Crimson Desert

Scale Pywel's cliffs, ride a dragon, and parry Black Bears to reunite the Greymane faction.

Last reviewed: August 5, 2026 Patched yesterday

Released Mar 2026 Action / RPG

The combat rig and region-by-region exploration carry 300 hours; the main story and voice acting fall short — buy it for the world, skip if you need a plot.

7.9 /10

Fair

Previously an Editor's pick

For you if

You like huge worlds with countless secrets to uncover.
Combat depth and boss challenges are your jam.
Bethesda-style exploration is your comfort zone.

Not for you if

You need a strong narrative with good voice acting.
You're annoyed by inventory and UI frustrations.
You can't tolerate grind walls near the endgame.

What players love

The sprawling combat rig and open world keep 300-hour fans hooked, each region's encounters teaching new angles.

What frustrates them

Main story and voice acting stay the sore spots even for veterans who praise the world's scale.

See the reviews behind this →

Latest patch

Patched yesterday

Patch Notes Version 1.17.00

What critics say

80/100PC Gamer
Vast and obtuse in a way that is going to frustrate some and exhilarate others, Crimson Desert is a fascinating journey, even when the destination isn't all that.
Mollie Taylor Read review →
6/10IGN
Crimson Desert is an extremely ambitious open-world adventure, and that ambition is what makes it both incredibly cool and gobsmackingly infuriating in almost equal measure.
Travis Northup Read review →
4/5GamesRadar+
Crimson Desert is messy, but as you untangle its mechanics and compensate for its flaws, elements of genius and wonder make the experience worthwhile.
Joel FraneyMar 2026 Read review →

Before You Play

Refreshed monthly

Is Crimson Desert polished at launch, or should I wait for patches?

At launch, Crimson Desert suffers from obnoxious design decisions, poor controls, and multiple bugs. Pearl Abyss has already released about a dozen patches and hotfixes within the first month, but many issues remain. You should wait until at least Christmas 2024 to play, as the game feels undercooked and a more polished experience is expected later.

Source: TheGamer

Which difficulty should a new player pick for Crimson Desert?

Easy mode is the best choice for new players — it reduces damage taken, slows enemies, and gives wider parry and dodge windows. You can switch difficulty at any time, even during a boss fight, so start on Easy and move to Normal if it feels too forgiving.

Source: Gamingpromax Guide

Is Crimson Desert padded with filler?

Yes, many reviewers indicate that Crimson Desert contains significant filler content. Activities like hunting contracts, camp upgrades, and numerous open-world distractions often feel like padding between main story missions. One analysis estimates that roughly 60% of the game's content is filler.

Source: Delayed Respawnse

Do I need to play Black Desert Online before Crimson Desert to understand the story?

No. Crimson Desert is a standalone single-player action-adventure game with its own story, separate from Black Desert Online. Developers Pearl Abyss designed it so you can jump in without any prior knowledge of the Black Desert universe.

Source: XModHub Guide

Is there meaningful content in Crimson Desert after the main story ends?

Yes, Crimson Desert offers extensive endgame content. After the 40–50 hour main story, a post-game questline called 'A New Beginning' with eight quests becomes available. You can also take on superbosses, complete faction quests, run abyss paths, refine gear, upgrade your camp, and hunt for 100% completion.

Source: BossDown Crimson Desert Endgame Guide