Key Takeaways
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- Crimson Desert, despite its impressive initial player count and $70 launch price, has received mixed reviews on Steam, with many players expressing frustration due to confusing controls, a clunky interface, and tedious missions.
- The games narrative and pacing are heavily criticized, with players encountering unenjoyable puzzles, unimpressive boss fights, and superficial dialogues. The story and characters are also considered subpar.
- Technical issues have been reported by players, including visual artifacts, excessive noise in shadows and vegetation, erratic camera movement, and errors with Intel Arc graphics cards. Some players feel that the game relies too heavily on upscaling technologies like DLSS and ray tracing to maintain smooth performance.
- While some appreciate the games stunning visuals and potential combat, many find Crimson Desert to be trying to do too much, blending elements from games like The Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, ultimately leaving players with a disappointing experience.
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Pearl Abyss’s highly anticipated Crimson Desert has launched, achieving an impressive peak of 239,045 concurrent players within its first 24 hours and currently boasting over 133,000 active players, according to SteamDB data. However, this initial sales success contrasts sharply with player reception: Crimson Desert currently holds a “Neutral” rating on Steam, with approximately 59.15% positive reviews out of over 13,000. Player comments reveal widespread frustration with the game’s current state, especially considering its $70 launch price. While some acknowledge the game’s stunning visuals, vibrant world, and vast scope, others find it tedious. The game’s positive pre-release previews contrast sharply with the negative user reviews currently seen on Steam, suggesting the game is struggling to maintain a positive reputation. Over 8,000 negative reviews have been posted, representing over 41% of total feedback. Pearl Abyss has already released updates to address some gameplay issues in Crimson Desert. However, the weak storyline may remain unaddressed. While Metacritic gave Crimson Desert a score of 78 out of 100, this contrasts with the predominantly negative player feedback on Steam. Primary reasons for negative reviews and refund requests include:
Terrible Controls and Confusing Interface: The most frequent complaint revolves around the control system, with many describing it as the worst in the last 20 years. Players report an awkward and unresponsive movement experience, where simple actions like interacting with NPCs or picking up items require multiple button combinations or holding down several keys while precisely aiming the camera. Players also criticize the story, characters, and clunky movement. Puzzles are considered unenjoyable and confusing, while boss fights are unimpressive. The user interface and inventory system are described as chaotic and difficult to navigate, with insufficient space in the inventory. Moreover, the game does not allow key remapping, forcing keyboard and mouse users to use a poor configuration. An Offline MMO with Tedious Missions: Despite being a single-player experience, Crimson Desert is criticized for inheriting the worst aspects of MMORPGs, such as Pearl Abyss’s own Black Desert Online. The narrative and pacing are heavily criticized. Players encounter a series of tedious early-game missions, such as cleaning chimneys, rescuing cats, finding lost sheep, and participating in frustrating arm-wrestling minigames. Cutscenes are frequent and only fast-forwardable, not skippable, while dialogues are considered superficial.
Aspiring Masterpiece or Bust? Players Confront Technical Troubles in Crimson Desert
Visual and Performance Issues: Although some acknowledge the game’s stunning landscapes and combat potential, the technical side is divisive. Players report that the game relies too heavily on upscaling technologies like DLSS and ray tracing to maintain smooth performance. Without optimal settings, the game suffers from blurry, pixelated graphics, visual artifacts, and excessive noise in shadows and vegetation (which moves unrealistically). The camera is also a source of frustration, moving erratically. Additionally, users with Intel Arc graphics cards have reported an error message preventing them from launching the game. Players feel that Crimson Desert, while ambitious in its attempt to blend elements from games like The Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, ultimately tries to do too much.
In Case You Missed It
While we’ve been immersed in the vast worlds of our latest gaming obsession, it’s hard not to be drawn into the buzz surrounding Crimson Desert. Sophie Laurent’s recent pieces have got us excited – first with her March 20th article, “Crimson Desert Marks a Triumphant Debut”, revealing that this Korean MMO sold over 2 million copies worldwide in just one day Crimson Desert Marks a Triumphant Debut. Then, Sophie’s latest analysis on March 21st, “PS5 Base Surprisingly Reaches 80 fps in New Crimson Desert”, dove into ElAnalistaDeBits’ technical comparison of Crimson Desert on PS5 and PS5 Pro models, showing impressive performance peaks despite visual compromises PS5 Base Surprisingly Reaches 80 fps in New Crimson Desert. Speaking of gaming escapes, Ahmed Hassan’s latest post on March 21st, “What will you be playing over this weekend?”, reminds us how weekends are perfect for revisiting old favorites or trying out new games with friends What will you be playing over this weekend?. So, why not combine all three and make your gaming weekend a Crimson Desert adventure?
| Specification | |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Crimson Desert |
| Brief Summary | A devastating ambush in the deep of night by their sworn enemies the Black Bears leaves members of the Greymanes dead or scattered across the continent. Kliff – having lost his Greymane comrades, his family in all but name – is determined to reunite with the survivors, rebuild the fallen Greymanes, and reclaim what was lost. But on a journey where alliances are forged, dangers abound, and mysterious factions are uncovered, Kliff will come to realize that an unprecedented threat and a destiny greater than he imagined await him.
Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel. Embark on a journey as the Greymane Kliff and restore what has been lost. Explore uncharted lands, fight against threats that stand in your way, and discover the wonders the world has in store. |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox Series X|S, Mac |
| Released | March 19, 2026 |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Play Modes | Single player |
| Content Rating | 18+ |
| Languages | Chinese (Simplified), English, Korean |
| Genre | Pearl Abyss |
| Genre | Pearl Abyss |
| Ratings | 87/100 (18 reviews) |
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