Our review as Pearl Abyss’ long-awaited ARPG has finally launched on the PS5, PC, and Xbox

Few games this year have received as much hype across social media and gaming communities as Crimson Desert. The action RPG developed by Black Desert’s developers, Pearl Abyss, promises a large, expansive world for players to explore alongside a gripping storyline.

A cry away from the MMORPG roots of Black Desert, Pearl Abyss’ latest title focuses on a single-player immersive experience. At the time of writing, I have spent roughly 8 hours playing the game on PC and feel I have spent enough time to give my first impressions of Crimson Desert.

When discussing anticipated discourse for Crimson Desert, one key concern among players is whether the game was promising too much and whether it could truly deliver such a vast array of content while still providing meaningful gameplay and immersion, being so-called ‘as wide as an ocean but as shallow as a puddle’. Once through the game’s introduction, which provided a very rudimentary summary of the fighting and movement mechanics (more on that later), the first thing that struck me was how beautifully Crimson Desert’s world was designed.

READ MORE: Official minimum PC specs needed to run Crimson Desert before March 19 launch

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It struck the same feeling as when you first get out of the sewers in Oblivion or step into Elden Ring’s Limgrave for the first time and are presented with this vast, beautiful open world that, barring a few exceptions, you’re basically free to explore. While Crimson Desert does present you with a main story to follow and enjoy, I’m one of those who are far too easily distracted by side quests and activities at first, which this game was more than happy to accommodate.

After only progressing around 20 minutes into the main quest, I was presented with a wide variety of things to take part in, including arm wrestling in an inn, mining for materials, and cooking a…fish porridge? And what open-world game is complete without, yes, a fishing minigame.

Considering this was the first area of the game, it felt to me that Crimson Desert was giving me the message that I don’t need to rush the main story and that there are meaningful rewards in taking time out to tackle side quests and activities. This is further emphasised by a mechanic that confused me at first, but is central to the game’s presentation -Knowledge.

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Whether it’s a person you’ve just met on the cobbled streets, a shopkeeper and their inventory, an animal in the wild, or a type of ore in a mountain, Crimson Desert asks your character, and inadvertently the player, to learn about every little thing in this world, and I love it. While most massive open-world games practically require a wiki to understand various items and things, Crimson Desert is essentially tasking you with becoming your own wiki as you fill up your journal with a flurry of information that you have to obtain yourself.

How deep of an RPG is Crimson Desert really?

Let’s start with what I believe will be the biggest con for RPG fans who may be turned off by this game: the lack of character creation. Crimson Desert has decided to take the route of throwing you into the protagonist of Kliff instead of allowing you to create your own character.

While this isn’t a dealbreaker for me, it may disappoint many, especially those who have previously played Black Desert and likely spent hours on the character creation screen alone thanks to Pearl Abyss’ attention to detail in that department. Despite this, the game allows the player to take control of other playable allies, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

A wide array of roleplaying is also still allowed through the role of Kliff – I was especially struck when I stumbled upon a dodgy shopkeeper who sold a black mask with the fine print stating that the mask ‘allows for crimes to be committed’. While this isn’t something I’ve explored yet, it does appear that I can skew Kliff’s moral compass ever-so slightly for financial gain.

Furthermore, the game still allows you to customise Kliff’s look with different armour options and a variety of hairstyles, available at barber shops. Armour and clothing can also be further customised with the option of dyes being made available.

What about the combat?

When you’re first introduced to the ‘sword and shield’ style of Crimson Desert’s combat, you’d be forgiven for thinking the same thing I did: ‘Is that it?’. Aside from a few button combinations, the initial feeling of Crimson Desert’s combat can feel quite simple: spam one button to attack and span another to block and dodge.

This isn’t helped by the somewhat simple tutorial the game places you in, throwing wave after wave of enemies without giving much of a chance to experiment or show off combos. However, the combat allows for much more versatility than it shows on the surface, with different weapon types being made available, allowing for different playstyles for different types of enemies and bosses.

The so-called skill tree also allows for different manoeuvres to be performed in combat, many of which are essential for certain enemies, as I discovered in a particularly difficult boss fight in the first few hours of the game.

Is Crimson Desert worth all the hype?

While I have only spent a handful of hours with Crimson Desert, it has left a lasting impression and while I have no doubt not covered everything in this summary, I can tell Crimson Desert still has plenty to offer and explore. With its wide variety of systems, enemies, bosses, and more I think Crimson Desert may be the perfect game for those looking for a vast open world to explore and be rewarded while doing so.

