Pearl Abyss European CEO Libby Park believes that reviewers were unable to fully appreciate Crimson Desert due to limited play time and access to a version of the game that differed from the release version.
In an interview with The Game Business, the executive was asked why player reviews were overwhelmingly positive, while the game's average Metacritic score was 77. According to Park, the issue is not so much the quality of the project as the conditions under which critics got acquainted with it before its release.
I believe both sides have valid points, especially the critics. They had to play a build that didn't fully match the release version. Also, they had little time.
She also noted that with a traditional approach to reviews, journalists usually focus on completing the main storyline. However, according to the executive, the main feature of Crimson Desert lies in the details of the open world, freedom of exploration, and numerous opportunities that go beyond the usual expectations of the genre.
All these unique elements and interesting innovations, in my opinion, critics simply did not have time to properly study and experience during the time allotted for preparing reviews.