‘Crimson Desert’ Review: An Overwhelming Fantasy Epic That Says Yes to Everything
Pearl Abyss's vast open-world RPG is fascinating and frustrating in equal measure — a game made for players who love systems.
Crimson Desert is the "Yes, and" of video games: stuffed with just about every mechanic and idea imaginable, an overwhelming ocean of things to discover. After 75 hours, it still feels like there is more to uncover.
You play Kliff, a gruff Scottish mercenary of the Greymane faction, voiced by Alec Newman. After an ambush by the rival Black Bears leaves him with a slit throat and his comrades scattered across the continent of Pywel, he must rebuild — reuniting old allies and forging new ones.
MMO DNA
Pearl Abyss's 12 years running an MMO show everywhere: obtuse systems, huge build variety and middling questing. The combat keeps evolving, the puzzles are well crafted and the world is one of the grandest ever made for a single-player game.
Where it stumbles
The story is not gripping as told, the pacing of cutscenes is choppy, and some archaic design choices will frustrate players. Gear storage and bugs also need work.
Still, for the patient, it is a fascinating journey — even when the destination is underwhelming.
Need to know: Release date March 19, 2026 · Developer/Publisher Pearl Abyss · Price $70 / £55 · PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S.