This review is based on an early review copy received prior to Crimson Desert’s official launch.

A number of Victorian raiders have been undone by Sydney’s racing demands north of the Murray, though Ciaron Maher is assured his elite colt Observer will adapt seamlessly.

The two-time Group 1 conqueror lines up for his maiden Sydney outing in this Saturday’s $1 million Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

After his Australian Guineas victory at Flemington on February 28, the son of Ghaiyyath was dispatched north to acclimatise to clockwise gallops, leaving Maher impressed with the transition.

“I wanted to get him up there early and do a couple of nice little pieces of work and he worked like a horse that has had a lot of experience up there,” Maher said from Caulfield on Tuesday morning.

“He came through his Guineas win very well. He’s travelled up, he did a nice piece of work last week that was quite impressive and this morning just cantered around on the bit.

He didn’t have to do a lot and you would think he’s only going to improve getting back up to 10 furlongs (2000m).”

Godolphin-owned Observer, who worked right-handed under James Cummings before joining Maher last year, targets becoming the pioneer Australian Guineas winner of the Rosehill Guineas.

Alongside his Victoria Derby Group 1 from Victoria Derby, he hopes to match Dulcify, Helenus, Tarzino and Riff Rocket as Rosehill Guineas victors.

Trainer Maher contemplated the Australian Cup (2000m) against elders next Saturday, but deemed the peer Group 1 at 2000m irresistible.

“He’s still got options (to take on older horses), but taking on three-year-olds at 2000 metres, it’s hard not to go there and his form this prep has been spot on,” Maher said.

“Hopefully he can add another one to his CV and add to his record.”

Barrier two was allocated to Observer, next to rival Autumn Boy, in the nine-strong Rosehill Guineas field confirmed Wednesday morning, ridden by Craig Williams.

Discover competitive racing betting markets for the upcoming Rosehill Guineas feature.

Trainer Bjorn Baker didn’t originally intend to run Warwoven in the Golden Slipper on seven days’ notice, but looming Sydney showers are shifting his mindset toward embracing it.

Kiamichi managed the feat in 2019, Shinzo repeating three years later, so should Rosehill be rain-affected Saturday, the colt’s recent racing edge may pay dividends.

Barrier 14 befell Warwoven, priced at $7 Wednesday, as stablemate and early joint-favourite Paradoxium eased to $8 in gate 18.

Baker sees ongoing progress in both, their recoveries from Queensland Magic Millions interruptions proving their hardiness.

“Both colts have got a great constitution and very good attitudes, so that gives you a bit of encouragement,” Baker said.

“They’ve both been on the way up, so if anything, the back-up could work to our advantage, especially if there is a little bit of rain around and the track does get demanding. Maybe that would tip me towards Warwoven.”

A win aboard Warwoven would crown Rachel King the first female victor in the world’s top juvenile prize money event.

First-time blinkers adorn the colt, which Baker views as potentially crucial.

“He has worked in them previously and has gone very well so we thought, Saturday is the day to do it,” he said.

“It’s a bit of a risky move, but he’s drawn out a touch.

“We’ve got the option to go forward or take a sit. Rachel knows him very well, so we’ll figure that out.”

The awkward draw challenges Paradoxium, yet Baker emphasises tactical precision.

“No doubt, the gate, he is going to have to overcome that,” he said.

“He’s just going to need a little bit of luck from out wide and make sure we get our tactics spot-on.

“But the main thing is we are here, and he is in good shape and healthy.”

Last 15 Golden Slipper winners included seven from barrier 8+, six from 10+.

Chris Waller mirrors Warwoven’s change with blinkers on Fireball first-up, off Hidrix who underperformed in them during the Todman Stakes (1200m).

Discover prime racing betting markets ahead of the Golden Slipper.

Longtime radio broadcaster Howie Rose announced Thursday that he is retiring at the end of the season after being involved in New York Mets broadcasts since 1987.

Rose, 72, said the decision to retire did not come easily to him, and it’s something he has gone back and forth on.

“Excited as always about the beginning of another Mets season. In fact, I’ve been blessed to be a part of Mets broadcasts in one capacity or another since 1987. And every season’s been unique and significant in its own way. This year, though, will be especially meaningful to me because 2026 will be my final season in the Mets broadcast booth,” Rose said in a video posted to the Mets social media.

