PC Critic Reviews

Pearl Abyss delivers a dynamic and visually stunning open world that feels alive and full of discovery. There’s plenty to do, and the game expects you to explore on your own, with challenging puzzles, memorable bosses and little handholding. The many systems and mechanics can take time to master, but are very rewarding. While the story takes a backseat and is told through lore, it is still a tale you don't want to miss. Strong performance and a great soundtrack round out this must-play experience.

Dark Souls has often been used to measure one's gaming prowess, but that measuring stick has changed with Crimson Desert. Not only does it boast some of the most challenging boss battles ever seen in the industry, its required levels of patience, determination, and ability have set a new gold standard.

Despite a few minor issues, Crimson Desert sets a new benchmark for this style of open-world experience, one that will be extremely difficult for future games to match.

If you are someone who wants a more linear or cinematic, story-driven campaign, Crimson Desert might not be for you. However, if you loved the sense of freedom and discovery that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had, then Crimson Desert is the next big game in that genre. Pearl Abyss has truly created something special here, that I suspect we’ll be talking about for years to come.

A monumental masterpiece: Despite the bugs, clunky menus, and awkward controls, its magnetic pull is simply impossible to resist.

Crimson Desert combines all the phenomenal aspects of some of the most notable titles of the past decades. It has the sense of discovery like Elden Ring, a deeply engaging and dense world like Skyrim, unpredictable moment-to-moment gameplay like Red Dead Redemption 2, and the exciting exploration and overall feel of the latest Zelda games.

But if the question was if Crimson Desert could really be that big and really play that well and really keep you entertained the whole time, the answer, for me, is unequivocally yes.

This is a once-in-a-generation action RPG that redefines the genre, providing hundreds of hours of incredibly varied gameplay that never stops giving you new things to do. There are a handful of bugs to hammer out, but don't let that dissuade you — you're looking at your likely RPG of the year.

After spending over 110 hours in Pywel, there’s really no debate: Crimson Desert absolutely delivers on its promise of a massive open world. Pearl Abyss has built something huge and alive, with a real sense of freedom. You’re not constantly being guided, you have to observe, experiment, get lost and that’s honestly where the game shines. Content-wise, it’s massive. You’re looking at around 120 to 140 hours just for the main story, and easily up to 400 if you want to see everything. The combat system is also a big highlight, it’s deep, fast-paced, and pretty demanding, with tons of options. Every fight requires focus, but that’s exactly what makes it so satisfying. Visually, the game looks incredible, with a world that feels immersive and believable. That said, it’s not perfect: the difficulty can be pretty unforgiving, it takes time to really get comfortable with the controls, and the story doesn’t always hit as hard as it should. In the end, Crimson Desert is a huge game. Ambitious, sometimes tough, definitely not for everyone, but if you’re willing to fully invest yourself in it, it’s a pretty amazing experience.

Crimson Desert is one of the most expansive RPGs I have played. It is a bold open-world experience with rich lore, atmospheric immersion, and dynamic gameplay. Despite the vastness of the world that overshadows the whole story and narrative, it still grips you and keeps you engaged with pursuing new mysteries. It is an addictive game, especially due to its scale. I am still finding new things to this date, and every time I feel amazed. One of the great reasons that I recommend this game to every RPG enjoyer is the care from the Devs. The devs are still hard at work pushing out patches and working on further improvements and features requested by the players.