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[Draugoth]

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Collector's Edition | $279.99

• Crimson Desert Full Game
• Exclusive 17" Diorama
• Collector's Edition Limited SteelBook
• Fabric Map of Pywel
• Letter from the Developer
• Greymane Brooch Pin
• 3 Character Photo Cards
• 3 Patches

It includes DLC bonuses below.

• Ultimate Pack – Tormented Soul Bow, Derictus Spear, Sielos Longsword, Shroud Lantern, Hyperion Horse Tack Set
• Deluxe Pack – Balgran Shield, Exclaire Horse Tack Set, Kairos Plate Set
• [Pre-order Only] Pre-order Exclusive Bonus - Khaled Shield
• [PlayStation 5 Only] PS5 Exclusive Bonus – Grotevant Plate Set

Deluxe Edition | $89.99

• Crimson Desert Full Game
• Deluxe Edition Limited SteelBook
• Map of Pywel
• Letter from the Developer
• Greymane Brooch Pin
• 3 Character Photo Cards
• 3 Patches

It includes DLC bonuses below.

• Deluxe Pack – Balgran Shield, Exclaire Horse Tack Set, Kairos Plate Set
• [Pre-order Only] Pre-order Exclusive Bonus - Khaled Shield
• [PlayStation 5 Only] PS5 Exclusive Bonus – Grotevant Plate Set

Standard Edition | $69.99

• Crimson Desert Full Game

It includes DLC bonuses below.

• [Pre-order Only] Pre-order Exclusive Bonus - Khaled Shield
• [PlayStation5 Only] PS5 Exclusive Bonus – Grotevant Plate Set

​

DayOne - Jesse Norris - 8.5 / 10

A mediocre plot and bland writing can't hold back one of the most ambitious games ever made.

Stunning graphics, great gameplay, and excellent music carry you through hundreds of hours of systems-based fun. It somehow lives up to all the hype, with some rough edges in tow.

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Digital Spy - Joe Draper - 4 / 5

Crimson Desert's sandbox playground and beautifully crafted world do a lot of the heavy lifting to just about overshadow its confusing elements, generic story, and boring characters. What's here is an overwhelming amount of content and the bones of an amazing game that has to be respected for its ambitions.

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Digitec Magazine - Philipp Rüegg - German - 5 / 5

If you look up the term 'open world' 'Crimson Desert' is bound to be listed right next to it. Because you can't get much more open-world than that. It offers a world in which you can completely lose yourself. What could be better?

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GRYOnline.pl - Dariusz Matusiak - Polish - Unscored

Crimson Desert will impress some and alienate others – and both sides will have a valid point. This blend of Tears of the Kingdom, Elden Ring and Assassin's Creed continues to intrigue with its open-world design and interactivity, but I fear that long before I reach the end of the story, I'll grow weary of its sheer scale and the constant struggle with the poorly designed UI and inventory system. [Review in progress]

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Game8 - Allisandra Reyes - 88 / 100

Crimson Desert is a sprawling adventure across a vast and living world that rewards every hour you put into it. The core gameplay evolves with your progress, introducing upgradable skills and increasingly demanding boss fights, with plenty of content to discover. While the narrative initially lacks direction and its threads can feel disconnected, this never outweighs the game's many strengths. Crimson Desert is a slow burn that rewards time, patience, and curiosity.

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Gameliner - Anita van Beugen - Dutch - 5 / 5

Leave it to Pearl Abyss to create a dynamic open world where you can completely lose yourself - Crimson Desert is a must-play.

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Gamers Heroes - Blaine Smith - 100 / 100

Dark Souls has often been used to measure one's gaming prowess, but that measuring stick has changed with Crimson Desert. Not only does it boast some of the most challenging boss battles ever seen in the industry, its required levels of patience, determination, and ability have set a new gold standard.

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Generación Xbox - Adrián Fuentes - Spanish - 94 / 100

Crimson Desert is an RPG that rewards the patient player. The more time you spend in its world, the more you understand its systems and the more you enjoy what it has to offer. And when that happens, it becomes very easy to get swept away by the adventure and immerse yourself in the work that Pearl Abyss has created for us over so many years.