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Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose emcees the opening ceremonies before the Mets home-opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field in New York City on April 4, 2025. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

“Now, trust me, I did not arrive at this decision to retire easily. I’ve been going back and forth in my mind about it for the last few years. But the simple reality is that I’m 72 years old, and my wife Barbara, who has sacrificed so much for so long, deserves to have her husband around a little more often, whether she likes it or not.”

Rose said he will not be making a “clean break” and will still be involved after this season. He cited the love the fans have given as a reason it’s hard to let go. 

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Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose talks with team owner Steve Cohen on the field before a ceremony honoring first baseman Pete Alonso for breaking the Mets’ all-time home run record before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York City on Aug. 14, 2025. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

“Hopefully, I’ll be involved now and then in some still-to-be-determined capacity because for me, letting go of the Mets isn’t hard. It’s impossible. And one of the biggest reasons for that is the bond that we’ve created with each other through all these years. The warmth, acceptance, and yes, love that you’ve shown me in so many ways for so long makes this all the more difficult. And I return those feelings in kind,” Rose said.

Rose said he will broadcast every Mets home game and the ones at Yankee Stadium, and should they make the postseason, he will be at every game, home or away. He said he wanted nothing more than to see the Mets win the World Series in his last year.

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Howie Rose applauds during a Mets Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Citi Field in New York on Aug. 1, 2010. (Kathy Willens, File/AP Photo)

“I’m always honored to start the season by MCing opening day at Citi Field, but this year in particular, I would like nothing better than to bookend that by serving as master of ceremonies on the steps of City Hall after a trip down the Canyon of Heroes immediately following the season,” Rose said.

“That would make this dream that I’ve lived complete.”

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Mick Price is well aware of the opposition Charm Stone confronts heading to Caulfield for her seasonal debut.

The Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) features Jimmysstar and Angel Capital, causing mild concern for co-trainer Price, who nonetheless praises her impeccable first-up groundwork for Saturday.

A dual Group 1 victor, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-prepared mare will forge her path clear in the contest.

Up on pace and safe from bother, she’ll contrast with Jimmysstar and Angel Capital likely held up behind the leaders, as per Price’s assessment.

Fresh off breaks, Charm Stone triumphed in the Sangster Stakes after three months and Manikato Stakes post four months.

Five months this time, with Price and Kent Jnr handling proceedings from the outset as she skipped pre-training and entered their care directly.

Caulfield gallop between races advanced her fitness, alongside two jump-outs capped by Cranbourne on March 9.

“She took a bit out of that gallop and what we have done, she has needed,” Price said.

“She did not do any pre-training. She came straight to us. She had a bit of ‘pudding’ on her, and she’s needed some gallops, but she hasn’t put a foot wrong.

“She’s had a brilliant prep, she goes good fresh and she’s reasonably fit and if the race sets up well for her, she should be around the money as she will take a forward position and take luck out of the equation.

“In the Manikato, she was up there. She’s been springing the gates really well and I would expect her to again bounce and put herself there.

“She’s had a good prep. She’s a very happy mare.”

Ben Melham and Damian Lane head to Sydney, Mark Zahra sticks with Jimmysstar, leaving Thomas Stockdale to pilot Charm Stone Saturday following their Tuesday Caulfield workout.

The track bore Monday’s rain effects, but forecast fine weather promises prime conditions ahead.

“Tommy Stockdale won a Group 3 on Gumdrops for Sheamus Mills and the owners and has a bit of a connection there,” Price said.

“He’s a loyal worker, a nice jockey that helps us a lot and has ridden a lot for Sheamus.

“I’m happy to have him on and hopefully he wins his first Group 1.”

Discover leading betting sites offering racing odds for the William Reid Stakes.

Stroll signed Newey on a contract which could be worth as much as £30m a year -including all possible bonuses and add-ons – hoping he would be the final part in the jigsaw that turned the team into winners.

But Aston Martin are last in the world championship after what amounts to a disastrous start to the season.

The car is not yet competitive. Newey’s arrival in March last year, combined with problems with their new wind tunnel, has led to its development being delayed but the 67-year-old is confident the chassis can be made competitive over the course of this season.

The bigger problem is the Honda engine, which has suffered major reliability problems and is short on power and energy recovery.

The engine has vibrations which were causing the batteries to fail in pre-season testing, leaving the team very short on parts for the first two races of the season.

A workaround was found to isolate the batteries from the vibration, which allowed the car to run for longer. But the vibrations are still being transferred to the chassis and into the drivers’ hands.

