You might think that a bunch of people who liked the game as much as we did would obviously be okay with its problems. But that’s far from it. It’s just that we think that love it or hate it, Starfield doubles down on the kind of experience it wants to be, for better or worse. It’s a divisive title not because it falls into the binary viewpoint of good or bad, but because it chooses to be strong in ways that come with specific trade-offs.

Its very strengths are a double-edged sword, the magic of what it truly is clashing with the frustrations that its formula brings to the table. Wondering how that could be? Join us on a trip through Starfield’s star-studded landscape and find out why it has been praised and belittled for just being itself.

The Grand Scheme of Things

Let’s start with Starfield’s size and scope. Its “world” is a literal galaxy just waiting for you to engage with it. As a sci-fi adventure aimed at letting you carve out your own name in the stars, it’s astoundingly large, and deliciously grandiose. Its ambitions rival its size, and perhaps even help define it with the magic of hopping between systems as you engage with the many factions you come across, their quest lines and other distractions making your time with it an adventure that even you can’t really predict from moment-to-moment.

There’s also its emphasis on player agency, with the world at your fingertips and a ton of things for you to do at any given moment. There are factions to choose between, ships to build, planets to scan and learn more about before you visit them, smuggling, mining, and, of course, the RPG side of things to allow you to truly make your character feel like an extension of yourself, a small but shining speck among the stars. It’s a fantasy that truly puts you at the center of it all while still impressing upon you that you’re only a part of a larger universe.

That’s all well and good but we can see where players who didn’t resonate with these strengths are coming from. The game’s scale should have felt seamless, but its systems dictated that the massive universe you’re let loose in was fragmented into menus that got in the way of hopping between planets, loading screens pulling you out of the spell that it cast on you. Its universe felt like a collection of different maps, none of which fed into each other for players who were unable to find their footing.

The very freedom that we loved so much could feel like the game refusing to connect with its spacefarers. Players diving into it around the time of its release were used to their games easing them into whatever the experience was selling, instead of leaving them to discover it all on their own terms. Where other titles provided carefully curated journeys, Starfield was about the journey itself, a distinction that would take time many of its players did not really have at their disposal to make.

The game’s size, meant to inspire a sense of awe and wonder, felt like it was deliberately placing walls that its players had to get past. The freedom that was meant to allow players to craft their own adventure felt like they were left adrift among the stars, without a clear path to the destiny they knew was waiting for them in the blackness of space.

It was a game that asked for time that many of its players could not, or would not, choose to give it.

Learning To Love It

We’ll be honest, we’re pretty clear on why so many of you didn’t click with Starfield right off the bat. Its systems can get overwhelming at first glance, and it does take a bit of time to settle into a routine that works for you. But once you get there, the game opens up into something you might have even adored. The faction questlines we mentioned earlier? We couldn’t get enough of them. The same goes for the slow burn of building our characters from the ground up, engaging with the side content, and the sense of just existing in a world outside of the real one, but just as diverse and unpredictable.

Of course, all of this must factor in the knowledge that Starfield was a game from Bethesda, whose track record of great titles meant that all of these factors were a given. But it also meant that this was a game that needed patience, and a willingness to endure its learning curve. You could even say that we stuck with the game for the sake of a thorough review, and you would have a valid point. But the fact that all of us continued to play it long after we put down our thoughts should speak to that argument.

But as we looked deeper, we began to see a few split seams in the experience, with Bethesda’s usual quirks coming into play. There was a definite stiffness to some parts of our time in the Constellation, and a lack of polish in certain areas. Conversations in which the person we were talking to lacked enough expressions to make it feels real immediately come to mind, along with a bunch of systems that could feel outdated when games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 were already out there.

But again, this was a game from Bethesda, a studio that was known for the eccentricities that its games had in play. Did we think that the fact that Starfield had them felt oddly reassuring in a way? Sure. But did we also think that their presence in a game as ambitious as this one felt like the studio was clinging to its old ways in a world of video games that were rapidly evolving? Also yes.

That’s because to the average gamer, who in all probability has a limited amount of time to engage with a game, first impressions can be hard to shake off. Starfield does take too long to reveal its depth, and it’s very likely that for many gamers, it asked too much of them too early. It demanded patience from a modern audience that was quite unwilling to wait when there were other games that came out with far more accessibility than this one. Understandable, of course, but it was also sad to see so many potential fans miss out on all the fun.

But what exactly were they missing?

Living In The Moment

To us, Starfield was clearly better enjoyed as an RPG sandbox, despite it coming across as a game that was all about getting lost in space. We found joy in engaging with its many factions, navigating the complexities that arose from such interactions along with choosing between all the possibilities for our characters that were laid out in front of us like a very enticing buffet. We bought homes and ships, choosing to express ourselves on the ground while our forays into space were designed to serve specific goals that we had in mind.

But we can see how people who expected to be flying off into the unknown could have felt let down by a lack of organic discovery in the early hours of the game, and in how its moment-to-moment gameplay seemed geared towards keeping their metaphorical boots firmly on the ground. To those players, the pull of gravity on the planets they were exploring might have felt too strong for them to shake off, and rightly so. It was a matter of mismatched expectations that was a major source of the backlash it received.

And with the game finally dropping on the PS5, we expect that the same old arguments are going to be hashed out between all of the newcomers diving into the adventure for the first time. It’s a situation that’s oddly similar to Crimson Desert, another title that doubles down on its identity and dared to take an approach that earned it some backlash even as others have been unable to put it down.

The divisive discourse around Starfield isn’t going to fade because it’s baked into the game’s very foundations, and not from temporary chatter. It may not be the universally loved RPG that many of you might be wanting it to be, but that very divisiveness points to a game that’s special in its own right thanks to how committed it is to a specific vision. The way in which the very facets of its experience that appeal to its fans can be reasons for its others to train their guns on it has made it a fascinating source of conversations around games that make demands of their players, instead of the other way round.

But for those of you who meet it on its terms and tune it to its wavelength, you’re in for a romp through space that’s going to stay with you long after you move on to other titles. And for that, we’re glad that Starfield exists.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

While there was a sense that the development team was truly attempting something different and grandiose, attempting to recreate the vastness of space, emptiness and all, the biggest problem is how it effectively fractured Bethesda’s built-in audience. Those who “got it” could vibe with the exploration, the mood, and the sheer scale of it all. Others wanted something more akin to Skyrim or, at the very least, Fallout, which it became very clear this was not.

Updates came and went. Shattered Space gave even the most dedicated fans second-hand embarrassment (and that’s despite having some really good dungeons). Then there was the great emptiness of 2025, where Bethesda promised big things, and ultimately kept its head down to work on the future. Well, the future is now, and the now is Free Lanes. So is Starfield “fixed” so to speak?

Not exactly, and really, you should have seen that response coming when Todd Howard himself said not to call it Starfield 2.0. Todd Howard not talking a game up through the stratosphere? A cold day for sure.

But he’s not wrong. Free Lanes is a massive pass at all the different systems and mechanics within Starfield, expanding on them in ways that befit the originally hyped up space-faring fantasy. It’s not so much about giving players something to do as offering more experiences in this vast universe. Because while space can be boring and empty, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Bethesda’s take has to be the same.

That’s best reflected in Cruise Mode, which more facilitates the self-titled Free Lanes themselves. Before, players would endure a loading screen to travel from planet to planet, even those within the same system. Then another loading screen to land on said planet, and another to leave. And while everyone focused on the loading screens – for good reason, because so many in quick succession really hurt the pacing – it was really the lack of stuff to do in space that really grinded many players’ gears. It’s not about getting lucky and finding something, be it an NPC or a space battle – it was more than life in space just felt non-existent.

