Crimson Desert’s Combat Turns Familiar Ideas Into Something Fresh

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Even before we knew about Pywel’s dangers, the mysteries of the Abyss, or met the other characters, the combat in Crimson Desert immediately stood out. While the beautiful scenery – like Oongka and Kliff walking through falling autumn leaves – was impressive, it was the action-packed fighting that really showed the game’s potential.

It’s wild, after playing this game for over five years, how much deeper combat still feels, yet how much of it remains a mystery. It’s not that the developers haven’t given us hints about Kliff and how strong he is, it’s just that the combat system itself is incredibly complex. There’s so much going on under the hood!

The game features standard attack buttons, but holding the trigger lets you change those attacks on the fly. You can do a basic combo, but easily switch it up with heavier hits. Beyond that, you can add even more moves, like a powerful Force Palm to create distance, a knee strike, a thrust kick, or even throw enemies off buildings! And that’s not even considering how different elements interact or how you can string together multiple grapples, making combat feel like a wrestling match.

What’s most impressive about Crimson Desert is its ability to blend familiar elements from other games with completely new and unique gameplay.

Okay, so when I started playing, the first game that came to mind was The Witcher 3. It’s not just because you ride a horse and fight in third person, though that’s part of it. In The Witcher 3, you learn different Signs – like pushing enemies away with Aard or blasting them with Igni once you’ve leveled up. Well, this game lets you do something similar with the main character, Kliff. He can use five different elements – Fire, Wind, Ice, Electricity, and even Nature. Honestly, at first, it felt a little…familiar, you know? Like I’d seen this before.

Beyond its core mechanics, Crimson Desert includes exciting features found in games like Wild Hunt, such as crossbows worn on the wrist and explosive arrows. These aren’t unique to Wild Hunt – it’s just an example to illustrate the idea, which is similar to how Where Winds Meet works. While not directly during combat, you learn new skills by observing others. Crimson Desert takes this even further, offering more opportunities for discovery. You might see a hologram of someone using a special move like Force Palm and then learn it yourself, or even pick up a new ability – like a belly flop – during a challenging boss fight.

The variety of weapons is also incredible, similar to what you’d find in a game like Nioh. You can wield dual swords, a sword and shield, greatswords, spears, axes, hammers, and even pickaxes – and that’s just what the developers have shown so far. There’s even more powerful gear and unique boss weapons, like ones that let you summon a spirit warrior by blocking an attack. Plus, you can use quick movements to perform slow-motion shots with a bow, much like in games such as Horizon or Breath of the Wild.

Considering all the similar games out there – and there are many – it’s understandable why someone might think Crimson Desert isn’t very original. They might say it doesn’t offer much that’s new, but I don’t see it that way. The game skillfully combines different combat styles into a smooth, unified experience. It’s simple to learn, difficult to perfect, and incredibly rewarding once you find a way to play that suits you.

You can begin by using magic to lift yourself into the air, which pairs well with the grappling hook and Crow’s Wings for exploring. But experimenting with different magical elements opens up even more possibilities. You could blast enemies with fire, stun them with electricity, or freeze them solid. Then, picture yourself slowing down time and shattering them with a flurry of arrows, or simply calling in an artillery strike while they’re helpless to react.

The ability to switch weapons during a combo is another cool feature. While many games offer this, it adds a new layer of depth here. For example, in the gameplay trailer, you can see Kliff smoothly move from slashing with a sword to hand-to-hand combat, even using a shoulder bash for extra style. He also quickly switches from lightning attacks to spear strikes with fiery effects. Plus, if you prefer close-quarters combat, you can even add elemental effects to your melee attacks, as shown by a powerful charged attack that pushes enemies away.

It’s amazing how much is packed into this game! I haven’t even touched on things like mounts or the grappling hook, which lets you dive into combat. The developers are giving players tons of options, encouraging experimentation and creativity to find powerful combinations. You can play it safe with familiar styles – maybe a monster hunter like Geralt, or a martial arts expert – or go all-out and summon a dragon to destroy everything, similar to the dragons in Shadow of War.

Even though we’ve only gotten glimpses of the combat system in Crimson Desert, along with the story and world itself, it shows just how deep and complex the fighting could be. There are still some problems, though – the controls have received criticism, and while they’ve been updated, the developers are still working on allowing players to fully customize them, which is a challenging task given how intricate everything is.

While simply refining existing ideas isn’t the same as creating something truly new, it often leads to fantastic gameplay. Games like Elden Ring built upon the foundations of Dark Souls, and Cyberpunk 2077 was likely shaped by Deus Ex. It’s easy to add features and label them a ‘combat system,’ but that doesn’t guarantee a compelling experience – Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a recent example of this.

Sometimes, games are just incredibly captivating, offering endless potential and motivating you to learn simply for the joy of it. While it might have been an exaggeration to call Crimson Desert one of those games back in December 2020 – it showed promise, but felt unfinished – the way it’s all come together suggests it could redefine the genre when it releases in March. Even if it doesn’t reach that level, we’re sure it will be a blast to explore every detail.

Please be aware that the opinions shared in this article are solely those of the author and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2026-03-04 14:46