Leaked Crimson Desert Review: An 'Uncut Gem' with a Brilliant Combat System

Crimson Desert, one of the most anticipated upcoming titles, has already generated significant buzz with early impressions. Spanish YouTuber Revenant, boasting 700,000 subscribers, briefly shared a review that was quickly removed, but not before players managed to save its core details.

According to Revenant, Crimson Desert isn't a typical combat RPG and doesn't primarily focus on its narrative. While its story is considered better than Black Desert's, it doesn't quite match the depth of titles like The Witcher 3 or Kingdom Come. The game's main emphasis lies on delivering epic moments and spectacular battles.

The combat system stands out as the most impressive aspect, lauded as one of the best in any open-world game. Its mechanics draw comparisons to Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden, but all within an expansive world. The system offers immense freedom, with character movements adapting based on position, direction, and the force of enemy attacks. For instance, a successful grapple from behind results in a tense struggle before the hero forcefully throws the opponent aside.

The game also encourages creative environmental interaction. Players can use trees as makeshift catapults and even launch enemies into the air, a tactic particularly effective during encounters with larger creatures.

Crimson Desert does not hold the player's hand and demands significant patience. The reviewer noted that the initial eight hours are essentially a tutorial period. While not a typical 'Souls-like' game, much like FromSoftware titles, mastering its combat rhythm and mechanics is crucial. Only then does the gameplay truly begin to shine.

The game world is equally impressive. The reviewer highlighted the incredible verticality of its environments, describing the world design as a blend of Red Dead Redemption 2 with elements reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The project's scale is immense; even after 50 hours of gameplay, the reviewer was still exploring the first region of the map.

Music and atmosphere are poised to be critical elements of the game. The soundtrack is compared to The Witcher 3, with compositions described as beautiful, serene, and profoundly atmospheric. The reviewer also praised the excellent sense of world scale, evoking titles like Shadow of the Colossus and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. At night, the game becomes even more immersive, with darkness genuinely dense and realistic, akin to Dragon's Dogma.

However, the game isn't without its flaws. The reviewer noted several significant issues, primarily concerning a lack of convenient features. The inventory system is chaotic, with quest items persisting in the backpack even after quests are completed. Item space is limited, and player camps currently lack a storage system, offering only a bank for currency exchange.

The game world also presents some peculiar design choices. For instance, after clearing an enemy camp, enemy bodies disappear, meaning players must intentionally leave at least one foe alive to safely collect loot.

According to the leaked source, Crimson Desert might receive critic scores around 80-85%, primarily due to its challenging early game and the aforementioned lack of quality-of-life features. However, the reviewer emphasized that if players embrace the learning-focused progression and overlook these minor shortcomings, scores could soar significantly higher, potentially reaching 90-95%.

The reviewer personally dubbed the game an 'uncut diamond' and declared it his favorite open-world title, surpassing even Elden Ring, Red Dead Redemption 2, and The Witcher 3.