When I face a new game I experience at least two very different but I believe complementary feelings: fear and expectation. and with Crimson Desert It was no different. We finally got to play and try it out for ourselvesfacing four of the great enemies and I bring you my feelings.
Crimson Desert, the best Action-RPG of 2025?
We’ve been hearing about this game for a while now, seeing trailers, images, and finally an extensive video at Gamescom 2024. But, before I tell you about my experience, Let’s talk a little more about this game.
Crimson Desert is set on the vast continent of Pywel and tells the story of Kliff and his companions as they strive to fulfill their mission and unravel the mysteries of an exceedingly rich world. The game, which combines action and exploration in an open world and will be released simultaneously globally for PC and consoles.
The screenplay: fundamental basis
As I said at the beginning, I always approach a new game with great anticipation (what surprises will it bring me?) and with a little fear…And we have already played many games, we have known many stories and, unfortunately, many times we have not come across something truly new, right? Well, I can tell you that with Crimson Desert that’s not the case.
The story begins with Kliff, leader of the Greymanesinvolved in a fierce battle against the brutal Black Bears. During the fight, Kliff is separated from his companions Oongka, Yann and Naira, and they disperse.
Tensions rise when Kliff duels Hernand and is assigned to investigate an incident in the city. On his way, he meets the Gold Leaf merchants. The story culminates in an intense battle against Split Horn, a powerful enemy that launches devastating wind attacks.
In addition to a rich narrative, We find a vast open world in which we play Kliff through varied landscapes, rich in detail and life, walking, riding horses and gliding in the skies.
This game shows us (as you can see in the video) the depth of the game’s combat systemoffering a wide variety of combos and intense battles, from one-on-one duels to battles against multiple enemies.
we’ll talk immersed in the game very soon, thanks to the cutscenes and voice actors who bring the world of Crimson Desert to life.
The Game: Crimson Desert got me hooked on RPGs again
And that’s it You won’t deny that we’re a little disenchanted with action and fantasy games lately. And I think it’s because of that lack of originality: they all show great technique, incredible sequences and images… but it seems like you always play the same games but in different ways skins.
Fortunately, Every now and then this trend breaks and something appears that you’re passionate about again.that makes your eyes light up at what you see and, above all, makes you want to pick up the controller again to spend more time in that world.
As you can imagine, in Crimson Desert I found that spark that I hadn’t found in a long time. And I couldn’t explain exactly why, since it’s a lot of successes: we have big, raw violence, with brutal fighting; well written characterseven some of dubious morals, which actually stay with you once you leave the game; and a protagonist who is the reflection of the classic fantasy hero but filtered by much of current literature (from Sanderson to Abercrombie)…
All this made me have a double sensation: It made me feel again like when I played those stories from long ago that seemed so original to me, full of attractive myths and dangers and, at the same time, has a modern and contemporary touch, which makes me experience a totally new adventure.
The experience: we disembark at Pywel
It’s normal for you to have doubts about everything I’m telling you, especially if we only look at the videos and demos you’ve been able to see. And that’s why I thank Pearl Abyss for giving me the opportunity to do this play and experience this game “in my flesh”. Because it’s the only way to control everything it offers you.
The players/journalists proceed in small groups and We are introduced to part of the Pearl Abyss team: Rick van Beem (Director of PR and Marketing); Sanghyun Yun (public relations manager); Sang Hyun Kim (community team leader); Luis Polvorosa (Community Manager) and Lybee Park (CEO of Pearl Abyss Europe) and briefly explain to us what we will find.
Let’s see a short video where We are told the story of the game, as well as a tutorial with movements…which is a little scary at first, since we have a lot of combos. In the end what we expected arrives: taking the controller and standing in front of the monitor, playing Kliff.
We’ll start in the center of the battlefield, facing more enemies, which will help us practice all those combos. I’m starting to stop caring about the controls, I’m starting to enjoy the game And yes, from the first moment I find what, in my opinion, is one of the major attractions of Crimson Desert.
In any demo or video of this game you can see the enormous graphic and technical quality that Pearl Abyss is achieving with this title. But that’s not what catches my attention. What captures me (and at the same time relaxes me and makes me enjoy the game) is the realism that emanates from the game: I feel every impact Kliff receives in my hands. Every blow is as if I had received it myselfwhich means that, even though my health bar is decreasing dangerously, I’m having more and more fun, immersed in the battle, in the adventure.
I am introduced to battle comrades, brothers and sisters by blood, but I’m so absorbed in the game, so focused on the enemies, that I barely notice them.. And it doesn’t matter, I’ll enjoy the script and story later. Now the only thing that matters to me is survival.
and little by little the “fear” of multiple control options is fading quickly because, although they seem complicated, they are very intuitive. I combine sword attacks (simpler and more powerful) with knee strikes and other physical attacks (even impaling the occasional enemy) until I reach the end of this phase and move on to a sort of portal from which to access the next one.
