Black Desert Online Reviews

Black Desert Online is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7 / 10.0
Jan 13, 2021

Were losing hours of sleep and years of my life worth it? Probably not, but I had a fun time, mostly. Every class you select is enjoyable with a new and distinct way of approaching situations. The PVE/PVP argument is as predictable as ever, and you will sit comfortably on one side or the other. The sandbox and realism touches were an interesting concept, if a bit flawed. I liked how your effort met with in game reward, and this meant that every role that is taken has a meaning and a use. The fighting is good, even if you consider the annoyance of the combo system and the confusion with the skill tree. I recommend this, but it will consume your life. If you want to take on a unique MMORPG with beautiful audio and stunning graphics, then look no further than Black Desert.

Read full review

8.3 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2020

Black Desert Online remains one of the most complete and immense MMORPGs today. New contents continue to be added to a title with many possibilities that does require enormous time and dedication to be taken advantage of.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

70 / 100
Nov 14, 2020

Oftentimes, someone’s enjoyment of an online game is dependent on the people around them and if you find yourself having more fun when you’re surrounded by like-minded people, I recommend checking out Black Desert Online. Veterans of Black Desert who are looking for an upgrade should definitely consider Black Desert Online: Prestige Edition considering everything that’s included in the package. While the price tag may be a bit much for new players, it’s also a great way to set up a noob for success provided they have some guidance beyond the in-game tutorial.

Read full review

Unscored
Nov 12, 2020

Black Desert Online is an MMORPG with a remarkable character editor, many classes and many hours of entertainment. The game works quite well, except at players’s nuclei concentration where there is more lag. It has a wide repertoire of enemies and missions in various ecosystems, culminating with a good soundtrack. I would recommend the game to anyone who likes MMOs and anyone who doesn't mind giving hours to a title.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Gareth Fidler
Top Critic
5 / 10
Nov 18, 2019

Black Desert successfully ticks all the requisite boxes expected from an MMORPG, but it doesn't really push the envelope forward in any meaningful way.

Read full review

5 / 10
Oct 18, 2019

These console versions – at least the PS4 Pro Enhanced version I’ve been reviewing – have been heavily struggling under its mighty weight, and perhaps needed a little more optimisation before it launched out in the world of the sofa dwelling controller types.

Read full review

6 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2019

As someone who generally enjoys mindless grinding, there was some comfort in making my way through Black Desert’s massive landscape. But when there are other options that feel more polished, thoughtful, and creative, it’s hard to recommend Black Desert unless the absence of a subscription fee is a key factor.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2019

Black Desert does a lot right but a lot of it is hard to experience with little to no tutorial and technical issues that never really let up. It's clear that the current generation of console just isn't quite up to handling a game of this magnitude, but even so Black Desert provides an epic and frequently beautiful MMORPG experience.

Read full review

3.8 / 5.0
Aug 29, 2019

Black Desert is a beautiful looking game with plenty to offer, it just has a bit of a learning curve and some rather annoying design choices. In a lot of ways, I could see it being a fun game you casually play and enjoy with a friend or your guild, but it doesn't seem to have the same inviting feeling Final Fantasy XIV or ESO have. This is a shame, though a lot of things can be fixed with patches. Plus, the core concept is at least fun enough to make it worth the initial investment.

Read full review

60 / 100
Aug 29, 2019

Ultimately, Black Desert on PS4 is very user-friendly, and looks fantastic when running at a premium performance level. But while Black Desert’s aesthetic prowess and customizable sandbox experience is an achievement in the world of MMOs, it’s not a game that offers enough enticement in the minute-to-minute gameplay — or even in the grander, month-to-month scope of things — to leave me thirsty for more.

Read full review

6 / 10
Aug 27, 2019

Black Desert is rougher than a badger's behind, and the simple combat won't blow anyone's skirt up, but the game does have upsides. The world is fleshed out and fun to explore, the side activities are more amusing than the campaign, and the character creation is superb. This is the sort of game that will undoubtedly appeal to a small subset of people who are more than happy to accept the uglier technical issues as the admission price to a well realised world full of things to do.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Apr 15, 2019

Black Desert is a game that after 3 years is more alive than ever, with new game modes, and a renewed technical aspect that will please both new and veterans.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

6 / 10.0
Mar 15, 2019

If you can get past its flaws, Black Desert will reward you with a gorgeous game world and some incredible combat, but poor tutorials, repetitive missions, a messy interface, and the odd set of bugs stop it from being anything more than average.

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Mar 13, 2019

It's cool to be the hero you were meant to become in a pretty world, but Black Desert is lacking in the meat of other classic MMOs and requires a hefty grind.

Read full review

Mar 11, 2019

Black Desert is an expansive game, but Pearl Abyss needs to fix its technical problems on Xbox One.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 5, 2019

Black Desert on Xbox One delivers the full experience of the MMORPG in a streamlined way that works.

Read full review

Mar 4, 2019

Black Desert Online is highly addictive and layered but it does not offer much in originality.

Read full review

6 / 10.0
Sep 9, 2018

There is a lot to enjoy, but also an equal amount to dislike which is a shame for such a beautiful title.

Read full review

A-
Aug 26, 2017

Black Desert Online is a solid MMORPG choice, especially for the price. The skill based attacks opens up the game for some beautiful fights and needed challenge.

Read full review

5 / 10.0
Mar 30, 2017

Overall, Black Desert Online is a typical MMO in every single way. While I disagree with their claim that it's the “next generation” of MMOs, I did find the character creation to be the most robust of any MMO out there. Unfortunately, the character customization is the game's biggest highlight, and many of the other elements of Black Desert Online can be found in many other MMOs.

Read full review