Cruise Mode addresses that immediately by allowing you to travel, manually, between planets in a star system. Right away, your ship isn’t just some box that gets you from point A to point B – it’s now a second home. Get up, stretch your virtual legs, talk to some crew members, and maybe go and improve your ship with the new X-Tech. Or reroll perks on your Legendary weapons while working towards the new Rank 4s.

That space itself has new points of interest that can feed into that gameplay loop, which is all the more incredible. Maybe you’ll find a quaint bit of wreckage one second and engage in a dog fight against ships in another. Sometimes those dogfights will pull you out of Cruise Mode, forcing a scramble. Then there are the new Incursions added via the Terran Armada DLC, which provide another noteworthy activity to grind out (and earn some new weapons).

Of course, Bethesda didn’t stop there. It addressed one of the biggest complaints with Starfield by adding more PoI variety on its planets. Granted, this is one of those features where I would scoff and assume that it added, say, a dozen or so. However, based on feedback from the community, the variety has shot up. One player on Reddit, who would usually encounter the same point of interest pre-update, played for three hours straight, going through 30 unique types without ever encountering the same one twice. And that’s even after attempting to force them to appear. It doesn’t necessarily mean all of them are brand new – just that on top of the additions, you’re less likely to find the same PoI as quickly.

Because these locations – and dungeons – can provide X-Tech, you’re more incentivized than ever to explore random planets. There’s a constantly rewarding gameplay loop that also feeds into the main purpose of Starfield – to explore, both in space and on planets. The best part is that you’re not just juicing those Legendaries for no reason, as new enemy modifiers are in place for those who want more spice to their encounters. Sure, you could always increase enemy health and damage, but this kind of ARPG-level of buffs to otherwise familiar threats is a better way to make combat feel fresh.

Then you have the new ship modules, updates to outposts that allow for quickly plopping down a habitat module, fully furnished, and a shared storage for all your bases, a database so you can actually track down different resources and keep tabs on your outposts – the list goes on. If you’ve amassed tons of Credits, great news – you can now buy an asteroid base. That’s not even getting into all the non-DLC quests or Anchor Point Station, where you can find them (and various new characters).

So it’s less that Free Lanes – and by extension, Terran Armada – have “fixed” Starfield so much as leaned much further into Bethesda’s vision for the game. It already had this massive universe that players could explore – there was just very little reason to do so after a point, besides taking in the atmosphere. With these changes, it’s certainly catering to those who already poured dozens of hours into the game, giving them new stuff to play with while also fixing glaring issues like the loot from Expert and Master level locks, or bugs with various quests.

I think it goes even further, though, addressing a problem that even new players noticed at a mid-way point – namely, a drive. Because for all the hundreds of planets that you could explore, spaceships to build, abandoned locations to clear out, and quests to complete, being driven to really delve deeper into this sandbox, appreciating its nuances and joys, became difficult.

Free Lanes isn’t so much a giant leap for Starfield, so much as dozens upon dozens of significant little steps. And quite frankly, that’s what this game needed. More complexity that ties into what’s already there. More depth. More reasons to get out and see what the universe has to offer. Something to sink your teeth into beyond all the surface-level trifles and grinds.

That’s probably why Bethesda didn’t agree with the 2.0 label (even if it’s not shy to call this the best version of the game yet). As lead creative producer Tim Lamb notes, “There’s a narrative baked into what that label would mean.” Instead, the team examined “several systems where we had interest or had heard things from the community, and we tried to level up a number of them.” As such, a “number of systems have been made incrementally better,” there’s a “ton of content,” and there are “things that the team is excited about.”

Will those “things” make Starfield as vaunted as Skyrim or even Oblivion? No one can say at this point, but if No Man’s Sky, Cyberpunk 2077, The Division 2, and many more have taught us anything, it’s that fantastic experiences are often built brick by bloody brick. Here’s hoping for several more of the nice kind for Bethesda.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

So believe me when I say that it feels a little bad to point out something that really breaks the game. No, not in a fun, boss-deleting way like infinite explosive arrows, but a major design flaw. What makes it even crazier is that you won’t notice it until you’re already dozens of hours in.

Assume, for a moment, that you’re not a permanent resident of Hernand who knows everyone in Howling Hill Camp better than your own family. Imagine that you’ve been traveling throughout Pywel, liberating quarries, taking down the Lunar Court, cleansing Sanctums (and taking on their various Blades), and sending the Black Bears packing. With each new location returned to the nicer factions, the world becomes that much safer. However, it also becomes emptier.

What does that mean? Well, in a nutshell, enemies that you’ve slain or simply driven away by prolonged butchery of their allies don’t respawn. That’s the so-called game-breaking design bug. Enemies stop respawning.

And I’ll be honest – it didn’t really hit me at first. Why should enemies respawn, especially after clearing out bandit crawls and other hives of scum and villainy? If I’m systemically hunting the Black Bears, why would they stick together? Heck, they thought they annihilated the Greymanes in the beginning, so what better karma than to see them so thoroughly purged, including any enemies that should patrol the world. But what does that mean in a game like Crimson Desert, where combat is one of the core appeals?

Think about it. As you’re collecting Abyss Artifacts, what’s one of the biggest thrills? Unlocking a new skill and trying it out, especially if it’s a combat skill. How about unlocking a new piece of gear or weapon? Or discovering the four elements? Sure, there’s more than enough exploration, and several systems to facilitate that, but for the most part, the entire purpose of that is to obtain cool stuff, either for the sake of personal upgrades or wiping out enemies in even more extravagant ways. Trying out different builds is another major appeal, especially when you start slotting different ability cores into the same weapon.

Without any enemies to fight, that’s one major aspect of the power fantasy removed. It gets even worse when factoring in the Sealed Abyss Artifacts. Not all 141 of them require combat to unlock, but there are still plenty that do. If you’re lucky, you would have completed Trials like defeating five enemies with a shield without taking damage, or slaying 30 enemies within 30 seconds with a spear, and not lack any targets for assassinating five sleeping enemies at night, or taking out an elite using only guns.

Speaking of guns, this is a great time to discuss Damiane and Oongka. I’ve mentioned this before in my qualms with the progression – how you need separate Abyss Artifacts to upgrade their skills. Toss in gear and even with the new Refinement Tokens, it becomes extremely challenging to min-max both characters alongside Kliff, much less experiment with their builds. If you decided to leave playing as them until the late game (which you’ll probably do, given the lack of resources), then there’s an absolute lack of enemies to fight. And there goes any reason to really bother with these other unique characters.

Of course, it’s not like there isn’t other stuff to do. You could challenge different optional bosses (albeit only once), complete various puzzles, or attend a whole range of activities that don’t require any combat. However, this kind of issue is one that other open-world games solved years – heck, some more than a decade – before. As much as we make fun of the Radiant quests in Skyrim and Fallout 4, the fact that they’re even present means no shortage of combat encounters. And once again, Crimson Desert is a game where combat is the backbone. Take out any reason for players to fight anything, and as many have noted, it goes from being an open-world action-adventure to simply an open-world adventure.

Now, there are several ways that the development team could address this. The short-term solution is to simply allow enemies to recapture camps, forts, and whatnot, forcing the player to liberate them again, and that’s a decent band-aid. However, some have suggested a more detailed faction wars system. Imagine the dozens of different factions battling each other for supremacy, and Kliff being able to ally or go against each of them for unique benefits. It may even provide an incentive to use the Mission Dispatch for sending Greymanes to different fronts. Considering the sheer number of factions, it’s kind of surprising that Crimson Desert didn’t ship with this already.

Granted, this could mess with the Contributions system (not to mention the whole thing about Kliff and his crew being morally good), but it certainly creates a whole lot more intrigue than simply, “The good guys won, the bad guys disappeared, the end.” It’s something that probably could have been more easily justifiable if there were more morally grey factions to work with, rather than strictly good/evil groups, but I digress.

