In Charting the Unknown, Crimson Desert doubles down on its maximalism in audacious, faintly sinister style

Crimson Desert’s Charting the Unknown DLC adds more activities to an already sprawling game, including shipbuilding, sailing, diving and romance. The review finds that this intensifies the game’s maximalist character without resolving its confusing story, awkward controls or cumbersome menus.

The underwater areas are praised for their calm, polished design, while sailing is described as dull because islands are far apart. Kliff’s sandstorm story offers disorientating exploration, but other narrative threads are uneven, and a bug halted progress when Damiane’s horse failed to appear. The review also notes that basic tasks remain difficult to control and explains poorly, despite updates since the game’s March release.