Crimson Desert has been out for a little while now, giving players access to its impossible world filled to the brim with systems upon systems and mechanics upon mechanics, making everything feel extremely overwhelming and a bit clunky in the early going, until everything manages to click, locking you into its magical world for hours on end. While it certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, those it does hit for will be satisfied for hundreds upon hundreds of hours.
But what comes next after your long and epic adventure through Pywel? Well, simply put, there are many games out there that have similar systems and mechanics, but one or two at any given moment, since Pearl Abyss decided to toss everything into the cauldron together and mix it. So, while you won’t get a one-to-one title, you will be able to hone in on the aspects you really loved about the game, and find similar experiences elsewhere to help scratch that itch!
Black Desert Online
Starting things off, we have a bit of a gimme with Black Desert Online, which is Pearl Abyss’ previous entry. Despite being over a decade old, it still holds up relatively well, as it has received numerous enhancements and quality-of-life updates over the years. If you ever wondered what Crimson Desert would have turned out like if they had stuck to making it an MMO, then you may find your answer within this densely packed title.
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Even if the combat isn’t nearly as intricate and demanding as Crimson Desert’s, it’s still very solid, especially for an MMO. Furthermore, if you loved getting lost in the massive world present in Crimson Desert and tackling random side-quests, then you will feel right at home here as well, as it has all of that and then some, as you level up, decorate your house, and unlock unique and fashionable threads for your character!
Red Dead Redemption 2
Next up is Red Dead Redemption 2, a title that likely needs no introduction, as it’s one of Rockstar Games’ best titles, and arguably one of the most immersive worlds in gaming to date. If exploring every nook and cranny, uncovering secrets, and just getting lost in stunning environments is what keeps you coming back to Crimson Desert, then you must dive into the best to ever do it if you haven’t already.
Sure, from a setting perspective, these two titles couldn’t be further away from one another. Still, Red Dead Redemption 2 offers a vast, impossibly detailed world overflowing with cool things to see and do, keeping you hooked for hundreds upon hundreds of hours. Rockstar knocked every aspect of this game out of the park, and it’s a must-play for anyone who has yet to experience it!
‘See that mountain? You can climb it!’ is the famous quote of Bethesda Game Studios’ Todd Howard, and even though it’s heavily memed today, it was quite impressive back in 2011 when The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim released. You could pretty much go to every area that caught your interest, climb any obstacle in your way, and explore every region to its fullest, making it one of the best open-world action RPGs of the generation.
Despite the game not being nearly as ‘hardcore’ as Morrowind or Oblivion before it, Skyrim is still an excellent experience, even all these years later (it does help that you can play it on practically anything). There’s nothing quite like making your way through this masterpiece for the first time, then slapping hundreds of mods on it afterward for a truly chaotic experience. If open-world fantasy experiences are your cup of tea, and you loved that aspect of Crimson Desert, play Skyrim!
Where Winds Meet
Tossing in a bit of a curveball, our next choice is Where Winds Meet, a massive free-to-play open-world action RPG with a robust and exhilarating combat system and tons of things to do in its gorgeous world. If the system-heavy combat system of Crimson Desert kept you engaged, then we strongly recommend you check out one of the best titles of last year.
While the combat isn’t nearly as layered, complex, or deep compared to Crimson Desert (because nothing really is), it’s still very rewarding and deep in its own ways, offering unique builds, playstyles, and a level of execution that makes it feel similar in some ways, while also being quite a bit smoother and more intuitive overall. It’s a blast to play, and also offers hundreds of hours of things to see and do!
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Following that, we have Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which may be one of the most immersive RPGs to come out in recent years. It’s certainly the most ‘hands-off’ title in a long while, making exploration and how your journey unfolds feel unique and rewarding. If the lack of handholding of Crimson Desert felt like a breath of fresh air, then Warhorse Studios’ latest should be your next adventure.
What’s more, if you were hoping Kliff had more personality and that the narrative was stronger in Crimson Desert, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will make up for that in spades, offering a rich narrative with fantastic characters, gameplay, and visuals that come together for an unforgettable experience. Do not sleep on one of last year’s best offerings!
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Speaking of one of last year’s best offerings, our next recommendation is Dragon’s Dogma 2, which launched a bit rocky, but has since been smoothed out pretty well, and is arguably the closest you will get to Crimson Desert in terms of setting, gameplay, and general world-building. Bumping into towering creatures, picking up odd jobs from villagers, and exploring a sprawling, stunning world will make you feel right at home.
Putting together a party of Pawns, mixing your Spells and abilities to create potent attacks, and using their skills to reach secret areas all come together and make you feel like you’re discovering things for the first time, which is a feeling Crimson Desert gives you over and over again. If you love that aspect the most in that title, you will be thrilled from start to finish here as well!
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Finally, we have The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, because, of course, it has to be on this list, as it is one of the best sandbox action-adventure games out there and only got better with its Switch 2 upgrade. Talk about a game that you sit down with the intent of only playing for a couple of hours, before you end up accidentally playing for way too long.
Tears of the Kingdom has everything from sky islands to complex puzzles to Link’s abilities to pick up and move objects with his weird abilities, making it pretty obvious where Pearl Abyss drew some of its inspirations from when conceiving Crimson Desert. And we love it. Tears of the Kingdom is magical from the moment you start it, and several hundred hours after you roll its credits, and if you cannot get enough of the sandbox elements, puzzle solving, and sense of mystery and adventure of Crimson Desert, it’s a must-play!
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