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Crimson Desert: Does it really live up to the hype?
An open world that surpasses even Red Dead Redemption 2 in its sheer size, with a gameplay that emphasises playful freedom. But is Crimson Desert really a good game? Here, we put it to the test.
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The open-world action RPG Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss has generated a great deal of hype in recent months, climbing to the top of the sales charts on the PC platform Steam (via SteamDB) even before if was released. It's little wonder, as the South Korean development studio has delivered one of the most ambitious and biggest open-world games of all time.
Six years of development, more than three million Steam Wishlist entries and a budget that would make even AAA studios envious. But does Crimson Desert really live up to the hype? We put it to the test.
01
Crimson Desert: An open world that is unrivalled
Such a huge action role-playing game naturally depends above all on the quality of the game world, and this is exactly what the development team has achieved so well. Even before the Crimson Desert release on 19 March, the fantasy role-playing game repeatedly underwent comparison with genre heavyweights Red Dead Redemption 2, Elden Ring and Skyrim, which have significantly changed the gaming world with their open-world approaches and mechanics.
Crimson Desert focuses on an impressive open world
© Pearl Abyss
The good news is that the game world is the real star of Crimson Desert and it certainly holds up to such comparisons. Pywel (the name of the world) is a continent that breathes. It lives and feels organic and coherent.
Five fundamentally different regions extend across the game world: from the wooded cliffs of Hernand to arid desert regions, dark ruined landscapes and the mysterious realm of the Abyss. What makes the open world of Crimson Desert special is that there are literally no loading screens and no artificial barriers to movement.
Crimson Desert
© Pearl Abyss
How big is the world of Crimson Desert?
The game world is about twice as big as that of Red Dead Redemption 2, but there are no official figures yet.
Protagonist Kliff scales rock faces with an ease that would make even seasoned pros like Sasha DiGiulian or Shauna Coxsey envious. You glide elegantly from rooftops, swing into the saddle of your trusty horse (or a dragon) and fly through the world with a jetpack – yes, seriously.
This freedom of movement lends the world a density and credibility that puts even Rockstar Games productions in a tight spot. In terms of world design, Crimson Desert actually reaches the level of Red Dead Redemption 2.
How long is the playtime?
The developers say that the playing time for the main story is around 50-80 hours. If you really want to discover everything and complete all the side activities, you can roughly double this playing time.
The so-called "Life Systems" provide additional immersion. These are in-depth systems for mining, fishing, hunting, cooking and crafting that draw you deep into the game world. These MMO-inspired mechanics ensure that Pywel never feels like a mere playing field, but like a living continent. Authentic day-night cycles also influence the behaviour of creatures, dynamic events change the world based on your decisions and the weather makes for impressive scenery.
02
Massive battles, tough difficulty level
The powerful battles are impressively staged
© Pearl Abyss
Crimson Desert fortunately doesn't do things by halves when it comes to action-packed battles. Combat makes up a large part of the gaming experience and, thankfully, the combat system is pleasantly varied and tactical. Combining fast-paced melee attacks with magic, weapon changes and environment-dependent manoeuvres to create a complex overall package that requires a lot of training, it is enormous fun once you have internalised it.
The boss battles are particularly impressive. There are strong Dark Souls vibes here, as each boss has its own mechanics, dynamics and multiple phases. The right strategy makes the difference between success and failure, and blunt button-mashing will undoubtedly get you nowhere here. It's quite challenging, but finally winning a boss fight after the tenth attempt provides unrivalled euphoria.
Are there multiple difficulty levels?
No. Crimson Desert only has one set difficulty level and it is definitely tough, but by no means unfair.
Crimson Desert is set in the fantasy world of Pywel
© Pearl Abyss
As a classic RPG, Kliff can of course be customised with an extensive skill and equipment system. Different weapon classes and magic combinations allow for completely different play styles, thanks to which the game sometimes feels completely different. The combat system is so complex that the play styles differ from each other in a much more nuanced way than is the case with many other games in the genre.
03
A technology landmark on PC and consoles
Crimson Desert marks an absolute milestone from a technical (and especially graphical) point of view. The BlackSpace engine developed specifically for the game achieves a level that hardly any other open-world game can match. The PC version runs as smooth as butter in 4K/60 FPS with active ray tracing and maximum details – assuming the appropriate hardware is used – without upscaling technologies, which is impressive in itself.
Crimson Desert conjures up impressive scenery on the screen
© Pearl Abyss
However, it's not just the technologies that make Crimson Desert so unique, but also the implementation. Take ray tracing: this is completely dynamic in the game, which means that sunlight reflects off surfaces in a natural way, for example.
Or the sheer fact that even smoke casts dynamic shadows, which has an amazing (albeit subtle) effect on the gameplay. Combine this with an impressive NPC density – all of whose AI characters act individually – as well as destructible environmental details and lifelike animations, and Crimson Desert simply feels organic and alive.
Crimson Desert offers a huge open game world
© Pearl Abyss
There are three graphics modes to choose from on PS5: Performance (60 FPS at 1080p), Balanced (40 FPS with FSR 3 upscaling to 4K) and Quality (30 FPS at 4K). PS5 Pro owners can look forward to additional improvements. Regardless of the mode, the world of Pywel looks simply breathtaking. Forests, deserts, cities and ruins are designed with a level of detail that makes wandering through this world an unforgettable experience.
The Crimson Desert soundtrack also deserves a special mention. Composer Ryu Hwi-man has created a musical palette that ranges from bombastic orchestral sounds in boss battles to calm, atmospheric melodies in moments of exploration. The score brings back fond memories of the iconic music of the Lord of the Rings films, composed by Howard Shore. Yes, Crimson Desert offers exactly this quality, which has a positive effect on the atmosphere and immersion.
04
Crimson Desert is not perfect
Despite all the praise, Crimson Desert is by no means a perfect game. The introduction overwhelms new players with systems, an overloaded interface and inventory management that is more reminiscent of classic and cumbersome MMOs than a modern action role-playing game.
The inventory and interaction with the game world is also not as convenient as in many modern games, and in the first few hours of the game you regularly find yourself pressing the wrong buttons or having to look up the mechanics in the menu. The controls are also clumsy and overloaded and there are no convenient functions, while the balancing of some boss battles could do with a touch of fine-tuning.
An adventurer surveys a mysterious triangle in Pywel
© Pearl Abyss
The story also falls short of the potential of the game world. Protagonist Kliff remains too pale over long stretches to really identify with him, and the core story is only too happy to fall back on familiar patterns (you are the chosen one who has to save the world).
The real highlights are to be found away from the main story. There are also a few bugs, graphical errors and problems that will hopefully be fixed quickly with patches. Crimson Desert is therefore undoubtedly not a game that will appeal to all players, as can be seen from the first user reviews: some love it, others don't.
05
Crimson Desert does a lot of things right
The world is full of secrets and mysteries
© Pearl Abyss
Crimson Desert is undoubtedly not a game that will make all players happy. The slow start could put off many newcomers, while the initial bugs and problems are annoying and the main story is noticeably lacking in substance.
But if you can overlook this, Crimson Desert is an open-world adventure that has more innovations to offer than any of its genre rivals in recent years. Pearl Abyss has transformed decades of MMO experience into a single-player game that simply works, creating a world that is unrivalled in its freedom and density.
Those who are prepared to explore Pywel on their own terms will be rewarded with a gaming experience that will stay with you for a long time.
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