Pearl Abyss released Crimson Desert, an open-world action RPG, on March 19 for Windows, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and MacOS at 6 pm EST. The game follows mercenary Kliff as he rebuilds his Greymanes clan in Pywel after an ambush by the Black Bears. Early coverage highlights its combat and visuals alongside critiques of repetitive quests.
Crimson Desert marks Pearl Abyss's first major single-player title since Black Desert Online in 2015. Originally planned as an online prequel, it evolved into a standalone experience using the new BlackSpace engine. Players control Kliff, a gruff Scottish-accented mercenary, along with Damiane, a flintlock gunslinger, and Oongka, an axe-wielding bruiser, switching between them for unique quests and fighting styles. Customization includes outfits, dyes, tattoos, and hairstyles but not faces or height. Pearl Abyss marketing director Will Powers indicated around 100 hours of content, with the main story taking about 50 hours and a definitive ending around 80 hours requiring side quests. The game is priced at $69.99/£54.99 and is time-locked, preventing early access even with physical copies. It ranks fourth on Steam wishlists. Eurogamer's review praises the technically proficient combat, likening it to Devil May Cry with weighty strikes, taekwondo moves, and abilities learned by observing enemies, such as Axiom Force grappling hook and bird transformation. Visuals in areas like Hernand impress with bucolic scenes, and activities abound, including camp management, horse taming, dragon riding, and cooking. However, the reviewer notes overwhelming mechanics, grindy resource harvesting, regressive quests like killing set enemy numbers, and underdeveloped characters and story, calling it 'a bit like prestige Candy Crush' for its MMO-like bloat in a 50-100 hour single-player package lacking texture compared to The Witcher or Dragon's Dogma.