Fernando Alonso was withdrawn from the Chinese Grand Prix last Sunday because the vibrations were causing too much discomfort.

Alonso said: “I could not probably finish the race anyway. Vibrations level were very high today. At one point, from lap 20 to 35, I was struggling a little bit to feel my hands and my feet. We were one lap behind, we were last. It was probably no point to keep on going.”

Honda has admitted it does not yet know the source of the vibrations.

The hybrid engine is lacking power from the internal combustion engine and its electrical elements are not able to work at the full 350kw limit.

Alonso has leapt from 17th on the grid to 10th at the end of the first lap in both races so far this season, only to fall back through the field because he cannot defend against cars with more power and electrical recovery and deployment.

Wheatley and former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto had been operating in a dual leadership role, with Binotto primarily overseeing the engine and chassis factories in Germany and Switzerland and Wheatley in charge of the race team.

Wheatley’s expected departure amounts to the third management restructure at Audi F1 in less than two years.

In the previous one, Binotto’s title was changed to head of Audi F1 project from chief operating and technical officer and chief executive officer Adam Baker left the company.

Olivia Vukosa has been named the 2026 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, becoming the first UConn commit to win it since Paige Bueckers in 2021. The award, which honors “the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community,” has been won by three Hall of Famers, 17 WNBA first-round draft picks, national champions and more. What made it even more special was the award being delivered by Diana Taurasi, who won three national championships with the Huskies before taking over the WNBA as the all-time leading scorer.

“I didn’t even see the trophy,” Vukosa told CBS Sports. “I didn’t see anyone. I saw her through the door and I started crying. It’s definitely a surreal experience and something I’m definitely going to cherish forever… She’s someone I’ve looked up to for a long, long time and it just doesn’t feel real. It feels like a dream.”

The 6-foot-4 New York native is the No. 4 player in the 247Sports class of 2026 rankings. She averaged 19.4 points, 17.9 rebounds, 5.5 blocks and 3.8 assists per game during her junior year at Christ the King, the Queens high school that boasts alumni including Sue Bird and Tina Charles. Vukosa is not a traditional big and the versatility she brings to the table is part of what makes Taurasi excited about her potential.

“I think when you talk about the way Olivia plays basketball, it’s the new generation. It’s the positionless, it’s having all the skills on the court,” Taurasi told CBS Sports. “I don’t think it’s good enough just to be good at one thing anymore, and I think Olivia shows that when she’s on the court.

“Her IQ, her footwork, her great hands. I think when you play with great players, can they make things that are really hard look easy? She does that, and that’s a testament to her work ethic, on and off the court the way she works. I think when she’s on the court, it’s hard to know what she’s going to do next because she’s just as great a passer as she is a scorer… I think those are the type of players that I love to watch and that have the future ahead of them that’s gonna be amazing.”

Up next? Vukosa will play under Geno Auriemma, who has turned UConn into the most successful program in basketball history with 12 NCAA Tournament trophies. Taurasi, who played for him from 2000-04, still credits his brutal honesty in telling her the things she didn’t necessarily want to hear but needed to in order to reach her full potential.

That level of honesty is something Vukosa also valued when making her decision to join the Huskies. However, it was not just Auriemma keeping it real that earned her commitment: she got a strong recommendation from UConn associate head coach Chris Dailey too.

Despite her credentials, Vukosa admitted she was surprised when she realized UConn was interested in her. The first time she saw Auriemma attending one of her games, she incorrectly assumed he was there for somebody else. 

“I think it was the first session of the EYBL season,” she said. “I saw him on our court and my first thought was that he wasn’t there for me at all and that he was there for someone else, and if I played good I got lucky.”

Vukoa didn’t just capture Auriemma’s attention; she also got a very enthusiastic offer.

“That car ride home, him talking to me and saying that you have an offer and you should take it right now, that’s definitely my first impression of him,” she recounted. “But like (Taurasi) said, he is a great guy. A great person on and off the court and he also reminded me the most of the coaches I have at Christ the King.”

Choosing UConn means Vukoa will be on the same roster as Sarah Strong, last year’s national Freshman of the Year and a top POY candidate this season. They could be a very powerful duo, even the idea of which had Taurasi leaning back in her chair. As for Vukoa, she is already visualizing what it will be like to share the court with Strong.

“Everything,” Vukoa answered without hesitation when asked what she liked about Strong’s game. “She’s just an all-around player and I can’t wait to feed her the ball and I hope she is excited to feed me the ball in the post.”

