Crimson Desert is an action-RPG. It’s also a medieval fantasy game. It’s kinda sci-fi, kinda like Dragon’s Dogma 2, with a sprinkle of The Witcher 3, and there are even some Breath of the Wild and Assassin’s Creed comparisons to throw into the increasingly ridiculous pot. It’s completely overwhelming, completely wild, and completely fun, and if you’ve been waiting for an excuse to finally give it a shot—especially with its countless updates and new Enhanced version—you could try your luck at getting it for just $1 with Fanatical’s Mystery Crate.
Crimson Desert is, admittedly, a bit of a strange game. The story of Kliff and rebuilding the Greymanes is maybe fourth or fifth on the priority list for Pearl Abyss’s single-player game, and normally, that would make it a less compelling experience. Yet, the higher priorities, like a solid gameplay loop and absolutely bizarre worldbuilding, make it so captivating that even hours later, I was still losing myself in Hernand Town, the game’s opening area.
Unlike The Witcher, which puts storytelling over combat—and for good reason—Crimson Desert decides to turn the combat in a typical action-RPG into something closer to a fighting game, and it works. Dishing out supernatural abilities while slicing apart enemies as quickly as lightning doesn’t feel button-mashy. It just feels right. Even simple actions like putting a flag into the correct position require a combination of buttons that initially feels stupidly complex for no reason, yet over time, it becomes apparent that it’s simply… fine. It’s just second nature at this point.