Another, more straightforward fix is to introduce New Game Plus. All your Abyss Artifacts, equipment, money, skills, inventory, and Howling Hill Camp upgrades carry over to a new playthrough. The entire map becomes available to liberate once more, and while you can still use any unlocked mounts, special exceptions like Blackstar require playing through the story again. Besides tougher foes, the developers could spice things up by introducing modifiers, perhaps even new attacks or late-game enemies appearing much earlier. Otherwise, add some new activities that players can engage with ad nauseam for their combat needs. A horde mode. Boss rush. A siege mode. Mission replay. The list goes on.

Some may argue that the current system is fine – it’s a video game after all, one that already provides hundreds of hours of entertainment. Why do you need it to last forever? Of course, this isn’t what anyone is arguing – simply that if there’s content, much less an entire combat system, that hinges on fighting regular enemies, then gradually removing said threats as you progress doesn’t make any kind of sense. I don’t always need challenging encounters to limit-test my end-game build. Sometimes, I just want to let loose against a crowd of jabronis and watch them fly amid the explosions. Why deny someone that simple pleasure? Furthermore, why give them all these optional challenges via Sealed Abyss Artifacts and then not even give them the means to complete them?

Once again, there are multiple ways that the development team could approach this issue, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were already working on something to address it. That’s one benefit of speaking up and letting them know about Crimson Desert’s shortcomings – sooner or later, it will do something, creating a better experience for everyone. And really, that’s all anyone can really ask for.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

But what’s really surprising is the feeling that the entire experience is just getting started, with an opening region that’s so rich and four others that are looking as jam-packed with engaging content. I chuckled to myself at jokes saying that the developer could have titled the game ‘Hernand’ and called it a day, and I must say there is some merit to that thought.

But is an opening region that’s this large a sign of a game that’s full of bloat? I’d say no, as Hernand isn’t a long checklist of repetitive activities, but a gradually unfolding story within a story that’s so engaging, it trumps my curiosity to see what the other four regions have to offer. Join me as I take you through why I think that’s the case.

More Than A Tutorial Zone

I’m probably not the only one among us who thought that my time in Hernand was going to be short, a sort of introduction to a bunch of mechanics before I was sent off into Pywel to find a path to Kliff’s destiny. After all, there was such a massive map to explore on the ground, and The Abyss calling to me from high up above.

But Hernand’s intricate politics and the interdependencies between its various factions are just too compelling to leave behind, making it feel like a destination that could put even the most elaborate RPGs to shame. It’s got the density of a sandbox that’s usually in the later stages of a massive game, and just uncovering all it’s landmarks is such a huge part of why it draws you back in.

There are sealed artifacts to pick up, well-hidden caves with valuable loot to discover, strongbox puzzles that took me a while to find and solve, crafting recipes and manuals for food and gear that I expect will serve me well when I finally venture in Demeniss or Calphade, and of course, bosses that have had me quite happy to stay put among its mountains and plains.

That covers Hernand’s size, but what about its scope?

A Complex And Nuanced Landscape

If I were to describe what I see Hernand as after all this time with it, I’d say it’s a vast swathe of land with the city as its beating heart. I’m floored by how a simple meeting with the Marquis de Serkis has thrust me, and Kliff by extension, into an entire life of solving problems for nobles, and improving the region so that its people remember the Greymanes for a long time to come.

Each quest chain starts off so simple before it becomes an elaborate loop of clearing out enemy encampments, battling literal armies, taking on intriguing bosses, solving the complex mechanical layers of a desolate castle, ringing bells to summon the mysterious residents of a hidden village, climbing atop a literal Ent to gain access to said village, and so much more!

And it’s all so subtly woven into the region’s political fabric that Hernand feels alive in a way that makes it so compelling that my efforts to venture into other areas somehow ends with me back in it again, exploring a new part of the area in the service of one faction or another.

Finding Factions

Let me give you a rundown of all the different factions I’ve met, each of them introduced to me so organically I barely even noticed how rapidly the list of people who were depending on the Greymanes began to grow.

There were the Goldleaf Merchants and House Serkis to begin with, each of whom I’m sure we’ve all encountered through the main story. House Celeste gets quickly added to that list the minute you pick up your first bounty poster. Of course, the Greymanes get woven in after setting up shop on Howling Hill. That’s four factions, already, each bringing new avenues to engage with the land in multiple ways.

House Robert, House Grace and House Alfonso quickly get thrown in as you make your way across the land, as do the Witches, The Shia, a whole bunch of vendors who need favors and give you very useful rewards in return, strangers who look to your kindness as you encounter them on the road, and of course, several story quests to begin sending Kliff towards other regions.

One of those requests pointed me in the direction of a fishing village, a quest that soon led me to stumble upon the Catfish Pirates, a meeting that ended up taking up many an entertaining hour! It’s almost as if Hernand’s size was a deliberate choice made to contain its scope within a boundary that would allow it to be its own game map within a larger one.

Remember those story quests I mentioned? If you’re wondering if they’re the reason I haven’t left Hernand, they’re not. Allow me to explain.

A Citizen By Choice

Yes, Crimson Desert’s story might not be its strongest feature. But the ones in Hernand have largely been interesting, between the main narrative and my Greymanes looking to me to help them rebuild the faction. I haven’t moved on from hernand because I find the story to be weak, but rather because it’s too damn hard to leave all my business there unfinished.

It’s presented so well that it has begun to feel like home to me, and I feel invested in its welfare. I’ve spent time with nobles who have helped me find a safe space for my Greymane brethren, while I assisted them with a variety of unique problems in return. I’ve invested in the land, using my Greymane camp’s resources to help its people.

I’ve helped people in villages by freeing those taken prisoner by bandits or pirates and liberating their homes, where I’m now welcomed. I’ve sent my Greymanes to build bridges across crucial trade routes while I’ve helped clean the place up, getting it decidedly free of Bleed Bandits, Fundamentalist Goblins, and Bandits. I took out the one leading the Goldleaf Merchants astray and helped stabilize trade in the region.

I’m now fast friends with its local merchants. I’m more or less a citizen of Hernand myself, and I’ve prided myself on being one that is well-liked and respected.

That isn’t a weak story, but a very intelligent design. And I want to experience and savor it all. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to leave at some point. Here’s why I’m looking forward to that day.

A Fifth Of The Pywel Pie

As the first exploreable of five big ones in Crimson Desert, the fact that Hernand feels like a place you can’t help but come back to speaks very well for the rest of the experience. It means that Crimson Desert has managed to make its players want to stay, which can be tricky for any open-world experience.

If the rest of Pywel is as densely packed with content that feeds into itself, I think Crimson Desert is going to take up all my personal gaming time for the rest of the year, with perhaps only Phantom Blade Zero pulling me away from it. I’ve been playing it as I eat, and think about it when I’m not holding a controller in my hand. I’ve even begun talking through gravelly grunts and an accent, much to the chagrin of my social circle.

With such an immersive opening area, it can be easy to worry that the developer has overplayed its hand by making Hernand this enjoyable, making the other four regions of Crimson Desert feel less intricate and dense by way of comparison. But my limited forays into new areas have given me enough new quest threads to pull at that I’m convinced it isn’t the case. The very existence of that concern is a testament to Hernan’s quality, if you ask me.

The way Hernand is structured is a great showcase of how confident game design can make experiences so unique their very existence becomes the source of discourse around a game, and a lot of it being good. Hernand’s kind of been the stage for Crimson Desert’s recovery from a slow start if you think about it.

It’s a place that has become personal, and I’m hoping that the rest of Pywel is the same. I’d truly be one with its world when I finally put it down if that’s the case. And on that note, I return to Hernand to continue building the Greymane legacy, one enjoyable step at a time.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

In case it wasn’t obvious, we’re talking about Grand Theft Auto 6. The once and future king of all open-world games. The magnum opus, the game to end all games, and which everyone is trying desperately to avoid. Surprised about that supposed August release window for Lords of the Fallen 2? Or that Halo: Campaign Evolved could launch before September, while Marvel’s Wolverine is launching halfway through?

