The Crimson Hunt remote play co-op is currently the only way to play Farelas's third-person survival horror title online with a partner. The game features built-in local shared and split-screen co-op for two players, but it does not include dedicated online multiplayer netcode or online matchmaking servers.
To play online with a friend over the internet, you must use Steam Remote Play Together or external streaming software like Parsec. Below is an overview of how the cooperative mode functions, step-by-step setup instructions, input configurations, and known bugs reported by the community.
How Co-op Works in The Crimson Hunt
The Crimson Hunt follows a dual-protagonist narrative centered on two distinct characters trapped in a gothic Victorian estate:
- Victoria: A veteran vampire hunter sent into the estate to eliminate monsters and rescue Eleanor. She handles heavy combat and carries ranged firearms such as pistols and shotguns.
- Eleanor: A captive who escaped her cell and teams up with Victoria. While vulnerable, Eleanor can defend herself with melee weapons (like a crowbar), wield unique gear such as an ultraviolet flashlight to stun sensitive vampires, fire flare guns, and carry inventory items to support the team.
When running in co-op, the game renders in horizontal split-screen. Both players explore simultaneously, coordinate puzzle solving, trade items, and share scarce resources like ammunition and medical syringes. If playing solo, the second character acts as an AI follower, but the entire campaign is designed to be fully playable from start to finish in two-player mode.
How to Set Up Steam Remote Play Together
Because the game lacks dedicated online servers, only the host needs to own and install The Crimson Hunt on Steam. The joining player streams the host's screen via Steam Remote Play Together.
- Launch The Crimson Hunt on the host PC.
- Open the Steam Overlay by pressing Shift + Tab.
- In your Steam Friends List, right-click the friend you want to invite.
- Select Remote Play Together.
- Once your friend accepts the invite on their Steam client, Steam will stream your game screen and capture their controller or keyboard inputs.
- In the game's main menu, select the co-op game mode to assign characters and start the campaign.
| Feature | Local Split-Screen | Steam Remote Play Together |
|---|---|---|
| Game Copies Required | 1 copy | 1 copy (host only) |
| Connection Type | Same PC / display | Internet streaming via Steam |
| Input Support | 2 Controllers or Keyboard + Controller | Controller recommended for guest |
| Online Matchmaking | No | No (Friends list invite only) |
Controller Configuration and Input Issues
A common issue reported in Steam community discussions involves controller recognition during Remote Play sessions. Players have reported instances where a single controller is registered as both Player 1 and Player 2 simultaneously, causing one person to control Victoria and Eleanor at the same time.
To avoid input conflicts:
- Ensure Proper Steam Controller Mapping: Before inviting your partner, open the Steam Overlay (Shift + Tab) and check the Remote Play panel. Ensure the host and guest are mapped to distinct controller slots.
- Hardware Mix: Running one player on keyboard and mouse while the other uses an Xbox or compatible PC controller can cause mapping overrides if disconnected. Using two separate physical gamepads (one connected to the host PC, one on the client PC) produces the most stable input detection.
- Avoid Mid-Game Disconnects: Community reports indicate that if the joining player's gamepad disconnects during a session, the host's controller may inadvertently snap to Eleanor while forcing Victoria onto keyboard controls, which often requires a full game restart to fix.
Known Bugs in Co-op and How to Handle Them
Players running through the campaign via Remote Play and local split-screen have documented several technical bugs on release. Keeping these in mind can prevent losing progress:
- Grab Interrupt Lock: If an enemy grabs one player and the partner interrupts the attack using melee or gunshots, the grabbed character can become permanently frozen in place. If this occurs, players must reload the previous save.
- Autosave Weapon Unequip: When loading an autosave checkpoint, the joining player may be unable to equip any weapons.
- Storage Chest Disappearing Items: Some players report that storing excess weapons or ammunition inside the safe-room storage trunks can occasionally cause items to disappear. Keep vital puzzle keys and primary weapons in your active character inventories whenever possible.
- Ammo Drops and Reload Glitches: Reloading frequently or reloading specific weapons (such as after picking up the compact pistol) can trigger script errors where reserve ammunition is lost or doors fail to trigger events. Conserve your reloads until your magazine is depleted.
- Ultrawide Displays: Horizontal split-screen is completely bugged on ultrawide screens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Crimson Hunt have native online co-op?
No. The developer built the game exclusively with local shared/split-screen co-op. Online co-op is only possible through streaming tools like Steam Remote Play Together or Parsec.
Can both players play on keyboard and mouse?
Local split-screen on a single PC generally does not support two simultaneous keyboard-and-mouse setups. At least one player—and ideally both—should use a standard PC-compatible controller.
What are the minimum PC requirements to host Remote Play?
Hosting a Remote Play stream requires enough system headroom to render the split-screen game and encode video simultaneously. The game lists a minimum requirement of Windows 10, an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 processor, 16 GB RAM, DirectX 12, 20 GB storage space, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics card.