No team has won back-to-back championships since UConn’s four-peat from 2013 to 2016. The Huskies, the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament, are trying to do just that after they beat the South Carolina Gamecocks last year. That journey will begin Saturday afternoon against UTSA.

The Minnesota Vikings parted ways with defensive tackle Jonathan Allen last week, and soon after, Allen landed on his feet with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, according to him, he’s in a spot where he can actually win a Super Bowl.

The former Viking did not exactly hide his message.

The veteran defender didn’t show utter disdain toward the Vikings, but he did imply that Cincinnati can win a championship, whereas his former team can not.

Allen’s Bengals Comments Will Irritate Some Vikings Fans

Allen is, shall we say, excited about the change of scenery.

Allen on His New Employer

Allen spoke with Bengals reporters last Friday and opined, “This is one of the few places I can compete for a Super Bowl and have a chance to showcase my talent. When you see what they have on the offensive side of the ball, that’s a dream for a defensive lineman.”

“I think people would be lining up to play with a guy like Joe Burrow and the offense they have. Then the young guys you have on defense and the pieces you’re adding, I really think this team is going somewhere.”

Allen also said about the Bengals’ defensive scheme: “That’s one of the things that excited me the most about coming here. They’re talking about moving me around, getting some one-on-ones and really being able to get after the passer and shut down the run, the things I love to do.”

The Implication

While it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Bengals’ defense suddenly becomes fierce — it ranked 29th in the NFL last year per EPA/Play, also known as fourth-worst — and the offensive line improves, Allen’s insinuation that he can win a Super Bowl implies that the Vikings could not or can not.

Of course, Minnesota did not win the chip last year, but it finished 9-8 with the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback efficiency by the numbers. The team believes it’s a quarterback away from contending, and that’s why the Vikings signed Kyler Murray last week.

But per Allen, the Bengals can win a Super Bowl, and the Vikings probably won’t.

Allen’s 2025 Performance

Allen’s 2025 season was statistically mixed. While he ranked sixth among defensive tackles in total tackles, 10th in stops, and 11th in quarterback hits, his production declined to 25th in sacks and 27th in pressures, a performance that arguably didn’t justify his salary.

His Pro Football Focus grades reflect this assessment, with an overall score of 53.2. His run defense grade of 45.4 is particularly concerning, given his expected role as an anchor in the middle of the defensive line. However, his pass-rushing grade was a more respectable 64.9.

The potential impact of Brian Flores‘ defensive scheme has been debated, with some suggesting it may not be ideal for defensive tackles. However, the performance of DTs in Minnesota under the same scheme complicates this explanation. See: Jalen Redmond.

Regardless, Allen’s departure creates opportunities for other players. Levi Drake Rodriguez has shown potential as a run defender and could see increased playing time. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins gained experience as a rookie. Additionally, undrafted free agent Elijah Williams impressed during training camp, and Jaylon Hutchings arrives from the UFL, further expanding the team’s options.

The Bengals’ Super Bowl Odds

Do sportsbooks’ odds agree with Allen? They do not — not by a long shot. The Bengals have a +3000 moneyline to win the Super Bowl next February, the 17th-best odds in the NFL. Vegas basically believes that Cincinnati is a middle-of-the-road team in 2026 — probably because the defense won’t be good enough, nor is the offensive line to die for.

In fairness to Allen, however, the Vikings have +4500 odds to win it all, two spots down from Cincinnati. Allen may indeed have a better chance of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in Cincinnati, but that doesn’t make the franchise a surefire Super Bowl contender, per oddsmakers.

Letting the Vikings Off the Hook

Vikings fans should rejoice that Cincinnati signed Allen. Doing so released the 2026 cap burden, freeing up the salary cap for the 2027 offseason.

ESPN’s Seth Walker explained last week, explaining why he thought the signing was a head-scratcher, “The Bengals signing defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. The aforementioned Chubb signing and Kwity Paye’s deal with the Raiders are also great contenders for this superlative.”

“But Allen getting as much as he did — two years, $26 million — as a 31-year-old coming off two straight years of declined performance (resulting in his release from the Commanders and Vikings) was really surprising. It also was a break for the Vikings. Allen had $8 million guaranteed from when they cut him — and they could get all of that money back depending on how the contract is structured.”

As of March 19th, the Vikings are scheduled to have $67 million in cap space next offseason.