There’s a reason Crimson Desert has been generating so much attention – it presents an improbably huge, mind-bogglingly complex world, all while running like a dream. Crimson Desert players will find a number of familiar elements: multi-layered character-action movesets, winding skill trees, physics-based puzzle-solving, platforming across islands in the sky – but these things feel completely different here, either due to a novel control scheme or just a wildly different approach than you’re used to.

With that, here are some of the things you’ll have to rethink or relearn to get the most out of this most ambitious game (available today), spoiler-free:

Focus

Upon landing in your first village, it’s clear: Crimson Desert’s world is very much alive, with people, animals, and plants you can interact with at every turn. And your best friend in this world is going to be… your controller’s Left Bumper (LB), which allows you to focus on a particular person, place, or thing. You’ll want to constantly lean on LB to ensure that you’re talking to the right person in a crowd, picking up the right item, targeting the right enemy, striking the right part of the tree before swinging your axe, etc. Measure twice, cut once, as they say.

Inventory Management

Crimson Desert’s world is crammed with a lot of stuff, but early on, you may find you simply don’t have enough room to hold much. You don’t gain capacity by upgrading to a bigger bag or leveling up; players gain additional, permanent inventory slots by doing certain missions – you’ll see this before you accept. Note that weight is not a factor: that hulking two-handed sword takes up the same amount of space as a recipe. So you’ll want to jump at these inventory-expanding missions if you’re a pack rat – or a thief. Speaking of…

Stealing

Early missions find you doing a number of good deeds, but what would an open-world RPG be if you couldn’t line your own pockets with pilfered products? In a world that tracks your reputation numerically, the good news is that you don’t have to worry about taking something accidentally; the game makes it very clear when that chest you happened upon belongs to someone else. In fact, Crimson Desert won’t even let you steal unless you first put on a mask, bandit-style. Note that taking what doesn’t belong to you will hurt your reputation in town, even if no one witnesses the crime, though this is easily offset by greeting strangers on the street once the screen stops flashing red. Sometimes you just need to press a little flesh to smooth things over.

Fast Travel

Crimson Desert’s world is huge, and navigating it (often by horseback, but by other means as well) is part of the experience. That said, sometimes you just wanna get there. And while you can teleport, it works just a little bit differently here. You’ll want to keep an eye out for Abyss Nexuses, often well hidden in the world. You’ll often know you’re close when you see a question mark on the map labeled “mysterious energy.” Once in that zone, keep an eagle eye out for a patch of ruins that looks like it doesn’t quite belong there, step on the pressure plate and voila, you’ve found yourself a shortcut. You’ll find one very handy one just north of Hernand, the first big town you come across, which is well worth the effort to snag.

Air Travel

When there isn’t an Abyss Nexus where you need one, here’s a speedier shortcut: teleport up to the Sky Islands you’ll traverse in the opening hour, then leap back down to earth closer to your destination. Note that while gliding rapidly sucks up stamina, hovering does not. So if you’re using a higher perspective to track down a particular location, hover when you’re in sight of the ground, and have a gander. Reminder: when free falling back to the ground, be sure to spread your wings just prior to impact to save yourself a painful death.

Skills

Despite what you might think from its presentation with skills along lines like a traditional skill tree, the lines between skills do not always correlate to prerequisites, so many skills that may at first glance look like they have multiple requirements are actually unlockable straightaway. Lots of skills do have prerequisites, of course, which can be spread around all three colors, and when you select a skill it will highlight a path to its requirements. Health and Stamina (the big red and blue circles) are good early unlocks to make combat more manageable. We also recommend getting Double Jump (under green) and Axiom Force levels 2 and 3 (Aerial Swing and Aerial Maneuver, under red), which are all powerful movement abilities that, combined with gliding that you unlock through the story, will make it much easier and more fun to get around Pywel.

That only scratches the surface of Crimson Desert’s myriad systems, but it should help you get your feet under you and start exploring the world on your own. This is an enormous game with countless little rabbit holes to go down, so take your time and follow your interest, and the game will unfold itself to you.

Crimson Desert is available today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC, with support for Xbox Play Anywhere.

Crimson Desert Deluxe Edition

Pearl Abyss

☆☆☆☆☆
262

★★★★★

$79.99

Get it now

Pre-order Crimson Desert now to receive exclusive bonuses.
The first step of this epic journey is about to begin.