Such is the power of Rockstar Games and the Grand Theft Auto name. No one wants their release to go figuratively toe-to-toe with Grand Theft Auto 6, much less hang around in the same vicinity. Because when you spend as much as Rockstar North reportedly has on employee wages alone, you can afford the breathing room.

Recently, fans discovered just how much that may be through public records maintained by the UK government agency, Companies House. Registered as Rockstar Games UK Limited, these outline wages and salaries from March 31st, 2019, to March 31st, 2025. Remember when Take-Two said development began in earnest around 2020? Rockstar North reportedly spent £191 million from 2019 to 2020 – about $252.6 million in what we can assume was pre-production alone.

Consider for a moment that Cyberpunk 2077, currently the seventh most expensive game ever made, spent roughly $526 million across all versions, marketing included, when adjusted for inflation in 2025. Let’s continue.

As production seemingly started rolling, costs increased gradually from March 2020 to 2021, with £223 million spent and then far more from 2021 to 2022, with £346 million spent. And while that marked the most expensive period of development per these records, the next two years would see the developer spend £316 million and £315 million.

Its latest report from March 31st, 2024, to the same date in 2025 indicates £282 million spent on salaries. Of course, we already know that Grand Theft Auto 6 got delayed – twice, in fact – and Rockstar has yet to reveal how much was spent from 2025 to 2026, never mind the other nine months leading up to its launch. However, if you calculate the current amount reportedly spent on employee wages alone, it’s about £1.6 billion or roughly $2.1 billion.

Disclaimer: While Companies House does “basic checks on documents,” ensuring they’re “fully completed and signed,” it doesn’t have “statutory power of capability” to verify their accuracy. So while these records are a strong indicator of how much has been spent, you shouldn’t take them as full confirmation. Not that Rockstar or Take-Two will willingly confirm the same if you ask nicely, but I digress.

The most expensive game ever developed is, believe it or not, Monopoly Go!, with $1.026 billion spent on development and marketing when adjusted for inflation last year. Star Citizen, which started releasing modules in 2013 – the same year that Grand Theft Auto 5 launched, conveniently enough – and Squadron 42 have already cost over $955 million. If these records for Grand Theft Auto 6 are accurate, then just based on developer salaries alone, it would be the most expensive game ever made. And again, that hasn’t even factored in marketing or costs spent on support studios. Heck, 21 months have yet to be accounted for. The total may cross $3 billion in wages when all is said and done.

However, as of March 2025, about $2.1 billion. It’s simply mind-boggling, but then again, is it? A former graphics programmer seemingly revealed that they worked on “next-generation procedural breakable glass” for vehicles and props over the course of three years and two months (among other things). With reports of all the other technical wizardry that the game will have – a “revolutionary new system” for real-time physically simulated water, more precise deformations for vehicles, a real-time weather system with heavy gameplay implications – it’s not surprising. Then again, there’s also that part in the documents about a monthly average of 1,744 employees at Rockstar, which is also an insane number in its own right.

“They’ll get that back in the first week of launch,” you’re no doubt thinking about that amount, and as incredulous as it sounds, you’re not wrong. Just think back to the release of Grand Theft Auto 5, which earned $800 million on its first day and $1 billion in three. By comparison, the sequel is on a whole other level when it comes to hype. It’s been touted as the savior for an industry that’s notoriously lagging in both hardware and software sales. It’s Take-Two’s cash cow for the next decade or so. Amid concerns of rising inflation, global tariffs and the economy in general, no expense has apparently been spared for Grand Theft Auto 6. Just like for Grand Theft Auto 5, and just like for Red Dead Redemption 2.

Conveniently, an interview by Kiwi Talkz with former audio designer Rob Carr talks about Rockstar’s thought process. Speaking on technical limitations – “’Each soundbank has to be X, Y, and Z, these are your limitations for every mission. These are the technical constraints,'” he said. But creative constraints? “’There isn’t any. Go nuts’” is apparently how the company operates. Which doesn’t mean that its teams can logically fit in everything that they want – just that, “It’s easier to dial it down, you know, dial it back, go too much and then strip some fat off than it is to not do enough and then have to push for that extra five or 10 percent at the end of the project,” says Carr. Which makes even more sense if Rockstar wants to instead spend that time on bug testing and polishing.

Nevertheless, it speaks to how the company has been when developing its games, and Take-Two always gives it that leeway for a reason. Other developers and publishers avoid it for the very same. What would ordinarily inspire outrage in terms of the sheer amount spent on development thus far – especially with criticism over ballooning cost in triple-A development – is pretty much a given. Creating an unrealistic standard that the genre has no hope in hell of ever reaching? Par for the course, really. It’s almost as if Grand Theft Auto is in a completely different realm that’s just plain untouchable, regardless of everything else. Not because this is how games are made, but because that’s how Rockstar wants to make them, all else be damned.

I’d like to believe spending hundreds of millions doesn’t automatically translate into a quality release, much less one that will see the light of day – look no further than reports of Eidos Montreal cancelling a project whose budget apparently blew well past nine figures. Nor should it be taken as the norm, despite the general direction of triple-A games over the past decade or more.

Instead, it can be best viewed as Rockstar doing Rockstar things, ensuring that Grand Theft Auto 6 stands out. It will be players’ de facto choice when it comes to spending $80, because there is no way it could retail for cheaper after these figures have come to light. It will help justify all those re-releases and special editions, all those double-dippers when the PC version rolls around. And maybe, that’s enough, but really, it’s because Rockstar probably doesn’t know how else to make games. With less than nine months before launch, either thought is scary and we probably can’t even imagine to what extent.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Of course, it heard those complaints, loud and clear, and went about nerfing certain bosses and enemies. Attacks that massively chunked stamina while blocking are now far more manageable – from the storm that is approaching to hard knocks on a wooden board.

Which isn’t the worst thing in theory. It felt a little odd to be taking so much damage pre-launch, barely finding windows to attack because everyone possessed an ultimate attack with invincibility throughout. And that was even while keeping up with upgrading my gear, the tedium of mining ores and chopping trees mixing with the real joy that is exploration and uncovering various nooks and corners.

However, the development team went even further and decided to further sand off the rough edges. Gliding? Now much easier thanks to lower stamina consumption. Resources? Far more plentiful, as chests containing the same could be discovered while exploring. Players discovered more tech for getting around faster, which went hand in hand with the gliding changes to make it far easier to collect Abyss Artifacts and Abyss Cressets – seriously, go to the Crimson Desert, they’re just waiting around. Which meant that even if you hit a wall with Abyss Artifacts required for upgrades, well, you would have plenty on hand. Even the new Refinement Tokens made it so that any gear that you discovered could be quickly leveled up to become viable.

So, with how much more seamless it is to explore the furthest reaches of Pywel, gather resources for upgrades, and even research how to obtain all the best gear, some players have taken the seemingly logical next step: Asking for difficulty options. One proposition involved making the game even more challenging on Hard mode than it was at launch, effectively creating a “survival” mode of sorts. That would mean long cooldowns on some of the best food, the removal of question marks on the map, fewer Palmer Pills, and so on.

The idea is a weird tightrope because while players feel like they’re overpowered – which is rich, considering the number of posts about spending 50-plus hours and still being in Hernand – they also like being overpowered. While there is the joke about taking a break from a boss and exploring for 10 hours, only to come back and curbstomp it, I don’t think there’s any amount of balancing that could really address that.

Others feel it’s the friction that gave Crimson Desert its true challenge, whether it’s being gated by the progression or taking more time to get around. Which is funny, given how many more positive reviews and players it received on Steam since the last two major patches.

