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Game Information​

Game Title: The First Descendant

Platform:

Trailer:



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Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 55 average - 13% recommended - 15 reviews

Critic Reviews​

Destructoid - Christian Dawson - 6 / 10

I am nothing but conflicted regarding The First Descendant. It’s a Modern Prometheus of parts and ideas that looks and plays wonderfully when it works. However, the Dr. Frankenstein who assembled it is clearly profit-driven and has a bit of a reputation for its microtransactions. Throw in the equivalent of a Dell Dimension 8400 for a server and things look grim. I don’t expect The First Descendant to get a lot of support in the time it’s around, and I’ll enjoy it for what it is, but I won’t make the mistake of believing it will hold much attention outside of a small, dedicated player base.

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Everyeye.it - Giovanni Panzano - Italian - 7.5 / 10

Net of a forgettable story and a fluctuating art direction, The First Descendant is a solid and fun looter shooter, whose content is accessible to everyone, even those who don't want to spend a single penny.

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Gaming on PC - David Dominguez - 6 / 10

The First Descendant is an extremely derivative looter shooter that takes most of its mechanics from Warframe, but newcomers to the genre will almost certainly have a blast in its futuristic gunfights.

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GamingBolt - Ravi Sinha - 5 / 10

On the surface, The First Descendant feels like an unoriginal but otherwise competently put-together looter shooter. Dig deeper, and its flaws, from the mission design and the story to the awful monetization, become more apparent.

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IGN - Travis Northup - 5 / 10

The First Descendant has all the building blocks of a fantastic looter shooter, but they’re buried under a pile of monotonous quests, a terrible story, and an infuriating free-to-play model that has influenced its game design in the worst possible way.

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INVEN - Jaihoon Jeong - Korean - 7.5 / 10

While the game functions well enough thanks to its proven system and solid foundation, it still shows some shortcomings in various aspects. These can be understandable considering it is still in pre-season, but the game needs to demonstrate something significant in the next update to prove its long-term service potential.

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MMORPG.com - Kazuma Hashimoto - 6 / 10

The First Descendant is a game that could be great, if it wasn’t for its localization, monetization model that wants you to spend money to speed up timers or skip the long grind to unlock characters, and various performance issues. It’s a game that I have a lot of fun with, but it certainly won’t be for everyone due to its variations in quality. However, I hope the development team rectifies what issues they can, because The First Descendant could become a staple in the looter shooter genre if given enough time.

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Metro GameCentral - GameCentral - 5 / 10

A depressingly generic free-to-play looter shooter that steals shamelessly from other, better, games but never has the nerve to try and create anything of its own.

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MonsterVine - Nick Mangiaracina - 3.5 / 5

Being free-to-play, it’d be hard for me to tell you not to give The First Descendant a try. Even after forty hours, I’m still looking forward to spending more time in Ingris and unlocking more Descendants.

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Pure Dead Gaming - Kirkland Gray - 8 / 10

There is so much that the First Descendant does right, as is evidenced by how visually striking and mechanically engaging the online looter-shooter can be. The descendants’ varying personalities and capabilities provide a unique flourish to a somewhat played-out genre.

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Push Square - Issy van der Velde - 3 / 10

Destiny is grindy, but it has an immensely satisfying gameplay loop and a rich story. Outriders doesn't have the best plot or visuals, but each class has a wide variety of powers that synergise brilliantly, meaning each build is unique to how you want to play and combat is worthwhile for its own sake. The First Descendant has the stand-out Colossi battles, but everything leading up to them is so mind-numbingly tedious that they don't justify the time or monetary investment you'd need to spend to enjoy them. It's the gaming equivalent of playing with a fidget spinner while on a Discord call - something to keep your hands occupied while you catch up. It's a game designed to get you to pay to skip it, not play it, so what's the point of it?

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Shacknews - Josh Broadwell - 5 / 10

Either way, I’m more than ready to put The First Descendant down and not come back for a while. Its character playstyles are fresh and interesting, but underbaked gimmicks, overly familiar ideas, and underwhelming encounters make it hard to recommend. I’m hopeful that The First Descendant can outgrow its need to imitate other games and eventually turn into something interesting in its own right. It’s a live service game and Nexon’s first shot at making something in this style, so there’s every chance it might turn around in future updates.

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The Jimquisition - James Stephanie Sterling - 3 / 10

It’ll probably be dead within a year like so many of its sordid ilk. That would be a genuinely good thing for the industry and for the players it’s trying to scam. I hope it dies on its toxic vine.

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TheGamer - Harry Alston - 4 / 5

For now though, I’ve had a great time grinding the game, and even though there are two other games releasing the same week as The First Descendant that I also can’t wait to get stuck into - both Zenless Zone Zero and Once Human - I feel like this is the one that will soak up my time.

