Crimson Desert is a highly anticipated game slated for release in 2026. It’s being created by Pearl Abyss, the Korean studio behind the popular MMORPG, Black Desert Online. Black Desert gained recognition for its stunning graphics, engaging gameplay, and especially its enjoyable combat system, and early looks at Crimson Desert suggest it will be even more impressive.
A key difference between Crimson Desert and Black Desert Online is that Crimson Desert isn’t a multiplayer game at all. Instead, it’s designed as a single-player role-playing game focused on giving players freedom and lots of customization options, much like Skyrim. However, while similar to games like Skyrim and Dragon Age, Crimson Desert emphasizes fast-paced, action-packed combat in real-time.
It’s natural that people have compared this game to the popular “soulslike” RPGs, but the developers insist it’s quite different. Will Powers, Pearl Abyss’ marketing director, actually brought up the comparison himself in an interview with Dropped Frames, but immediately clarified that Crimson Desert is forging its own path, distinct from the many ARPGs inspired by FromSoftware’s games.
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What Separates Crimson Desert from Traditional Soulslike Games
According to developer Powers, the main difference between Crimson Desert and games like Elden Ring is that Crimson Desert isn’t a “soulslike” game. Soulslike games are known for precise timing and difficult dodging, but Crimson Desert focuses more on fluid combos and lets players control the speed of battles. He emphasizes that there won’t be a need to simply ‘get good’ to overcome challenges.
Although Powers’ explanation is somewhat general, his main point is understandable. He beautifully describes the core of the ‘soulslike’ genre: players must constantly respond to what enemies are doing. In these games, enemies lead the battle, and players have to adjust and create strategies based on these powerful opponents. Powers has stated that Crimson Desert won’t be simple, but it looks like players will have more control in certain fights, allowing them to easily, or at least confidently, overcome enemies.
“Does That Mean the Game’s Easy? Hell No” Crimson Desert Will Still Be Challenging
In most Souls-like games, you can eventually become incredibly powerful, overcoming tough challenges. However, this usually requires a lot of repetitive gameplay and potentially replaying the game multiple times. Crimson Desert will be similar, featuring challenging encounters that encourage players to explore the world for items, upgrades, and advantages to help them succeed. These ‘skill checks,’ as the developers call them, ensure that overcoming obstacles feels rewarding.
The game lets you boost your abilities with food and by setting up camp. You can also spend time collecting materials to craft helpful items, and even find a blueprint to create revives – giving you a second chance if you fall in battle, and you can make multiple of those revives. While this means you can really overprepare for any fight, it doesn’t make the game easy. It just adds a level of accessibility, ensuring you’re never completely stuck, which is crucial for a good single-player experience.
I’m really excited about how Crimson Desert seems to play! It reminds me a lot of Elden Ring – you hit a tough boss, go explore and get stronger, then come back and finally beat it. That push and pull of difficulty, combined with the freedom to explore and what looks like really solid action RPG gameplay, is what makes me think this game will be genuinely captivating, no matter what genre it ends up being.
Crimson Desert NOT Being a Soulslike Is a Good Thing
I really love soulslike games. FromSoftware is definitely my favorite game developer, and I think any of their games, from Demon’s Souls to Elden Ring, could easily be called a masterpiece. But the genre has become really crowded with a lot of average games. It’s funny, because soulslikes originally stood out by being different from typical action games, but now they’ve started to feel a bit predictable themselves.
Soulslike games aren’t bad on their own, and FromSoftware isn’t the only developer who can make a good one. However, for every successful game like Lies of P, there are many more that don’t quite hit the mark, like Lords of the Fallen. There are just too many of these games being made right now.
Unlike most ‘soulslike’ games that rely on memorizing enemy attack patterns, Crimson Desert aims for a faster, more combo-focused combat system that rewards player skill. It feels more like action games such as Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, while still offering RPG elements like character customization and different playstyles. Combining this type of action-packed combat with a large open world and settlement-building features feels innovative and exciting for the RPG genre.
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2026-02-20 00:06