Crimson Desert Gets First Reviews and They Are Mostly Positive

The day for Crimson Desert, one of the most ambitious RPGs over the last couple of years, has finally come. The game will be available for all the platforms across the world today, and first reviews are claiming Crimson Desert has become a successful product.

The embargo on Crimson Desert’s reviews has officially lifted, and notable gaming outlets have started to release their reviews. At the moment, the game has a score of 78 at Metacritic based on 70 critic reviews. You can check out more brief reviews below:

PCGamer – 80/100:

“Vast and obtuse in a way that is going to frustrate some and exhilarate others, Crimson Desert is a fascinating journey, even when the destination isn't all that.”

Forbes – 9.5/10

“Crimson Desert will no doubt overwhelm some. The sheer size and the absurd time commitment to make a dent in the map may be more than some players want. But if the question was if Crimson Desert could really be that big and really play that well and really keep you entertained the whole time, the answer, for me, is unequivocally yes.”

Vice – 5/5

“If you are someone who wants a more linear or cinematic, story-driven campaign, Crimson Desert might not be for you. However, if you loved the sense of freedom and discovery that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had, then Crimson Desert is the next big game in that genre. Pearl Abyss has truly created something special here, that I suspect we’ll be talking about for years to come.”

Below you will also find more reviews from more than 20 different gaming outlets:

• Gameliner: 10/10
• Gamers Heroes: 10/10
• The Outerhaven: 10/10
• DualShockers: 9.5/10
• GamingTrend: 9.5/10
• But Why Tho?: 9/10
• Areajugones: 9/10
• ComicBook: 9/10
• Destructoid: 8.5/10
• IGN Benelux: 8.5/10
• IGN Brasil: 8.5/10
• Gamereactor UK: 8/10
• Gaming Boulevard: 8/10
• GamesRadar Plus: 8/10
• GAMINGbible: 8/10
• IGN France: 8/10
• TechRadar Gaming: 8/10
• Radio Times: 8/10
• TrueGaming: 8/10
• Checkpoint Gaming: 7.5/10
• CGMagazine: 7/10
• Game Informer: 7/10
• GameSpot: 7/10
• Insider Gaming: 7/10
• Screen Rant: 7/10
• WellPlayed: 5.5/10

As you can see, the reviews for Crimson Desert are mostly positive, and the game is seemingly great for its open world, combat system, and bunch of activities, but not everyone is satisfied with the quest design and game’s narrative. But some players definitely had concerns about Crimson Desert, considering it was postponed multiple times.

However, it seems like we’re now having a brand-new, impressive, and fun RPG that could also be a really successful title in terms of sales. A recent report confirms Crimson Desert has sold over 400,000 on Steam, made a profit of $20 million, and even could become the second best-selling game of 2026.

For now, you can also find out everything about Crimson Desert here.

Are you excited for Crimson Desert? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Crimson Desert releases tomorrow on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Mac, and ROG Xbox Ally X. It will become available across the platforms at 15:00 PT/ March 19, 22:00 GMT/ March 20, 7:00 KST.