Black Desert Online is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
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Game Rant
Top Critic
Mar 10, 2016
Pearl Abyss' Black Desert Online is an incredibly detailed, visually gorgeous MMORPG that succeeds at nearly everything but having a beating heart and soul.
GameSpot
Top Critic
Apr 1, 2016
Much of Black Desert Online is a convoluted mess, but few games let you create a virtual life this absorbing.
USgamer
Top Critic
Apr 8, 2016
An absolutely beautiful MMO from developer Pearl Abyss. The beauty is backed by a complex sandbox MMO that offers a lot of freedom, but doesn't explain its systems to players all that well. If you're into starting up a second fantasy life and have the time to spend learning the mechanics, Black Desert Online might be the game for you.
Hardcore Gamer
Top Critic
Apr 2, 2016
Black Desert Online is a beautiful game marred by inept tutorials and an impenetrable story.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Top Critic
Mar 11, 2016
It's exciting to play an MMO that understands the importance of building a world worth living in, not just erecting a corridor of static set pieces to run through on your quest for power.
DualShockers
Top Critic
Apr 11, 2016
And conquer I shall, even if for the first time in so many years, a MMORPG finally restored that sense of awe and adventure that I thought irremediably lost. For the first time in almost a decade, the world of a game finally managed to make me feel small again, and boy, this feels so good.
PlayStation LifeStyle
Top Critic
Aug 30, 2019
As someone who generally enjoys mindless grinding, there was some comfort in making my way through Black Desert’s massive landscape. But when there are other options that feel more polished, thoughtful, and creative, it’s hard to recommend Black Desert unless the absence of a subscription fee is a key factor.
GamingTrend
Top Critic
Mar 15, 2016
A gorgeous world that feels truly alive, Black Desert Online is a solid entry into the sandbox subgenre of MMOs. Benefiting from having been launched in a major market for a year before coming to the West, it offers an open world to explore, and an especially deep tradeskill and trading system mixed with an action-oriented combat scheme.
Windows Central
Top Critic
Mar 11, 2019
Black Desert is an expansive game, but Pearl Abyss needs to fix its technical problems on Xbox One.
Nov 14, 2020
Oftentimes, someone’s enjoyment of an online game is dependent on the people around them and if you find yourself having more fun when you’re surrounded by like-minded people, I recommend checking out Black Desert Online. Veterans of Black Desert who are looking for an upgrade should definitely consider Black Desert Online: Prestige Edition considering everything that’s included in the package. While the price tag may be a bit much for new players, it’s also a great way to set up a noob for success provided they have some guidance beyond the in-game tutorial.
Wccftech
Top Critic
Jun 3, 2016
Black Desert Online is the most refreshingly unique MMO around. Introducing many new game mechanics and ways to play in a world that's so exquisitely designed, with characters, building, monsters and even the weather all working together to make the best looking MMO to have ever been released, BDO is only really let down by the game's unwillingness and/or inability to properly explain its mechanics. The post-launch updates have been great so far and there's no reason to think the game won't keep improving.
COGconnected
Top Critic
Mar 22, 2016
Black Desert Online has the potential to be a truly legendary MMORPG. There are so many interesting elements to it, each of which could provide you with many hours of enjoyment.
The Escapist
Top Critic
Mar 18, 2016
Black Desert Online wants to be distinct from other MMORPGs, but it isn't different enough in the ways which really matter. The game's few innovations aren't enough to make up for its myriad shortcomings, making it come across as just another MMORPG.
COGconnected
Top Critic
Aug 29, 2019
Ultimately, Black Desert on PS4 is very user-friendly, and looks fantastic when running at a premium performance level. But while Black Desert’s aesthetic prowess and customizable sandbox experience is an achievement in the world of MMOs, it’s not a game that offers enough enticement in the minute-to-minute gameplay — or even in the grander, month-to-month scope of things — to leave me thirsty for more.
PlayStation Universe
Top Critic
Aug 30, 2019
Black Desert does a lot right but a lot of it is hard to experience with little to no tutorial and technical issues that never really let up. It's clear that the current generation of console just isn't quite up to handling a game of this magnitude, but even so Black Desert provides an epic and frequently beautiful MMORPG experience.
Push Square
Top Critic
Aug 27, 2019
Black Desert is rougher than a badger's behind, and the simple combat won't blow anyone's skirt up, but the game does have upsides. The world is fleshed out and fun to explore, the side activities are more amusing than the campaign, and the character creation is superb. This is the sort of game that will undoubtedly appeal to a small subset of people who are more than happy to accept the uglier technical issues as the admission price to a well realised world full of things to do.
Generación Xbox
Top Critic
Nov 22, 2020
Black Desert Online remains one of the most complete and immense MMORPGs today. New contents continue to be added to a title with many possibilities that does require enormous time and dedication to be taken advantage of.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Slant Magazine
Top Critic
Mar 30, 2016
Those desperate for a way to stay busy will find a seemingly inexhaustible number of grains of gameplay here.
MMORPG.com
Top Critic
Apr 7, 2016
Listen, I've rambled on for about 1500 words here, and several thousand more in preceding weeks. You don't need me to tell you any more about this game than what you can learn by simply picking it up. I will say this though: so many of us here clamor for something new and unique to hit the market. It's here now. Black Desert Online is one of the freshest takes on the MMO in years, and it deserves to be played.
Screen Rant
Top Critic
Mar 4, 2019
Black Desert Online is highly addictive and layered but it does not offer much in originality.
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