Crimson Desert Actor of Kliff Talks About Motion Capture Work

Since Crimson Desert's release, players have noticed that the main character, Kliff, lacks personality and depth. His rough demeanor and frequent response of “Alright” have become a meme within the community. However, this flat personality reflects broader issues with the game's story, which has been criticized for being weak and forgettable. While the open world, combat, and systems have received praise, the story and Kliff himself are seen as its weaker points.

IGN's review points out that, despite the game's engaging environments, the narratives are poorly executed. From the introduction of Kliff, a Viking-inspired warrior on a low-stakes revenge quest, the story fails to engage. It feels aimless, with forgettable characters and dialogues that are hard to listen to. There’s also a multi-chapter arc centered on a character who dies offscreen before the story begins, leading to funeral scenes that seem forced and unnecessary. Despite some cool anime-style fight scenes, many parts of the story come across as dull or awkward.

Heo Jin-young, CEO of Pearl Abyss, acknowledged that the story could have been better. He stated, “I sympathize to some extent with the disappointment players feel about the story. I think we could have done a better job. The team tried to make up for the shortcomings with the remaining time, but ultimately, we focused on strengthening the gameplay, which is our strength.”

Similarly, Alec Newman, the voice actor for Kliff, explained how the character evolved during development. He said, “After a while, there's only so far you can go with him being… not flat, but very stoic. As a Scotsman, I understand what that means. But it’s very hard to play 150 hours with someone who never reveals anything. The rewarding part is that after over 100 hours, players have found more emotional layers in Kliff.”