As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I must admit that Crimson Desert has caught my attention like a moth to a flame. With its stunning visuals and ambitious gameplay elements, it’s no wonder this MMORPG has been making waves in the gaming community.
Crimson Desert was announced years ago, but it felt like it really started to gather some of the gaming mindshare with the lengthy gameplay trailer at last year’s Gamescom.
From a great-looking world, to destructible environments, an in-game economy, fishing, and just about anything else, it feels wildly ambitious. Now that I’ve gone hands-on with it, though, I can say that at the very least, the combat is certainly up to snuff.
Was that an RKO?
At Gamescom 2024, I had the opportunity to experience an extended demonstration of Crimson Desert. The demo began with a confrontation against a formidable barbarian who was responsible for the deaths of my fellow clan members. Subsequently, it progressed into a sequence of challenging boss fights.
This game doesn’t offer the freedom for open-world roaming or fishing; instead, it focuses solely on combat throughout.
As a gamer, I step into the worn-out boots of Kliff, the lone Greymane left standing, carrying a mix of raw power and ill intent. My first tutorial battle has me wielding my sword, cutting through waves of soldiers, and if timed correctly, executing wrestling maneuvers reminiscent of an RKO finish.
It’s a great way to introduce players to blocking, parrying, and the seemingly endless variety of combo attacks, but the real meat of the demo was the quartet of boss fights beyond.
Awesome Foursome
Initially, I confronted the elusive Reed Devil, a crafty creature capable of teleportation and self-replication. Interestingly, it possesses a heartrending past that Pearl Abyss also employed in Black Desert Online when creating empathetic antagonists.
In this scenario, my swift adversary would launch attacks swiftly, only to vanish among the reeds. This set the stage for an exciting, action-packed confrontation as I tried to foresee his actions and stand prepared with a perfectly timed block or parry. Despite the thrill of the battle, it did bring up one issue I have about Crimson Desert’s combat system – it isn’t as clear as I prefer.
At any given moment, there’s an abundance of action on the screen, yet the reeds swaying gently after being cut by a sword just added to the chaos. Similarly, fighting a legendary snow-dwelling monster that frequently vanished within a snowstorm to remain elusive was no less complicated.
The Stag Lord stood out significantly, resembling a scene plucked directly from the Warlord’s Ruin dungeon in Destiny 2. The landscape was rugged with snow-covered ruins, suspended cages, and the remains of his defeated enemies scattered about.
As a fervent admirer, I find myself eagerly anticipating the challenge of grapple-fighting a colossal crab boss, much like Spider-Man does. This crustacean menace is one of four villains, each with their distinctive combat mechanics. Whether Crimson Desert can maintain this level of captivation throughout all its boss battles remains to be seen, but with the exception of a few minor aesthetic issues, it has certainly proven itself worthy of attempting such a feat.
Final Thoughts
As a gaming enthusiast, I thought I’d spend some leisurely time angling and perhaps stirring up a bit of trouble with the locals in Crimson Desert’s newest demo. However, instead, I found myself squarely facing off against a series of challenging boss battles – an unexpected turn of events that far from left me displeased!
Here’s hoping Pearl Abyss can fine-tune things a little so the combat really sings next time.
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2024-08-27 16:42