I think it comes down to admitting a couple of hard truths about the boss fights – that, despite how challenging they may be, some of them just don’t feel all that enjoyable. I won’t name and shame specific offenders (*cough* Hexe *cough*), but for all the bosses that inevitably stood out, there were a few that felt like they could use a bit more Q&A. Less invincibility windows, more attacks that actually feel good to punish when you actually avoid them.

One also has to realize that in a game like this, it’s the player who really defines the difficulty. Look at The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You could effectively beeline it to the final boss from the start with only three hearts if you so chose, ignoring the rest of the world. Whether you actually reached it or not is a different story, but you very well could (and there are plenty who have). Crimson Desert isn’t exactly like that – progressing through the story is a must for reaching the big bad, yet the actual game revolves around the larger world.

As you complete requests, stab through waterfalls, mine materials, and discover new ones, Kliff will passively unlock the means to become stronger. Even if you’re not actively seeking any Abyss Artifacts, a little meter on the side will fill up with every kill, awarding one when it reaches completion. The only real way to challenge yourself is to ignore it, and honestly, going down that path of not using certain things just for the sake of some difficulty can be a thorny one. Where do you stop to hit that sweet spot of challenge?

Let’s not forget that even Breath of the Wild implemented a Master Mode at the end of the day, introducing a tougher tier of enemies, buffing the already existing foes, and even tossing more serious threats into early game environments. It’s not completely out of the realm of possibility for Crimson Desert, and I don’t see the developer locking it behind paid DLC. Maybe for New Game Plus, if players are lucky.

But introducing level scaling, ensuring that every enemy matches your own? I don’t think that’s the right path towards a more challenging experience. When you’re motivated to engage with the world and rewarded in either slight increments of power or strong new tools, it just feels annoying to see your enemies leveling up for free. Besides, it kind of interferes with one thing that many enjoy about the combat, namely, the ability to wreck crowds. The progression also needs some reworking because entering a new region and exploring it to find materials that would inevitably go into upgrading your current loadout is part of the fun. Having stronger enemies may be ideal for some to “test” their broken builds on, but after what point does it just feel ridiculous to see random Demenissian Guard A get up after taking multiple Explosive Arrows to the face?

Of course, it’s still early days for Crimson Desert. Despite launching about two weeks ago, it’s been in discourse for what feels like years at this point. There are still several other areas that need improvement, numerous mechanics that could be further iterated. As much as I see the development team wanting to address every bit of feedback for those currently playing, there’s something about taking the time and really working through what it wants to do with the game. The bigger picture, so to speak.

In the meantime, players should enjoy the current cycle as much as possible – fighting monsters and inevitably turning Kliff into one that can either tank the heaviest of blows or roast bosses with a single combo. That in itself can be a catharsis for many, even at the cost of the few who seek a higher challenge.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

What makes Road to Vostok even more fascinating is the story behind its creation. The game is being developed primarily by a single developer, Antti whose unconventional background lends a unique authenticity to the project. With experience rooted in military training and a deep interest in realistic systems, the solo developer isn’t just building a game but an accurate simulation of survival under extreme conditions. His development approach has been refreshingly transparent, with frequent updates and detailed breakdowns of mechanics shared openly with the community. In an era where large studios often operate behind closed doors, this kind of transparency has helped build trust and excitement around the project which is quite important given the large scale of the experience.

Having a solo developer at the helm means a strong singular vision for the game, and that becomes a lot clearer the more you look at the game’s core design. Road to Vostok is structured around a persistent world divided into interconnected maps, where players scavenge resources, engage with hostile threats, and attempt to push further toward the mysterious “Vostok” zone. There are no safety nets here; supplies are scarce, enemies are lethal, and the environment itself can be just as dangerous as any firefight. The design philosophy leans heavily into nailing realism. Weapons have weight and unpredictability. Inventory management is deliberate and restrictive. Healing isn’t instant. Every action carries friction, and that friction is what creates tension.

For fans of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., that tension is instantly familiar. GSC Game World’s survival outings thrive on atmosphere and unpredictability, creating a world that feels indifferent to the player’s existence. Road to Vostok captures that same spirit, and the environments carry a haunting sense of isolation. From bleak forests to long–abandoned structures and snow-covered outposts, Road to Vostok’s map flaunts a sense of haunting quietness that feels intentional. Dynamic weather and lighting further enhance that atmosphere, transforming familiar locations into entirely different experiences depending on the time of day or environmental conditions.

But what truly elevates Road to Vostok beyond a simple homage to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is its commitment to player-driven storytelling. There are no scripted hero moments here, but rather the game heavily relies on emergent narratives – dynamic stories that arise naturally from systems intertwining with each other and reacting to the player’s decisions. You might spend an hour carefully navigating a hostile zone, avoiding conflict and conserving resources, only to lose everything in a sudden ambush. Or you might stumble upon valuable loot in an abandoned building, turning a desperate run into a triumphant escape. Or you could be stuck in a desperate firefight, and another faction rush in to give you a brief window to escape. These are not pre-designed scenarios; but rather the result of a world that reacts to you without bending to your will.

The star element of Road to Vostok’s design is permadeath which might be its most defining feature. When you die in this game, you don’t simply reload a checkpoint and try again. Your progress, your gear, your hard-earned resources are stripped away, and you obviously need to start from zero. That level of consequence fundamentally changes how the game is played, and puts a massive weight behind each decision. Do you risk pushing deeper into a dangerous area for better loot, or do you retreat and secure what you’ve already gained? Do you engage an enemy that might be guarding valuable supplies, or do you avoid the confrontation altogether? These choices carry real weight because the fail state isn’t just a temporary setback but a complete reset to the starting line.

For fans of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., this is where Road to Vostok feels like a dream come true. You see, the original games experimented with this level of tension, but conventional design constraints often softened the blow. Save systems in contemporary titles allow players to experiment without long-term consequences, but Road to Vostok embraces that intensity fully. It doesn’t just want you to survive; it wants you to fear failure. This singular caveat has the potential to alienate a major chunk of the player base, but this is exactly what makes success meaningful. 

The game’s systems are designed to reinforce a constantly careful mindset at every turn. Inventory management forces players to prioritize essentials. Ammunition isn’t something you can waste casually, and weapons require maintenance and careful handling. Even navigation demands attention, as the absence of hand-holding mechanics means you must completely rely on environmental cues and your own awareness. It feels like an extension of the systems that we have seen in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or even Far Cry 2, but nothing compares to the intensity of what Road of Vostok is aiming for.

What’s also impressive about Road to Vostok is the fact that it punches well above its weight, especially considering its indie origins. The environments are grounded and realistic, and the production values are quite convincing. Lighting plays a crucial role in establishing the right mood, with natural shadows and atmospheric effects coming together to create a sense of constant unease. There’s a rawness to the presentation that feels appropriate for the game’s tone. The sound design complements this approach, with distant gunshots, rustling foliage, and environmental ambience creating a soundscape that feels alive and unpredictable.

Another aspect that stands out is the game’s commitment to offline, single-player design. In a market saturated with multiplayer survival experiences and live-service models, Road to Vostok takes a more traditional path. It’s not about competing with other players or grinding through seasonal content, but completely embracing a solitary journey through a hostile world, where your only real opponent is the environment itself. And the best part is that it stays relevant for the long-term through its permadeath mechanic and dynamic systems which ensures replayability is high and the world is open to experimentation.

Of course, ambition alone isn’t enough to guarantee success. Road to Vostok is still in development, and many of its systems would need careful balancing to ensure they feel challenging without becoming frustrating. Permadeath continues to be a double-edged sword. It’s great at creating incredible tension, it can also turn frustrating if not implemented thoughtfully. The key will be ensuring that deaths feel fair and players should understand what went wrong and feel motivated to try again rather than discouraged, and that’s not something that most roguelikes have been able to imitate successfully.

