- Primary Subject: Crimson Desert (Version 1.00.03)
- Key Update: Players are finding the opening hours in Pywel overwhelming, but there are several ways to make their gameplay experience easier and more enjoyable.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 23, 2026
- Quick Answer: To get properly up and running in Crimson Desert, download the latest patch updates, adjust camera/graphics settings, take time to explore, increase inventory space, and hoard food.
Crimson Desert is finally here, providing players with the chance to explore and uncover the secrets throughout Pywel.
Despite conflicting reviews at launch, Pearl Abyss’ open-world action-adventure game has sold over 2 million copies, gaining appreciation for its sheer depth and scale, as well as its visually impressive graphics.
One thing that has become abundantly clear, however, is just how overwhelming Crimson Desert can become, particularly in the opening hours. But worry not, fellow Greymanes. To make your first steps into Pywel as smooth as possible, we’re here to provide you with 6 useful tips and tricks to know early on!
Crimson Desert Tips and Tricks
While guidance is there to be found should you need it, Crimson Desert is not a game that’s designed to hold your hand. As a result, things can get very overwhelming very quickly, especially in the earlier stages.
From confusing controls to complex mechanics, there’s a lot to learn, but with time and patience, everything will become second nature! Here are a few things we personally learned and found most useful in the opening few hours of the game:
Download the Latest Patch Updates
This might seem like a really obvious thing to say, but make sure you’ve downloaded the latest versions of the game before jumping in.
Pearl Abyss has already released two major patch updates since launch, vastly improving several areas of the game. With player feedback in mind, developers have and continue to enhance performance, controls, and various other QoL features.
It’s genuinely no exaggeration to say that Crimson Desert is a totally different game compared to the pre-release version, so get those updates installed if you want the best possible experience currently on offer!
Adjust Settings to Your Liking
Again, this may sound obvious, but it’s something a lot of people skip or forget about when they start playing. Crimson Desert throws you straight into a demanding world, both visually and mechanically, so tweaking your settings early can make a big difference.
On the graphics side, finding the right balance between performance and visual quality is often the key for many. Depending on which graphical mode you have selected and what platform you're on, the game can look good and perform well, but having certain things toggled on/off can cause visual compromises, frame drops, and other performance-related blips.
Even small tweaks, like lowering particle effects, adjusting motion blur, and increasing camera speed, can make gameplay feel much smoother. For those of you on a base PS5, here’s our analysis on optimization as well as a few pointers on sliders and HDR.
Take Your Time
Believe me, Crimson Desert really isn’t a game that rewards rushing, especially in the opening hours. While it may seem tempting to push straight through the main objectives, you’ll get a lot more out of the experience if you slow down and take it step by step.
There’s an incredible amount of detail packed into the world of Pywel; side activities, small encounters, secret locations, and hidden mechanics that aren’t always explained clearly. It really is a game designed for exploration, so taking your time will let you learn how systems work naturally, instead of feeling overwhelmed when everything starts stacking up. And oh boy, does it do that!
READ MORE: How to Fast Travel in Crimson Desert
Pacing yourself will also help with difficulty. The early game can feel a bit unforgiving if you’re underprepared, but exploring, completing extra tasks, and getting comfortable with the combat make things far more manageable. Treat the first few hours as a learning phase, and you'll find that the rest of the game will flow much better.
Increase Your Inventory Space
As is so often the case in any open-world game, it can be incredibly easy to pick up anything and everything in Crimson Desert, but be warned: you will soon run out of inventory space.
Early on in the game, there are two main ways to overcome the capacity conundrum. The quickest way to increase inventory slots is by purchasing Small Bags from vendor NPCs for 50 Copper. Each one that you purchase will add a +1 inventory slot.
If you're tight for money as well as inventory space, however, then your best bet will be to complete the many quests available in and around Hernand. The majority of quests reward you with Medium Bags, which add +3 inventory slots. To know which quests offer capacity upgrades, go to Main Quests and Faction Quests within the Journal menu. You'll then be able to see what each quest rewards.
READ MORE: How to Get the Hwando Katana in Crimson Desert
The more you progress through the game, the more items you'll want to pick up along the way, so increasing your inventory space as early as possible will become a huge help in the long run.
Stash Items
Managing your inventory isn’t just about space; it’s about knowing what to keep on you and what to store. As I mentioned above, it’s so easy to hoard everything early on, but that quickly becomes a problem.
The good news is that Private Storage has just been added to the game in a post-launch update. Make use of these stash systems whenever you can.
Located at the initial temporary lodgings in Hernand and at the Howling Hill Camp, Private Storage can be used to hold items from your inventory. Storing materials, excess gear, or items you’re not actively using frees up space for things you actually need while exploring. It also makes organising your resources much easier as the game opens up.
Acquire and Eat Plenty of Food
Acquiring enough food and having some on standby is crucial for survival in Crimson Desert, especially early on when you’re still learning the combat and don’t have much healing or survivability.
READ MORE: Crimson Desert Lets You Knock Kids Flat—and Players Are Loving It
You can buy food from vendors, with grocers and butchers in towns usually stocking meat, milk, and other ingredients. You can also get food by simply hunting wildlife, looting containers, and completing quests.
It’s not just there for healing, either, as food can also provide useful buffs that make combat and exploration smoother. Keeping a decent supply on hand and using it when needed can give you a noticeable edge, especially during those tougher, more drawn-out boss encounters.
Just don't make the mistake I did and use it all at once, because before you know it, it'll all be gone and you'll be left with nothing but a draining health bar!
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