Crimson Desert PS5 Re-Review – A Patchwork of Brilliance

Well, fellow Greymanes and those among you who’re still on the fence about visiting Pywel, here we are again. In my original review of Crimson Desert, I did point out a bunch of flaws that held it back from true greatness. I awarded it an excellent but deserving 8/10. But things have changed, and for the better. Yes, some of those flaws are still around, but others have been patched out at such a rapid pace that it feels like a different game altogether.

And that’s why we’re here. I’ve sunk nearly a hundred and twenty hours into this adventure, and watched it evolve from its release build into a title that now stands as a very strong addition to the open world fantasy action genre. I can safely say that while I was fairly impressed in my original review owing to the game’s potential that was reliant on its issues being addressed, that’s now largely a thing of the past. So, what’s changed?

"The majority of my time in Pywel has been in Balanced Mode, and it’s a visual treat."

Let’s begin with the game’s graphics. On the base PS5, the release build’s Performance Mode was a bit of a mess. Blurry textures and a ton of pop-in were trade-offs I had to live with if I wanted to run the game at 60 fps, a compromise I’m normally okay with but just couldn’t live with given Pywel’s beauty. And while the game did a fairly good job of maintaining its framerate for the most part, it did tank quite noticeably in battles where there were numerous enemy forces in play.

But that’s all in the past now. The forced 4K option has addressed a lot of those blurry textures, and while the game does stutter in intense sections, the option to turn off V-Sync has helped with that, too. However, I’d say that Balanced mode with V-Sync turned off and a bit of tweaking to the camera acceleration setting, coupled with enhanced raytracing enabled, is still the way to go. Of course, Quality Mode has the best visual fidelity, but this is a title where its framerates can make a huge difference to the gameplay.

The majority of my time in Pywel has been in Balanced Mode, and it’s a visual treat. The draw distances have improved by leaps and bounds over the release build, and leaping off high places to zoom into the distance is now something I like to do often, just to take in the sights of the world below me. It’s addictive not just because it’s cool, but because it looks so spectacular, I just can’t get enough of it. I’d recommend messing with your settings a bit to see what works for you, but rest assured, you’re going to find something that clicks.

There isn’t a hint of pop-in now (other than on Performance Mode, that is), and the few visual issues, like a bit of shimmering around hair strands, are now gone. The reflections are a whole lot better, too, courtesy of the new raytracing options. As far as the visual fidelity is concerned, Crimson Desert’s now a brilliant title, even on a base PS5. Things look even better on the PS5 Pro’s 120Hz mode with excellent visual quality and stable frame rate.

"As far as the visual fidelity is concerned, Crimson Desert’s now a brilliant title, even on a base PS5."

Moving on from the game’s visuals, I don’t want to spend too much time on the game’s main story as it’s still too disjointed to do it any favors. That’s something I doubt can be fixed in any cost-effective manner, and it continues to be among the weakest sections of the game. I will say that the more diligent Greymanes among you might find more to like from it, and reading the knowledge part of your Journal does help give more context to the world and its inhabitants, even helping bridge narrative gaps between the various chapters.

I still think that both Damiane and Oongka deserved far more of a presence in the story, a sentiment that’s been shaped by the amount of time I’ve been spending exploring Pywel with them. And that’s not even factoring in their gameplay, which I’ll touch upon a little later down the line. I’d even say that they’re a tad more interesting than Kliff, and I switch to Damiane as soon as I’m free to play as any of the three characters.

While we’re on the subject of Damiane, I know that she begins as a guest of the Greymanes before the story gives her a very clumsy induction into their ranks. I really wish that moment had been presented better, perhaps with a sort of ceremony marking her entry into their order, considering they’re a pretty tight-knit bunch. It would have been a lot better than having her vanish for a major chunk of the story and returning for a single mission after which every person in Pywel magically considered her a Greymane.