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VideoGamer - Antony Terence - 5 / 10

The First Descendant is a bland dish presented on exquisite plating, whose stunning boss fights and interwoven upgrade systems are overpowered by shallow missions and grim monetisation. Nexon doesn’t invite you to a power fantasy, it sells you one by letting you pay to skip tiresome progression mechanics.

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[BossLackey]

But the asses…

 

[killatopak]

Nexon.

All I need to know.

 

[kikii]

game is fun but the cashshop is stupid as u can skip all of lil bit farming, which means many ppl goes for with €/$ route

 

[dreamstation]

I've played for 69 hours on PS5. Finished the story, unlocked 4 Descendants and levelled each of them to 40, crafted about 6 Ultimate weapons and done some of the hard mode content to get level 100 gear. Honestly I don't hate the game, it's generic but it's fun to just shoot stuff. I've spent no money and I will probably move on to something else now. The game is certainly not a 3/10 game like some of those reviews say. I'd rate it maybe 6/10 due to weak story and unnecessarily grindy to unlock stuff. Not sure why some of these people want to have a game that gives them 100's of hours of content (which there is here if you want to grind) but honestly I've gotten more than enough enjoyment out of it over those 69 hours playing with friends. I can always come back later when they add more content.

 

[Aion002]

The art style, graphics and gameplay are solid.

The grind and the store prices are atrocious.

The store can be ignored, but the grind...

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

I've played for enjoyment out of those 69

 

[kikii]

I've played for 69 hours on PS5. Finished the story, unlocked 4 Descendants and levelled each of them to 40, crafted about 6 Ultimate weapons and done some of the hard mode content to get level 100 gear. Honestly I don't hate the game, it's generic but it's fun to just shoot stuff. I've spent no money and I will probably move on to something else now. The game is certainly not a 3/10 game like some of those reviews say. I'd rate it maybe 6/10 due to weak story and unnecessarily grindy to unlock stuff. Not sure why some of these people want to have a game that gives them 100's of hours of content (which there is here if you want to grind) but honestly I've gotten more than enough enjoyment out of it over those 69 hours playing with friends. I can always come back later when they add more content.

did ya reset ur lvls ?

 

[dreamstation]

did ya reset ur lvls ?

Nope. I do have a couple of the things that do that but couldn't decide which to use them on. Just like the thing that increases your module limit by 20, I wish you did it once and that was it for all of your Descendants rather than having to do it for each and every one of them. The game is unnecessarily grindy, like having to research the Ultimate weapons 5 times just to max out the unique ability for them. It should be a one and done thing.

 

[Madflavor]

Game had a 192k CC Player peak today, over a week after release. Why is a game that's getting such mediocre reviews so popular? I can chalk it up to these reasons:

• It's Free to Play and available on most platforms.
• It's easily accessible. There's a big barrier to entry with Wareframe and Destiny, especially Warframe. But anyone can jump in TFD.
• The game's shooting mechanics and movement is genuinely fun.
• It has attractive characters.

Nexon, despite their history, have made some hotfixes to address some of the bigger complaints in the past week. Which seems to suggest they seem to be interested in the longterm health of the game. I've put in 100 hours and I'm really enjoying my time, but yes I will say the two biggest problems with the game right now is how expensive the microtransactions are, and the grind for some of the components. But I'll also say those 3/10 and 4/10 scores are fucking bullshit. Game is nowhere near that bad.

 

[dreamstation]

But I'll also say those 3/10 and 4/10 scores are fucking bullshit. Game is nowhere near that bad.

Yep agree 100%. They're clowns.

 

[WX3]

But the asses…

...and them tittays.

 

[kikii]

Nope. I do have a couple of the things that do that but couldn't decide which to use them on. Just like the thing that increases your module limit by 20, I wish you did it once and that was it for all of your Descendants rather than having to do it for each and every one of them. The game is unnecessarily grindy, like having to research the Ultimate weapons 5 times just to max out the unique ability for them. It should be a one and done thing.

use>> (u get that from quest and easy to farm more)

to max capasity and for more >>>

use em on ur decenant 1st and not weapon (just my opinion)

 

[Hypereides]

Game had a 192k CC Player peak today, over a week after release. Why is a game that's getting such mediocre reviews so popular? I can chalk it up to these reasons:

• It's Free to Play and available on most platforms.
• It's easily accessible. There's a big barrier to entry with Wareframe and Destiny, especially Warframe. But anyone can jump in TFD.
• The game's shooting mechanics and movement is genuinely fun.
• It has attractive characters.

Nexon, despite their history, have made some hotfixes to address some of the bigger complaints in the past week. Which seems to suggest they seem to be interested in the longterm health of the game. I've put in 100 hours and I'm really enjoying my time, but yes I will say the two biggest problems with the game right now is how expensive the microtransactions are, and the grind for some of the components. But I'll also say those 3/10 and 4/10 scores are fucking bullshit. Game is nowhere near that bad.