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Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 9 / 10

Crimson Desert is frustrating and buggy and can be very player-unfriendly, but it's also beautiful, deep, seemingly endless and monumentally, perhaps detrimentally, ambitious.

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The GameSlayer - Callum Marshall - 9 / 10

Crimson Desert isn't a perfect game. It's not a game for everyone, and it's got as many good ideas as it does poorly implemented ones. However, what cannot be denied is that this game is a generational game and an open-world experience like no other. It's visually outstanding, mechanically dense, and immersive beyond compare. Yet, it's also one of the most laborious games to get to grips with in recent memory, meaning a lot of players may bounce off this title. However, what I would say is 'stick with it'. As Crimson Desert is a game that doesn't respect your time, but certainly deserves it.

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The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 9.5 / 10

Crimson Desert is a breath of fresh air for those looking for true ambition and adventure, as it delivers one of the most experimental combat systems and an open world on par with anything Rockstar Games has ever made.

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The Outerhaven Productions - Jordan Andow - 5 / 5

Despite a few minor issues, Crimson Desert sets a new benchmark for this style of open-world experience, one that will be extremely difficult for future games to match.

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TheGamer - Harry Alston - 4 / 5

It's highly ambitious and one of the most intriguing triple-A games I've played in years, but I just wish so many parts of the whole weren't inherently flawed. Now my journey in Pywel has come to an end, I'll be leaving this one on the shelf for a while.

Metacritic - 78/100
Opencritic - 79/100​

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[ThroatPie]

82. Already preordered and waiting to preload. I think these reviewers will either like the game or hate it with more liking it.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

I thought reviews didn't drop til the 18th?

 

[Portugeezer]

So, just to clarify the digital foundry situation, all reviews will be on PC (or PS5 Pro)?

Anyway, low 80's because with so much there will be enough things people don't like and things it will miss, but overall it looks like a great game.

 

[pudel]

Couldnt care less...i am logged in already. Hope it scores good for those who rely on reviews to make up their mind.

 

[Draugoth]

I thought reviews didn't drop til the 18th?

Bollock, I've fucked up again

Spoiler: Spoilers

Fixed. I will make the thread bigger in the meantime to compensate

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Kinda hard to give an exact score prediction, so I guess I'll go with the entire 80-84 range this time.

 

[saintjules]

I thought reviews didn't drop til the 18th?

It is. OP is just early on this.

 

[Bojji]

85+

 

[RickSanchez]

We got an early OT and now an early review thread a full two days before the embargo lifts ? Ha! This game is cooking us already. Hope it turns out great. Rooting for a 90+ on opencritic

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Curious about the performance

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

It is. OP is just early on this.

he fixed it, originally had it releasing in 9 hours.

 

[genesisblock]

It looks like "Where winds meet" repackaged.

 

[JORMBO]

Low 80s - lots to do. Some of it janky or repetitive. Bad story and characters. Looks pretty. May have some performance issues on some platforms.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

So ~5 or 7 hours before release. Dang...why does that feel so sketchy...lol
That plus no base console footage. My hype for this game is a rollercoaster.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Gameplay, world, puzzles are probably good/great. Story/side quests most likely not. I'm guessing a 7+.

 

[Topher]

I'm saying 80 on the dot

 

[saintjules]

If I had to give a score myself I'd say somewhere between 80-85%. It will be considered as the game where it drops you in and just go to town on combat with a mediocre story.

The game's campaign has been fixated on combat primarily and I think that is the game's sole focus. A story is there to chug things along but isn't the determining factor for the game imo.

Were review codes given out for other platforms? I just don't see how anyone will have this completed when review embargo is up.

 

[HRK69]

A sexy 82

 

[analog_future]

I'm guessing 84. Extremely ambitious but falls under the weight of it's own aspirations a bit. Still a great game.

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

60-70

 

[begotten]

Feels like an 86 or 87

 

[Disciple of MSSP]

Feeling 86, but if I really get let down then I guess a 73.

