Pearl Abyss has published fresh developer talkthroughs for Crimson Desert, and the new footage tightens the game’s identity — for better and worse. The clips lean heavily on floating ruins and vertical exploration that evoke Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom, but the presentation comes off grittier and noticeably less refined.

  • Developer material: The recently released walkthrough is the first of a three-part series from Pearl Abyss, intended to showcase systems and world design.
  • Zelda vibes: The aerial ruins and emphasis on vertical traversal draw clear comparisons to Tears of the Kingdom’s skyborne environments and mobility-focused gameplay.
  • A mash-up of influences: Early impressions still pick up echoes of other franchises — from action-RPGs to character-focused combat and even crowd‑combat spectacle — leaving the game’s genre identity a bit muddled.
  • Polish gap: While ambitious in scope, the footage highlights rough edges and a lack of the cohesive elegance many expect from titles that borrow similar high-concept movement and world-interaction mechanics.
  • Missing features: Some of the trademark, creativity-enabling systems fans associate with open-movement Zelda-esque games — like a vehicle/construct editor — aren’t part of what’s shown.

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

Sponsored