What a Difference a Few Weeks Make
It’s hard to believe that it has only been a few days since Crimson Desert was released. Maybe it feels that way since I spent dozens of hours with the game working on the review. I’ve kept playing, too, even starting a brand new character. Since just prior to the final release — and several times after — Pearl Abyss has dropped several updates, and these have greatly improved an already impressive game.
During the review period, those of us with early access joined a Discord where we could brainstorm with each other and Marketing Director Will Powers (who was incredibly responsive and helpful). Discussion generally fell into two topics. The first was enthusiasm about the game and its world. The second topic was those game mechanics or aspects that clearly needed adjustments or clarification. I’m happy to report that many of those concerns have been addressed. Crimson Desert can still be a complex and challenging game, with a number of poorly explained systems. But on the whole, the quality of life and game play tweaks over the weeks since released have really improved the experience.
In no particular order, here are several ways Crimson Desert has gotten better:
Companion Characters Can Quest with You
This one actually happened just prior to release. It is now possible to summon Damiane or Oongka to explore and fight with you, once you’ve unlocked them in the campaign. They’re still a bit undercooked, both as companion fighters and alternative characters. Where they come in handy is when clearing out large enemy camps. It also feels good to have a bit of company.
More Abyss Nexus Fast Travel Points
During the review period, it became clear that the Abyss Nexus Fast Travel mechanic needed some adjustment. It was poorly explained for new players, and there simply weren’t enough locations. Given the scope of the world, this was a real issue. But that has largely been addressed with many new Abyss Nexus points. In fact, all forms of transportation have been tweaked.
Boss Nerfs
Prior to release, there was literally no time between coming back to life via a Palmar pill and the next boss attack, which often resulted in being one-shotted immediately upon re-joining the fight. It was frustrating and unfair. In addition to nerfing some early bosses, this has been fixed so there is a brief moment to heal and regroup. Crimson Desert has always provided players with alternatives to difficult bosses, either through progression, gear or simple temporary avoidance.
More Storage Space
This was also patched just before release, with the addition of 20 additional starting storage slots. The inventory system is still pretty messy, but getting better. An update on April 4 increased potential personal storage to 1000 slots. Doing so requires upgrading the Greymane camp a number of times.
Faster Crafting and Resource Gathering, UI Improvements
One of the recent updates allows player to skip most of the cooking and crafting animations, saving a lot of time and tedium. Ditto gathering animations like chopping wood and mining ore. Both of those now require fewer swings of the axe or pick — assuming you just don’t use Force Push. The developers are learning that you can streamline mechanics without sacrificing immersion.
The game’s UI has seen some important additions. On PC, there’s a new “Quit to Desktop” option when in the save menu. While in most situations you still need to shine your lamp in characters’ faces to talk to them, the interaction distances have been fine-tuned. Overall, the interface has received dozens of small adjustments.
New Mounts
Horses and other mounts aren’t just a generic form of transportation, they are a subsystem all to themselves and an important one at that. A recent update expanded the stable of Legendary Mounts to include White Bear, Silver Fang (wolf), Snow White Deer, Rock Tusk Warthog, and Icicle Edge Alpine Ibex.
Improved Movement Controls
There have been a lot of small tweaks to character movement and input controls. One of the most important is that it’s no longer required to constantly tap the sprint button, but a single input. Horse movement has been addressed, and overall, getting around the world feels better. The April 4 updated added the option to toggle between the two control schemes.
Stamina Tweaks and Theft
Stamina consumption has been reduced when gliding and flying. It’s both a small change and a big deal and it’s now more viable than ever to cover large distances via flight. Those players who like to pilfer treasure will find themselves in trouble with the law only if they’re literally caught in the act.
It could be argued that Pearl Abyss could have anticipated some of these changes. But in the end, Crimson Desert is an incredibly ambitious game and the developer continues to be amazingly responsive. The game’s future remains bright.