HANDS-ON: The First Descendant Is Empty, Fast-paced Fun

CBR was able to go hands-on with The First Descendant, an upcoming free-to-play action-RPG looter-shooter by Nexon similar to games like Outriders.

The looter-shooter genre has steadily increased in popularity since the release of Gearbox Software's Borderlands 2 in 2012, with popular games like Warframe and the Destiny franchise also contributing to the genre's success, so it's no surprise when a new title is added to its ever-expanding library of games. The First Descendant will soon join the fray as a free-to-play third-person cooperative action-RPG looter-shooter by Nexon for PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows.

In The First Descendant, players take on the role of one of many "Descendants," superhuman beings of unusual strength with magic abilities whose mission is to fight back a tyrannical group known as the Vulgus. As the Vulgus and their leader, Karel, threaten the world of Ingris, Descendants must use their supernatural abilities to repel the Vulgus threat and bring peace to Ingris once and for all. CBR was able to go hands-on with the game ahead of its Crossplay Open Beta event taking place on September 19, 2023.

The First Descendant is in an interesting place as of its hands-on preview. In some ways, it feels like it could be something spectacular. But in other ways, it feels like a free-to-play mobile game that's getting the PC/console port treatment. Most mobile games of this genre tend to revolve around collecting and paying for unique characters and items and are generally lacking in the narrative department, and The First Descendant seems to do the same.

Overall, there's an overwhelming sense of emptiness to the whole experience, as almost every activity in the game feels meaningless apart from the promise of experience and new loot. However, that may end up being the very reason some players devote serious time to The First Descendant. It's difficult to feel like there is some overarching purpose to completing missions—and this might be partially due to the ordinary writing—but even the vocal performances aren't convincing enough to promote any real sense of urgency.

The First Descendant follows a fairly traditional gameplay loop for the looter-shooter genre—complete missions, upgrade gear, level up characters, complete more missions, and so on. While that's certainly to be expected, it's also not innovative by any means. Fortunately, it doesn't necessarily need to be innovative so long as the loop is rewarding enough to keep players invested, and The First Descendant has a tendency to be just that.

It doesn't take long before each mission begins feeling like a repeat of the last one, only with some minor differences in its mechanics. For the most part, normal missions involve defending a location as waves of enemies attempt to overrun it, so the method for completing each one tends to remain the same. That being said, every mission in The First Descendant can be completed cooperatively with other players, which simultaneously increases the fun factor.

Aside from normal missions, there are special missions called Void Intercept Battles for players to participate in, which are essentially big boss battles. These battles against what the game refers to as "Colossi" are very fast-paced, and while they can be defeated solo, they put up quite a fight. A sort of Horizon Zero Dawn approach is also taken for Void Intercept Battles, as players can highlight the Colossus' weak points and attempt to break them off.

Players are likely going to have the most fun trying out and playing as the game's unique Descendants, so long as they aren't locked behind a massive paywall during the full release. Each Descendant has unique stats and skills, including a very distinct look that differentiates it from the others. While Descendants really only have four main skills they can use, upgrades called "modules" can be attached to them to improve and modify those skills, keeping them fresh in the process.

One thing The First Descendant has down to a science is character movement. It's likely most players will appreciate the fluidity of their character's movement, as it feels immediately responsive to any input from a keyboard/controller. As far as what movement characters are capable of, aside from any skills they possess that may trigger movement from the character, they can double jump and dodge roll, both of which add to the fast-paced fun of the game.

While the game's battles generally feel monotonous, they still require players to stay light on their feet. Enemies move very quickly in The First Descendant, and from multiple angles, so battles require constant movement from the player around the field. Dodge rolls are quite fun to use thanks to a lack of animation locks that would otherwise prevent them from being used so liberally, and they are very effective for getting one out of harm's way. All of this serves to keep the game's combat fun, despite its bland approach to mission design.

The gear upgrade system is rather unique, as a Descendant's proficiency with a type of weapon can be increased simply by using it. Additionally, as with Descendants themselves, modules can be attached to weapons that enhance and/or modify their stats and abilities. Those modules can also be enhanced via an NPC at the game's home base of Albion, so players will want to collect as many as possible to increase build variety.

The First Descendant struggles on a technical level as of the hands-on preview, but that is to be expected at this point in development. The game appears to be online-only, as it was impossible to avoid lag at times during the preview, and enemies who should have been defeated would teleport to a different place on the map, still very much alive. At certain points, the audio would either cut in and out, or the volume would increase and decrease at seemingly random times. All of that being said, these are issues Nexon will more than likely fix before the game's full release.

All in all, it can't be denied that The First Descendant is a decent amount of fun, even in its current state. While it is certainly held back by some banal writing, uninspired voice acting, and a general sense of real purpose, its role-playing elements are both present and effective, and its fast-paced combat, cooperative play capabilities, and rewarding upgrade system are likely to appeal to fans of the looter-shooter genre.

The First Descendant's Crossplay Open Beta event begins on September 19 on PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows via Steam. Those who sign up through the official homepage will be provided Trial Vouchers to try out the three Full Body Skins for the first three basic Descendants during the Crossplay Open Beta period. All participants in the test will receive a Limited Edition emote upon launch, and those who reach Descendant Level 20 will be given the Backpack Decoration Item upon launch.