Crimson Desert's 'Fast Forward' Sparks Rage! Is It Killing Storytelling?

The upcoming action sandbox game, Crimson Desert, is already generating buzz, but not all of it is positive. A seemingly small feature – the ability to "Fast Forward" through dialogue – has ignited a surprisingly fierce debate among potential players. Is it a welcome time-saver, or a sign of a deeper issue with the game's design, and even its identity?

Crimson Desert's 'Fast Forward' Sparks Rage! Is It...

On one side, you have those who see the "Fast Forward" option as a practical addition. Think about it: how many times have you reloaded a save after a tough boss fight and had to sit through the same unskippable cutscene, hearing the same lines over and over? For those scenarios, a way to speed things up sounds pretty appealing. As Swany Plays Games pointed out, "It’s nice to be able to skip dialogue… It isn’t ‘TikTok’ brain... You don’t need to watch the dialogue for a cutscene you’ve already seen seven times." I have to admit, I've been there myself – sometimes you just want to get back to the action.

However, the other side raises a valid point: isn't engaging with the story and characters a fundamental part of the RPG experience? "Skipping dialogue in an RPG is kinda crazy, imo," one commenter stated, echoing the sentiments of many. Some feel that if you're actively looking to skip dialogue, perhaps you're not truly invested in the game itself. It begs the question: are we becoming too impatient to fully appreciate the narratives games offer?

This dialogue-skipping kerfuffle also shines a light on the ongoing discussion surrounding Crimson Desert's genre. Pearl Abyss is officially branding it an "open world questing and action sandbox," and that's very deliberate. They seem hesitant to call it an RPG, despite acknowledging the presence of RPG elements. Why the reluctance?

According to Pearl Abyss representative Powers, it's not about dictating player experience. "If because of good amount of RPG elements in the game, they want to call it an RPG... Sure," Powers tweeted, "I'm just explaining why WE don't call it one.” It seems the developers are trying to manage expectations, perhaps aware that their vision of Crimson Desert doesn't perfectly align with traditional RPG conventions. Maybe the "Fast Forward" button is just another piece of that puzzle – a way to cater to players who are more interested in the action sandbox aspects than the deep, narrative-driven experience often associated with RPGs. Whatever the reason, it's clear that Crimson Desert is aiming to be something different, and that's definitely sparking a conversation.