Embracing the Chaos
Since the mid-2000s, gaming has found a way to homogenise its control systems. For example, Call of Duty established the standard console setup for FPS shooters with its universal fire, aim, and grenade buttons. Action-adventure games like Uncharted and Assassin’s Creed followed suit, allowing you to seamlessly switch between franchises without being fazed by the controls. But before that, things were much more chaotic and wild regarding controls and button allocation.
Crimson Desert is a game that feels like it belongs to that era. At times, I felt I needed a chalkboard above my TV just to keep track of the different buttons required to attack, defend, clean a chimney, fish, and get on a horse. It is utter madness. But you know what? I love it.
The Beauty of the Unexpected
Crimson Desert has generated a lot of heat and diverse commentary, with players either hating it, loving it, or just feeling a bit ‘meh’ about it. It is a game that still has a few problems, though patches are rolling out as I write this. For example, when using an Xbox controller, reeling in a fish is impossible unless you use a wired connection. There are lots of strange little bugs here and there, but it never stopped me from playing. In fact, this is a game where I am actively looking forward to seeing what it has to offer me next. What’s the next surprise waiting around the corner? That is the true beauty of Crimson Desert.
A Disjointed Tale
Story-wise, Crimson Desert is a weird one. You play as Kliff, who is immediately introduced in a campsite alongside his comrades, the Graymanes – a sort of peacekeeping gang. They are wounded, and it is clear something terrible has happened. To make matters worse, they are suddenly ambushed by another group; ultimately, Kliff is killed and thrown into a river. He wakes up in a supernatural realm and is promptly returned to the living world with a mission to save it from dark forces.
It is a weird setup because it feels like you are missing out on vital backstory or context for the narrative. Who is Kliff? How am I alive again? What am I supposed to be doing? “Reunite the Graymanes” was the only narrative thread I could hold onto as I went about my business. Now, I am usually a story first kind of gamer, but after a short while, I simply stopped caring about this disjointed tale. The world itself is so incredibly fun to explore that my journey became my own personal story.
It’s helped that there are some nice bits of writing in the dialogue, particularly during interactions with passers-by and the main characters. It is also a very sweary game – probably the most swear-heavy game I’ve ever played. Some of it is hilarious; for instance, when I accidentally bumped into a child, he let out a tirade of swear words the likes of which I haven’t heard since a Friday night out in Croydon.
A Living, Breathing Open World
When we talk about gameplay, it’s hard to know where to start. Exploration is where the fun lies and forms the pure heart of the game. The world, with its varied regions and biomes, is the best thing the game has to offer. It feels like a living, breathing place where people are working, chatting, and going about their daily business. Cities and towns feel lived in, and the countryside is full of discoveries and things waiting to happen. I always say the best open-world games are the ones where you constantly get distracted by shiny new things, and I have been doing so much of that in Crimson Desert.
The main missions are divided into chapters, guiding you through the world and its different areas. In the beginning, you will find yourself learning to cook meals from recipes, mine ore, craft weapons, and chop down wood. At one point, you are acting as a chimney sweep, then doing a spot of fishing, hammering tent pegs into the ground, and eventually rescuing a sheep named Woolly.
Fast and Furious Combat
There is always combat, of course. Most of the time, you will be fighting your way through hordes of bandits or troublemakers, culminating in a big boss fight. The combat is mostly melee, and you have the usual array of weapons to choose from and develop. As you progress, you can upgrade skill levels that unlock a whole host of new moves and techniques; this is where you might need that chalkboard I mentioned earlier. You even unlock two other playable characters with entirely different skill sets, but it is hard to tear yourself away from Kliff.
The combat is fast and furious, clearly designed around encounters with multiple assailants. However, there are many boss battles, and they range in difficulty from quite easy to “Oh my God, I can’t do that again”. I loved the combat and enjoyed feeling in control of my weapons and moves, improving as I progressed. It isn’t always perfect though and enemies do occasionally do strange things, but that is all part of the fun. Later on, you get more equipment, new mounts, and even stranger encounters. I haven’t even mentioned the supernatural environments set in the sky, or the ability to fly.
Crimson Desert looks stunning at times, boasting an amazing environment full of wildlife, people, and interesting discoveries. The lighting and weather effects are of a superb standard. My only criticism is that some of the NPC faces look a bit bland, but that is to be expected from a massive open-world game. Regardless, this is an incredibly impressive game in terms of sheer ambition.
The sound design is excellent as well, with an epic soundtrack playing throughout the action. The sound effects are solid, from the clash of a sword right down to the woof of a dog. The voice work features a mainly British and Irish cast doing sterling work throughout.
A Mad, Massive Investment Worth Every Hour
Crimson Desert will require a massive time investment – we are talking hundreds of hours. Even now, many hours in, I am still discovering new things, and new ways to play keep being introduced. I also get the feeling that the developers will continue to patch the game regularly, and more content will inevitably appear. And be in no doubt that this is a mad old game, and yes, there are plenty of things wrong with it. Thankfully, the good absolutely outweighs the bad in Crimson Desert.
I love it, and I will keep playing it for the rest of the year – or at least until someone forces me to stop.
Important Links
A New Fantasy Journey Begins In Crimson Desert – https://www.thexboxhub.com/a-new-fantasy-journey-begins-in-crimson-desert/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/crimson-desert/9P6HVHDP2PGK/0010
There’s a Deluxe Edition if you want it – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/crimson-desert-deluxe-edition/9NSKMK4ZL1P9/0010
