Crimson Desert players have said they’re ‘blown away’ as the much-hyped game launched this week. The sprawling open-world action-adventure game from South Korean studio Pearl Abyss landed on PS5, Xbox and PC on Thursday (March 19).
Since then, gamers across the world have been taking their first steps in the war-torn realm of Pywel as mercenary Greymane Kliff. After a devastating ambush by their sworn enemies left members of the Greymanes dead or scattered across the continent, Kliff sets out to reclaim what was lost.
The review embargo was finally lifted on Wednesday, and it’s fair to say they weren’t as overwhelmingly positive as many expected. It currently holds a 78% Metacritic score, but players have said they’re ‘blown away’ by certain aspects like its ‘amazing’ graphics.
On X, one player said: “Amazing graphics, good and living open world, cool fighting and combos.” Another said: “I’m blown away, the graphics and open-world design look incredible.”
As the popular Crimson Desert becomes available to buy in the UK, gamers can beat the launch price by stacking Argos with TopCashback.
£33.74
Argos through TopCashbackOthers praise the ‘gorgeous open world’ and ‘complex’ combat, but criticised the controls and puzzles as ‘occasionally clunky or confusing’. Despite this, Crimson Desert has earned high praise from some critics, as Vice branded it ‘the most ambitious open-world game since Red Dead Redemption 2’.
It said: “After spending close to a hundred hours with the Pearl Abyss title, I can confirm Crimson Desert [is] easily one of the most impressive games I’ve played in years. It not only has some of the most stunning graphics and world design I’ve seen, but it has miraculous performance to back it up.
“What impressed me the most was the game’s jaw-dropping sandbox world that you can easily get lost in for hours while exploring it. If you are someone who wants a more linear or cinematic, story-driven campaign, Crimson Desert might not be for you.
“However, if you loved the sense of freedom and discovery that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild had, then Crimson Desert is the next big game in that genre. Pearl Abyss has truly created something special here, that I suspect we’ll be talking about for years to come.”
For gamers yet to secure their copy of Crimson Desert, the PS5 edition usually costs £49.99 at Argos, but we’ve found a way to get it more than £16 cheaper. To get the discount, shoppers can sign up for a free TopCashback account, which comes with a £15 sign-up bonus for new customers.
It also pays cashback on Argos orders to effectively reduce the game down to £33.74. This deal is only available for new TopCashback members and new Argos customers, while new TopCashback members and existing Argos will pay a slightly higher £34.57.
This still undercuts rival retailers like The Game Collection and GAME, which offer it for £54.95 and £54.99 respectively.
How to get Crimson Desert for £33.74
- Sign up to TopCashback here.
- Search for Argos and click 'Get Cashback Now'.
- Shop and checkout as usual.
- Cashback will track and appear in the TopCashback account within seven working days of purchase.
- The cashback will become payable and available to withdraw and spend after Argos has paid TopCashback the commission for the purchase.
