I experienced some of Crimson Desert’s intense boss fights firsthand last month. Although the quick fighting system and amazing creature designs left an impression on me, I was still interested in learning more about Crimson Desert’s gameplay and larger environment. Between such titanic battles, what transpires? I now have a far better idea thanks to a 53-minute gameplay video that the developer, Pearl Abyss, has exclusively made accessible to view here on Gamexta. If the combat in Crimson Desert is similar to that of God of War and Dragon’s Dogma, then the game’s overall gameplay is more akin to contemporary open-world adventures such as Assassin’s Creed.
The protagonist of Crimson Desert, Kliff, is introduced to us in the gameplay trailer. He has a tough Scottish accent and a no-nonsense demeanor. Kliff’s main objective is made apparent after a deadly battle between the Greymanes and the roving Black Bears established in the prologue. This is to look for his remaining Greymane companions who have been dispersed since the war and explore the continent of Pywel. Given that Myurdin was the first boss in the demo and that the Black Bear chief appeared to have killed him, Kliff also probably desires retribution against him. The entirety of the game will have to be played to discover how Kliff manages to survive despite having his throat sliced and his body loaded with arrows.
Hernand, a medieval town home to a diverse array of fantastical races that would not look out of place in a Tolkienesque fantasy tale (keep an eye out for the giants and the antlered elf-like beings among the crowds), serves as the backdrop for the majority of this preview demonstration. Similarly, Kliff’s interactions within its exquisitely rendered streets are exactly what you would expect from a contemporary open-world adventure game: there is a horse you can whistle for, NPCs to speak to (through cutscenes; there are no dialogue options available here), and dangerous areas to sneak into.
In the final one, Crimson Desert plays around a little bit. The demo features Kliff dressing up as a Hernándian banquet wearer to slip past the castle’s guards undetected, akin to how disguises work in video games like Hitman and Kingdom Come Deliverance. I hope you get lots of chances to do this and that your cunning has a variety of results. It would be entertaining if you could employ disguises to enter restricted areas and start fresh conversations.
In the final one, Crimson Desert plays around a little bit. The demo features Kliff dressing up as a Hernándian banquet wearer to slip past the castle’s guards undetected, akin to how disguises work in video games like Hitman and Kingdom Come Deliverance. I hope you get lots of chances to do this and that your cunning has a variety of results. It would be entertaining if you could employ disguises to enter restricted areas and start fresh conversations.
Although I am not very pleased with Crimson Desert’s writing in this demo—this exchange and others appear disorganized and self-absorbed—it does hint at a much larger, more legendary plot that goes far beyond Kliff’s search for his companions. When Kliff receives the glider-like “Crow Wings” ability from Alustin’s buddy White Crow, it becomes evident that he has bigger plans. With it, he may jump off the floating island of the Library and recreate the opening title scene from Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Using this motif is a little daring; can Pearl Abyss truly create anything that captures the essence of that famous image? Even so, the breathtaking view and eventual glide back to Earth are still exhilarating.
The demo’s final boss fight comes with Split Horn, who oddly enough resembles a bobblehead elf more than any of his goblin brothers. With a blade that shoots wind in both vertical and horizontal directions, he is as quick-witted and violent as Crimson Desert’s fast-paced fighting requires. Kliff is forced to duck and block to get closer. He does not put up as much of a fight and has only one health bar, unlike the bosses in the Gamescom demo.
The fact that it ends quickly adds to the indication that the game will include a range of difficulties, both large and minor. In addition to the previously mentioned “giant wrestler with stag antlers,” “the terrible snow deer,” and “a genuine mountain,” there will also be “small windy Joffrey.”
