Descenders

Descenders ended up being a really fun, challenging game. Even if you’re not great at sports games, or you have young children that might not understand the goal, this is one that the whole family can enjoy

85%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

story, optimization

95% User Score Based on 8,140 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 10 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $4.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$24.99

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About

Descenders is a challenging downhill biking game that features procedurally generated worlds and physics-based controls. With a rogue-bike system, you can earn unique abilities and work your way up the online reputation rankings. Choose a team and compete to become the next legendary Descender, with a soundtrack by drum & bass label Liquicity.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,150 reviews

gameplay179 positive mentions

story17 negative mentions

gameplay
399 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The gameplay of Descenders is widely praised for its smooth mechanics, addictive nature, and the thrill of downhill biking combined with trick execution. Players appreciate the procedural generation of tracks, which keeps the experience fresh, although some find the gameplay can become repetitive over time. While the game offers a satisfying learning curve and a variety of playstyles, critiques include the punishing health mechanics and a desire for deeper trick systems, but overall, it remains a fun and engaging experience for fans of extreme sports games.
- “Overall, Descenders is a fantastic adrenaline-pumping ride that combines thrilling downhill action with deep trick mechanics and endless variety.”
- “The gameplay feels slick and adrenaline rushing when you manage to pull off a trick or a flip in the nick of time and the music is perfect for pumping you up!”
- “The gameplay itself is really fun.”
- “I bought this game on Steam and got bored in less than an hour; the gameplay is extremely repetitive, and the fun of performing tricks (the 8 combinations that exist, by the way) disappears after doing them just once.”
- “You have to crawl at 20 km/h on the later maps just to keep your lives safe. I'm all for having a hard game or hard achievements, but when your game is hard for the sake of bad mechanics and level design, that is exactly what makes a game bad.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive, but not too much that it gets boring.”
music
366 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, particularly for its upbeat and immersive liquid drum and bass soundtrack, which many players find enhances the gameplay experience. While some users appreciate the soundtrack's fit with the game's vibe, others note that it can become repetitive over time and express a desire for a larger selection or the ability to add custom tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's enjoyment.
- “Extremely satisfying gameplay, music is 10/10, perfect!”
- “A roguelike downhill game with a fantastic soundtrack - it's great.”
- “The soundtrack makes this an addictive adrenaline rush that I can't get enough of!”
- “The music is borderline irritating in my opinion; I would have appreciated something else than glittery house/techno. You know, some lo-fi hip hop for the mellow tracks, some punk/rock/metal for the steepest craziest tracks, just anything else than the constant p-tss-p-tss-p-tss-p-tss.”
- “My only complaint really is the lack of more music; after a couple of hours, it starts to become really repetitive.”
- “The most generic, lifeless, uninspired, run-of-the-mill soundtrack I have heard; it sounds like copyright-free EDM/drum and bass that was all over 2012 YouTube.”
graphics
290 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
40%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant visuals and beautiful landscapes, while others note that they are not as detailed as some modern titles, resembling late PS3/X360 era graphics. Despite some criticisms regarding optimization and occasional blandness, the overall consensus highlights that the graphics are functional and contribute positively to the gameplay experience, especially considering the game's indie status. Many players appreciate the balance between aesthetics and performance, with smooth frame rates and enjoyable visuals enhancing the biking experience.
- “The visuals are nothing short of beautiful, with diverse landscapes that range from dense forests to towering mountains.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the animations are well crafted and it is always a fun experience; for the casual gamers who want their 20 minute fix or if you want to spend your time with it.”
- “Great graphics, gameplay and accuracy with names.”
- “Graphically it looks like a late PS3/X360 era game, which is a little disappointing.”
- “Played a bit but the performance wasn't that good even with all the settings turned to low, which shows how poorly this game is optimized considering the graphics are pretty terrible.”
- “For $25, the game feels very unfinished, and while the graphics are not ugly by any means, the terrain detailing and line of sight leave a lot to be desired, even on max settings.”
story
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
68%
23%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for being minimal or non-existent, with many players noting that it lacks a coherent narrative and primarily focuses on racing and side quests. While some enjoy the open-world exploration and various challenges, they often describe the experience as more of a sandbox or arcade-style game rather than a story-driven one. Overall, the consensus is that the game is fun and engaging despite its weak story elements.
- “The game is very fun to play, and grinding the somewhat story mode and making progress is super enjoyable.”
- “Reminds me of Fallout 3 and 4 quests - gives that feeling of freedom of finishing quests however you like as long as conditions of clearing it are right.”
- “It has a 'story' mode, similar to the roguelike world of FTL and others where you have larger levels made up of smaller individual maps that you have to complete.”
- “The game doesn’t really have a story, just the premise of you participating in a race and your character gathering sponsors the more races you win.”
- “Every single side quest in this game consists of things only a complete headcase would think is a good idea to do on a mountain bike. There is no storyline or plot whatsoever.”
- “Collision is hilariously bad, and is usually the main culprit of your loss of lives in the bare-bones 'story' mode.”
replayability
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
35%
4%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, largely due to its procedural track generation, unlockable content, and engaging gameplay mechanics. While some players feel the replay value may be overstated after a certain point, many find it endlessly enjoyable and easy to return to, making it a solid choice for those seeking a game with significant replay potential. However, a few reviews suggest that the depth of gameplay could be improved to enhance long-term engagement.
- “The procedural generation of tracks makes runs feel different from one another, adding a lot of replay value.”
