The Descendant

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 670 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Descendant Game Cover
The Descendant offers a fascinating sci-fi tale intertwined with interesting puzzles, breathing fresh air into a genre that can feel stagnant at times.
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"The Descendant" is a thrilling adventure game that follows the story of a team of troubled scientists fighting to save the world from a deadly virus. As the player, you will make choices that determine the fate of the characters and uncover the truth behind a conspiracy. With a captivating narrative and stunning graphics, this game offers a unique and immersive experience. However, be prepared for a challenging puzzle-solving adventure that will put your skills to the test.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 670 reviews
story373 positive mentions
stability32 negative mentions
  • Engaging storyline that keeps players hooked and wanting to know more.
  • Good voice acting and decent graphics that enhance the overall experience.
  • Interesting choices that impact the story, making players feel invested in their decisions.
  • Clunky controls and camera angles that can make navigation frustrating.
  • Short gameplay time for each episode, leaving players wanting more content.
  • Some puzzles are overly simplistic and lack challenge, making the gameplay feel less engaging.
  • story795 mentions

    The story of "The Descendant" is generally well-received, with many players praising its engaging narrative, intriguing plot twists, and strong character development. However, some critiques highlight issues such as abrupt endings, linear progression, and a lack of impactful choices, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game offers a compelling sci-fi storyline reminiscent of Telltale's style, it is often noted that the gameplay mechanics and pacing could use improvement to enhance the storytelling experience.

    • “The story is interesting, the graphics are quite unique, but the controls suck so much it's a real challenge to play.”
    • “The story kept me hooked and being able to decide the actions in the story itself is exciting.”
    • “Great storytelling!”
    • “The overarching story is disappointing and kinda dumb.”
    • “The player will go bats#*t trying to make their way through the game for the story, and then....we'll give it a terrible ending so there's no payoff!”
    • “Please trust me, the story is not worth the headache of the game itself.”
  • gameplay208 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily linear and simplistic, often resembling a point-and-click adventure with minimal challenge and engagement. Many players noted that it feels more like an interactive movie, with choices that lack significant impact, and the mechanics can be frustrating due to clunky controls and a lack of polish. While the story is compelling, the overall gameplay experience is generally considered lackluster, with a score averaging around 6/10.

    • “Most importantly, the game reminded me of 'The Walking Dead' in its gameplay, style, and in the intensity of the action.”
    • “Sick gameplay, very cool story, game looks alright, runs well, etc., enjoyable.”
    • “I really love how the player's choice of different interactions paves the way for variety in the gameplay, adding a whole new dynamic and not just a dull gameplay where you sit and wait for something to happen.”
    • “It's not a game, because there's basically no gameplay and it's not an interactive movie because choices don't really matter.”
    • “The gameplay sometimes feels like they're just having you do something between cut scenes, with a few, I guess you could call them puzzles, along the way.”
    • “With boring, one-dimensional characters, selectively terrible voice acting, and an uninspired, generic story, all supported by the weakest semblance of 'gameplay', this is one to avoid.”
  • graphics144 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the unique art style and atmospheric lighting, while others criticize them as dated or lacking polish. Many players note that while the visuals can be appealing, they are often accompanied by technical issues such as frame rate drops and graphical glitches. Overall, the graphics are described as decent but not groundbreaking, with a few standout moments that enhance the storytelling experience.

    • “Graphics are decent with nice atmospheric lighting.”
    • “What a game, the voice acting is first class, the graphics are top notch.”
    • “The graphics and atmosphere are just awesome and the price is right at $3/episode!”
    • “The graphics are bad.”
    • “There were graphical issues as I progressed further into the game, and the game crashed completely at the end of episode four, preventing progress.”
    • “I am usually very forgiving of graphics and bugs, but this game man... I'm very disappointed.”
  • music38 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as atmospheric and fitting for the plot, with some standout moments that enhance the suspense. However, it often lacks presence, leading to a quiet experience that can detract from the overall impact. While the quality of the soundtrack and voice acting is praised, the inconsistency in music usage and the slow pacing in certain scenarios have drawn mixed reactions from players.

