We got our hands on Crimson Desert at this year’s Gamescom. Here’s the impression it left and what the demo was all about.
At Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, Pearl Abyss let us try out its ambitious fantasy RPG Crimson Desert for the very first time. We spent 45 minutes roaming the open world, swinging swords, firing flaming arrows, and trying to stay on top of the chaos of explosions and combo attacks — with mixed results.
Straight Into the Fray
The demo wasted no time. After a brief tutorial on controls and combat techniques, we were dropped straight into a chaotic battlefield. Amid smoke, grenades, and clashing steel, we followed mercenary Kliff Greymane, fighting to suppress a rebellion in the region of Calphade. Who Kliff really is, what drives him, and how the story unfolds remained largely in the dark. Instead of easing us in with narrative context or a gentle introduction, the demo felt like jumping straight into the middle of the campaign — complete with multiple game systems hitting us at once without explanation. Objectives were superficial, ranging from firing cannons to destroying watchtowers to helping injured allies.
- Did you know? Crimson Desert was originally planned as an MMORPG and prequel to Black Desert Online. Midway through development, Pearl Abyss shifted gears and turned it into a single-player action-adventure with optional multiplayer elements.
Battling the Elements — and the Controls
Where Crimson Desert shines in this early build is melee combat. Sword strikes felt powerful, and blocking or dodging at the right time added just enough tactical depth. Things got even more interesting once we layered in elemental effects: an ice-enhanced blade froze enemies solid, letting us shatter them with follow-up strikes, enchanted arrows set off fiery explosions, and special skills like the “Artillery Whistling Arrow” tagged enemy structures for our allies’ ranged attacks.
On paper, it all sounds impressively deep—and that was also the downside. The controls felt overloaded and strayed from common standards. Jump was mapped to the square button, while targeting wasn’t automatic or tied to the stick, but instead required double-tapping a shoulder button.
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In fights against multiple enemies, we often lost track of our target because the lock-on didn’t always snap to the right foe. Things got especially awkward when carrying a flag, which required multiple simultaneous inputs across both sticks and extra buttons. In the heat of battle, it all became messy, and the thrill of tactical depth quickly wore thin.
Boss Battle With Environmental Mechanics
After about 30 minutes, our run ended with a big boss fight against a heavily armored opponent. Standard attacks bounced right off, and only by lifting and hurling stone pillars — using a special elemental ability — could we crack his defenses.
It demanded solid timing and awareness, but the jittery camera often worked against us. In the cramped arena, we repeatedly got stuck on obstacles, the view dropped to the ground, or the camera clipped through walls. Orientation became a real struggle.
A Stunning World With Technical Blemishes
Technically, Crimson Desert left a mixed impression. On the one hand, the BlackSpace Engine impressed with moody lighting, physically simulated shadows, and richly detailed environments. Shifting weather and a full day-night cycle brought the world to life, while mountain ranges and rocky landscapes added atmospheric weight to the war-torn setting.
On the other hand, pop-ins, missing anti-aliasing, and occasional jittering objects broke the immersion. In hectic scenes, overlapping light effects further muddied the action. A graphics option to tone these down would be welcome—especially since performance otherwise held up well despite the sheer number of NPCs on screen.
Who Should Keep an Eye on It?
Crimson Desert is clearly aimed at fans of complex action RPGs who don’t shy away from a steep learning curve. If you enjoy mastering layered combat systems and don’t mind unconventional controls, the demo already showed promising mechanics. The detailed recreation of the world of Pywel is another major draw.
But if you’re looking for an accessible experience with clear story direction and intuitive controls, it’s best to hold off for now. The demo highlighted the game’s potential but left major questions unanswered—about its narrative structure, the role of side quests, and long-term motivation.
Early Verdict on Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert aims high and showed in our first hands-on that it has plenty to offer in terms of spectacle and combat dynamics. At the same time, clunky controls hampered accessibility, and the lack of narrative context dulled the overall impression. For those willing to buy into the concept and stay patient until the planned release in Q1 2026, this could turn into an ambitious adventure—if Pearl Abyss manages to address its rough edges.
