Crimson Desert's Kliff Motion Capture Actor Weighs In on Character's Personality

Many players of Crimson Desert have noted the ongoing debate about the main character Kliff and his perceived lack of personality. The stoic Greymane warrior is famously reserved, with his simple response 'Alright' to dramatic dialogue becoming a meme among fans.

However, Kliff's subdued nature is just one aspect of broader narrative criticisms in Crimson Desert. While the game has earned praise for its expansive open world, engaging combat, and numerous systems, the story and Kliff himself are often viewed as weaker elements. As highlighted in IGN's review:

The game's world is packed with enjoyable activities, but the stories within it consistently fall short. From the introduction of Kliff—a viking-inspired warrior on a low-stakes revenge mission—players find little to engage with, and the narrative only deteriorates. It feels aimless, with forgettable characters, cringe-worthy dialogue, and a multi-chapter arc focused on a character who dies offscreen before the story begins, relying on repeated funeral scenes to evoke emotion. Despite lengthy companion conversations and cutscenes suggesting Pearl Abyss aimed for emotional depth, much of it feels unworthy of attention, though anime-style fight scenes stand out as impressive.

Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young has previously acknowledged these story shortcomings. Shortly after the game's release, he expressed sympathy for player disappointment, stating to Yonhap News Agency: 'I think it would have been nice if we could have done a better job with it. The production team tried to make up for the shortcomings in the remaining time, but ultimately, we focused on strengthening the gameplay, which is what we do best.'

Similarly, Kliff's voice actor Alec Newman discussed how the story and characters evolved during development. He noted: 'After a while, there's only so far you can go with him [Kliff] kind of being... not flat, but kind of stoic. As a Scotsman, I understand that, but it's very hard to play 150 hours with someone who never reveals anything. What's been rewarding is that players over 100 hours have discovered moments where Kliff shows more emotion.'

Newman added: 'The Greymanes theme, after about two-and-a-half years, they decided to emphasize it—this idea of family and reunification. That's the core story strand. They realized, 'Oh yeah, we really want Kliff to care about his comrades.' I pointed out he does, but the monologue was missing, so we gradually incorporated it and tried to add humor where possible, though those moments were fewer than ideal.'

Now, Trevor McEwan, the Canadian actor based in Korea who performed the motion capture and served as the model for Kliff, has shared his perspective. In a Reddit AMA, when asked if Kliff's detachment was intentional, McEwan suggested it was, explaining that Kliff suppresses his emotions throughout the story.

He said: 'Everything was done intentionally for the most part from my interpretation of Kliff and his character. He has a lot going on under the surface but is very guarded. The family he made with the Graymanes and their mission is the most important thing to him, so he attached himself deeply to that.'

McEwan also addressed critiques of the plot's simplicity, noting: 'Yeah, I get that, but I think what it lacks in narrative it more than makes up for in other aspects. There's also lore hidden across the world, if players don't mind a bit of reading.'

This resonates with many Crimson Desert players who have criticized the story. While some enjoy the game as a sandbox experience rather than a story-driven adventure, most agree the plot, storyline, and characters leave much to be desired.

Despite these narrative flaws, Crimson Desert has been a massive success, selling over 5 million copies in less than a month. For more on the game, check out features like praise from The Witcher 3 director, a restored hidden food consequence system by a modder, and an impressive character creator mod. We also recommend our guides: Things to Do First in Crimson Desert, Things Crimson Desert Doesn't Tell You (with 28 tips and counting), Best Early Weapons, Best Skills to Get First (including a skills system explainer), and 34 Essential Tips and Tricks for success in Pywel.