Crimson Desert It is one of the most talked about upcoming games of 2026. It belongs to the Korean developer Pearl Abyss, who had previously developed a successful one. Black Desert Online MMORPG. black desert It has been praised for its visuals and gameplay, especially its surprisingly satisfying combat, and Crimson Desert Things seem to have kicked up a few notches.
The first important difference to understand is between Crimson Desert and Black Desert Online It's not the MMO it used to be – it doesn't really feature any kind of multiplayer. instead, Crimson Desert It's trying to deliver a traditional, single-player role-playing experience built around freedom and customization, like nothing else Skyrim. But the opposite Skyrim, Dragon AgeAnd so many other massive single-player RPGs, Crimson Desert Puts a premium on dynamic, intense real-time combat.
Inevitably, the game has drawn comparisons to the likes of Souls, the dominant RPG subgenre of our time, but that's certainly not what the game is all about. The soul-like comparison was actually raised by Pearl Abyss' own director of marketing, Will Powers, in an interview with the Drop Frames podcast. He hurried to close it, declaring plainly Crimson Desert Doing something different than the bevy of previous FromSoft-inspired ARPGs.
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What separates Crimson Desert from traditional Soulslike games
When it comes to the main differences between Crimson Desert and, say, Alden RingThey're best highlighted by Powers himself: “It's not a Souls-like game … soulslike has meanings and specific definitions of narrow dodge windows, things like that. It's very combo-driven, and you kind of dictate the pace of the fight. So there's no 'good guy' moment.”
Although Power's statement is a little broad, his meaning is clear. “Direct the pace of battle” is a particularly elegant description: as a soul, the player needs to constantly react to the movements and strikes of enemies. The enemy dictates the battle, and the player is forced to adapt and build their strategy around these very powerful entities. While Power explained Crimson Desert Not necessarily an easy game, it seems that players will be in control of certain encounters, easily or at least able to dominate enemies with confidence.
“Does that mean the game is easy? Hell no” Crimson Desert will still be challenging
It is certainly possible to turn the tables on most favorites and become a “Goliath”, but not without some coarse grinding and, depending on who you want to be your “David”, one or a few NG+ cycles. This sense of progress and eventual success will not go away Crimson DesertWhich still feature “skill checks,” as Powers calls them — enemies, bosses, areas, or other challenges that can prompt the player to explore the open-world in search of consumables, upgrades, or other advantages to use in battle:
“You can get more buffs from food and camps, you can grind a bunch more consumables to make a fight easier for you, you can find a blueprint for an item that lets you revive in a fight to get an extra, second shot. […] And you can craft many of them. So you can over-prepare and make any battle accessible. Does this mean the game is easy? no hell But I think it allows that level of accessibility so you're never stuck, which, I think, is really important in a single-player game.”
It certainly sounds promising and kind of similar Alden Ring's progression loop, which usually involves taking on difficult challenges, grinding through the open world, and then returning to those challenges with new abilities. It's this scene of difficulty, balanced by player freedom and strong ARPG design, that promises to make it. Crimson Desert A meaningfully engaging game, regardless of its genre classification.
The Crimson Desert is a good thing to have as a spirit
I'm a guy with a big soul. FromSoftware is easily my favorite major developer, and I think you can point to any game in between Demon spirits and Alden Ring And scream “masterpiece” without going wrong. However, the genre has become extraordinarily oversaturated and weighed down by too many mediocre projects. Ironically, Soulslike, which first appeared in bold opposition to the generic 3D action fighting games of the 2000s, has now become a bit of a cliché itself.
There's nothing inherently wrong with soul favorites in general, and I don't think FromSoftware is the only studio capable of making a good game in the genre. But for everyone The lie of pThere are many Lords of the Fallen. The genre has only blossomed.
Crimson Desert Combat promises to be more explosive and fluid than the average Souls, supported more by combos and “button skills” than trial-by-fire pattern recognition. Based on what has been revealed about the game's combat so far, it looks like a character-action game (eg cried the devil, BayonettaAn RPG with obvious elements of building-crafting and playstyle flexibility, rather than a soul-like one. This kind of combat formula in a massive open-world game, complete with character customization and settlement building, seems like a much-needed breath of fresh air at this point in the life of the RPG genre.
- 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
