Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss

PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/SUnknown

Health Score

DECENT

Watch Gameplay

About This Game

Super Review

Crimson Desert is an open-world action RPG that offers engaging combat and exploration, best suited for older teens due to its war themes and battles. Parents should be aware of the unknown monetization model and the game's focus on conflict.

Super Review

Parent verdict

Crimson Desert earns a Decent rating of 42, reflecting its potential for immersive adventure for mature players, balanced against significant unknowns regarding content and monetization. This game is best considered for teens who enjoy action-packed fantasy worlds and strategic combat, provided parents are prepared to set clear limits around screen time and potential in-game spending. Its emphasis on a war-torn setting and 'thrilling battles' means it's not a casual or universally suitable pick.

What players actually do

Players will actively explore a visually rich, war-torn continent, discovering new areas and uncovering hidden secrets, which exercises spatial reasoning and curiosity.
Players engage in various combat scenarios, requiring them to strategize and adapt their fighting techniques to overcome different enemies, developing problem-solving and quick reflexes.
Players follow a narrative-driven adventure as the leader of the Greymanes, piecing together mysteries within the game's lore, which encourages comprehension and engagement with a story.

Where it shines

The game's strength lies in its encouragement of extensive exploration across diverse and visually rich environments, rewarding players' curiosity and offering a sense of discovery.
Crimson Desert provides opportunities for strategic combat and problem-solving, as players must learn enemy patterns and utilize different abilities to succeed in challenging battles.

Parent watch-outs

The ESRB rating is not yet available, leaving content suitability uncertain for younger audiences, especially given mentions of a "war-torn continent" and "thrilling battles" that suggest significant violence.
As an open-world game with an unknown business model, there's a risk of monetization elements that could encourage or pressure children into spending real money on in-game purchases.

Family rules worth setting

Establish a clear understanding of whether in-game purchases are allowed, especially since the business model is currently unknown.
Set specific time limits for gameplay sessions to prevent excessive screen time, as open-world RPGs can easily lead to prolonged play.

Talk about this

Discuss the themes of war and conflict presented in the game, exploring the consequences and moral implications of such actions in a fictional setting.
Talk about the concept of in-game monetization, explaining how virtual items and currencies are presented and why developers include them.

Play style

Crimson Desert is likely an immersive experience, encouraging longer play sessions typical of open-world action RPGs. Players will spend significant time exploring and engaging in combat, which can be challenging and require persistence. The narrative focus suggests a primary solo experience, though many open-world titles feature indirect social elements or co-op, which are not specified here. Children may need help overcoming difficult boss encounters or understanding complex story elements.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

1/5

Creativity

2/5

Pro-Social

2/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

2/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

2/5

Social Risk

2/5

Content Intensity

3/5

Why this rating

Educational Value

1/5

Crimson Desert offers minimal explicit educational value, focusing primarily on entertainment and combat. While exploration can foster some curiosity, it doesn't directly teach academic skills or deliver structured learning content, warranting a score of 1.

Addictive Monetization

2/5

The business model for Crimson Desert is currently unknown, but as a large open-world game, there's a moderate risk of in-game purchases or monetization elements that could be designed to encourage spending. This uncertainty, combined with the genre's typical patterns, results in a score of 2 for addictive monetization.

Content Intensity

3/5

The game's description mentions a "war-torn continent" and "thrilling battles," strongly suggesting significant combat and conflict. The absence of an ESRB rating makes the exact nature of this content uncertain, but the themes imply a moderate to high level of intensity, leading to a score of 3.

Negatives

•ESRB rating is not available, making content suitability uncertain.
•Contains "thrilling battles" and mentions of "war," suggesting potential for violence.
•Open-world games can sometimes have monetization elements that encourage spending.