TheRetroArcade
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Posts: 1,980
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
A strange, half-baked execution.
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I'm over 100 hours into Crimson Desert now, and I still do not understand why Pearl Abyss felt the need to give us three playable characters. I was surprised enough that the developer didn't put the reputation gained from Black Desert Online's stellar character creator to use. Instead, my first time booting up the game saw me emerge from several minutes of cube void limbo to a semi-generic gruff Scottish lad.
Then, dozens of hours later, I'm handed Demeniss swordswoman Damiane. Then dozens of hours after that, fellow Greymane and giant axe-wielding orc Oongka joins the fray. Normally, this would be something I looked upon fondly. The more the merrier, right? But the way Crimson Desert handles its playable trio feels like either an afterthought, or an initial concept that failed to manifest in a meaningful way as development slogged along.
That's not to slight Damiane and Oongka as actual playable characters. The three feel distinctly different to wield, and Damiane in particular is an absolute joy to play as. Her swift movement and light-aspected ranged attacks make her feel wonderfully nimble in ways that would simply feel wrong on the bigger, burlier Kliff and Oongka. She feels snappier, more responsive than her male co-warriors, and I would have undoubtedly spent most of my playtime with her if the game didn't make that so bloody difficult to do.
Because Crimson Desert is clearly, first and foremost, Kliff's story. When I unlocked Damiane I instantly switched to her. I've always preferred characters who are a little lighter on their feet, and as a woman I naturally gravitate towards characters who feel more representative of me. Except, as soon as I tried to do a quest, I was forced to switch back to Kliff. Again, and again, the game would fling my camera up in the air, Grand Theft Auto 5-style, to take me back to the Greymane.
It's a bummer, because I would argue that Damiane in particular is a far more compelling character
At one point, the story rips Damiane away as a playable option entirely, for what could be hours upon hours of gametime if you're not torpedoing your way through the main story quests. What's the point in presenting me with options, if only one of them is a consistently viable choice?
Oongka, meanwhile, arrives so late to the party that if this was some frat joint, half of the college...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
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Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
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Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
I'm over 100 hours into Crimson Desert now, and I still do not understand why Pearl Abyss felt the need to give us three playable characters. I was surprised enough that the developer didn't put the reputation gained from Black Desert Online's stellar character creator to use. Instead, my first time booting up the game saw me emerge from several minutes of cube void limbo to a semi-generic gruff Scottish lad.
Then, dozens of hours later, I'm handed Demeniss swordswoman Damiane. Then dozens of hours after that, fellow Greymane and giant axe-wielding orc Oongka joins the fray. Normally, this would be something I looked upon fondly. The more the merrier, right? But the way Crimson Desert handles its playable trio feels like either an afterthought, or an initial concept that failed to manifest in a meaningful way as development slogged along.
That's not to slight Damiane and Oongka as actual playable characters. The three feel distinctly different to wield, and Damiane in particular is an absolute joy to play as. Her swift movement and light-aspected ranged attacks make her feel wonderfully nimble in ways that would simply feel wrong on the bigger, burlier Kliff and Oongka. She feels snappier, more responsive than her male co-warriors, and I would have undoubtedly spent most of my playtime with her if the game didn't make that so bloody difficult to do.
Because Crimson Desert is clearly, first and foremost, Kliff's story. When I unlocked Damiane I instantly switched to her. I've always preferred characters who are a little lighter on their feet, and as a woman I naturally gravitate towards characters who feel more representative of me. Except, as soon as I tried to do a quest, I was forced to switch back to Kliff. Again, and again, the game would fling my camera up in the air, Grand Theft Auto 5-style, to take me back to the Greymane.
It's a bummer, because I would argue that Damiane in particular is a far more compelling character
At one point, the story rips Damiane away as a playable option entirely, for what could be hours upon hours of gametime if you're not torpedoing your way through the main story quests. What's the point in presenting me with options, if only one of them is a consistently viable choice?
Oongka, meanwhile, arrives so late to the party that if this was some frat joint, half of the college...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?