Crimson Desert is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious titles we have seen in years. Pearl Abyss recently released a series of “Features Overview” videos that give us our deepest look yet at Kliff, the leader of the Greymanes, and the continent of Pywel. This game appears to be a massive “everything burger” that pulls inspiration from nearly every major Game of the Year contender from the last decade. With a release date set for March 19, 2026, and a price point of $90 CAD, it is a premium ask, but the sheer volume of content might justify the entry fee.
Video 1: Open World of Pywel and Narrative Direction
The first overview immediately establishes a sense of scale that feels reminiscent of Skyrim, particularly with the massive mountain ranges dominating the background. It carries that same sense of “heavy” world-building found in Elden Ring or Shadow of the Colossus. A notable detail is the “Greymanes” mercenary group; while the name draws an immediate (and perhaps too close) comparison to Skyrim’s Greybeards, the actual faction dynamics seem entirely distinct once you look past the title.
The cinematic direction here is impressive. The cutscenes feel intentional and high-budget, leaning into a deep narrative style that evokes Red Dead Redemption 2. We also get a glimpse of two other characters, one of whom looks like the protagonist from the original reveal trailer years ago. Interestingly, while the in-game map looks a bit low-fidelity, it serves a functional purpose. It is clean, loads quickly, and highlights exactly what you need to see including terrain, roads, and settlements without the cluttered UI that plagues many modern open worlds.
Beyond exploration, we saw Kliff navigating the world via dragon-back and engaging in dungeon platforming. These puzzles add a much-needed layer of variety to the exploration. The level of environmental detail is high, and the inclusion of an Assassin’s Creed-style “eagle vision” toward the end suggests a world built for verticality and discovery.
Video 2: Combat Flow and Progression Systems
The combat in Crimson Desert is where the game truly starts to differentiate itself. At first glance, the fluidity and “flow” of the encounters remind me of Shadow of Mordor, but with bear mounts and mechs. The air slams and choreographed finishers make the combat look like water; it is fast, responsive, and visually striking.
The world design in these combat zones shares DNA with Final Fantasy 15 and Dragon’s Dogma, but the underlying systems are more complex than expected. There is a full weapon upgrade system that looks deeply integrated into the gameplay loop. The combat also borrows heavily from fighting games; performing certain actions, like moving a heavy object or executing specific grapples, requires multi-button inputs. This adds a tactile weight to the experience that makes standard action-RPG combat feel thin by comparison.
Video 3: Life in Pywel and Simulation Mechanics
The third video pivots into the “sim” side of the experience. The camp mechanics immediately bring to mind Fallout 4, though with a level of polish that feels significantly more modern. It is refreshing to see a developer tackle this level of interaction without requiring the community to “fix” the systems via mods. The game essentially doubles as a town life simulator where your reputation matters.
The law system is particularly interesting. Guards will react to your crimes, though it remains to be seen if jail time is a simple “reset” or if the world holds a longer-lasting grudge against Kliff. Between the reputation system and the various town mini-games, there is a clear Dragon’s Dogma influence on the quest design. With deep crafting, unique cooking recipes, and full equipment customization, Pearl Abyss is clearly catering to players who love granular detail. It also brings to mind the upcoming Where Winds Meet, another title pushing the boundaries of the “do-everything” RPG.
Ultimately, Crimson Desert is attempting a difficult balancing act. It wants to be a cinematic epic, a high-octane brawler, and a deep life simulator all at once. If they can stick the landing, that price tag will feel like a steal for a game this packed with content.
Did You Know?
- The Dragon Rider: Pearl Abyss has worked extensively on the physics of aerial combat and dragon flight, ensuring their implementation is unique to their engine. They even reportedly secured specific technical patents related to the transition between ground and aerial mount gameplay to ensure the experience is seamless.
- Proprietary Power: Unlike most modern AAA games that use Unreal Engine 5, Crimson Desert runs on the “BlackSpace Engine.” This is a custom, next-gen engine built by Pearl Abyss specifically to handle the transition between massive open-world scales and highly detailed, close-quarters combat.
- The Pivot: The game was originally announced back in 2019 as a prequel MMORPG to Black Desert Online. However, during development, the team realized the story they wanted to tell worked better as a massive single-player adventure, leading to the pivot we see today.
- Extreme Travel: At one point during development, the developers claimed it would take over two hours to cross the map on horseback. While they have since focused more on “density” than just raw size, the world of Pywel is still estimated to be at least twice the size of the playable area in Skyrim.
Crimson Desert
- Planned Release Date: March 19, 2026
- Status: Gone Gold (Confirmed)
- Genres: Open-World, Action-Adventure, RPG, Story-Rich
- Developer: Pearl Abyss
- Publisher: Pearl Abyss
- Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, macOS
- Steam Deck: Unknown (Requires verification post-launch)
- Engine: Proprietary BlackSpace Engine
- Steam User Rating: N/A (Awaiting Release)
- PC Features: 4K/HDR Support, Steam Achievements, Cloud Saves, Full Controller Support (DualSense optimized)
- Storage Requirement: 135 GB (SSD Required)