According to the reviews from testers, there is disillusionment among the fans. However, Crimson Desert is not a bad game at all.
How does Crimson Desert stand after the reviews? Few titles have divided the testing landscape as much recently as Crimson Desert. While some praise the game for its insane ambition, others, like the well-known video game journalist Jason Schreier (Bluesky), express strong criticism of the open-world adventure.
With a score of 78, Crimson Desert currently holds a rather average rating on Metacritic. Nowadays, a score of 78 feels like a flop to many gamers, which makes players very insecure.
In our test, MeinMMO expert Karsten Scholz also addresses the many highs and lows of the open-world adventure. For many, the title was already the game of the year beforehand: countless interlocking systems, dark fantasy, and beautiful graphics were just the tip of the iceberg.
The reviews now criticize the story, the partly overloaded controls, and the balance, or the challenging difficulty level, which will really test the players. However, you absolutely need not be afraid of a bad Crimson Desert.
Here you can watch the trailer for Crimson Desert:
Crimson Desert is not a bad game!
Should you wait to buy it? If you read the reviews carefully, it quickly becomes clear: Crimson Desert is not perfect. It definitely has its rough edges, it can be extremely clunky at times, and the controls can drive you crazy at the beginning.
But the experts also clearly state that the title is not bad. It is even far from being a bad game. The testers’ criticism of the controls, story, and balance should be no obstacle for true fans of deep role-playing games.
According to the reviews, Crimson Desert is not a game that simply guides you through the story with quest markers. Instead, the experts report that the title challenges players to immerse themselves in the world and explore off the beaten path. Those who do will be greatly rewarded, according to the testers.
Many reviews emphasize that the game requires you to think for yourself. Curiosity and creativity are cited in the reviews as the most important tools to navigate the world. This also applies to the combat system, according to the testers. Aside from the control issues, the fighting itself has been highly praised in the reviews, as it is described as very impactful.
However, the general sentiment among the experts is very clear: Those who wanted to play Crimson Desert just because it’s currently hyped and have no real interest in a challenging experience may be disappointed. The reviews make it clear: it simply isn’t for everyone.
What does MeinMMO author Cedric Holmeier think? I have only been able to play Crimson Desert for about 15 hours so far, so I understand the reviews well. Those who have a perfectly polished blockbuster game in mind without rough edges should wait before buying.
Especially regarding controls and balance, the title will probably offer a much smoother experience in a few months due to the inevitable patches. But I also understand that many are currently hyped and won’t wait. Here you need to prepare to really dive into the ruthless open world, and then you will have a blast.
So don’t cancel your orders just yet if you’re feeling a bit uncertain. Crimson Desert forces you to learn its mechanics and lets you fail. Those who are willing to engage will receive an adventure they won’t forget quickly, and a clunky masterpiece.
Everyone who is still unsure after this clarification can find here the four most important features that will determine whether Crimson Desert is truly good: Crimson Desert has about 5,000 features, these 4 decide if you have fun
