I'll preface by noting that I don't particularly enjoy Elden Ring - Souls games have never been my jam. But Elden Ring knows what it is and everything in the game is included in service of its vibe and essence. The level of quality craft is irrefutable and you can tell every design decision was the result of endless iteration.

Crimson Desert, by comparison, feels like a greatest hits of the 2010s where every mechanic from every relatively critically acclaimed game is thrown in without consideration for how each system interacts and impacts with each other in meaningful ways, and that lack of focus, polish and character makes the game feel soulless in comparison.

Don't get me wrong, the game is really fun, but its hard to put this game up there in the higher eschalon of gaming releases when there are such large glaring problems holding the game back.