What makes the project especially compelling is also how it taps into a very specific niche within the gaming community. Many players crave experiences that respect their time and intelligence and don’t rely on constant rewards or artificial progression systems to maintain engagement. Road to Vostok speaks directly to that audience. It offers a slower, more deliberate kind of satisfaction – one that comes from overcoming adversity through careful planning and execution rather than brute force or heavy guidance.

For fans of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., it represents something even more significant: the evolution of a beloved formula. It takes the core ideas that made those games memorable – the atmosphere, unpredictability, tension and pushes them into a more uncompromising direction. It strips away the little conveniences that these inspirations offer and asks players to fully commit to the experience. That level of authenticity is rare, especially in an industry that often prioritizes accessibility and mass appeal.

In conclusion, Road to Vostok has the potential to become more than just another indie success story.  It could really redefine what hardcore survival games look like in the modern era, and even become an inspiration for other developers to build upon. And if everything falls into place – the systems finally click, the tension holds, and the world remains as compelling in the end product as it looks now – then Road to Vostok might just be a breakout hit. It has great potential to emerge as one of the most talked-about and influential survival games of the near future, and we are hoping that the developer will be able to take those elements and pull off something spectacular.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

It’s a great time to be a Resident Evil fan, and while we have had a good amount of clarity on the roadmap for fresh releases, there have been lingering questions about the future of its remake initiatives. Fans have been extremely curious to know the next candidate for receiving a similar treatment. We believe that there’s a great chance that it’s going to be Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and there are plenty of reasons as to why that might be the case.

You see, the conversation around a potential Resident Evil: Code Veronica Remake is not just about catering to the wishful thinking from fans – but it’s also backed by a steady stream of both official and unofficial signals that come together to suggest that something meaningful could be in the works. At the time of writing this feature, nothing has been formally announced by the developer – so you should note that this is one of those rare cases where anticipation is being fueled by a mix of ground truth and carefully interpreted speculation.

Resident Evil: Requiem has been absolutely great with stellar critical and commercial reception, raking in numerous praise from fans and selling millions of copies. We already know that the developer likes these games to breathe, so there’s little sense in expecting a brand new release or reveal when a steady stream of post-launch content is already planned for Requiem as of now. But internally, priorities have already been shifted and the developer is already looking into future projects.

On the official side, the developer’s stance has been telling but tight-lipped. Back in October 2022, the developer addressed the possibility of a Code Veronica remake, stating that there were no concrete plans at the time. However, they notably left the door open for discussions with statements such as “maybe”, and that response has aged in interesting ways, given the recent direction the franchise has taken. Jump to December 2023, and the developer confirmed that it intends to continue producing remakes within the Resident Evil series, though it once again stopped short of naming specific projects. That alone doesn’t confirm anything, but it does establish a clear intent that remakes are not slowing down anytime soon.

Understandably, talking about unnamed remakes doesn’t give away much about their existence, but there’s more to it. For instance, the developer in June 2023 asked fans which Resident Evil titles they would most like to see remade – and there’s a high chance that Code Veronica would have easily topped that list given that the initial classics have already been remade. While the results were never formally broken down in detail, Code Veronica has consistently ranked among the most requested entries in community conversations – so there’s reason to believe that this is indeed going to be the case. Of course, the question by the developer doesn’t confirm anything – but it strongly suggests that they are aware of and actively measuring demand for its next moves.

Where things become more concrete, although still unofficial, is in the wave of reports that began surfacing in early 2026. One of the most notable came from VGC, which reported in January that the next major Resident Evil remake is expected to be revealed sometime in 2026. More importantly, the report stated that it also “understands” that both Code Veronica and Resident Evil Zero are currently in development. This particular report comes from reputable sources, so one should take this piece of information beyond the regular rumor territory.

That same report was further reinforced by industry insider Dusk Golem, who has a long track record of reporting on the franchise. According to him, the remake slated for reveal in 2026 would be Code Veronica rather than a more commercially obvious choice like Resident Evil 5. This aligns with the developer’s recent pattern of revisiting older, more structurally dated entries such as Resident Evil 3 Remake and modernizing them for a contemporary audience.

Another piece of reporting comes from NateTheHate, whose claims were later amplified by major outlets like Insider Gaming. According to these reports, the rumored Code Veronica remake is currently in deep development and is targeting a release window in the first half of 2027. In addition to this, reports by the aforementioned Dusk Golem also suggest that Code Veronica will be arriving first and Resident Evil Zero should follow soon in 2028. While these timelines are far from confirmed, the consistency across multiple reports adds a layer of credibility that’s hard to ignore.

What’s more interesting is that the rumors haven’t just been about timing, but they have also begun to touch upon the design philosophy. Shortly after the release of Resident Evil: Requiem, Dusk Golem also suggested that the remake will retain all major enemies, locations, and narrative beats from the original Resident Evil Code: Veronica, but with significant reworking of those mechanics in new and interesting ways. The claim is that nothing will be cut but rather expanded – particularly the roles of Chris Redfield and Claire Redfield. If it ends up being true, this would align with the developer’s recent remake strategy which is to preserve the core identity while enhancing pacing, characterization, and mechanical depth.

That said, it’s important to distinguish between what is likely and what is actually confirmed. The safest conclusions right now are relatively straightforward, and the bottom line is that the developer has clearly stated that it intends to continue making remakes. Code Veronica is one of the most requested titles in the franchise’s history. Multiple reputable outlets are now pointing to it as the next major remake, and that’s speculation. Beyond that, however, specific release windows, narrative changes, development timelines – everything still falls under informed speculation rather than verified facts.

You also have to understand that the reason Code Veronica keeps resurfacing in these discussions isn’t just because of rumors, but also because it makes strategic sense. Unlike more recent entries, it hasn’t benefited from modern reimaginings or widespread re-releases in the same way. It also occupies a unique place in the series timeline, bridging narrative threads between earlier and later entries while featuring two of the franchise’s most recognizable protagonists. All in all, it’s the most logical candidate to receive the remake treatment.

On an interesting note, the remake has been teased in Requiem. A closer look at Wrenwood’s hotel register through photo mode has sparked fresh speculation among fans, with one detail in particular standing out: Alyssa isn’t merely listed as the final guest, but as the ninth guest, a detail some are reading as a deliberate nod to Resident Evil 9. The intrigue does not end there either, because another name on the register, “Veronica,” has also drawn attention for its possible connection to Code Veronica.

Further details from the lkes of DuskGolem, and ScreenFire Germany reveal that the remake will have darker horror tone, a more Claire driven story, fully playable opening with stealth elements, expanded roles for Rodrigo and Wesker, and heavier engagement with the Ashfords’ history. At the same time, the more ambitious gameplay claims, especially the semi-open Rockfort Island, motorcycle traversal, and broader structural remixing, are exactly the sort of details that make fans wary, so treat those elements with skepticism.

There’s also the matter of historical performance, which also adds business sense to the conversation. According to the developer’s own data, Resident Evil Code: Veronica X has sold around 1.40 million units, while the original Dreamcast version reached approximately 1.14 million. These numbers don’t rival the series’ biggest hits, but they’re strong enough to justify revisiting the title, especially when you factor in the sustained fan demand. In the modern market, where remakes can dramatically outperform their originals, Code Veronica represents both a nostalgic asset and an opportunity for reinvention.

While Resident Evil: Code Veronica Remake has not been confirmed in an official capacity, but the sheer volume and consistency of recent reports related to the matter suggest that it is more than just a distant possibility. It sits at the very convenient intersection of fan demand, strategic logic, and credible insider claim which is a really strong position for a project that technically doesn’t exist yet.

