Crimson Desert is a massive, bombastic action RPG that lets you RKO people

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Previously, when I engaged in Crimson Desert, I approached it like a string of boss battles. There were three formidable adversaries, each displaying similar nobility, and all were defeated. Lex Luddy previously reviewed that demo on Shacknews, and while I found it more appealing than she did (I have a penchant for mechanics), her assessment was correct: a series of boss fights does not typically equate to an exceptional video game. Therefore, when given the chance to experience a one-hour demo during Summer Game Fest, I agreed, despite being unsure about the specifics.

The solution? A significant part of the entire event, or in simpler terms, a substantial piece of the puzzle. To borrow from the words of Captain Willard in Apocalypse Now, “I asked for a task, and for my transgressions, they provided one. And when it was complete, I would yearn for more.

In this instance, I find myself besieging a fortress. If you’re unfamiliar with Crimson Desert, you assume the role of Kliff, chief of Gremayne mercenaries. He’s attempting to reassemble his group following an attack by the Drunken Black Bears on the Greymaynes. His quest for his comrades leads him to Calphade, where he seeks Oongka, one of his most reliable associates. As he looks for him, he discovers that there’s a rebellion aimed at ousting Marquis Stefan Lanford, the ruler of Calphade and an ally to the Greymanes. The rebellion is not going smoothly for Stefan, and Kliff is eventually persuaded by Barden Middler, who has witnessed his fighting skills before, to join the uprising. It’s one of those “I believe this is the start of a wonderful friendship” moments. Despite being filled with political machinations reminiscent of Game of Thrones, the essence is that there’s a castle under attack, and something must be done about it.

Following a quick visit to a welcoming settlement for ambiance and information gathering, I moved on to some tidying tasks before the actual siege began. The priority was to boost morale, which had taken a dip. This required using Kliff’s telekinetic abilities to hoist our banner, show it off, and return it to its stand. My public relations companion advised me to focus on this method as it would be crucial later. I assured them I would remember. Let’s continue to see if my memory serves me well!

After I’d successfully repaired the cannon and destroyed a few guard towers (they went up in quite a spectacle), it was time for some real-life battle action. Before long, I found myself on the battlefield amidst what felt like scores, if not hundreds of other warriors, giving me another chance to dive into Crimson Desert’s exhilarating combat system. This was precisely what had piqued my interest the most. Let me tell you, Crimson Desert is a game for adrenaline junkies – in the best possible way! The battle mechanics are intricate and diverse. You can unleash standard sword attacks, but you can also swiftly switch to a bow, infuse your sword with magical elements like fire, ice, or lightning (I got to try these out), use magic to leap into the air, execute powerful area-of-effect attacks, and so much more. And that’s just scraping the surface; there are running slides, RKOs, and jump kicks to explore too!

At times, Kliff’s capabilities seem overwhelming, particularly when many of the exciting features involve pressing multiple buttons simultaneously. For someone who has been playing Crimson Desert for 20 hours and is deep into its story, this can be quite an intimidating challenge. You’re not just trying to decipher what you need to do, but also how to execute those actions effectively.

To put it simply, I’m satisfied with the gameplay mechanics of Crimson Desert as they are currently designed. A common challenge in game development is managing controls, particularly when it comes to how many different actions can be assigned without asking players to press multiple buttons simultaneously. There’s only so much that can be done in this regard. It might seem a bit strange that performing a RKO move (and other actions) requires pressing two buttons at once, and that many of these abilities are linked to the same two buttons, with variations coming from the direction you press the analog stick. However, the advantage is that you can execute a RKO whenever you want, which is pretty cool.

When engaged in combat, rapidly changing your weapons, delivering powerful blows, executing mid-air kicks, and then finishing off an opponent with a series of sword attacks, followed by a surprise RKO on the next enemy who comes too close – it’s incredibly satisfying. Mastering my core abilities took some time initially, but when you get the hang of it, it’s fantastic. I haven’t experienced anything quite like this in a game before. It’s not that the novelty of a new car can cure everything, but it definitely helps make the experience more enjoyable.

In my journey towards the castle, I had an intriguing goal – to destroy certain towers en route using a unique type of arrow that summons artillery strikes. Should I take aim at one tower and watch as the artillery turns it into ashes? Absolutely. But wouldn’t it be more exciting if I fired one at my own feet, causing the approaching soldiers to be flung or blown up instead? Definitely. After that, you can clear them out with RKOs, your sword, magical blasts, or by jumping over them. Or, like me, you could simply ride over them on your invincible horse (and yes, they’re aware it would annoy the millennials to call it a ‘hoss’). Don’t fret, dear readers. The horse is unhurtable. It’s a hoss (also, they knew it would amuse the millennials to use that term).

Towards the final part of this segment, I encountered a device resembling a tank – no joke, it was an authentic tank! Despite its wooden construction and hut-like appearance with protruding spikes, it served as a tank nonetheless. Neither conventional artillery nor direct impact had any effect on it. However, I discovered an unusual method that did the trick: employing my magical abilities to propel myself into the air, landing on the tank, and then leaping once more while discharging my magic directly downwards into the tank. Quite cool!

Afterwards, it wasn’t long before I made a quick dash, jump, and mystical bound towards the castle, which was immersed in combat. There, I encountered my companion Oongka in an unsettling scene that served as a stark reminder of our divine status, moving through the obstacles much like a river bursting its banks during a flood.

In simpler terms, I raced quickly across the castle courtyard to confront Cassius Morten, the rebellion’s leader, who turned out to be the final boss in the demo. Despite Kliff being quite formidable, I wasn’t able to inflict much damage on him. Instead, my strategy was to tire him out. I achieved this by blocking his attacks and striking back when possible, but mainly by making him tired before I could deal significant damage. Once I had weakened him, I started using a large marble column as a weapon, smashing it over his head repeatedly. He’d always get back up, and we’d continue our battle until I finally emerged victorious. Initially, I forgot the sequence of actions required to perform this move (the game is quite intricate), but my PR representative helped me remember and, eventually, I was able to defeat him. It was an intense fight!

After my presentation concluded, I was treated to some thrilling new features, specifically traversal abilities. In the game, Kliff possesses a grappling hook that allows him to swiftly move between locations, similar to Spider-Man. With practice, he can even avoid touching the ground altogether. As I mentioned earlier, this game is for the daring and adventurous.

Upon delving deeper into Crimson Desert during SGF, I found myself captivated by it, ranking among my top picks from the event. Despite its challenging controls, the game offers a rich experience that becomes more rewarding as you master its systems – a quality I admire. I yearn for more content, not less. Crimson Desert seems to value and challenge players, inviting them to explore and push boundaries. This aspect of the game genuinely appeals to me, and I eagerly anticipate witnessing what Pearl Abyss has in store for us in the future.

The sneak peek we’ve shown is from a version of the game supplied by the developer, and it’s expected that Crimson Desert will be launched towards the end of 2025.

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2025-06-24 16:58