Crimson Desert Reviews
Crimson Desert is now a game that works with you instead of against you, and with more updates still on the way, there's plenty more to look forward to across Pywel's biomes, towns, cities, and ruins. If you're looking for something that can completely take over your life, this is absolutely worth your time, and the kind of game that can leave you with countless memories even if you never make it all the way to the credits.
A technical achievement that proves you can build everything - and still have nothing to say.
Though I’ll call it imperfect but patchable, Crimson Desert is still impressive enough to be within striking distance of the juggernauts of this genre. At the very least, this represents one of the first few must-plays of the year. Perhaps contradictorily, Crimson Desert is a lush and generously-sized oasis of awesome that needs to be seen to be believed on PC. Here's hoping the console versions are up to snuff as well.
Crimson Desert is an ambitious open-world game that buckles under its own weight, making it a fun but flawed experience that will leave the player base divided.
After all these hours in Crimson Desert, it feels like the charm of this world is so powerful that, despite everything, it’s hard not to be drawn in. Poorly designed quests, a shallow storyline and various shortcomings don’t really bother you that much when weighed against the sheer ocean of possibilities the game offers. Crimson Desert is a game that is difficult to judge conclusively – it has plenty of strengths, many flaws, yet it is definitely not a game you can simply ignore.
Review in Polish | Read full review
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.
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.
Crimson Desert is a genre-bending experience; something that can't be easily categorized, and that is a good thing because it shows how complex and multi-layered the experience is.
Crimson Desert feels like a single player version of an MMORPG that has been live for years. Its sheer scale alone is enough to guarantee hundreds of hours of playtime. But with its weak guidance, cumbersome interactions, and many design choices that show little regard for user experience, whether that time feels enjoyable or exhausting will likely vary from player to player.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Proving that looks aren't everything, Crimson Desert's stunning visuals and strong performances aren't enough to save it from being a disappointing experience. Jam-packed with content and systems that make it feel like a Jack of all features, master of none with an unenjoyable gameplay loop, Crimson Desert is really just a single-player MMORPG in all but name.
Crimson Desert may not be a completely focused game, meaning it may not shine in one aspect overwhelmingly, but its diverse set of systems defies repetition and boredom and attempts to break technical and design boundaries. It is certainly a real technical achievement that takes open worlds in games to unprecedented levels.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Unable to decide what it wants to be and trying to cram everything together, Crimson Desert may not be a game that appeals to everyone, but it’s an adventure absolutely worth trying. Its story isn’t deep, but it offers a world where you can fully indulge your desire to explore different places across its massive map.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Excellent in many aspects, with great atmosphere, fun combat, a constant sense of discovery and novelty on an absurd scale, Crimson Desert is one of the best open-world experiences of this generation. Some problems don't detract from the brilliance of a title that always rewards the time invested and makes the player want to play more whenever possible.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Crimson Desert is not a bad game at all, but it really feels like this person who is trying everything and too hard to get you which will eventually get you tired of their attempts. Too many things, too little soul.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
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Review in Russian | Read full review
Crimson Desert is one of those games that manages to seamlessly combine elements from our favorite RPGs and open world games. While you can see some of its original MMO roots in the quest design and side activities, it’s clearly meant to be a wonderful, immersive and engaging action RPG focused on exploration and with a good, emotional story to boot.
Crimson Desert is one of the most ambitious games in a long time. It's an expansive, and deeply detailed fantasy world that constantly invites exploration and rewards curiosity. Its fluid, skill-based combat and sheer scale are genuinely impressive, but that same ambition often works against it. A lack of focus, overly complex systems, and a slow, demanding progression can make the experience feel overwhelming and, at times, exhausting. It's a game of extremes: deeply immersive and rewarding for those willing to invest the time, but far from accessible for everyone.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Crimson Desert is a demanding, complex RPG that can feel punishing and occasionally unfair, especially without constant progression. Yet it offers a breathtaking open world with unmatched scale and depth. Its reception will vary widely'frustrating for some, but deeply rewarding for those willing to fully invest.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
I had high hopes for Crimson Desert, but... I was more disappointed than thrilled. A single-player MMO based on things we love from other great games—it just couldn't work out as well as we thought.
Review in Polish | Read full review
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.