I have to face four bosses (I bring you only the first two): the Stag King, the Cane Demon, Maleficent Marie and the Rockcrab Queen.
The Stag King: Basic melee engagement
I meet an imposing and ancient king, armed with sword and shield. As soon as he sees me he goes after me. I’m still a little new to controls. and, while it is not difficult to predict their movements, some of their attacks are devastating. Against this enemy who never stops attacking and attacking (and after several failures, I must say) I opted for a defensive strategy: first block and then attack. The point is this It was the enemy that cost me the most to defeat… prove that the learning curve of the combos is very light and you control them progressively and easily.
The Reed Demon: the beauty of the samurai
Similar to a scarecrow, he compensates for his small stature with an almost magical movement speed, which will allow him to do so attack us fleetingly and very quickly, from any direction. As I face it, and when I think I know where it will attack me, it becomes more and more unpredictable, which once again forces my senses to become more acute and, therefore, makes me enjoy the game more.
This Reed Demon is able to summon copies of itself, obviously increasing the danger and difficulty, as well as creating four scarecrows that we must destroy to weaken it. Even though I did it “head-on”, using the bow might be a better way to kill them. This means that, Fortunately, there is no single way to face and defeat each of the enemies..
It is another example of how well thought out the Crimson Desert is: if with the Deer King it essentially had a hand-to-hand battle, with the Cane Demon I have to change my strategy and be as cunning as him.
And although this enemy is more difficult to defeat than the previous one, the truth is this It cost me less, probably because I control it better now. both moves and combos.
I leave you with my experiencealthough I must warn you that I shortened the video so that it is not too long and, above all, so as not to reveal certain aspects that it is better for you to discover on your own when you are lucky enough to play It
Maleficent Marie and the Crab Queen
I will tell you a little about these two (which you will not see in my video), so they can surprise you when you fight them.
With Maleficent Marie, again, I meet a totally different enemy from the previous ones, with different abilities and, therefore, which I have to face in a completely new way.
This character, with a tragic background, has abilities that making hand-to-hand combat very difficulttherefore it is preferable to keep your distance and use throwing objects and, above all, the bow.
Although what stands out the most is his design: his dark figure constantly reminds me of his connection to an ancient evil and He is truly a fearsome character, not because of his difficulty but above all because of his character. It emanates corruption and perversity.
THE Queen Crabrock, for her part, is something else.: a mixture of animal (huge and ancient) and mineral. His back is covered in precious stones that lure the most greedy… to their doom.
I have to face a moving mountain (I think that’s the best description) that keeps throwing me into the air as I try to scale its huge body to weaken it, with a very successful sense of danger. In reality the technique to defeat him is simple and repetitive, but it is not easy and we will hardly be able to achieve it..
Conclusion: a great game (without seeing it in full)
From all of the above (including the two enemies that I haven’t shown you but that you can see in the public demo) what do I get, and What makes me like Crimson Desert is the gameplay experience.. We have fun every moment (whether we fight or not), and the fights are frenetic, with ferocious enemies. This means you must remain vigilant at all times.
But you shouldn’t rely only on your own strength and skill. Also you have to deal with each enemy in a completely different waycreating a new strategy for each of them. And this is a great success: you have to combine strength with cunning.
Furthermore, the difficulty of the game is very well calibrated. There are many titles in which you face impossible enemies, which frustrate you, or others that are too easy to defeat, which bore you. In Crimson Desert they achieved a good balance which goes hand in hand with your progressive learning of commands.
And I can’t stop praising the atmosphere, the immersion (something I’m afraid I was a little harsh about when the game makers asked me how I felt): already commented the commanding sensation when receiving an impact (whether it was a crush, a sword blow or a punch), but it attracted my attention much more, if possible, my relationship with the environment. Every wall, every tree I crash against, every blade of grass cut by the sword (I invite you to review the scenes against The Reed Demon) interact with you (with Kliff) making you feel more that you are inside the game.
What I really look for in a game of this type is not that there are more or better enemies (this too), but that make me “get lost” in a world that surprises mea world that I want to discover step by step, in which to spend time exploring both the landscapes, the people and the stories of every place I arrive.
From what I could see in the demo (you have to see the full game, obviously), we are not faced with a beautiful but empty world. The interaction with our surroundings (whether in battles or in conversations with NPCs or in explorations) is very well done. and it gives me the feeling of being inside Pywell, and not in front of any other clone of fantasy and action games.
Furthermore, the characters (with whom I interacted) are well constructed and well written, The mechanics are quite innovative…the general atmosphere captured me and kept me glued.
We’ll have to wait to get the full game, but the experience was extremely pleasant and promises great satisfaction. I can’t wait to try the finished game.. And that says a lot these days.