8 Crimson Desert Systems that Make the Game Feel Less Predictable than Usual

Crimson Desert has been a hotbed of takes these days, and while there are legitimate complaints on each side, one thing is for sure: we've never really seen a kitchen sink approach like this in gaming.

By compiling so many different elements together, it takes something that could've felt very formulaic and very Ubisoft, and instead creates something that feels unique. It's an evolution in ways that not everyone is happy with, but it creates something that is consistently surprising and something that feeds the need to explore like few others.

We're going to check out why Crimson Desert doesn't feel like other open-world games.

8 Play the Market

Run Your Empire

Most open-world games give you a handful of systems to work with, but generally, the systems are not the deepest. Well, Crimson Desert says to hell with that and says, "Hey, if you want to play the stock market in Pywell, we'll let you." In turn, this introduces a complex banking system that sees your investments make money over time.

They say games can't teach you anything, but honestly, this system is amazing to see in action, and it's clear that a decent amount of thought was put into it, as it can be a self-sustaining economy for the players that decide to dive into it. In a way, Crimson Desert can function as a second-life sim in that way, and does it admirably well. It's something we expected in the game, but something that is nonetheless a pleasant surprise.

7 The Map is a Suggestion, Not a Hint

Guiding Without Leading

Most open-world games feed you their secrets. They're marked off with various icons that tell you exactly where to go, and now it's up to you to go find it. Crimson Desert has a different approach that keeps the exploration consistently engaging, even 90+ hours in. There are only suggestions of where to go and what you're going to find when you get there. It's subtle, and it's more of a lure than anything. Those question marks you see on the map can be anything; they can be new mini-games, new shops, or new quests to take on.

The map also uses that Elden Ring-style of terrain to push you in certain directions. You can tell where the mountain ranges are, where the bodies of water are, and what parts of the map might be hiding things from you. It keeps things wonderfully fun when exploring. And while you know where the mountains are and where the caves might be, but you never know what they're going to hold.

6 Your Rules, Not Theirs

Endless Creativity in Combat

I've found that in most open-world games, the enemies have their rules, and you have yours. Crimson Desert has no rules when it comes to combat. Anything you've unlocked in your combat bag can be used on any enemy, including bosses some of the time. This level of freedom is incredible to see. There are contextual moves too, so enemies that don't seem approachable with a particular move unlocked will shift their animations to adapt to it.

In particular, the moves that are unlocked specifically for the giant enemies are a great touch, making the combat adapt well when the threats start to increase in size and strength. It goes from full-on Devil May Cry chaos to Shadow of the Colossus-style scale in terms of the fights. No other game has that variety, and it keeps the unpredictability throughout the tremendous amount of encounters the game throws at you.

5 Enemies Feel Alive

The Stronghold Life

Crimson Desert has a ton of enemies to face, and while you're probably used to running into enemies in open-world games, I don't think you're prepared for what Crimson Desert throws at you. There is an absolutely gargantuan number of enemies in this game, and the strongholds they take over are living bases with a lot going on.

When attacking the bases like this, you need to be ready for a fight, because scores of enemies will attack you. They come from all angles, archers keep their distance, and strategic equipment like spikes are employed to make your battle quite short-lived. If you roam into an enemy camp by accident, it's actually terrifying to see everyone alerted and coming to attack you.

While you can take on a lot of enemies, it's better to have a sound strategy to limit the damage you need to inflict to take over these bases. It can be a war of attrition or a quick takeover, depending on your strategy, and it makes encountering them on the map feel dangerous every time. It's strength in numbers for sure, but its numbers we haven't really seen in a game like this.

4 It's All About that Base

The Base Grows with You

Most open-world games with base building don't put a ton of thought into how rewarding this can be if you choose to engage with it. Crimson Desert puts so much into the base building that you're doing yourself a great disservice if you refuse to utilize it. So many systems are packed into this that you can miss out on if you don't dedicate some time to getting the gang back together.

It's an ambitious move to be sure, and hiding things like barbers behind hours of progress isn't exactly what I'd call fantastic game design, but it certainly is less predictable than your typical setup. For better or worse, it feels like something different when it comes to how important the base building is here.

3 Magic is Earned, Not Given

To Learn is to Earn

How many games hide an entire system behind hours and hours of content? I can think of a couple, like Outward, for example, but that's another game that sits entirely in the unique open world club. And Crimson Desert deserves a space here too, because its magic system is something that you likely won't be accessing until a significant amount of hours have been put in. It's not a traditional magic system and is more a set of abilities charged with magic than just manipulating magic at will, but it's still a really fun system.

The wild thing about it is that you can just not even realize it exists. Without a guide, there are vague hints at a magic system that suggest it does exist, but where to go for it and how to get there? That comes from exploring The Abyss. You have to dedicate yourself to getting up there and exploring the puzzles and taking on the challenges if you want to unlock the magic system, and it's thoroughly rewarding and absolutely worth it once you do.

2 Mechanics for Days

Always Learning

I've never seen a game that consistently introduces new mechanics in hour 60, but Crimson Desert somehow managed to do this. And unlike a game like, say, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, where the tutorials were just overwhelming from start to finish, here, you're shown only the initial way how a mechanic works.

You're left to your devices for the most part when it comes to unleashing these mechanics in the world. There are so many that feed into each other, and discovering just how they all work is part of the experience. You're learning it alongside Kliff. You're both searching for answers, and while it can be frustrating initially, figuring it out is a certain kind of magic that we don't really get in open-world games anymore.

1 The Exploration Subverts Expectations

A Surprise in the Distance

Crimson Desert has a lure to explore that is on a level I haven't quite seen in a game before. The massive map is one thing, but the shifting locales, the way the enemies change per area, and even the architecture of it all shifts and presents something new constantly. But that's the interesting thing here; the new thing is sometimes just something to look at.

You can find this magical-looking place, and the mystery will engulf you, and while much of the time a puzzle or some other hidden location will be available, sometimes it's just there to look at in wonder. Think of it like a real-life wonder of the world. When you get to Yellowstone National Park, you're just admiring the geysers; you're not expecting to get anything from it but the experience. That's the feeling here. The discovery of these things is sometimes the reward itself. It's far from an Icon Fest steering you from spot to spot. You will find things that no other player does, and in that way, it's a completely refreshing experience.