Crimson Desert: Should you buy it? - Gamer Deer

🦌 Tales from the Pack - Before you buy

Crimson Desert
Should you give in?

Everything the pack needs to know before pulling out their credit cards and diving into Pywel.

🗓 Released on 19 March 2026 🏢 Pearl Abyss 🎮 PS5 - Xbox Series - PC - Mac 💰 ~70 €

You saw the name Crimson Desert everywhere in recent weeks. The trailers have been doing the rounds, the forums are going wild, and now you're looking at your wallet with a mixture of enthusiasm and suspicion. And that's exactly where we come in.

Here's everything the pack needs to know before they crack.

🌍 What is it, exactly?

Crimson Desert is a Open-world action RPG developed by Pearl Abyss, the creators of Black Desert Online. But be warned: it's not not an MMO. No more subscriptions or microtransactions. Pearl Abyss has officially confirmed no post-launch microtransactions. This is a single-player adventure with a real story, a defined hero, and a world to explore at your own pace.

You are Kliff, The Greymanes are decimated after a night ambush by their sworn enemies, the Black Bears. The mission: find the survivors, rebuild the Greymanes and settle the score with the Black Bears. Myurdin, the leader of the Black Bears. All on the continent of Pywel, a medieval fantasy world ravaged by conflict, with a mysterious celestial realm above it all: the Abyss.

The game runs on the BlackSpace Engine, Pearl Abyss' proprietary engine. Dynamic weather, day/night cycle, dense environments, fluid combat animations. Pywel really does feel like a living world. 2 million copies sold in 24 hours. The public were there in force.

🎬 The official trailer

It only takes a few minutes to understand the ambition of the project:

Official launch trailer - Pearl Abyss, March 2026.

🖥️ Which platform to play on?

Crimson Desert was released on 19 March 2026 simultaneously on all platforms. Not all are created equal, and that's where it gets crucial before you buy.

Platform	Verdict	Performance	Note
🖥️ PC (Steam / Epic)	⭐ Best option	4K 60fps (high-end), DLSS 4 / FSR 4	NVMe SSD required
🟣 PS5 Pro	✅ Very good	4K, PSSR 2 upscaling, enhanced ray tracing	A few falls in busy scenes
🟢 Xbox Series X	✅ Solid	Similar performance modes PS5 Pro	Xbox Play Anywhere included
🔵 PS5 (base)	⚠️ Wait for the patches	Excessive blurring, unstable framerate	Corrections underway at Pearl Abyss
⬜ Xbox Series S	🔄 Correct	Reduced resolution, ray tracing disabled	Playable but clearly not up to scratch
🍎 Mac (Apple Silicon)	❓ To be confirmed	MetalFX upscaling, variable	Depends on chip

⚠️ If all you have is the Basic PS5, Just wait a few weeks. Performance at launch was disappointing for this version, with excessive blurring and unstable framerates in all modes (Performance, Balanced, Quality). Pearl Abyss is working on fixes.

⚔️ Gameplay: what the pack will love

Crimson Desert is the game that wanted to do it all. And for the most part, it works.

🗡️ The fight

The combat system is built around physics and total freedom of approach. You can string together combos with swords, axes, spears and bows, or engage in pure pugilism with punches and holds. Elemental effects add depth to your character building. Boss battles are particularly well thought-out: massive, cinematic, memorable. Reviewers have spent 75 hours on the game and feel they've only just scratched the surface.

🗺️ Exploration

The Pywel card is twice the size of Skyrim and bigger than Red Dead Redemption 2. Green plains, arid deserts, walled cities, ancient ruins, and the Abyss, a mysterious celestial realm to be unlocked along the way. You can climb cliffs, soar through the air, gallop on horses or ride a dragon. Yes. A dragon.

🎣 Secondary activities

Fishing, cooking, crafting, hunting, collecting resources: if you need a break between storming castles, there's plenty to do. Plenty. The game clearly carries its MMO DNA in its luggage, which translates into a density of systems that can be dizzying. Some will love it. Others drop out.

⚠️ What might make you hesitate

Let's be honest. Crimson Desert isn't perfect, and the pack deserve to know that before they pull out the blue card.

🔴PC controls are complicated: the game is designed for the controller. On a keyboard/mouse, the experience can quickly become frustrating. Play with the controller, full stop.
🔴The story lacks clarity: The script loses its thread, some of the characters remain superficial, and some of the narrative sequences are perplexing. The writing is clearly not up to scratch.
🟡The game is dense and sometimes opaque: With its MMO roots, Crimson Desert piles on the systems. If you're not a fan of spending 20 minutes in menus, allow yourself some time to adjust.
🟡Denuvo DRM on PC : The anti-piracy protection was added a week before release. Pearl Abyss assures us that performance is unaffected. You be the judge.
🔴PS5 base: disappointing performance : excessive blurring, unstable framerate in all modes. Patches are planned but not yet available at launch.

⏱️ How long does it last?

Playing counts 12 chapters plus the prologue and epilogue. For £70, the value for money is impressive if you're a fan of the universe.

🏃

Main story

60-80h

In a straight line

🗺️

History + Secondary

100h+

Partial exploration

🏆

Turntable / 100%

140h+

For completionists

💻 PC requirements

The game must run on NVMe SSDs. This is not a recommendation, it's a strict condition to avoid monstrous texture pop-ins. 150 GB of free space required.

Component	🔵 Minimum (1080p / 30 fps)	🟢 Recommended (1080p / 60 fps)
CPU	Intel Core i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 2600	Intel Core i7-10700K / Ryzen 5 5600X
GPU	GTX 1060 / RTX 2060 / RX 5600 XT	RTX 3070 / RX 6800 (8 GB VRAM min.)
RAM	16 GB	16 GB
Storage	150 GB NVMe SSD	150 GB NVMe SSD
OS	Windows 10 64-bit	Windows 10/11 64-bit
DirectX	DirectX 12	DirectX 12

💡 For 4K 60fps stable, you'll need an RTX 5070 Ti or equivalent. The good surprise is that the minimum configuration is more accessible than expected. A GTX 1060 is all you need to run the game, although the visual experience will be limited. The game supports DLSS 4, FSR 4 and Frame Generation on PC.

💰 Editions and prices

Edition	Guide price	Bonus content
📦 Standard	~70 €	Base game + Khaled Shield (pre-order bonus)
✨ Deluxe	~80 €	Balgran Shield, Kairos Plate Set, Exclaire Horse Tack Set

The bonus editions are cosmetics at 100%. Nothing that affects the gameplay. If you're on a tight budget, the Standard Edition gives you access to all the game's content. The Deluxe Pack will be available for separate purchase after launch if you change your mind.

🦌 The verdict of the pack

⚖️ Our verdict

79 OpenCritic

Crimson Desert is ambitious, sometimes clumsy, but frankly impressive. 2 million copies sold in 24 hours. Reviewers who've spent 75 to 100 hours on it say they've only just scratched the surface. If you're looking for a linear, well-written single-player adventure a la God of War, you'll have to pass. If you're looking for a colossal sandbox with epic bosses, vertical freedom and a huge world, Crimson Desert is for you.

Your profile	Verdict
🖥️ PC gamer with a good system	✅ Go for it, it's the best way to play
🟣 PS5 Pro owner	✅ Very good option, visually stunning
🟢 Xbox Series X player	✅ Solid, Xbox Play Anywhere included
🔵 PS5 base player	⏳ Wait for performance patches
🤔 You hate dense, cryptic games	❌ It's not for you
🤔 You want a Zelda: BotW but more adult and darker	⭐ That's exactly right