The First Descendant

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 42,467 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The First Descendant Game Cover
Free-to-Play or Pay-to-Win, is the question in this looter shooter.
Starting at $0Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store Get on PS Store

"The First Descendant" is a free, third-person shooter RPG with high-quality graphics, featuring 4-player co-op and single-player options. As a Descendant, players fight invaders to protect the Ingris continent and uncover the Descendants' secret. The game offers strategic boss fights, unique characters, exciting gunplay, looting, and Unreal Engine 5-developed fields for a cohesive reality-SF fantasy atmosphere. Click wishlist and follow for updates.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 42,467 reviews
gameplay3 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The grappling hook adds dynamic movement to the frenetic shooter gameplay.
  • The character design is visually stunning and each character feels unique.
  • The cooperative mode and immersive boss fights provide enjoyable gameplay experiences.
  • The game suffers from poor localization and a forgettable, cliché-filled story.
  • Repetitive missions and excessive grinding detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • The monetization model encourages players to spend money to skip content, undermining the gameplay experience.
  • story7 mentions

    The story aspect of several games has been criticized for being forgettable and filled with clichés, featuring uninteresting writing and flat characters. Many reviews highlight monotonous missions and a lack of engaging narrative stakes, often overshadowed by poor monetization practices that detract from the overall experience. While some games like Destiny manage to offer a rich story alongside satisfying gameplay, others like Outriders and The First Descendant struggle with shallow plots and repetitive design.

    • “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 synergize brilliantly, meaning each build is unique to how you want to play and combat is worthwhile for its own sake.”
    • “Dig deeper, and its flaws, from the mission design and the story to the awful monetization, become more apparent.”
    • “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.”
    • “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 monetization.”
  • gameplay5 mentions

    Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of dynamic movement and enjoyable core mechanics, particularly with features like the grappling hook enhancing the experience. However, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, with criticisms aimed at the lack of meaningful progression and narrative depth in certain titles. Overall, while some games offer satisfying loops, others struggle with balance and player engagement.

    • “The grappling hook adds more dynamic movement into an already frenetic shooter; the characters look great, and the core gameplay loops are a lot of fun.”
    • “Destiny is grindy, but it has an immensely satisfying gameplay loop and a rich story.”
    • “The grind is real; gameplay ultimately becomes repetitive.”
    • “Nexon doesn’t invite you to a power fantasy; it sells you one by letting you pay to skip tiresome progression mechanics.”
  • graphics3 mentions

    The graphics in the game are characterized by sharp visuals and unique character designs, enhancing the overall experience. While some reviews note that the visuals may not be the best, they are complemented by responsive gunplay and distinct class abilities that contribute to a visually engaging and dynamic combat experience. Additionally, the colossus fights provide a refreshing change of pace, further showcasing the game's graphical strengths.

    • “Sharp-looking visuals. Many of the systems carried over from Warframe work well.”
    • “Unique character roles and playstyles, snazzy visuals.”
    • “Outriders doesn’t have the best plot or visuals, but each class has a wide variety of powers that synergize brilliantly.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Reviews highlight that grinding in many games is often tedious and repetitive, with uninspired missions and poor drop rates leading to excessive time investment. While some titles like Destiny manage to balance grinding with satisfying gameplay and a rich narrative, others, such as The First Descendant, fail to justify the grind due to lackluster content and monetization practices that encourage skipping the grind altogether.

    • “The missions are the same repetitive, uninspired live service design seen countless times before. Excessive grinding to unlock certain things, with overpriced monetization encouraging one to skip the grind.”
    • “Everything leading up to the colossi battles is so mind-numbingly tedious that they don’t justify the time or monetary investment you’d need to spend to enjoy them.”
    • “Abysmal drop rates for many items and no matchmaking for hard activities make the grinding experience even more frustrating.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization in the game is criticized for being excessive and encouraging players to pay to bypass tedious grinding, with abysmal drop rates for items further exacerbating the issue. This approach, combined with repetitive mission design and lackluster storytelling, detracts significantly from the overall experience.

    • “Dig deeper, and its flaws, from the mission design and the story to the awful monetization, become more apparent.”
    • “The missions are the same repetitive, uninspired live service design seen countless times before. Abysmal drop rates for many items, excessive grinding to unlock certain things, with overpriced monetization encouraging one to skip the grind.”
    • “Excessive grinding to unlock certain things, with overpriced monetization encouraging one to skip the grind.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of the game is criticized for poor localization that hinders narrative engagement and significant performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, there are concerns about monetization practices that encourage players to spend money to expedite gameplay elements.

    • “The localization is mediocre at best, which hinders player investment in the overall narrative.”
    • “The game is riddled with performance issues that detract from the experience.”
    • “There is a clear push for players to spend money to speed up research, which feels exploitative.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its unoriginality, yet the stunning character design stands out. While the gameplay features solid gunplay and engaging boss fights, the focus on cooperative play and dynamic movement mechanics like speed and grappling hooks adds depth to the overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

54% average critic score

Buy The First Descendant

Videos

Similar Games