■ Items
[Crimson Desert (Full Game)]
[Pre-order Exclusive Bonus]
– Khaled Shield
[Deluxe Pack]
– Kairos Plate Helm
– Kairos Plate Gloves
– Kairos Plate Boots
– Kairos Cloak
– Kairos Plate Armor
– Balgran Shield
– Exclaire Champron
– Exclaire Barding
– Exclaire Saddle
– Exclaire Stirrups

During a brutal attack by the Black Bears, Kliff loses his Greymane comrades, his family in all but name.
Amid the turmoil that grips the continent of Pywel, he sets out to find the scattered survivors, rebuild the fallen Greymanes, and reclaim the homeland they once called their own.

■ A Vast, Seamless World
The continent of Pywel, brought to life as a seamless open world, is brimming with countless destinies awaiting your discovery.
One day you may face a trial so harsh it brings you to your knees. The next day you might find yourself captivated by the gentle gaze of an innocent creature.
In this boundless land, even the simplest request could set you on the path to a fateful encounter and reveal an unexpected truth.
May Solumen’s blessing guide you on your journey across the living, breathing expanse of Pywel.

■ Relentless Action, Brutal Combat
On the unforgiving battlefields of Crimson Desert, there is no single path to victory.
From swords, spears, bows to powerful abilities and elemental enhancements, take advantage of the wide arsenal of weapons and skills available to you and create lethal combinations to unleash even greater power.
With every strike and move, forge your own way in a world where a split second can decide your fate in fast-paced, visceral battles.

■ Dawning Fate
On the continent of Pywel, the rival factions of Pailune maintained a tense balance.
At Kliff’s side stood his steadfast Greymane comrades: Oongka, Yann, and Naira.
That fragile peace was shattered with the sudden assault of the Black Bears.=

■ Those Who Fight to Protect, and Those Who Fight to Torment.
The Greymanes fall one by one in their clash against the Black Bears. In a desperate struggle against their fearsome leader Myurdin, Kliff and the few Greymanes who survive are scattered to the winds.

■ The Beginning of a New Journey
Kliff, etching the names of his fallen companions into his heart, vows to rebuild the Greymanes and exact vengeance upon the Black Bears.
Along this path, he would meet those who seek to upend the very order of the continent and face a mission unlike any he has ever known.

Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss

☆☆☆☆☆
302

★★★★★

$69.99

Get it now

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel. Take on the role of the Greymane Kliff and embark on a journey across the continent to reclaim everything you’ve lost. Explore uncharted lands, encounter mysterious factions, and experience firsthand a world that is as breathtaking as it is merciless.

During a brutal attack by the Black Bears, Kliff loses his Greymane comrades, his family in all but name.
Amid the turmoil that grips the continent of Pywel, where countless stories unfold along diverging paths, he sets out to find the scattered survivors, rebuild the fallen Greymanes, and reclaim the homeland they once called their own.

■ A Vast, Seamless World
The continent of Pywel, brought to life as a seamless open world, is brimming with countless destinies awaiting your discovery.
One day you may face a trial so harsh it brings you to your knees. The next day you might find yourself captivated by the gentle gaze of an innocent creature.
In this boundless land, even the simplest request could set you on the path to a fateful encounter and reveal an unexpected truth.
May Solumen’s blessing guide you on your journey across the living, breathing expanse of Pywel.

■ Relentless Action, Brutal Combat
On the unforgiving battlefields of Crimson Desert, there is no single path to victory.
From swords, spears, bows to powerful abilities and elemental enhancements, take advantage of the wide arsenal of weapons and skills available to you and create lethal combinations to unleash even greater power.
With every strike and move, forge your own way in a world where a split second can decide your fate in fast-paced, visceral battles.

■ Dawning Fate
On the continent of Pywel, the rival factions of Pailune maintained a tense balance.
At Kliff’s side stood his steadfast Greymane comrades: Oongka, Yann, and Naira.
That fragile peace was shattered with the sudden assault of the Black Bears.

■ Those Who Fight to Protect, and Those Who Fight to Torment.
The Greymanes fall one by one in their clash against the Black Bears. In a desperate struggle against their fearsome leader Myurdin, Kliff and the few Greymanes who survive are scattered to the winds.

■ The Beginning of a New Journey
Kliff, etching the names of his fallen companions into his heart, vows to rebuild the Greymanes and exact vengeance upon the Black Bears.
Along this path, he would meet those who seek to upend the very order of the continent and face a mission unlike any he has ever known.