Oongka’s introduction as a playable character is similarly shoehorned in, although it isn’t as jarring as Damiane’s. But the two of them sorely need more weapons and gear to make them stand on an equal footing with Kliff, who enjoys the lion’s share of the game’s discoverable gear.

"Even when I’m playing something else, or out and about in the real world, there’s a part of me that’s thinking about my gold deposit at Hernand’s bank, or the trade goods my Greymanes are bringing in."

And speaking of gear, I’m firmly of the opinion that upgrading armor and weapons should NOT need an Abyss Artifact, as other materials are fairly challenging to track down and provide enough of an extra layer to engage with the world without the need to farm for skill points too. I say that because it directly affected my enjoyment of Damiane and Oongka’s skill sets, as having to split a limited pool of skill points between three characters and their gear is a huge bummer. Here’s to hoping that future patches get that sorted.

While the story and the three playable characters continue to have flaws that hold the game back from being an absolute masterpiece, Pywel continues to be the star of the show and a reason why Crimson Desert is among the all-time greats in the open-world genre. Everything that was good about it in the release build continues to be a major draw, but spending more time with it has brought new ways to engage with every one of its systems, and the entire experience is so immersive that it’s become an obsession of mine.

Even when I’m playing something else, or out and about in the real world, there’s a part of me that’s thinking about my gold deposit at Hernand’s bank, or the trade goods my Greymanes are bringing in. Diving back into the game has me managing all of that before I set off in any direction, giving myself a challenge or two along the way.

Every session you play, whether it’s a short dive in to manage your resources or a long one where you uncover a significant part of your map’s fog of war, has meaningful ways to engage with a world that’s quite intricate and feels so tied to your narrative destiny that it all just fits somehow.

"When it’s played as intended, Crimson Desert gives you so many ways to get invested in the experience it’s trying to sell that it’s honestly hard to keep track of it all."

The in-game economy is a great example, and opens itself up so wonderfully that it’s become a very addictive part of my playtime. It all begins with your fellow Greymanes and the things they can set out to do for the faction on your behalf. Sending them out on missions initially gives you resources for your camp, but as you start to bring more of them back to your base at Howling Hill, you get access to more mission types, some of which reward you with goods that you can then sell for a tidy sum at Hernand’s Black Market Dealer.

That inflow of money slowly builds up alongside all the loot you sell from your adventures, and a cursory trip to the nearest bank gets you involved in an economy that’s fairly volatile, but largely ensures that your money needs for most of the game are met. Why go to all the trouble to set up my adventure’s funding, you ask? Well, I simply couldn’t see a Greymane choosing to pickpocket gold bars off nobles, and decided to play the game on its terms. But the option is there, and it’s a credit to how well Pywel has been built.

When it’s played as intended, Crimson Desert gives you so many ways to get invested in the experience it’s trying to sell that it’s honestly hard to keep track of it all. It puts you right in the middle of life as a Greymane trying to find a new path forward while investing your time and energy into Pywel’s welfare. And it’s done so immersively that it feels like you’re living a second life on that vast continent.

The new updates have made navigating the many menus you’ll be dealing with a lot easier, while streamlining the management of your inventory and storage at the camp has vastly improved as well. The latest patch has been a blessing on that front, as you now have dedicated storage for upgrade materials and cooking items at your house in the camp, and can draw on them without needing to have them on you.

"After the very welcome tweaking to sprinting controls, the new dodge mechanic now lets me use it to gain the upper hand in almost any combat situation as opposed to the clunky way it was handled before."

In turn, I see that freeing up more space for loot and armor with different Abyss Gears on them, which give you more options for different builds to handle a variety of situations. You earn more money while tearing through enemies in combat as well as valuable Abyss Artifacts, and it’s a win-win. Indeed, that’s been a recurring theme of these patches, each of them bringing meaningful changes to the gameplay loop and visual upgrades that have made this a very special experience.