And that’s what makes this prospect so compelling; this isn’t just another rumor cycle built on vague hints and wishful thinking. It’s a convergence of signals pointing in the same direction. Until the developer steps forward with a formal reveal, there will always be an element of uncertainty – but all signs point towards Code Veronica Remake’s existence not being a question of if but a question of when.

The game’s promotional materials sell a world that’s impactful, but puts an emphasis on the grime that layers it all, and the style with which you’re able to deal with it. But that’s not what has us so excited to get our hands on this one. Instead, we think that Tyndalston’s gritty vibe is a potent backdrop for a game that constantly puts you under pressure, while forcing you to be disciplined about the way you approach tough situations, with very real consequences for bad decisions.

Wondering how we arrived at that conclusion? We’re happy to take you through that rather entertaining train of thought, so let’s dive in.

The Weight of the World

Samson’s core premise is decidedly heavy, and we think that it’s intended to be that way, as it underlines all of the chaos that life in Tyndalston has to offer our world-weary protagonist. He’s in deep debt with the wrong people, and the price of failure is his sister’s life. He’s managed to buy himself some time to set things straight, but it’s never that simple when your back is against the wall, is it? Your “debt grows by the hour”, since every missed deadline adds a hefty interest that piles on if you let it go out of control.

Your debtors are greedy, wanting to squeeze every possible bit of value out of a man who has managed to get himself entangled deep without any exit route, or even the hope of one. You only have that many action points to spend every day you’re in Tyndalston, and you have to use them as wisely as you can if you’re intending to keep your head up. There’s no safety net or do-overs if you get things wrong, and you’re just going to have to learn to live with the consequences of your actions.

It might look like a crime fantasy from a distance, something akin to a GTA-lite sandbox, thanks to how its visuals present Tyndalston. The clock’s like a ticking time bomb, working against you in an experience that doesn’t encourage casual improvisation in the face of complex problems. Instead, it seems designed to have you feeling cornered and under constant pressure to learn how to make the most out of systems that put you on the back foot.

In Tyndalston, Samson isn’t the hunter, but is rather the prey, and his survival is in your hands. Those are some high stakes, and it’s a good thing that the game’s combat looks like he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve. But will they be enough?

Fighting For Your Life

The game’s official position on its combat system is that it emphasizes using the world around you and improvised tools to sustain the momentum you manage to gain in a fight. With over twenty-five skills that can make Samson quite potent with his fists, with brawling being an important part of the experience, working alongside driving mechanics that come with the same design underpinnings, it can be easy to think that you’re going to be solving a lot of Samson’s problems with some stylized violence.

Once again, we think that the game’s most important message is being buried under expectations that might not truly align with the kind of gameplay loop it’s trying to sell. We couldn’t help but think of Sifu when forming our impressions of Samson’s combat. They may be entirely different games on the surface, but we think that every fight in that excellent martial arts experience was a desperate struggle to stay one step ahead of your foes through calm, calculated movements and positioning combined with some dexterous moves.

Samson’s combat could come with a similar vibe, requiring that you use his skills with precision instead of raw aggression. He’s one man against the world, and it seems designed to bury him under its weight, irrespective of how strong you can make him. We believe it’s not about the stylish chaos you might expect from a crime sandbox, but a more disciplined approach that requires restraint and aggression in equal measures.

Of course, Samson isn’t going to rely solely on his martial prowess, and there’s another important layer to his time in Tyndalston that deserves his due. We’re talking, of course, about his car.

Creating Distance From Your Problems

What does one do when their problems seem to be suffocating them, with seemingly no escape? Well, they try to run, of course. Samson isn’t above trying to put some distance between himself and his enemies to get some breathing room, and, as such, is going to depend on cars quite a bit as he tries to deal with his debts. The game’s been quick to refer to vehicles as blunt weapons, and that they’re going to be quite important to you as you engage with Tyndalston’s underbelly in your desperate efforts to get ahead.

Of course, every world-weary hero needs a ride they can count on, and for Samson, that’s Pacific Drive. It’s been presented as your only companion, a constant in a world that’s primed to pull out the rug from under your feet time and time again. You’re going to need it, as trying to run is only going to have people trying to catch you with chases, collisions, traps, and close-quarters encounters being touted as a part and parcel of life back home for Samson.

All of that looks like your car is going to be an integral part of your time in the game, woven into the gameplay organically enough to make it a foundational inclusion, not a decorative one. Pacific Drive isn’t a fancy toy for you to play with, but a potent tool that you must use to its fullest if you want to increase the chances of your survival in this game’s gritty world, which brings us to how the game seems structured.

A Focused and Frenetic Experience

We think that Samson isn’t going to be a stream of content that many would call bloat, an attempt to pad out a world that otherwise feels empty. The reason for that is the developers telling us that the main story is roughly ten hours long while that’s a rather short run time that doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t be a good one.

Well, Samson might disagree considering why he’s in it, but we think that the game is more about quality over quantity, and that Tyndalston is going to pack more meaningful content that fits within the larger narrative to make a cohesive, focused adventure that sustains a fast pace while maintaining the tension that the game places on your shoulders. It’s a game that doesn’t seem interested in mass appeal, instead focusing on delivering a memorable experience for those players who choose to engage with it.

And while we’re on the subject of the game’s world, it’s time to turn our attention to Tyndalston as a stage upon which Samson’s fate unfolds.

A World That Keeps You In Check

With the game’s official position being that the chaos you create dictates the pressure you’re going to face, it only makes sense to weave the city itself into that loop. Samson isn’t just running from outlaws, but from a reactive sandbox that’s just waiting to respond to his actions in the game.

The city fights back if you try to push it too hard, and demands that you carefully navigate its intricacies via your interactions with the various factions and people you’re going to meet as you try to help Samson find a way out of his quandary. Tyndalston isn’t a city that’s waiting for your strong hands to take over it, but is instead one that remembers what you do, and responds to those actions in ways that matter via tangible shifts to its streets and who you meet in them.

That’s a facet of the experience we can’t wait to see more of, if we’re being honest, as we think Tyndalston isn’t going to be like GTA, where you go all out to create chaos. It’s less of a playground and more of a pressure chamber that you’re meant to navigate with care and tact, evolving your strategy in the face of a constantly shifting world.

Balancing Excitement and Expectations

Samson’s wishlists are definitely a cause for celebration, and all of those players waiting to dive in are not wrong to be excited for it. Heck, we’re more than ready to dive in and see how its systems come together after all. But we can’t help but wonder how much of the hype is built around the aspects of it that are more in your face. It’s so easy to think of this one as a crime fantasy where you unleash your fists and drive around causing mayhem as you evade your enemies or bring a grisly end to their bad intentions towards you.

But it’s more than that. We’re excited because we see a game that’s built on tension, requiring a restrained approach while you navigate choices, while trying to offset trade-offs that come from your decisions. The game’s wishlists are only an indication of how many eyes are on it, and the hype surrounding it is certainly justified. But for a game as ambitious as this one, the expectations that its players carry might be a factor that influences its early reception.

We believe that Samson is going to be a pleasant surprise, not because its size and scope surpass what is expected of it, but rather because it won’t be a game that’s afraid to hit back at every turn, and demand more of its players than they are ready to give it. And that’s the part we’re most excited for, as we love beating a game that does its utmost to punish us.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

None of them says that the story was bad, but a common undercurrent is that it could have been better, which is especially true when it’s measured against the rest of the experience that the developer has brought to the table. That includes its side content, with the faction-related missions being a particular highlight that we found very compelling. The main story felt less focused than these quests, often jumping between the Greymanes and The Abyss without enough cohesion between the two distinct narrative threads.

But does that mean it’s a bad story? Well, it does have its moments, some of them being quite memorable. Newman’s comments on a project that kept shifting its goalposts are perhaps the best explanation for a narrative that seems as disjointed as it is. Why is that so? Let’s break things down together and look at why an open world that’s as compelling as Pywel didn’t manage to give us the emotional weight to Kliff’s adventures that it should have had.

