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Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq
Technology
Ian Dean

Crimson Desert (PS5) review: a massive, beautiful fantasy simulation where stuff happens

Pearl Abyss Crimson Desert
Fantasy knights pose in game art.
Details
(Image credit: Pearl Abyss)

Publisher Pearl Abyss

Developer Pearl Abyss

Format PS5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, PC

Platform BlackSpace Engine

Release date 19 March 2026

I’ve held back from reviewing Crismon Desert on PS5 until I’d played enough, seen its highs and lows, waited for the patches, and generally given it time to brew, as it's such a large game, it’s hard to get a feel for it until you’ve spent days and weeks in its world, because the immediate experience of Pearl Abyss’ epic game is… frustrating.

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