Finally Going Hands-On With ‘Staggering’ Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert has had an unusual marketing rollout. Announced in 2019, it only drew attention after a Gamescom Opening Night Live showcase in 2023 that featured horse drifting, and since then the game has attracted both hype around its ambitions and skepticism about what players will actually do in it.

Digital Foundry’s early-access coverage praised the experience and included a PS5 Pro build shared via a dedicated, pre-installed console, which raises the question of whether the spectacle requires extra hardware. I’m also curious whether the world will feel as alive as those in Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Ghost of Yotei or more like a checklist of map icons; I’ll be picking up a physical copy on Thursday only to face a massive day-one download, which may explain why console versions weren’t available to reviewers ahead of release.

My plate is still full with Slay the Spire 2, Marathon, and Monster Hunter Stories 3, which I’m using to JRPG-pill my kids.

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