I've spent about 130 hours now Crimson DesertAnd I think I could still get hundreds more if I really wanted to. Actually, I absolutely do, and I want to try. The game has its problems, I'll admit, but it's honestly been one of the most memorable experiences of my life, simply because I can't get enough of its world. I've played a lot of open-world games in my day, but I've never seen anything like it Crimson DesertWho, where I can interact with almost anything I see, and there always seems to be some new discovery to stumble upon. However, even with all the praise I'm willing to lob at it, there's still one feature that I think takes the whole experience over the top: Transmog.
Transmog is one of those things that, to some, may seem like a pretty trivial feature, but to others, it's a game changer. From my perspective, allowing me to change my character's appearance without forcing me to change my equipment means that I can maintain my immersion in the game, especially during cutscenes, and, as shallow as it seems, just have a better looking character. But in Crimson DesertThe transmog goes much further than that, as it will at least partially solve the game's biggest problems. In fact, this is the first time I think I've ever thought that Transmog offers more than customization options in-game and actually targets what I consider to be a flaw in its design, so that's saying something.
Crimson Desert Review: A remarkable open world that often asks too much
Crimson Desert offers one of the most impressive worlds in gaming, but the deeper you go, the more it asks you to meet it on your own terms.
Transmog alleviates one of Crimson Desert's biggest problems
For starters, there are countless armor sets and pieces Crimson DesertWhich takes into account the huge size of the game. They can be earned from boss fights, purchased from vendors, and even received as prestige rewards. But what's more is that each of them has such different and detailed features, the Transmog will definitely complement that variety. The ability to change the form of any piece of armor into another after being looted – similar to the transmog system Hogwarts LegacyFor example, would be good, especially Crimson DesertInventory and player storage limits.
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Abyss artifacts are the real reason transmog makes any sense
But the real reason is much more important to Transmog Crimson Desert This is due to how dependent the game is on Abyss Artifacts for stat, skill, and gear progression. It's been known for some time that players need to acquire Abyss Artifacts to strengthen their character, but what wasn't clear (at least to me) until I played it was that they needed to upgrade gear beyond a certain level. Specifically, once you've refined a piece of gear to Tier 4, attempting to upgrade it requires the use of precious Abyss Artifacts, which are also required to upgrade your character's stats and skills.
This might not be a problem if, first of all, there weren't three playable characters Crimson Desert which share nothing but statistics and some basic skills. In other words, if you want to get the most out of any of the characters in the game besides Kliff, you need to spend as many Abyss Artifacts on each of them as Kliff would naturally be. Crimson DesertThe story content and ultimately has good skills anyway. Because of that, I really don't want to spend Abyss Artifacts on gear that I won't use long-term.
The real reason transmog is so important Crimson Desert This is due to how dependent the game is on Abyss Artifacts for stat, skill, and gear progression.
And there lies another, perhaps more pressing issue. Because there are so many different armor pieces and sets Crimson DesertIt doesn't make sense to invest in upgrading valuable Abyss Artifacts beyond a certain point, as you'll be willing to replace them once you find something better. It's possible to make a piece of gear more powerful using an Abyss Core after you've unlocked the crafting system for it during the main story, but this doesn't just apply to gear that already has Abyss sockets closed, which doesn't help when it comes to making sure your character looks the way you want it to.
This is something I've noticed especially with earned gear Crimson Desert's reputation system, which is actually the weakest gear in the game but also some of the best looking. Earning enough prestige points to spend on that gear already consumes enough time, it makes almost no sense to focus on it or spend it after you get those points, simply because at that point, you've probably found better gear. However, what if I want to wear it without the presence of that gear? If Crimson Desert Had a transmog system, I wouldn't have had a problem grinding for that gear and eventually buying it, since I like most of it, but I don't want to wear it.
reputation in Crimson Desert is regional, and can be earned by completing parts of the main story, doing side quests for villagers, and even giving money to beggars.
I will say that Abyss Artifacts can be obtained through various means in the game, whether it's finding them in the open world, solving puzzles to unlock them, getting them randomly after defeating a certain number of enemies, or getting them as quest rewards. This makes them sound rich, and, in all reality, they are. But in skills and statistics Crimson Desert More expensive to unlock, initially requiring one Abyss Artifact and increasing that requirement to four and more the further you go. That ultimately makes them so valuable, that they are not rare, but they are very important for character development.
At the end of the day, Abyss holds that tension between how valuable artifacts are and how temporary gear feels. Crimson Desert from fully capitalizing on its own depth. The Transmog system won't overhaul progress or suddenly make every decision easier, but it will remove the hesitation that comes with investing in something that will likely change quickly. It at least gives me a reason to care more about every piece of armor I find, whether for power or style, and allows. Crimson DesertAn incredible variety that actually matters in the long run.
- issued
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March 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, drug references, intense violence, strong language
- developer(s)
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The Pearl Abyss
- publisher(s)
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The Pearl Abyss
