Crimson Desert is by no means a perfect game. It’s an amalgamation of perhaps slightly too many ideas, and that makes for a weirdly paced experience that demands a lot of the player without offering much in the way of help. And yet, it left me in awe more times than anything else I’ve played in recent memory with its dazzling open-world. Crimson Desert may not be the best game you'll ever play, but it’ll certainly be up there as perhaps the most memorable.
I consider myself to have the ability to see the best in something - and yet, I’m struggling to find any redeeming qualities in 1348 Ex Voto, a game whose concept I was fairly sold on. I can’t fault the ambition of indie studio Sedleo, but I’m afraid several potentially okay ideas have been lost within an experience that is underbaked, unoptimised and, at times, unplayable.
This collaborative effort provides a welcomed change of pace for longtime fans of the franchise, whilst serving as an alternative for newcomers who don’t favour the series’ typical turn-based offering. The end result is charming, soothing, and oh so incredibly moreish. Pokémon Pokopia showcases the type of reinvention you want to see in a franchise’s 30th year.