After years of development, Crimson Desert is finally here, and it's been making a big impact. Not only is this action RPG's open world physically huge, but Pearl Abyss has crammed in just about every possible genre mechanic. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it does, and it can be incredible. In its best moments, it plays like a heady mix of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Dragon's Dogma 2, and that simply rules.
It's almost a bit surreal to finally be able to play Crimson Desert after all the anticipation, which is why we're not missing a thing. We've been hoovering up the best Crimson Desert skills, testing all the meatiest Crimson Desert weapons, and generally being a menace all across its open world whether we're following the main quest or just cutting about. It's been dominating our playtime this month, so what better time to put together our Crimson Desert On The Radar? Here, I've collected together our many adventures so far, what we love about it, what could be better, and what the game means for the future of the open world genre.
Keep reading to discover our Crimson Desert On the Radar, the best place to get more out of one of the best open world games of 2026.
Crimson Desert - On the Radar
Crimson Desert review: "A game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story"
We found Crimson Desert "messy", but sometimes that can still make for a good time, as this has "elements of genius and wonder make the experience worthwhile". More about the journey than the destination, Crimson Desert makes for a great open world adventure.
Crimson Desert is a questionable RPG but an excellent medieval life sim, and I fed Kliff bugs for 5 hours to prove it
Crimson Desert is staking everything on its open world: "I'm more hyped for this game than GTA 6"
I cheesed my way through one of Crimson Desert's biggest bandit camps and it made me love the game
100 hours of Crimson Desert made me realize how perfect Breath of the Wild is
What makes a good open world? We've played some absolute bangers, but it can be a mix of player expression and the urge to venture forth to see what's just beyond the horizon. By having so much in it, Crimson Desert has led us to ponder the genre.
I hope Crimson Desert never fixes its weird controls
The ultimate Crimson Desert guide for getting the most out of Pywel
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