Crimson Dessert has a lot of ingredients. Players have spent hours in the game just to discover a new mechanic, secret, or exploit the next mountain. There's no doubt that this is one of those games that we'll be discovering new things about over the years. However, if you're looking for a good story, you probably won't find it in Pywel.
Kliff isn't the most dynamic character, and the supporting cast feels bland. The story is vague and directionless, and if you want any more information you're forced to read pages and pages of lore notes. You could say that FromSoftware's games do the same, but at least the lore you dig up is interesting. Cliff's performance capture artist also thinks it's true, but says there's more to it.
A cliff performance capture artist addresses the story of the Crimson Desert
In a Reddit post spotted by GamesRadar, Trevor McEwan revealed that he was the mocap actor and reference model for Cliff. He asked fans if they were interested in a Reddit AMA, but also answered some questions in the comments. One player said fans thought the story was mostly “barebones” and asked him what he thought.
“Yes, I understand,” McEwan replied. “But I think what it lacks in story, it more than makes up for in other aspects. If the players don't mind reading it at all, there's more lurking around the world.” Reading is not a problem, but even then, the lore doesn't really grab the audience or leave any major revelations.
He's not wrong, there are plenty of things to discover on the vast continent of Pywel, and plenty of activities to keep you busy. But, when the game's fans, the CEO, the hero's voice artist, and the hero's mocap actor all agree that the story isn't good, it doesn't really bode well. Regardless, that hasn't stopped fans from loving Crimson Desert, as it recently surpassed 5 million copies sold.
- 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
