Crimson Desert mixes fantasy action with pro wrestling, and it rules

digitaltrends.com:

I’m about to go hands on with Crimson Desert, an upcoming open-world action game from developer Pearl Abyss. Before I begin, I’m shown a five-minute video explaining the ins and outs of its controls. Just to make sure I understand what I’m about to walk into, I ask if it’s more of a character action game or a Soulslike.

I’m told to think of it more like Street Fighter.

That advice seems bizarre considering that it looks like your typical sword and shield fantasy game. It’s only once I pick up a controller that I completely understand the tip. Crimson Desert isn’t about learning the rhythm of a boss’ attack patterns and carefully waiting for an opening. I’m the conductor and I have a symphony of attacks at my disposal.

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Kitchen sink combat

Pearl Abyss sets a lot of expectations for me during my demo, and it’s easy to see why. If you’re the kind of person who thinks they can identify a game’s genre at a glance,Crimson Desert might throw you for a loop. Though it may look a bit like Dragon’s Dogma 2, the team stresses that it’s not an RPG. It’s more so a traditional open-world action-adventure game with a set hero, a big narrative focus, and ultra-fast real-time combat. As familiar as it may look, Crimson Desert is its own unique beast.

The team doesn’t go into the specifics on how it plays on a big-picture level. Instead, it’s focused on selling the game’s combat with three boss encounters. One of those includes its newly revealed foes, Hexe Marie. Before I can take on a fight, though, I need to get a combat tutorial — and there’s a lot to learn.

The demo build gives me access to a wealth of abilities earlier than I’d have them in the full game. At first it seems simple. There’s a heavy attack, a light