PAX East 2025: Crimson Desert Could Be A Massive Hit

Crimson Desert is an upcoming open-world action-adventure RPG developed by Pearl Abyss, the creators of Black Desert Online. Originally conceived as a prequel to Black Desert Online, the game has evolved into a standalone single-player experience set in the same universe. Players will step into the shoes of Kliff Macduff, a mercenary navigating the war-torn continent of Pywel, embroiled in power struggles following the king’s coma.

A Dense Open World

Set in the expansive continent of Pywel, Crimson Desert offers an open world teeming with life and diverse cultures. The developers are highlighting the word continent because they are promising one huge open world. An open world that says, if you can see, you can go there.  Areas in the open world include: forests, medieval cities, smaller villages, snowy mountains, and deserts. 

Along with scale, the open world has real-time environmental changes and weather effects. My experience with the small area that I played in, the environment is responsive to the player. Trees and rocks can be knocked down on enemies. Additionally, tall grass in fields will remember where you walked or swung your sword.

Beyond the main storyline, players can engage in various activities such as cooking, hunting, mining, gathering, fishing, crafting, and horse taming. The demo we played did not give us any experience with the activities and side quests. However, if the ancillary activities, story, and dialogue are as good as the combat, Crimson Desert could be one of the best games released in 2025.

The Combat

Players can master a variety of weapons, including Kliff’s sword and shield, bow, and even weapons dropped by enemies to create unique combos. The combat system emphasizes player choice, allowing for jumping, blocking, parrying, and wrestling-inspired special moves.

Boss battles are designed to be epic and challenging, requiring players to adapt and strategize rather than relying on traditional combat patterns. Crimson Desert is not a Souls-like game, but it offers its unique approach to challenging encounters.

Taking a Souls-like approach to the boss battles, you will fail. You will need to forget everything you know, and that’s its biggest challenge. The one thing I couldn’t believe while playing through two boss battles was that the only comparison I could think of was Marvel vs Capcom.

I know that sounds crazy, but aside from the assists, it plays just like it during combat. You can use two button presses or holds for large attacks. Additionally, you can juggle enemies with smaller one-button attacks. It’s way more like a fighting game during combat, making Crimson Desert feel incredibly unique.

The Visuals

I think what will surprise people is how good the visuals are. The game showcases realistic animations, dynamic weather systems, and intricate environmental details. Features like Ray Tracing enhance indoor environments, while technologies like FFT Ocean Simulation and Shallow Water Simulation bring water physics to life. The game’s visuals are big-budget AAA in every way. The art style, the level of detail, the resolution, and the fidelity are all top-notch.

Crimson Desert is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious and visually stunning games of 2025. With its expansive open world and innovative combat system, it promises to offer a deep and immersive single-player experience.

Large-scale AAA open-world games have a high standard, with games like The Witcher 3 and Skyrim. If the team can bring all of these incredible elements together in one complete package, Crimson Desert is going to be an award-winning title. Crimson Desert is slated for a worldwide release in late 2025. The game will be available on multiple platforms, including PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and macOS.