Crimson Desert PS5/PS5 Pro Review – An Ode To The Unknown

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I’ve mostly been exploring the huge world of Pywel in Crimson Desert, and figuring out all its complicated systems. The game doesn’t explain much at first, though they’ve added a few tutorials since launch. But honestly, that challenge is part of what makes Pywel so appealing, and I think I’ll be playing it quite a bit for the next month.

I didn’t experience any of the known bugs or glitches while playing on the standard PS5, and nothing ruined the gameplay experience.

I estimate it will take about a month to fully experience everything because Crimson Desert is incredibly expansive. I’m really impressed by the sheer amount of content and how seamlessly it’s woven into the gameplay and character development. The game’s systems work together to create a dynamic open world where your actions genuinely feel meaningful and help the areas you’re trying to improve.

Let’s quickly talk about how the game runs on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro before diving into gameplay. Both versions have three graphics settings: Performance, Quality, and Balanced. On the standard PS5, the game usually runs smoothly, but some players have noticed it doesn’t always hit a steady 60 frames per second in Performance mode. The Balanced mode (aiming for 40 FPS) and Quality mode (aiming for 30 FPS) seem to run much more consistently.

While exploring the game world, objects frequently appeared suddenly nearby. On the standard PS5, I didn’t experience any of the known bugs or glitches, and nothing ruined the gameplay. However, the PS5 Pro version did crash once during my testing.

The PS5 Pro handles this game very well in all its settings. In Quality mode, you’ll get sharp 4K graphics with a smooth 30 frames per second. Balanced mode boosts that to around 40 FPS, and Performance mode is much more consistent than on the standard PS5. While the regular PS5 version could still benefit from some optimization, the PS5 Pro version feels polished and runs great.

The beginning of the story asks you to accept its fantastical elements and go along for the ride, and that willingness to believe is something the game asks of you repeatedly throughout the experience of playing Crimson Desert.

At first, Kliff seems like a promising main character, but he becomes less interesting as the story unfolds. I also have some reservations about how the game introduces him, which I’ll explain shortly. The game begins with the Greymanes being ambushed by the Black Bears, and Kliff is thrown into a river with a serious injury that, realistically, should have killed him.

The game starts with a brief, somewhat unnecessary tutorial set in a strange underwater area before quickly returning the player to the main world, surprisingly in good condition considering what just happened. From there, you’re immediately free to roam the world of Pywel and pursue the story as you please. The beginning relies heavily on accepting the unusual circumstances, and this need to simply go along with things continues throughout the experience in Crimson Desert.

The game functions adequately, but often feels like a contrived way to throw the character, Kliff, into peril or send him on endless, risky quests. It encourages exploration of the large game world, but you’ll likely get sidetracked by numerous distractions and lose track of your main goals.

Honestly, the best part of Crimson Desert is the world itself. It’s so engaging that I could almost ignore the story, which takes a while to really get going. The pacing feels a little off because you spend so much time just wandering around and exploring – which is fun, don’t get me wrong – but sometimes you stumble onto things the story hadn’t prepared you for, and it kind of pulls you out of the experience. Still, the world kept me hooked!

There’s so much to do, it’s almost overwhelming, and you’re unlikely to get bored because things stay fresh and interesting.

I once rushed to a reported sighting of Greymane, eventually finding and even helping him with a task. Later, during a story mission, another character mentioned Greymane, but Kliff surprisingly didn’t say anything about their recent time together.

It would have been great if the game had reacted more to my previous actions. I helped another character with a quest, and later saw him at an inn, bragging about meeting someone who’d aided the town. But when I stood right in front of him, he didn’t even recognize me! In a game with a large, open world, those little details really make a difference, and this one unfortunately pulled me out of the experience a bit.

While there are a few small issues, the game consistently offers fresh surprises as you explore. Crimson Desert is designed to be enjoyed at your own speed, and once you learn the controls, you’ll find a huge number of things to do. For the most part, it avoids feeling repetitive.

The combat starts off a bit rough. Early in the game, you don’t have many skills and can quickly get overwhelmed by enemies. It’s a tough game where you’ll take a lot of damage, so make sure to bring plenty of food and supplies before tackling enemy strongholds.

If you don’t have much time to play, or if you prefer games with strong stories, this one might not be for you.

The game really shines once you unlock new abilities and learn how to use them. Kliff is a flexible fighter who becomes even more powerful with more options. Most of the boss battles are exciting, though a few fall flat, dragging on and becoming more about managing healing items than skillful combat. It’s disappointing, because the boss designs themselves are generally creative and interesting.

Overall, Crimson Desert is a great game for fans of open-world adventures. It looks fantastic, the fighting is satisfying, and despite needing a little extra refinement, it’s easy to recommend. It’s well worth playing and has quickly become one of my favorite open-world titles.

Is this game right for you? It really depends on how much effort you’re willing to put in. If you don’t have a lot of time, or you just want a straightforward story, this might not be the best choice. But if you enjoy complex games and have the patience to learn all the details, you’ll probably love it.

Ultimately, Crimson Desert is a well-made game, and its unique qualities will likely charm the players who enjoy it most. I expect to be discussing it for a while to come, and I think those who stick with it will have a lot of great experiences.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2026-03-23 16:20