Crimson Desert introduces difficulty levels, pets, and overhauled systems in patch 1.04.00

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As of Wednesday night (April 22), Crimson Desert players on version 1.04.00 will find a significantly different experience. This major update from Pearl Abyss introduces difficulty settings, new pets, expanded housing options, and various technical adjustments, including improved background detail.

New difficulty levels

For the first time, players can choose between Easy, Normal, and Hard modes. These selections adjust:

• Damage taken by the protagonists.
• Enemy aggressiveness.
• Technical windows, such as invincibility frames.

Housing and inventory management

The housing system has been revamped with new storage chests and better organization for collectibles. Additionally, the inventory system is now more streamlined; items that were previously managed individually, such as collected insects, are now grouped together. Items are also now categorized by type, including documents, food, materials, and equipment.

Rewards and new content

• Skill Rewards: If a player observes an enemy using a skill they have already unlocked, they will be rewarded with an Abyss Artifact.
• New Pets: Five additional cat breeds are now available as companions.
• Expanded Vendors: The world is now populated with more vendors offering armor, clothing, and pet customization items. Furthermore, vendors who set up in the main camp now offer a 10% discount.
• Map Improvements: The map now better indicates collected memory fragments and shows the stock of vendors with whom the player has reached maximum trust.

Gameplay and technical adjustments

Update 1.04.00 brings several quality-of-life and balancing changes:

• Enhanced Companions: Damiane and Oognka, companions to the protagonist Kliff, have received new abilities to make them more useful.
• Combat Balancing: Boss difficulty has been rebalanced, elemental attack damage has been increased, and item examination is now faster.
• Controls: Mouse and keyboard controls have been improved.

Availability

The update requires 37 GB of space on Steam. While it is currently available for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, Pearl Abyss expects the patch to arrive on Mac within a few days.

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Amanda Torati

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Amanda Torati is a linguist and postgraduate researcher who specializes in the intersection of storytelling and interactive media. With a deep fascination for the gaming ecosystem, she focuses on deconstructing game narratives and technical trends to make them accessible to players of all levels. At ABWaves Game, Amanda combines her academic background with in-depth research to deliver reviews and guides that are both precise and engaging, ensuring readers stay informed in a fast-paced digital world.

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