes as a new hero-focused turn-based strategy game is flying our way with Capes. This title comes from a newly established Australian studio named Spitfire Interactive. Players will find themselves in a dystopian city that was a stronghold by supervillains using their iron fists and powers to keep their citizens in check. Still, their once prominent control is headed toward its downfall. So prepare to assemble your team and fight for this city’s freedom. 

Capes is set to hit the market this month, so you’ll soon be able to immerse yourself fully into this world filled with heroes and villains. We had the privilege to speak with Cade Morgan, Spitfire Interactive’s Creative Director. During our interview, Cade shared some exciting details about their upcoming debut title. 

Gameranx: For someone who is just finding out about Capes, how would you describe the game?

Cade: Capes is a turn-based superhero tactics game set in a world where the supervillains have already won, and possessing superpowers has since been outlawed. The player recruits a team of young superheroes who have to learn to work together to fight back against this injustice and right the wrongs of the past. Capes is the debut title from newly formed Australian developer Spitfire Interactive.

Gameranx: Could you elaborate on the story?

Cade: The game offers action-packed turn-based combat, team management between missions, and a unique superhero storyline. As the player assembles their team of heroes they fight back to reclaim their city, which the villains now control. Play across the dark and gritty campaign and patrol assignments, push the story forward, and reveal the truth behind the horrific Enhancement program of The Company that is pulling the strings behind the scenes.

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IGN shows a new Capes trailer:

Capes - Official Weathervane Overview Trailer

The Gamer Social Club checked out the upcoming tactical RPG Capes:

Capes Preview – The Supes are back in town… well, almost.

Welcome to Capes, the turn-based tactics game based in a world where the supervillains won.

The streets of King City are suffocating under the boot heel of The Company, and it’s up to the Capes (and you!) to stop it!

Welcome to Capes, the turn-based tactics game based in a world where the supervillains won. This first game from Spitfire Interactive and Deadalic Entertainment is set to release in early May, and brings superheroes to the X-Com style of turn-based tactical action. Clearly a labor of the love of comic books, the game captures a modern day interactive vibe quite well. The devs were kind enough to provide GSC with a code and I was allowed to play the first chapter, which is pretty awesome!! Thanks to the guys at Spitfire and Deadalic for that! Now…onto the preview.

Since bein’ this is my first game preview, am going to stick to a similar structure to my reviews. So let’s start with the Good!

The Good!
First things first, the graphics are actually really impressive for a indie dev working on their first game. Lots of very modern graphics techniques at play here and optimized fairly well for a preview build; the game ran quite well at 1080p and High settings on my i7-3770K/1050TI machine. There’s a decidedly cartoon/comic book visual aesthetic to the world design and visual style, while still retaining the photorealism vibe of most of today’s game engines. Interstitial cutscenes and character bios are presented with hand-drawn characters and limited animation sequences between missions, all really nailing the theme the devs were going for. The writing is a little hit or miss sometimes, but overall, manages to fit right into the campy, over the top and intentionally cliche world of light superhero comics very well. The voice acting, especially for the villains(which is where the money was spent in this regard), is actually quite enjoyable. The villains are suitably over the top and comment on the normal superhero/supervillain tropes of the genre, which makes for some laughs when you encounter them.

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The tactical RPG Capes will be released on May 29:

Capes | Release Date Reveal

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The tactical RPG Capes will be released in May:

Capes - Meet the Team: Rebound

Ten years ago, the supervillains won.

Since then they’ve created a dystopian city where developing super powers is a crime. Nobody has managed to slow them down, until now.

Capes in a turn based superhero strategy game where you build a team of heroes and fight to take back the city.

Key Features

• Recruit new heroes, train them up, and save the city.
• Fight across scores of different locations in turn based combat scenarios.
• Team up with your allies to unlock unique abilities.
• Stand against a variety of superpowered enemies.
• Uncover the secret histories behind the heroes and villains of the piece.
• Take your place amongst the champions in this high octane superhero drama.

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Mortismal Gaming checked out Capes:

Check Out - Capes

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A new demo has been released for the tactical RPG Capes on Steam:

Capes - Meet the Heroes Ep.1: The Ultimate Defender

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RPGamer checked out the tactical RPG Capes:

Capes PAX West Impression

Capes is a story about superheroes reclaiming their city from super villains and their agents, with a lot of characters to dive into there’s someone to connect with.

Superheroes have been a surefire way to gain interest in recent years.  There’s a vast array of possible directions for superhero stories, be they straight good-versus-evil tales or closer examinations of how they might deal with the general populace.  Spitfire Interactive’s tactical turn-based RPG Capes takes a look at an underground movement of superheroes as they fight back against the supervillain regime that won the fight for the city.

Capes is set twenty years after the supervillains initially took over the city, and players control a burgeoning group of crime fighters that are trying to reclaim it.  The party is built up slowly as they steadily find others with superpowers who want to change the status quo.  Recruitment isn’t one-sided, however, as agents track down anyone who gets superpowers, and they’re disposed of it they don’t join the supervillains.

In between main story missions, there are also repeatable levels and side quests to go through for extra levels and world building.  These quests have different objectives to deal with and are all launched from Cape, the headquarters for this intrepid band of heroes.  The demo shows two of the heroes: Facet, who is able to crystalize himself or nearby particles to provide high defence, and Rebound, who teleports short distances in a puff of smoke to be an agile member.  They are on a mission to save Mindfire, a wheelchair bound telekinetic, from being captured by agents.

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Wizard Worm checked out the Superhero RPG Capes:

Capes - Lead a Team of Superheroes! (Turn-Based Combat)

The Superhero RPG Capes has been annouced for 2023:

Capes

Ten years ago, the supervillains won.

Since then they’ve created a dystopian city where developing super powers is a crime. Nobody has managed to slow them down, until now.

Capes in a turn based superhero strategy game where you build a team of heroes and fight to take back the city.

Key Features

• Recruit new heroes, train them up, and save the city.
• Fight across scores of different locations in turn based combat scenarios.
• Team up with your allies to unlock unique abilities.
• Stand against a variety of superpowered enemies.
• Uncover the secret histories behind the heroes and villains of the piece.
• Take your place amongst the champions in this high octane superhero drama.