Crimson Desert is not only received poorly by the testers, but players also now understand the love-hate relationship that the title evokes. However, those who make it past the tutorial see it in a more positive light.
What about Crimson Desert? After the above-world adventure received rather mixed reviews from the trade press on Metacritic, players themselves were allowed to form their own impressions during the release on the evening of March 19.
The criticism appears even worse at first glance than anticipated. Players criticize the controls, performance, and story. Accordingly, the ratings on Steam also look poor, with the game sitting at only 57% and “Mixed”.
However, similar to the testers, a statistic shows that one must persevere before Crimson Desert proves what it can do.
Right at the beginning, you can secure a companion:
The Tutorial as a Funnel
What’s the deal with the tutorial? After the great hype, many players quickly faced disappointment with Crimson Desert. The tutorial not only introduces players to the story but also provides initial touchpoints with the controls.
While many players manage to fight, it quickly becomes apparent where issues arise through puzzles and the first missions. Additionally, the story finds little connection with fans and likely alienates anyone who did not realize that Crimson Desert does not intend to be an RPG.
However, those who persevered longer in Crimson Desert and overcame the tutorial after 4 hours begin to feel the positive aspects of the title. Reviews also reflect this.
How do the reviews look after the tutorial? If you filter the reviews based on the tutorial, Crimson Desert has a solid 78% positive ratings in the Steam filter “4 hours and more.” This also matches the score the testers gave the game on Metacritic.
After the tutorial, the positive aspects become more apparent: countless quests, a beautiful open world, and much to explore and experience. However, those who set aside Crimson Desert earlier likely missed this.
Crimson Desert causes great disappointment among fans with its launch. The developers will likely have to do quite a bit in the patches to win the players over. Until the developers can help you, you can find our guides to Crimson Desert here: Crimson Desert: All Guides, Tips and Lists Overview
