What if Skyrim let you ride the dragons instead of just slaying them? That’s the question posed by open-world RPG Crimson Desert, where winged beasts doing battle is just one facet of a new, massive swords and sorcery project. Developed by Black Desert Online creator Pearl Abyss, thanks to the latest trailer, we now know when we can expect the behemoth of a game.
An ambitious RPG to say the least, Crimson Desert has several shades of The Elder Scrolls or Dragon’s Dogma. You’re Kliff, a hired sword on the continent of Pywel (pronounced ‘pie-well’), where life is generally quite ruthless. Something wicked is on the way, prompting you on a quest to save the world from imminent doom. With the Crimson Desert release date on the way, we also have a fresh look at the world thanks to a new trailer from The Game Awards.
Archery and the classic sword and shield combat are your main assets in the fantasy game, although a lot more weapons are available. A huge variety of enemies will test your mettle, many of whom stalk the air, requiring you to hop on the back of a Wyvern.
From Skyrim to Elden Ring and the broader soulslike genre, Crimson Desert is a strong combination of influences. As showcased in a new trailer at The Game Awards, the combat has a lot of Dark Souls flavor, while the traversal looks like The Elder Scrolls or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There are shades of Final Fantasy 14 to the environments, and then fighting in the air is similar to riding Ikrans in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
Created by Pearl Abyss, the studio behind monolithic MMORPG Black Desert Online, Crimson Desert actually began life as a Black Desert prequel. It’s since expanded into something entirely separate, and if its various influences combine smoothly, could be something very special indeed.
The official Crimson Desert release window is now set for late 2025. If you’re itching to play something fresh, we have all the best new PC games listed for you, and our list of the best dragon games will put some fire in your belly as well.
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