    • “The way the stories from three different timelines are interwoven, the fantastic script, the awesome sound effects and music, everything about this game is quality.”
    • “The story is interesting and sometimes a bit scary, and the music is really good and adds to the suspense.”
    • “However, the voice acting and music, on the other hand, are top quality.”
    • “The soundtrack (all 1,000 MB) consists almost completely of slow background drones.”
    • “The music nor the voice acting can really redeem this title.”
    • “Not much music, I mean not always: it doesn’t last or it’s discreet.”
  • stability32 mentions

    The game suffers from numerous stability issues, including frequent glitches, sound problems, and control difficulties, which can disrupt gameplay and require restarts. While many players find these bugs frustrating, they generally do not render the game unplayable, with some minor graphical glitches and occasional camera issues being the most common complaints. Overall, the game feels unfinished, resembling an open beta rather than a polished final product.

    • “Firstly, it's extremely buggy.”
    • “This game feels like a scammy, open beta with glitches and obstacles left.”
    • “Lots of glitches/bugs related to collision and pathfinding issues.”
  • atmosphere26 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, featuring decent graphics, atmospheric lighting, and compelling sound design that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the apocalyptic setting and engaging storytelling, which contribute to a captivating and sometimes eerie ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout element, effectively drawing players into the game's world.

    • “Gorgeously atmospheric indie play.”
    • “The atmosphere is very apocalyptic, post cataclysmic event.”
    • “The atmosphere is very apocalyptic, post-cataclysmic event.”
    • “This game somehow manages to be scary just by sheer force of atmosphere.”
    • “The story for me is where it shines, alongside the atmosphere.”
  • grinding22 mentions

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively tedious, often requiring players to invest significant time and effort without much reward. Many users express frustration with slow-paced gameplay, lack of agency, and poor interaction mechanics, making the experience feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge. Overall, while some find the effort worthwhile, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding detracts significantly from the game's potential.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It would be a good game - except for the fact that you have zero agency, it is tedious and bleedingly obvious tale, and you might feel the desire to punch out the lead protagonists (at least, I did).”
    • “Graphics are really nice, story seems promising but interaction is super tedious and I simply could not bear to get past trying to get into the second door.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, particularly due to its use of the Unity engine, leading to poor performance and noticeable graphical glitches. While some players report that it remains playable even on higher-end hardware, there is a consensus that improvements are needed for a smoother experience.

    • “These janitors are responsible for making sure these arks run smoothly.”
    • “And then, there are those at duty, called the 'janitors', who make sure the arks run smoothly to keep the descendants alive and safe.”
    • “On the down side - there are some graphical glitches and could use a bit better optimization on higher-end gear, but nothing that makes it unplayable for me.”
    • “It uses the Unity engine, so optimization is absolutely terrible.”
    • “On the downside - there are some graphical glitches and could use a bit better optimization on higher-end gear, but nothing that makes it unplayable for me.”
    • “It uses the Unity engine, so optimization is absolutely terrible.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it to be a touching and engaging experience akin to a great movie, others criticize the writing and delivery, feeling that emotional moments are undermined by poor execution. Overall, the story has its highs and lows, with some players feeling a sense of fulfillment and others left wanting more.

    • “Some parts of this innovative and prospective human experience were quite touching actually.”
    • “I played the first episodes for free, got hooked and bought the rest, and every episode has just been an emotional trip that I'm enjoying like a great movie.”
    • “The story is good but the ending made me feel something was missing, but it was great though.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with reviewers noting that the storyline offers insufficient variation to encourage multiple playthroughs. Overall, players feel that there is little incentive to revisit the game after completing it.

    • “Otherwise, this game has no replayability.”
    • “Replayability: admittedly, the storyline doesn't have enough variation to warrant replay.”
    • “Replayability?”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by absurd situations, such as characters going crazy and unexpected outcomes, like the protagonist's anticipation of more cryo tanks only to find a disappointing number. This blend of unexpected twists and character antics elicits genuine laughter from players.

    • “In the end, all the characters went crazy, and it made me laugh XD.”
    • “(The funny part is that he was expecting 11 more, but there were only 2 cryo tanks in the janitors' quarters.)”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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