Crimson Desert has seen its fair share of complaints since its release, but none of them has been louder than the clunky controls. It’s been a prevalent issue that’s shown up in countless reviews of the game, including Insider Gaming’s own, but there are still two ways to play: with a controller and with a keyboard and mouse.
Each one has its own pros and cons, but when Crimson Desert itself even recommends one over the other, it’s hard to argue that there’s a clear, definitive choice. If you’re still battling with the controls and wondering if you’re using the best option, you’re in luck, as Insider Gaming has it all explained below.
Crimson Desert Keyboard & Mouse Differences Compared To Controller
The obvious difference between using a keyboard and mouse to a controller is that there are way more buttons to press on a keyboard, which can help you navigate the variety of inputs that you’ll need.
A big complaint when playing Crimson Desert is that, because there are so many actions, a lot of them are tied to the same button on a controller. For example, the likes of jumping, interacting, picking up items and mounting your horse are all tied to one button alone!
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There are countless cases where you’ll want to do one thing, but do another instead, but you shouldn’t run into that issue as much on mouse and keyboard, thanks to the vast amount of inputs available. You can also rebind your keys on PC, whilst the option remains unavailable for a controller at the moment.
However, whilst it might sound like using a mouse and keyboard is superior, you might be surprised by which one you’re better off using.
Is Crimson Desert Better On Controller Or Mouse & Keyboard?
Despite the larger number of buttons on a keyboard, it’s still a generally better experience to play Crimson Desert with a controller.
The game even recommends that you use a controller when you boot it up on PC for the first time, and it’s clear that Crimson Desert was developed with a controller in mind, despite the prevalent issues.
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Sure, you might jump when trying to pick something up, but the general game experience is smoother on a controller, especially during combat. Healing is just down on the d-pad, whilst you’ll be reaching for F3 on a keyboard.
Sometimes, less is more, and unless you’re a veteran flitting between a host of buttons for every unique input, your best bet is probably to pick up a controller and take it easy while exploring the vast world of Pywel.
What are you using to play Crimson Desert? Share your thoughts on the official Insider Gaming Discord Server.
For more Crimson Desert content, check out the 1.00.03 patch notes that made the game easier, as well as the Pearl Abyss AI art scandal.
Charlie is one of Insider Gaming's Guides Writers who's been in the gaming industry for a little over a year. Unfortunately for him, he enjoys every video game genre out…
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