Pearl Abyss has released a 13-minute gameplay video for Crimson Desert. The video shows a mission featured in the upcoming Gamescom 2025 demo. It showcases combat, a bit of the story, and more. Crimson Desert was recently delayed and will launch in Q1 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam.
The game’s details:
Story
Before this point in the story, the protagonist—the Greymane Kliff—and his fellow Greymane members are caught in an ambush orchestrated by their enemies, the Drunken Black Bears. After a fierce battle, Kliff and his comrades are separated and scattered. Kliff embarks on a search for his companions, and during his journey in the continent of Pywel, Kliff hears news that the Greymane Oongka—one of his most trusted companions–is in the region of Calphade.
Kliff arrives in Calphade only to find out that his efforts to reach Oongka is complicated by the rupture of a violent rebellion instigated by Cassius Morten—a subordinate of Marquis Stefan Lanford, lord of Calphade and an ally to the Greymanes—who has joined forces with the Black Bears to overthrow Lanford. Calphade is on the brink of defeat.
Kliff joins the battle, defeats both the rebellion and Black Bear forces, and is able to shift the advantage back to Calphade’s forces. On the battlefield, Kliff reunites with Oongka, who has been fighting off the rebels on the side of Lanford, and defeats Cassius Morten, ending the revolt in Calphade.
Key Features
Large-Scale Warfare Setting – The video immerses viewers in epic-scale warfare, with countless NPCs battling in real time across every corner of the battlefield. As the Calphadean army and rebel forces clash with fierce intensity, artillery flies overhead and dynamic, high-tension combat unfolds on all sides. The shouts of soldiers, the clashing of swords, and the smoke and flames enveloping the field all come together to evoke the feeling of a real war zone.
Missions – Kliff undertakes a variety of battlefield missions, from firing cannons to destroying enemy watchtowers and aiding allies in trouble.
Traversal Methods – Kliff can call and ride his horse to increase mobility and use the “Crow’s Wing” ability to glide across the air in the most efficient route. His skill “Axiom Force” also allows him to not only travel with more maneuverability but to execute strategic mane uvers in combat.
Combat
As Kliff advances through missions and the questline, he faces a wide range of combat scenarios, each offering multiple strategies that allow players to adapt and showcase their own combat style. Kliff can strategically use not only his wide array of offensive abilities but also execute well-timed dodges and blocks to gain advantages, and switch between multiple weapons.
Kliff’s “Axiom Bracelet” enhances attacks with elements of fire, lightning, and ice, with each attribute resulting in different effects on the enemies. For example, arrows with fire enhancement explode on impact, while an ice-enhanced sword attack can freeze enemies, where they then can be shattered with a follow up blow.
Kliff also uses “Artillery Whistling Arrows”—an arrow that calls in allied forces to take fire on a designated location. Beyond simply defeating enemies, it can also be used strategically to take down enemy structure, such as watchtowers.
Boss Fights
Midway through the questline, Kliff face off against a formidable Black Bear opponent, a massive foe whose sheer size and strength set it apart from regular soldiers. Due to his size, grappling skills are ineffective, and he unleashes a range of devastating attacks, including powerful axe swings and moves that launch players into the air.
The war concludes in a boss battle against Cassius Morton, a formidable boss who wields a mace and shield with deadly precision. While evading his relentless strikes, Cassius can be defeated in multiple ways, including ordinary attacks.
Players can also choose a special tactic to bring Cassius down. Steadily dealing damage will push him into a staggered stage, where then Kliff can use a special skill to lift the pillars that have broken around him as a result of their battle and wield it as a weapon, delivering massive damage.
Graphics – The continent of Pywel that can be seen in the video provides another source of enjoyment. The explorable continent, which is rendered with high-quality graphics, and vividly experience various natural phenomena such as natural lighting and weather that changes over time. Behind the battlefield, magnificent natural environments and terrains, such as rock cliffs and mountain ranges unfold in the background, witnessing the realistic graphics implemented through Pearl Abyss’ proprietary “BlackSpace Engine.”
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