Back To The Beginning

Let’s start with what Crimson Desert was originally intended to be, as it’s an important part of the ever-changing goalposts that Newman mentioned when discussing its weak story. It began as a project that quickly snowballed into the idea of an open-world action adventure centred on Macduff, a mercenary leader struggling to find his place in the world as he grappled with a tragic past.

But that evolved into the more recent framing around Kliff, the Greymanes, and their ill-fated conflict with the Black Bears that led to the effort to rebuild the company to its former glory. It’s easy to see how things changed as the game’s concept began to evolve. Kliff is still the de facto leader of the Greymanes, although the reasons for the respect they show him remain somewhat blurry. It’s a showcase of how Macduff became Kliff, a sort of evolution that unfortunately left his story feeling like it was bearing the weight of older priorities instead of taking the character in a direction that was altogether his own.

We do feel like that’s kind of a wasted opportunity in Crimson Desert. Let’s take a look at why that’s the case.

The Dark Side of Ambition

We’ve made no secret of the fact that Crimson Desert is a very ambitious title, but that has seemingly come at a hefty price. While its open world has oodles of space for all of its ideas to be executed with abandon, the story’s premise doesn’t afford the same kind of luxury. Its opening moments are strong enough to be fair. Kliff and the Greymanes are set upon by the Black Bears in an ambush that leaves them scattered across Pywel, while Kliff is mercilessly killed by Myurdin.

And while we do see the need to introduce The Abyss as the reason for Kliff’s miraculous resurrection, it didn’t feel as organic as it should have been. That’s further compounded by a long quest chain that thrusts him deep into the mysteries of Pywel’s mythology, while factional conflicts plaguing Hernand also compete for his attention even as he attempts to track down more of his former comrades.

We’re never shown why Kliff, a character whose backstory we didn’t fully get to see, would care about The Abyss and the interplay between the various houses of Hernand. Kliff is certainly a strong focal point for the story, but that potential gets diffused when his attention is pulled in one direction after another in the pursuit of a broader destiny that we had no reason to get invested in at such an early point in the narrative.

That’s rather disappointing, especially when we think about what a lovely time we’ve had with Hernand’s houses, and the amazing stories that they sent us towards.

Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

Let’s start with one of the early requests Kliff agrees to look into for one of Hernand’s noble houses. A quarry under occupation by the Bleed Bandits, one of the game’s umpteen factions, needs liberation, and Kliff is the man for the job. Getting things done would mean a safe haven for the Greymanes he is yet to locate, which is a solid narrative framing for the action that follows.

The mission becomes an incredible fight against a literal army of Bleed Bandits, ending with a fight against an enemy that we’re not going to spoil if you’re yet to tackle that particular piece of the pie. It also serves as a great way to link The Abyss to Pywel’s daily life in a way that feels natural. Further requests from the same house work in tandem with ones from other houses to take Kliff all around Hernand in a way that not only helps the game sell its open-world trappings, but is a clear showcase of how the writers of Crimson Desert could tell solid stories when they weren’t trying to cram too many ideas into a single quest chain.

The factions knew exactly what they wanted, and it showed. Kliff, by extension, also had clear goals in mind as a result. The conflicts that he got into as a result then felt authored rather than assembled, each mission feeding into the next in a way that had us very curious to find out what happens next, a facet made even better by the fact that it was leading us to an entirely new area of the map. The side quests in Crimson Desert benefit greatly from a focused approach that blends well with its scale and scope.

But even the side content has its weak points, and Kliff’s fellow protagonists are a great showcase of that.

The Fleeing Swordswoman And The Loyal Warrior

Damiane and Oongka are perhaps the best examples of how Crimson Desert’s approach to its narrative was too disjointed for it to land effectively. Beginning with Damiane, we see her in the game’s early hours, and are quickly given access to her as a playable character when Kliff secures Howling Hill for the Greymanes. We’re told that she’s on the run from Demeniss, with the reasons why being withheld for the moment.

Her abilities were immediately engaging as a more elegant contrast to Kliff’s own moves, and she quickly became a character we kept switching to GTA-style. That was even before we discovered that we could summon her to help out in battles where our foes had the numerical advantage. But as we progressed through the story, she suddenly vanished, and our efforts to switch to her were met with a message that she was off on an important mission. It also didn’t help that many quests forced us to play as Kliff.

Why couldn’t we play through her missions? Why not give us more of a character whose potential to be as engaging as Kliff was quite obvious? Your guess is as good as ours, and Damiane feels like there was more to her presence in Pywel than what the writers allowed us to see. Her diminished role feels like a structural problem, and the same goes for Oongka.

He was possibly the first character many of you spoke to in the game, before he was neatly tucked away behind story progression that required you to get to Calphade before reuniting with him. As a close confidante of Kliff’s, we expected to see more of him in the story itself, but he was relegated to being an interesting side character whose presence in cutscenes involving him only made us eager to finally get to playing as him.

But by then, our Abyss Artifacts were limited, and we didn’t have too many to spare on unlocking his unique skills – a problem that he shared with Damiane. That seriously limited both characters’ playability, and we were left to default to Kliff for a major part of the mid-game, as it simply made more sense to control him over his equally engaging cast mates. Crimson Desert could have woven its storylines into a series of quests just like it did with Hernand’s nobility.

Instead, Damiane and Oongka felt like afterthoughts tacked on to present the illusion of a protagonist trio but without the narrative consistency to justify their inclusion. Once again, it felt like the game’s ambition to be everything it could be came at the cost of its story. It had the makings of a great ensemble of characters, but its narrative never fully earned it in our book.

Why not have one customisable protagonist instead of an effort to bring back fond memories of GTA 5, or perhaps include more fleshed-out content to make a trio of protagonists actually feel like they were working together as allies, and potentially friends? That second part is still doable via patches, but it’s going to be an uphill climb. Once again, we’re baffled at how Crimson Desert took a direction that even its own studio has since lamented.

That brings us to what Newman and the developer had to say about the story.

Learning Through Hindsight

The developer’s assertion that they could have done better with the story showcases how they have kept track of things in the aftermath of the game’s launch. And while it has been able to act with blinding speed and some admirable intensity to address other issues, the narrative isn’t on its list of priorities. That makes sense, as gameplay is easier to speedily fix than the process of trying to piece together more narrative content, which would require significantly more effort.

Newman’s thoughts on the story’s confused direction come into play here, and we’re especially focused on the fact that he spent two years recording lines before he was told that recording would “begin in earnest” along with his assertion that Kliff didn’t feel like he had enough scenes that lent him the emotional heft needed to make his character feel rooted in the narrative and relatable to boot.

The rather strange lack of cohesion makes sense when looked at from this perspective. The game changed too many times, and the constantly shifting goalposts that served as the basis for its ambition put too much weight on the story, leaving it unable to take a direction that brought Kliff, Damiane, and Oongka along for the ride in a manner that made sense. What we were then left with is what we now see in the game, a story that flits between disparate threads that’s still interesting, but never comes together well enough to make it memorable.

There is narrative strength in Crimson Desert. It’s just sadly a part of its side content instead of its main story. The game’s focus shifted one too many times for its main narrative to keep up, and the inclusion of two other playable protagonists is probably the best way to showcase that it was never fully locked into place right up until the final phase of the game’s development.

It’s a pity that an open world this interesting cannot give us the highs and lows that the characters we play as are clearly capable of. It’s still enjoyable, no doubt about that, but that only makes us think wistfully of the fact that it could have been so much more. And that’s a facet of our time in Pywel that we continue to feel a tad melancholy about, even as we continue to travel to every corner of the fascinating world it has given us.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.