Yep agree 100%. They're clowns.

I find all the low and middling scores to be pretty predictable these days. All those outlets can't form a neutral opinion/verdict about the game if they tried. They wrote it off because of the content and presentation, followed by clinging onto minor technical aspects they could use to justify the score, which is a pretty immature stance.

Good for those who are enjoying it.

 

[Clear]

F2P titles are essentially critic-proof. With no buy-in barrier players are literally free to try the game out and make up their own minds, with the overall community's level of interest and engagement demonstrating whether its working or not.

They know this, and sensing their own obsolescence, don't like it one bit.

 

[Evil Calvin]

I'm loving it. Not sure why those reviewers are bombing it.

 

[kikii]

I'm loving it. Not sure why those reviewers are bombing it.

prolly cause of cashshop practice ^^

 

[rodrigolfp]

Very bad game, indeed.

Spoiler

72 hours in.

 

[StueyDuck]

This game is kind of proof that a large group of gamers will just play what they are told to play by internet people rather than think for themselves

 

[skyfinch]

I've played for 69 hours on PS5. Finished the story, unlocked 4 Descendants and levelled each of them to 40, crafted about 6 Ultimate weapons and done some of the hard mode content to get level 100 gear. Honestly I don't hate the game, it's generic but it's fun to just shoot stuff. I've spent no money and I will probably move on to something else now. The game is certainly not a 3/10 game like some of those reviews say. I'd rate it maybe 6/10 due to weak story and unnecessarily grindy to unlock stuff. Not sure why some of these people want to have a game that gives them 100's of hours of content (which there is here if you want to grind) but honestly I've gotten more than enough enjoyment out of it over those 69 hours playing with friends. I can always come back later when they add more content.

69? How convenient.

 

[rodrigolfp]

This game is kind of proof that a large group of gamers will just play what they are told to play by internet people rather than think for themselves

But the internet (reviews) is saying to not play it.

 

[Caffeine]

it looks kinda cool gonna download it on steam.

 

[StueyDuck]

But the internet (reviews) is saying to not play it.

I've played it, couldn't care less about reviews the game is mediocrity in it's purest form.

 

[TintoConCasera]

I've played it, couldn't care less about reviews the game is mediocrity in it's purest form.

So just because you don't like something, everyone else who does is a drone for doing so?

 

[LordCBH]

On the one hand, games really fun. On the other hand, I absolutely also understand the scores.

 

[rodrigolfp]

I've played it, couldn't care less about reviews the game is mediocrity in it's purest form.

Gameplay is top.

 

[GymWolf]

Game had a 192k CC Player peak today, over a week after release. Why is a game that's getting such mediocre reviews so popular? I can chalk it up to these reasons:

• It's Free to Play and available on most platforms.
• It's easily accessible. There's a big barrier to entry with Wareframe and Destiny, especially Warframe. But anyone can jump in TFD.
• The game's shooting mechanics and movement is genuinely fun.
• It has attractive characters.

Nexon, despite their history, have made some hotfixes to address some of the bigger complaints in the past week. Which seems to suggest they seem to be interested in the longterm health of the game. I've put in 100 hours and I'm really enjoying my time, but yes I will say the two biggest problems with the game right now is how expensive the microtransactions are, and the grind for some of the components. But I'll also say those 3/10 and 4/10 scores are fucking bullshit. Game is nowhere near that bad.

What is the big barrier in warframe? I heard that the first 40 hours are stupidly easy.

 

[LaughingStock]

I thought it was meh and uninstalled it. A few days later, reinstalled it. And now I'm addicted. Lol

 

[Madflavor]

What is the big barrier in warframe? I heard that the first 40 hours are stupidly easy.

In short the game is over 10 years old at this point with so much content that's been added in over the years. After you get through the tutorial, the game just drops you in without much explanation and it can be overwhelming. The Warframe community does have a helpful community, but there is a newcomer wall.

 

[diffusionx]

This game is kind of proof that a large group of gamers will just play what they are told to play by internet people rather than think for themselves

I didn't play this game but this is is a major problem for gaas developers. What pops up and becomes popular is basically random and the crowd can move over to the next thing at any given moment especially if it is a F2P game.

 

[dreamstation]

69? How convenient.

That's what the PS5 dashboard said so. It will be a few more now as I played a bit over the last day or two

 

[Northeastmonk]

Played it for an hour. It’s got this feeling like I’ve seen assets sold in the Unreal store for its level design. I don’t know if I’ll sink a lot of time into it. On one hand it would be fun to ride the grind, but also it feels generic. Nothing terrible, but nothing overly impressive.

 

[Farawayfromhell]

I'm having fun with this game to be honest.
Some mechanics keep me glued and I play it regularly.
I hope I can play it for a long time to come and that it has a long life.