As a dedicated gamer here at RPG Site, I’d love to share some insights into our world. We’re all about the role-playing games, be it traditional or unconventional, hailing from any part of the globe. Occasionally, we might expand our horizons to include visual novels and adventure games that resonate with the ‘role-playing spirit’. But generally, we keep things focused on titles that fit the bill.
One area where we really dig deep is understanding the genre labels set by publishers and developers. This helps us quickly determine if a freshly announced game aligns with our focus or not. After all, we’re here to bring you the best role-playing experiences out there!
Six years ago, the game titled “Crimson Desert” was first announced. Back then, it was characterized as an open-world MMORPG set in a world of epic fantasy. This description seemed clear enough, and I assumed it was a sequel or spin-off of sorts from the studio’s previous game, Black Desert. Given its title, which is a minor variation on the original, this wasn’t particularly surprising. By the way, whatever became of the game DokeV?
About a year’s time passed and Crimson Desert resurfaced, being characterized as an expansive action-adventure game set in an open world, offering content suitable for both single-player experiences and multiplayer interactions. By omitting the term “MMORPG,” the developers aim to attract a broader audience, as some may associate this genre with specific connotations that could potentially diminish interest. However, it’s worth noting that traditional RPG elements are still present in the game, but they’re not explicitly mentioned in the description.
Following a significant hiatus, Crimson Desert made its comeback at the 2023 Gamescom Opening Night Live. The game was described as a “deeply immersive, open-world action-adventure title.” Given my exposure to numerous gameplay trailers, I’m left pondering: “What exactly is this game?” Is it still an RPG? Does it incorporate online or multiplayer elements? When can we expect its release?
OK, maybe I had more than one question.
This year at Summer Game Fest Play Days, I got to experience Crimson Desert firsthand, playing a demo of the game, and addressed any longstanding queries I had following years of anticipation through conversations with Pearl Abyss.
The game called Crimson Desert is primarily designed for a single player’s adventure. From what I understand, it does not include multiplayer features. In terms of role-playing, there are items with fundamental stats, but there’s no Experience Points (EXP) or levels to advance. During the demonstration, the representative from Pearl Abyss mentioned that while there could be minor role-playing aspects, they are uncertain about labeling it as a full Role-Playing Game (RPG), as it lacks many typical features associated with this genre.
Following a brief initial scene in which I received a mission to locate a fellow “greymane” within an enemy camp, the action swiftly escalates into a vast war scenario. Hordes of my comrades are valiantly defending against swarms of adversaries. It’s evident that Crimson Desert boasts its expansive scope, with friend and foe NPCs scattered throughout the environment, and the game’s real-time physics engine controlling the destruction of towers and other structures around me (according to Pearl Abyss). The sequence was chaotic and quite overpowering.
In a recent chat with Pearl Abyss, they shared some insightful tips for battling in Crimson Desert. Instead of blindly attacking every enemy I encounter, it’s crucial to focus on my mission objectives. For instance, if I need to destroy towers and cannons across the battlefield, I should only engage enemies as necessary during my journey towards those targets.
In Crimson Desert, since it’s not a typical RPG, you don’t get significant rewards for vanquishing enemies, just the occasional chance at loot. This made defeating random opponents feel somewhat redundant because there was no tangible benefit to slaying them and the reinforcements were plentiful. I may have overcompensated by avoiding enemies entirely and rushing straight towards my goal, which resulted in hordes of enemies chasing me as I sprinted towards the objective at top speed.
During the demo, I found it challenging to get comfortable with the game’s control scheme since Crimson Desert’s combat system is modeled after fighting game combos rather than the typical action game controls found in most games today. Unlike common action games that have separate buttons for light and heavy attacks and skills, Crimson Desert demands players to learn specific button combinations in order to maximize their weapons’ potential.
In all honesty, I found my initial experience with the Crimson Desert demo a bit awkward. Much like mastering the intricacies of a fighting game’s move set requires practice, it seemed that I needed more time to grasp the nuances of its combat system. There was a particular instance where I had to eliminate a tank using a series of actions – leap into the air, transition onto my glider mid-flight, land on the tank, and demolish it with an aerial assault. The sequence itself wasn’t overly complex as far as button combinations go, but executing it flawlessly amidst the pandemonium of enemies and artillery fire was quite challenging in the heat of battle.
The mechanics aren’t as intricate as those found in fighting games, but there’s still an element of rhythm and timing at play. In my hands-on experience with the demo, I discovered that pressing L1 along with R1 created a stun-flash with my sword, effectively halting enemies. A combination of R1 and R2 resulted in a potent down-swing, while various button combinations enabled me to feint enemies, and another allowed for a wrestling-style body slam.
You can also link skills together for a combined effect. On one occasion, I leaped from one foe and sliced through another in mid-air, though to be honest, it was more from my reflexive button-pressing than any intentional skill.
Initially, it wasn’t unexpected that the controls seemed awkward since I jumped right into the demo without any tutorials or practice sessions. It seems reasonable that the actual game would gradually introduce players to the various control combinations. However, certain control issues stood out as possibly requiring more intuitive design, as they felt excessively complex, even during combat situations outside of battle.
One section of the demonstration involved lifting a large flagpole and setting it onto its base. I assumed this could be done by pressing some buttons, but that wasn’t the case. To accomplish this action, I needed to:
- Press both sticks in (L3+R3) to enter a sort of superpower mode.
- Face my camera at the fallen flagstaff and press □ and X at the same time.
- Repeatedly mash the X button to raise the flagstaff with this telekinetic superpower that main protagonist Kliff apparently has.
- Press △ to grab the flagstaff once it was far enough off the ground.
- Move over to the pedestal, look at it with L1, and press X to place the staff in it.
At first, I thought my awkwardness with the controls was due to lack of practice, but sequences like these have me questioning that assumption – perhaps they could be made a bit more intuitive and streamlined for easier use.
During the demonstration, there were a few minor issues with control that I found annoying as well. To converse with an NPC, simply being near them wasn’t enough; you had to approach them closely, press L1 to enter a “dialogue mode”, face them directly, and then hit the square button. Additionally, the game didn’t always make it clear which NPC I needed to speak with for progress. With many soldiers wearing similar armor, it would have been helpful if the user interface provided more guidance on who was essential for the mission.
At the conclusion of my demonstration, I unfolded the game map revealing numerous percentages and an extensive collectible meter with over a thousand items listed. Although certain interface features were concealed for the demo’s sake, it is evident that the world of Crimson Desert is expansive, and those who enjoy exhaustively exploring every corner will face a formidable challenge.
2025 marks the release of Crimson Desert on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam). After playing a demo that lasted an hour, I’m uncertain about what to expect from it, yet it’s undeniably grand in scale and offers a distinctive style in its combat mechanics. However, I remain unsure if the final product will harmoniously blend these elements, and I wonder if further refinement is necessary at this stage.
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2025-06-13 05:26