Avid Jeuxactu readers are aware: about ten days ago, our team traveled to Los Angeles for the Summer Game Fest hosted by Geoff Keighley, a now-essential event that has taken up the mantle of the E3. Among the carefully planned appointments from Paris was one dedicated to Crimson Desert, a title that has ascended to the top of my most-anticipated games list for 2025, especially since I got hands-on time at last year’s Paris Games Week. Until now, the South Korean developers at Pearl Abyss focused their press previews on spectacular boss battles, leaving little room for exploring the open world. However, the demo showcased in Los Angeles during the Summer Game Fest was distinctively oriented towards this new direction: an extended incursion into the open world, punctuated by a complete mission and a unique boss battle. Initially scheduled for an hour, my session unexpectedly stretched to two and a half hours—an unforeseen privilege I’m eager to share in detail.
Before diving into specifics, it’s worth revisiting the latest rumors surrounding the release date of Crimson Desert. Just 48 hours ago, South Korean media MTN announced that the game would launch on November 2, 2025, a detail reportedly obtained directly from Pearl Abyss during an interview. This news spread like wildfire across the internet, with everyone delighted to finally have a concrete release horizon. However, in a dramatic turn of events, the studio officially denied this date, specifying that any such announcements would come through their official channels in due time. Did MTN err, or did they inadvertently disclose confidential information? The question remains open. Regardless, everyone I spoke with in Los Angeles confirmed that the game is indeed slated for release by the end of 2025. With GTA VI postponed to May 2026, Pearl Abyss clearly has a strategic window for success. Behind the scenes, it’s easy to imagine the pressure on the studio to meet this ambitious schedule. But let’s allow them the time they need to perfect their creation.
PERFECT TIMING
Returning to the hands-on session: the demo offered the chance to explore a complete mission and an encounter with a new boss, all while providing freedom to roam a defined section of the open world. My session, scheduled for late in the day, extended far beyond the usual 60 minutes because the next journalist failed to show, allowing me to prolong the experience. This rare exclusive opportunity let me dive deeply into multiple mechanics and explore areas others might not see. It’s worth noting that some areas were deliberately unfinished, populated minimally, without fauna or enemies, hinting at work still in progress. One developer pointed out that this build didn’t include all elements planned for the final game.
BLACKSPACE ENGINE WORKS WONDERS
The first thing that strikes you when launching this demo is undoubtedly the visual quality of the game. The gameplay footage released by Pearl Abyss matches precisely what one experiences firsthand. Thanks to its custom BlackSpace Engine, the South Korean studio delivers open-world graphics of an exceptionally high standard. Not only does the world feel vast, but it’s also teeming with intricate details. By playing through this first scripted mission, I witnessed the initial in-game cinematics and found them truly impressive. The characters’ faces are incredibly detailed, but it’s mainly Kliff’s armor that is astonishing. When you pause to admire the minutiae, you can discern each element of clothing, his armor pieces, shield, sword—it’s all meticulously modeled in 3D, not just flat textures.
The environments are likely another major achievement of the game. From the snow-capped mountains bathed in light, to the dynamic weather-driven clouds, the smoke trails from distant cannons, or the wind effects on vegetation—the world of Crimson Desert feels alive. This richness is further amplified by an almost overwhelming number of NPCs, especially on battlefields, enhancing the perception of a living, breathing world. Regarding the numerous particle effects (considered by some as spectacular yet potentially overwhelming), I queried the team about their ability to be toggled off. No definitive response was given yet. Personally, I find their visual execution sublime. The demo ran on a PC with a PS5 controller, in 4K at 60 frames per second, a remarkable performance for the build at hand.
KLIFF HUNGER
In the mission played, Kliff must reunite with his scattered companions potentially in peril after an ambush. The journey takes us to Calphade, specifically a village where soldiers admire Kliff, revered locally as a living legend. Players are prompted to assist them before entering battle, such as repairing a cannon with a damaged wheel. This seemingly trivial task reveals an impressive level of care in the animations. Kliff lifts the wheel, positions it, then secures it with his shoulders in an animation as authentic as it is fluid. Even replacing a fallen flag requires a complete sequence of manipulation. Each action is rigorously animated using motion capture, adhering to realistic physical laws, granting the game a visual and tactile coherence that is rarely matched. This attention to detail echoes the meticulous work of studios like Rockstar Games or Naughty Dog. However, some players might perceive this “over-animation” as hindering fluidity, especially in combat situations. The intricate manipulations for certain interactions can seem tedious in intense action contexts. However, the developers assured me that these elements would be introduced progressively throughout the adventure, unlike this demo that thrust players in with all abilities unlocked— a choice they admitted could be disconcerting in such a short span.
A VERTIGINOUSLY RICH GAMEPLAY
Kliff is a protagonist with particularly broad gameplay capabilities. Depending on his equipment (weapons, powers, skills), he can significantly vary his actions in combat. Light attacks, powerful moves, shield safeguarding, and spectacular combos worthy of a beat’em all, such as jump kicks, sweeps, wrestling moves, or even ground executions. He can even use an enemy as a human shield or finish them off with a blade from behind. Amusingly, he can blind opponents using the reflection from his sword. This level of combat finesse sometimes gives the impression of being in an advanced fighting game rather than a simple Action-RPG.
I also explored other mechanics: successive jumps with a triple boost, gliding with a raven-wing cloak, aerial attacks, and a grappling hook enabling attachment to numerous surfaces—reminiscent of Assassin’s Creed. This grappling hook can even be used as a swing, allowing for impressive height reach, especially atop trees. Additionally, specific weapon mechanics: for instance, the bow can mark a ground target for a cannon strike, a tactically useful option against enemy crowds.
This demo version let me try out horse riding, which responded reasonably well despite some missing features, like the famous “horse drift” shown in trailers. Animations are polished, transitions between gaits (walk, trot, gallop) are smooth, and Kliff can use his mount as support for impressive jumps. Summoning the horse is quick, efficient, without unnecessary clunkiness. On this point, the experience positively distinguishes itself from Red Dead Redemption 2, where mounting could be cumbersome.
FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE
In summary, Crimson Desert is full of promises. The richness of its mechanics, the vastness of its world, the quality of its animations, and the depth of its combat system set it apart from most contemporary Action-RPGs. Journalists sometimes felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information to absorb in an hour. Having had the chance to benefit from double the time, I was able to approach the experience with more perspective and calm. Nonetheless, the studio will need to balance this gameplay density to avoid overloading. Pearl Abyss is acutely aware of the enormous anticipation surrounding the game, and the team on site was keen to gather our feedback—both positive and critical. Some lighting issues in dark areas have already been addressed. The potential is vast, but the challenge lies in striking the balance between ambition and accessibility. The postponement of GTA VI provides the studio with an ideal window: even if they were to push the release to early 2026, Crimson Desert would still have ample room to shine. Take your time, Pearl Abyss. The world is watching.
