Crimson Desert’s Combat is a Fighting Game in Disguise
When you think about fantasy action games, a certain picture probably comes to mind. You grab a sword, learn a few basic moves, and spend hours mashing the attack button. It’s a classic formula, but what if a game decided to throw that playbook out the window?
That’s exactly what Pearl Abyss is doing with its upcoming open-world adventure, Crimson Desert. At first glance, it has all the hallmarks of a grand fantasy RPG. But look closer at its combat, and you’ll find the heart and soul of a classic arcade fighting game.
More Than Just Mashing Buttons
Forget mindlessly swinging your sword. In Crimson Desert, the developers took inspiration from legendary fighting games like Street Fighter and Samurai Showdown. This means combat is all about intention and creativity.
Instead of just one attack button, you can combine different button presses to unleash unique moves.
- Tap two buttons together to perform a quick forward lunge.
- Press your light and heavy attacks at the same time to slam your sword down with magical force.
- You can even mix in wrestling moves like grapples and throws!
It’s a system designed to make you feel like you’re chaining together combos, not just repeating the same attack over and over. Every action can flow into another, like transitioning from aiming your bow directly into a slow-motion dodge roll to line up that perfect headshot.
Your Fight, Your Style
One of the biggest differences in Crimson Desert is its philosophy of freedom. Many modern games, like the Batman: Arkham series, use a rhythm-based system with on-screen prompts telling you when to counter. Crimson Desert purposefully avoids this.
There are no strict rules or “correct” ways to defeat an enemy. You won’t find yourself stuck on a boss because you don’t have the right weapon. The game encourages you to experiment and find a style that works for you. Want to weave kicks and suplexes into a swordfight? Go for it. Prefer to summon lightning with your blade? You can do that, too. The goal is to let you decide how to be a hero.
From Grizzly Bears to Giant Robots
The freedom in Crimson Desert extends far beyond your basic moves. While you start with simple horses, the mounts and gear get progressively wilder as you explore the world.
Soon enough, you could be riding a giant grizzly bear into battle, swiping at enemies with its massive claws. A little later, you might trade it in for a raptor. Yes, a literal dinosaur. If that’s not enough, you can even command a fire-breathing dragon.
But the wildest addition has to be the dwarven-engineered battle mech. Imagine hopping into a machine straight out of Titanfall, equipped with machine guns and homing rockets, to take on an army of knights. To keep things balanced, these powerful tools are treated as special rewards with limits, so you can’t just stomp through the whole game in a robot.
A Fresh Approach to Difficulty
This unique combat system changes how you approach challenges. Think about it this way: in a game like Dark Souls, the main challenge is learning your enemy’s patterns. In a fighting game like Street Fighter, the challenge is mastering your own character’s moveset.
Crimson Desert leans heavily into the Street Fighter approach. The game becomes easier not because you’ve memorized a boss’s every move, but because you’ve mastered your own ever-growing list of abilities. It’s a complex system that might feel like a lot at first, but it promises a deeply rewarding experience for players who dig in.
It’s clear that Crimson Desert is aiming to be more than just another pretty open-world game. By blending deep, combo-driven combat with absolute player freedom, it’s shaping up to be a truly fresh take on fantasy battles.
What do you think of this fighting-game approach to an RPG? Let us know in the comments