 

[pudel]

60-70

very likely from Eurogamer...yep!

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

For me it will be a solid 88. Sandbox magic mech guy who turns into a bird, has hulk hogan as a friend, and dates an elf looking lady with an ice bow…sounds great.

I think it will score mid to high 70s on the review sites but will ultimately be the game that elevates Pearl Abyss into major developer/publisher territory.

 

[missiles]

High 70s from the likes of Gamespot, IGN, Metro, the usual outliers that you've never heard of giving it 10/10, and an EDGE 6.

 

[Amish Prince]

I'm thinking it realistically hits 86, but I could see some reviewers scoring it lower based on not being a Western or Japanese publisher. So it could drop to 83 or so.

There's also a chance this really is a 93 and everyone's expectations get btfo. Well will see...

All that to say 88. Fuck it goty candidate too.

 

[Chuck Berry]

I loved stuff like Order 1886
Early Ninja Theory shit
Immortals of Aveum
Star Wars Outlaws
FF16
Mafia 3
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

"Professional reviewers"

 

[Lootlord]

Probably getting like 50% max from western media cause you can smack women in game

 

[pudel]

Probably getting like 50% max from western media cause you can smack women in game

Yeah, really curious which clown reviewer comes up with this one.

 

[Yerd]

I'm all in, 100% or nothing.


I did not vote.

 

[Nankatsu]

Easy 90-94, videogame lesson of the year to all developers chasing GaaS.

 

[Northeastmonk]

90's. Here's hoping for the tagline: "it's Zelda, but for grown ups"

 

[Nankatsu]

90's. Here's hoping for the tagline: "it's Zelda, but for grown ups"

 

[DarkShadowXI]

80-84%

I think the sentiment will be: "it's ambitious, rough around the edges, and has a forgettable story, but it's impressive."

 

[TaciturnWolf]

90's. Here's hoping for the tagline: "it's Zelda, but for grown ups"

"Crimson Desert saved open world games"

 

[skneogaf]

Looks good but I chose 80 to 85 as it going to be a elden ring.

Nothing can.

I really like the nvidia graphics though so I'm likely to pick it up.

 

[Baemono]

I want to believe 93

And why create a thread already ?

 

[roosnam1980]

90 plus

 

[Rien]

Low 70

 

[L*][*N*K]

I think these reviewers will either like the game or hate it

Is there a third option?

 

[Roman Empire]

85 due to no handholding, meh story, and odd control scheme.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Seems like a fun game / 10

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Story and characters looks very meh and an afterthought.

Not sure what the hook is yet regarding the actual gameplay.

It's either going to be exceptional and be an 90+ game.

Or very average but perhaps fetch a generous 80-90 inflated score because of the visuals and world scale lifting it up.

 

[Arsic]

I went 90-94% because of how much dick sucking the game has been getting.

If it isn't that then wtf?

 

[vpance]

People and reviewers are hungry for AAA singleplayer with any sort of hype around it. So it's going to be overrated no matter what.

 

[Dynasty8]

I am calling 80-84% for a few reasons that I've been hearing about.

1. Story and side quest narratives is not going to be on the same level as Witcher 3 and that will rub some people the wrong way. Won't be bad by any means, but won't be a masterpiece and nowadays people's expectations are a bit high.
2. Certain clunky menu systems and certain quality of life issues that will be addressed.
3. Lack of yellow paint hand holding in some puzzles and other areas will cause a meltdown for the usual suspect "journalists". (I personally love this)
4. Game is too massive and will probably feel too overwhelming for some.

I think the user reviews will end up being higher here.

 

[Lokaum D+]

85+ is my best bet

 

[//DEVIL//]

8.5 out of 10 for the PS5 pro.

2 out of 10 for PS5 version

Xbox series s

 

[Lokaum D+]

People and reviewers are hungry for AAA singleplayer with any sort of hype around it. So it's going to be overrated no matter what.

its a AAA Korean game, not Nintendo Zelda.