My favorite among those changes is the new controls, with another crucial change coming through in the latest patch. The option to configure dodge rolls and dashes, each getting a unique input, is an absolute game-changer. After the very welcome tweaking to sprinting controls, the new dodge mechanic now lets me use it to gain the upper hand in almost any combat situation as opposed to the clunky way it was handled before.

I never could tell when I was going to dash out of attack’s range and stay in striking distance, or roll wildly out of the way, but I’ve already trained my muscle memory to the new controls. Combined with the new changes to storage and inventory management, each of Crimson Desert’s patches has revamped the game, making it a far cry from the release build I reviewed.

Of course, there’s enough that’s been said about the speedy update cycle and excellent changes that the developer has brought to the table, and I’d like to steer us towards the combat, which is now a power fantasy that I keep coming back to, with each of the three playable protagonists now tweaked to have similarities where they count, while retaining a distinct identity when blades are drawn.

"A transmog option for all those cool armor sets might help with a lot of tedious menus and make build flexibility in the game a whole lot more compatible with a fashion community that’s all about the drip you carry into your adventure."

While Kliff is an all-rounder who anyone who likes to play it safe is going to like, thanks to some of the shields you can find out in the world, Damiane brings a bit of speed and agility with her rapier. Of course, you could always go two-handed and give her a spear, with five distinct Abyss Gears giving you a bunch of ways to devastate enemy groups while her shield operates beside you, firing potent shots into your foes that let you stagger them more easily.

Dual-wielding rapiers is also an option, letting you bring six Abyss Gears to the fight, and switching between a spear and your rapier means you have so many ways to control a fight, no matter how fearsome your foes may be.

Oongka relies on his raw strength and Scatter Shots to keep his enemies in check, and I’m particularly fond of grappling moves and unarmed attacks when I play him. He’s the one I tend to rely on for Elemental damage with, using his moveset to unleash devastating attacks with fire, ice, and lightning to destroy large crowds and bosses alike.

It’s a symphony that has you eager to run into a group of bandits, and it’s applicable across all three of the playable protagonists, each of whom the world considers a Greymane.

"When you put your traversal, exploration, and combat all together, Crimson Desert becomes a sandbox where you’re constantly making new discoveries, and that’s especially true when you engage with its side content."

But what’s changed is the fact that they’re all equally capable of solving puzzles, making them all viable options for explorations, while a few missions and areas continue to be exclusive to Kliff. I’m sure a lot of us would like more story content for both Damiane and Oongka, but that’s sadly lacking and likely not high on the list of priorities given the current roadmap of work on the way. Damiane getting something akin to a Focused Force Palm is very welcome, though.

The fact that your loadout dictates how much of a threat any given enemy is going to be when you take them on is a great way of ensuring that the entirety of Pywel is at your doorstep if you decide to just explore it while the story remains on the back burner, and that’s a very good thing. A transmog option for all those cool armor sets might help with a lot of tedious menus and make build flexibility in the game a whole lot more compatible with a fashion community that’s all about the drip you carry into your adventure.

When you put your traversal, exploration, and combat all together, Crimson Desert becomes a sandbox where you’re constantly making new discoveries, and that’s especially true when you engage with its side content. I’ve previously talked to you about how Hernand keeps you so invested in all it has to offer that you almost forget to try and stop by new areas despite them being available to you outside of a few story-related caveats.

Helping one of the many factions in the region leads you to organic meetings with other ones, leading to an entirely new set of quests to try grabbing your attention. There’s also The Abyss to consider, and it’s where you need to go when you decide to add some of the element’s power into your attack patterns.

"The new design language with respect to puzzles is most welcome, though, and it’s now easier to gauge whether the solution you’re attempting is a step in the right direction"

Of course, that would mean hours solving a series of puzzles that are layered and complex, requiring that you assist in bringing some very complex machinery back into operation with nothing but your wits and Zxiom abilities to help. Of course, some of the required knowledge of other mechanics, such as the Stab move, is a detail that I discovered after a lot of frustration with a puzzle that required it. I’ve been a rather stubborn Greymane, refusing to look up solutions to such challenges, and it’s added a significant amount to my overall playtime. The new design language with respect to puzzles is most welcome, though, and it’s now easier to gauge whether the solution you’re attempting is a step in the right direction.

