Crimson Desert, which has been eagerly awaited for years, has finally met with the players and we are here with the review of the game. This game, the first single-player production by Pearl Abyss, the Korean studio behind Black Desert Online, created tremendous excitement by introducing a new feature with each trailer; jetpacks, dragon riding, giant flying islands… And once you get inside, this world is truly impressive.
However, after a long game experience, it is necessary to say this: Crimson Desert is a game that lives in extremes. It’s breathtaking in its best moments; but it’s also frustrating and inconsistent. Story of Crimson Desert Game: In the game, you control Kliff, the leader of the mercenary group called Greymanes. The group is splintered by a rival organization called the Black Bears, and Kliff nearly loses his life. Kliff, who opens his eyes on mysterious flying islands called Abyss, slowly tries to both reunite his group and confront a dark force that threatens the continent.
The main story is actually a narrative mess. The flow of the subject can be difficult to follow at times and can become completely absurd at times; While grandeur and spectacle are prioritized, any real character development or depth of theme is left in the background. The game’s sole emotional focus is on regrouping the dispersed Greymanes members. Watching the camp grow and develop is satisfying, and there are moments of meaningful bonding between Kliff and his allies.
However, the game makes these completely optional from about a third of the way through; So you may miss most of it. Kliff himself is a bit problematic. It’s not poorly written, but it rarely does anything memorable. Despite telling a fixed story, Kliff feels like a passive observer rather than an active protagonist. The story has two different strands: revenge and the conflict of higher powers. Although the revenge branch allows us to witness some epic moments, the other branch, which deals with the higher powers, has an inconsistent rhythm and serves as a “foundation” that drags the player into new gameplay situations rather than providing a sufficiently deep lore.
Unfortunately, side quests largely share this weakness. There are more than 100 sub-quests in each of the five main regions; However, a significant part of them remains at the level of “take this item, take it to that man”. Filtering to catch the best is almost mandatory. I likened the structure of the game to Red Dead Redemption 2. Compared to that, Crimson Desert is the kind of game that players can explore for years and continue to find new content even after hundreds of hours.
Like Rockstar’s masterpiece, this game can be talked about for many years. Gameplay Crimson Desert is a game that wants to be everything: base building and troop management, combat, realistic physics mechanics, Zelda-like puzzles, relationship systems, dragon riding, and more. It is almost impossible to convey all of this properly. The game really shines when it comes to exploration. Inspired by Breath of the Wild, Kliff can climb almost any surface as long as he has enough stamina.
Two primary special abilities, Force Palm and Axiom Force, contribute to both climbing and puzzle solving. Rather than overwhelming you with icons, the map only highlights critical locations, leaving the rest for you to explore organically. Environmental puzzles appear frequently and offer meaningful rewards when completed. Although the Axiom Force ability is initially presented as a modest grappling hook, once developed sufficiently, it reaches a speed reminiscent of Spider-Man’s web-throwing; The character can be thrown around the map with almost Sonic speed.
The skill tree is also full of skills that can radically change the game. The combat system paints a controversial picture. The fight, which has a choreography-heavy structure, also offers depth. While Kliff can perform many attacks with a combination of sword and shield, extra moves inspired by wrestling moves are also part of the system; Although these moves seem strange, they enrich the fight. It feels fantastic when everything falls into place; Connecting a wide range of talent across large-scale conflicts creates fluid and dynamic sequences.
The fights combine the fast-paced hack-and-slash structure of Devil May Cry with the brawler spirit of WWE. Instant actions, such as throwing enemies into campfires, then diving at them with a sword and shield combination, turn the game into a literal wrestling game at times. However, these high points are often disrupted. Ranged enemies constantly hit you from a distance, interrupting your movements, and your own ranged attacks are incredibly weak.
To restore health, you can only use the food in your inventory or the meals you cook on campfires; This leads to an hour-long cycle spent gathering ingredients and cooking during boss fights. Boss fights also present a divided picture. Bosses with large, dynamic attacks appear in small arenas surrounded by very narrow damage windows. When you go above them without the necessary upgrades, you are easily crushed; But since there is no concrete level or stat system, it is really difficult to know whether you are ready for a mission or boss.
The main problem with the game is that it is overdesigned: there are too many moving parts. Many mechanics lack the depth offered by games that use it alone; but it still adds variety to the experience and continues to add new elements even after 100 hours. Even while walking on the road, my inventory quickly filled up by constantly pressing the E key and collecting creepy bugs. There is always something moving around you.
Of course, such detailed content can make the controls very annoying. Even after spending hours in the game, you still wonder “Which button does this happen?” You can react. I hope there will be a regulation regarding the controls soon. The Hero Contribution, or Reputation system, derived from the game’s MMO roots, is also noteworthy. Reputation points, which increase as you complete side quests in each region, can be converted into high-quality armor and equipment at special merchants.
This system strengthens the addictive loop of the game by giving side missions a concrete goal. Graphics and Visual Quality Crimson Desert’s biggest trump card is undoubtedly its visual presentation. Performance at Ultra settings on PC is largely stable, and it’s worth it: the game is stunningly beautiful. Draw distance is exceptional, you can clearly see points kilometers away from the horizon. This dramatically enhances the sense of scale.
Environmental design is extremely intense, especially in nature areas; A convincing and detailed image emerges. The massive world size is supported by a tremendous diversity in regions and assets. Butterflies alone have 30 different species. Lighting is another highlight: lanterns cast warm light on dark alleyways, candles illuminate interiors in subtle detail, and cities feel alive with their dense NPC population. Army conflicts in which dozens of characters fight at the same time maintain their fluidity even in these scenes that strain the capacity of the graphics engine, creating an impressive war atmosphere.
The lighting quality is sometimes impressive, sometimes problematic; The light falling on some surfaces looks unnatural. However, the patches released during the review period have already fixed a significant part of these visual problems. Music and Sound Crimson Desert’s music and sound design provides a supporting element compatible with its visual quality. The orchestral background carries a cinematic weight that surrounds epic boss encounters and massive army clashes.
In moments of quiet exploration, the ambience is silently active in the background; A crowded and living sound texture prevails in cities. Although the voice acting is generally successful, the dialogues of some supporting characters, especially Yann, reflect characters written not deliberately unpleasant but lacking depth. Environmental sounds are impressive: wind, water, animal sounds and crowded environments provide a realistic texture.
Music stands out as one of the most consistent elements of the game. Conclusion: Crimson Desert is an extremely ambitious open world game where Pearl Abyss pushes every limit. This game, which can be described as “a monster” on its own; It has the capacity to create addiction to exploration and discovery, but it also runs the risk of faltering under the weight of its own ambition. If all the unnecessary layers could be peeled away, the foundation of something wonderful would be revealed; Considering that this is Pearl Abyss’ first single-player experience, these quivers can be read as “growing pains” and are hopeful for the future.
A strong choice for those looking for visual splendor, pleasure of discovery and huge content volume. If you’re expecting a deep narrative or refined systems, be prepared to be disappointed. An open world that shines but falls apart in the shadow of great ambition. Story – 60% Gameplay – 75% Graphics – 90% Sound – Music – 80% 76% Crimson Desert is breathtaking with its visual splendor and huge world; However, its weak narrative, unbalanced combat system and overloaded mechanics prevent this magnificence.
It’s a promising foundation for Pearl Abyss’ first single-player effort, but it’s not yet a polished masterpiece.
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