- “An absolute blast to play, great music, good visuals, and (personally) an incredible amount of replayability, especially if you're someone that likes chasing scores and leaderboard rankings.”
- “This game will surprise you in terms of replayability.”
- “The short is - I definitely recommend this game, but I feel like the replayability is overstated.”
- “The replayability only lasts for 40 hours or so in my experience, which is enough, but if you're going for 100%, the dailies will feel like a total slog.”
- “Bad replayability with a gameplay that will make you wish there was more to the game, but there isn't.”
optimization
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
52%
26%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering and frame drops, particularly on lower-end systems and certain maps. While some users report improvements after updates and commend the physics and gameplay, others express frustration over persistent optimization problems that hinder the overall experience. Overall, the game shows potential but requires further optimization to ensure a smoother performance across various hardware configurations.
- “Graphics are nothing fancy, but the physics are optimized perfectly for a game solely about downhill mountain biking.”
- “Also, don't worry about your computer specs; this game is so well optimized that it can run on a potato.”
- “Great gameplay, well optimized, amazing soundtrack, and plenty of things to do like stunts, challenges, and unlocking items.”
- “The optimization is so bad.”
- “The game is in no condition to be marked as 'ready for sale', the optimization is a joke and even on the lowest possible settings I cannot play without major FPS drops and stutters that render it unplayable.”
- “I really enjoy the game and it has a lot of potential, but needs more optimization.”
grinding
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
36%
60%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a significant aspect, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, often requiring extensive playtime to achieve desired items or progress. While some enjoy the grind for cosmetic rewards and customization, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to a mix of enjoyment and frustration. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate grinding, but it may not be suitable for players seeking a more casual experience.
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “You can't do any BMX stuff like there's not really grinding, though it's possible to do similar maneuvers and the tricks are pretty limited, but you can change your trick set with your bike type (downhill bike can't tailwhip, but the hardtail can).”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's not hard to do, it's just grueling and tedious.”
- “Game requires too much grinding.”
humor
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it consistently funny, especially during multiplayer sessions. The ragdoll physics and hilarious wipe-outs contribute to the comedic experience, making even failures entertaining. Overall, the game is described as a lighthearted and enjoyable ride, perfect for those looking to have fun and share laughs with friends.
- “The game is also very fun and hilarious as a couch/Discord co-op title.”
- “The ragdoll physics are hilarious and brutal sometimes.”
- “This is an amazing and hilarious game that will never be over!”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder the overall experience, such as controller issues, procedural generation problems, and frequent crashes. While some users find it enjoyable and well-optimized on certain platforms like the Steam Deck, others express frustration over persistent technical issues and poor performance on consoles. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern for a substantial number of players, impacting their enjoyment.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck!”
- “The game runs great, and the graphics are really good!”
- “The gameplay runs great, and I've had no frame dips at all yet.”
- “I honestly cannot recommend this game. I spent weeks troubleshooting just to try to get the controller to work despite it being listed as 'full controller support' with a standard official Xbox controller. I tried and tried again; probably 20 minutes of my total 37 minutes playtime was trial and error through that.”
- “This game has too many bugs and glitches to be enjoyable.”
- “Not entirely sure how this game has overwhelmingly positive reviews. Some horrible control decisions, terrible map design, and tons of glitches make an otherwise fun game more of a chore to learn and get through. It's crazy to me that so little has been done for quality of life in the 2 years since its release.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
11%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its unique blend of engaging challenges and a chill, zen-like environment, enhanced by a fantastic two-hour licensed liquid drum-and-bass soundtrack. Players appreciate how the music complements the gameplay, creating an immersive experience that encourages repeated play. Overall, the combination of great sound design and atmospheric elements makes it a standout recommendation for fans of sports games.
- “Difficult but a heck of a lot of fun, quite atmospheric with the liquid DnB soundtrack.”
- “To keep the gushing short, the soundtrack is two hours of licensed, liquid drum-and-bass provided by the record label Liquicity, and the zen-like atmosphere it provides is absolutely brilliant.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic and filled with plenty of great drum and bass tracks that all perfectly mesh with the environment and atmosphere.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game features a player-friendly monetization model, with no microtransactions or overpriced DLC. All unlockable cosmetics and content are earned through gameplay, and regular updates provide new items without additional costs.
- “The game doesn't have any in-game purchases that try to milk you for all you're worth.”
- “There are a lot of unlockable cosmetics without being hidden behind microtransactions.”
- “But I can't knock it, the game doesn't have any in-game purchases that try to milk you for all you're worth.”
- “There are no microtransactions.”
- “No overpriced DLC, no microtransactions, regular updates.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of emotions regarding the game, highlighting both the joy and nostalgia associated with its mechanics, as well as the frustration and disappointment stemming from its rushed release. The emotional weight of the roguelike elements adds depth to the experience, making failures feel more significant, while the wholesome credits evoke a sense of warmth. Overall, the emotional responses range from fond memories of past skating games to a strong warning against the game's shortcomings.
- “Also, the credits make me smile; very wholesome. 😉”
- “The roguelike mechanisms make your bails (life) have much more meaning and emotional value.”
- “Just like the generations of kids who grew up on games like Tony Hawk and Skate, you can enjoy it if you've never felt the physical and emotional agony of crashing out of that last trick in a complex string of insane things no human should really be doing on a set of wheels.”