Each new discovery unfolds into another, and you’re soon left with so many different paths to take that each session of play feels like a whole season of an interesting TV show. I’m sure you’re well aware of the staggering amount of things you get to do and discover, but I must comment on how neatly it’s all woven into Pywel’s very fabric.

It’s that intersectionality between its many systems that lends Crimson Desert its unique charm. You’re never able to tell whether your latest adventure is going to lead you down a rabbit hole of discovery, a gruelling fight against an army of enemy forces, or a fairly relaxed time trekking through the world looking for ores and hides to improve your gear. I spent a fair bit of time hunting for the goose with a golden apple, for instance, but didn’t find it.

It’s evident that I really, really like Crimson Desert at this point. It’s definitely among my favorite games to play and will be for a while yet. So why have I not called it a masterpiece yet? That’s because it’s a flawed one. The boss fights are the best example of that. Allow me to explain.

"If you’ve come across a wagon-based mission or two, I sympathize with you, and not just because you’ve got Yann for company."

Aside from a few similar ones that are part of a couple of quest chains, most boss designs in the game are unique. They’re also immensely satisfying to take on, with readable animations and attack patterns that are just waiting to be exploited. Only, the combat camera and lock-on mechanic work against you, and they act as yet another thing to deal with in an already harrowing fight instead of useful tools that help you focus on what’s important in such an encounter.

With the option to re-engage fallen bosses coming to the game and the newly added Hard Mode, it’s a damn shame that these are problems that continue to be a part of those battles. That’s especially true considering that increased animation times on your heals with reduced parry and dodge windows mean that controlling your camera in the heat of battle is going to actively hamper your ability to see what’s unfolding on the battlefield. And with the way bosses leap, teleport, and fly, this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

And that’s just one area in which the game falters, and the spell it casts on you breaks. Another one is the glaring lack of voice lines for all playable characters, with generic answers and stony silences in places where there should have been witty retorts or empathetic assurances. It stands out against the NPCs, who are quite a chatty bunch, and it immediately creates a dissonance between all you’re doing for Pywel while distinctly feeling like you’re not fully a part of it.

If you’ve come across a wagon-based mission or two, I sympathize with you, and not just because you’ve got Yann for company. I’m fine with his character, although I know many of you would like nothing more than to banish him from the Greymanes ranks. But that’s what makes him unique to me. We’ve all got a friend like him, and it makes him immediately relatable as a result.

But anytime the man’s schemes required the use of a wagon, you’re in for a tedious trek through the land on a vehicle that’s so darn clunky once you get used to riding your horse or using all your tricks to stay airborne and soar across the landscape. All of these are minor complaints, to be sure, and some of them might get fixed in future patches. But there continue to be complaints that actively pull you out of the immersive experience in a way that makes them stand out.

"Crimson Desert is a fine addition to this year’s lineup of excellent titles, and its current build is one that has helped it earn a better impression than its initial release one"

I’m still happy to recommend Crimson Desert to anyone who has the time and patience to really get into it. It’s the kind of game that becomes a steady part of your daily routine, and a very entertaining one. If you’re that kind of player, this one’s going to be an absolute treat, and you’re joining a community of Greymanes who are always happy to help you out with useful tips and PSAs.

But if you’re a more story-focused player who prefers games that don’t take up too much of their time, and potentially require less effort to engage with, this one isn’t going to do you any favors. But it’s still going to have you enjoying yourself for however long you play it before dropping off.

Overall, Crimson Desert is a fine addition to this year’s lineup of excellent titles, and its current build is one that has helped it earn a better impression than its initial release one. It’s still short of absolute greatness, but it has come so tantalizingly close to that benchmark that it’s earned a second thorough look in my book.

This game was re-reviewed on the PlayStation 5.