Crimson desert update 1.04.00 brings major overhauls to gameplay and features
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game Crimson Desert has just received a significant update, 1.04.00, which introduces major overhauls to the game's gameplay and features. The update, released by developer Pearl Abyss, brings difficulty settings to the game for the first time, along with a range of other improvements and additions.
Difficulty settings and combat balance
The addition of difficulty settings is a major change for Crimson Desert, allowing players to customize their experience to suit their skill level and playstyle. The hard difficulty setting introduces new challenges, including a delay in food item effects taking hold, reduced invincibility windows, and increased boss aggression.
On the other hand, the easy difficulty setting reduces damage taken by the player, lowers enemy aggression and speed, and extends parry and dodge timing windows.
Bosses, too, have received attention, with added combat patterns and the upcoming boss rematch feature allowing players to face off against bosses of their choice.
New features and quality of life improvements
In addition to the difficulty settings, the update introduces several new features and quality of life improvements. The Sturdy Gatherables Chest is a new housing item that can be used to store and refine materials, saving players time in the long run. The Kuku Cooler and Enhanced Kuku Cooler items allow players to store food and ingredients for cooking, again streamlining gameplay.
Pets have also been given new life, with the addition of birds as companion animals and the ability to change the names of horses and pets. New cat pets and a new slot for items that grant abilities and behaviors to pets round out the updates.
Technical improvements and bug fixes
On the technical side, the update brings improvements to distant scenery quality, as well as a range of bug fixes. These include issues related to macOS displays, HDR quality, and game launching resolution.
In a humorous twist, Pearl Abyss has turned a previously annoying bug into a feature, introducing an item that allows cats to stay on players' shoulders for longer periods of time, after many players expressed a fondness for the behavior.
With this major update, Crimson Desert players can look forward to a fresh and challenging experience, with a range of new features and quality of life improvements to enhance their gameplay.