Pearl Abyss' wildly ambitious RPG has divided critics; some are enamoured with the combat, but find the story underbaked and the game quite overwhelming at time

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Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss' ambitious single-player RPG, launched with a Metacritic score of 78, reflecting mixed-to-positive critical reception. Critics broadly praise the fluid, deep combat system and the stunning open world, with some calling it one of the most visually impressive in recent memory. However, reviewers consistently criticize the underdeveloped story and characters, attributing the narrative weakness to Pearl Abyss' MMO development background. Additional frustrations include overwhelming systemic complexity, poor inventory management UI, and a large number of shallow mini-game activities. Despite these shortcomings, most critics find the game worthwhile for its combat and exploration, with some optimism that post-launch patches could address the smaller issues.

Crimson Desert | Critical Consensus