The First Descendant

File:Screenshot of video game The First Descendant.jpg

Players take on the role of "Descendants", individuals who possess mysterious powers and have become humanity's only hope against the hostile Vulgus, an invasive alien race.{{cite web |last1=Whitson |first1=Hank |date=20 October 2022 |title=The First Descendant's Producer Discusses Unreal 5 Development and Fantasy Meets Sci-Fi Narrative |url=https://gamerant.com/the-first-descendants-interview-unreal-engine-5-development-fantasy-sci-fi-narrative/ |access-date=16 July 2024 |website=Game Rant}} As a Descendant, the player is tasked with objectives related to repelling the Vulgus threat. Albion serves as the main hub where the Descendant can receive quests. The quests themselves are completed in various battle areas unlocked through progressing the main story.{{cite web |last1=Wakeling |first1=Richard |date=July 19, 2024 |title=The First Descendant Review - Grind Me Down |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-first-descendant-review-grind-me-down/1900-6418259/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |website=GameSpot}}

Each Descendant has one passive skill and four active skills that can be used after a cool-down period. The game features an arsenal of weapons, ranging from submachine guns to launchers, each with their own power levels and effects. Each mission rewards the Descendant with resources which can be used to craft materials, level up the Descendant, and increase their power through the Research system. Mods can be selected to improve weapons, with the player able to permanently upgrade them with enough resources.{{cite web |last1=Tassi |first1=Paul |date=July 22, 2024 |title=I Am Addicted To 'The First Descendant,' It Is A Problem |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/07/22/i-am-addicted-to-the-first-descendant-it-is-a-problem/ |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=Forbes}}

The Descendant can also be rewarded with items such as external components, reactors, and mods. These items aid in Void Intercept Battles, boss battles involving Descendants fighting giant Colossi. These occur at the end of the story chapter and prepare the Descendant for the increase in stats necessary to progress to the next battle area.{{cite web |last1=Alston |first1=Harry |title=The First Descendant Review-In-Progress: It's Time To Grind |url=https://www.thegamer.com/the-first-descendant-review/ |website=The Gamer |date=26 June 2024 |access-date=23 July 2024}}

Each Descendant has an affinity to different play styles, from focusing on defense to pure damage. As a result, each Descendant can be built, through the mod system, to maximize their affinities and give the Descendant more power.{{cite web |last1=Burgar |first1=Charles |title=The First Descendant: Modding Explained |url=https://www.thegamer.com/the-first-descendant-modules-guide-tips/ |website=The Gamer |date=4 July 2024 |access-date=25 July 2024}} Each Descendant and weapon have a mod capacity which restricts the amount of mods the player can use. Mod capacity can be increased through the mastery system and by upgrading the mod, which may decrease its cost while increasing its power and effect.

As the player completes the prologue, they will progress into the end game content or hard mode. The map remains the same, however, the enemies become much harder to fight, while the quality of the rewards increases to reflect the differences between the difficulty modes. Hard mode will have its own unique void intercept battles, with each battle offering high quality rewards. In addition to the mod system, the player can continue to increase the Descendants power level by equipping higher level, weapons, external components and reactors.

The player can increase the mod capacity of each Descendant and weapon through leveling up, gaining more mastery levels, using a crystallization catalyst and by using an Energy Activator. The crystallization catalyst reduces the Descendant's level to zero, but allows the player to alter mod slots, so the player can equip mods with the same symbol at a reduced cost. This increases the Descendant's power, by allowing the player to equip stronger mods which would require more mod capacity. The energy activators add more mod capacity when used on a Descendant or a weapon, but each weapon and Descendant can only equip one energy activator.

Ingris was a planet where humanity thrived. The opening of dimensional gates to other worlds triggered an alien invasion by two highly advanced races, the Vulgus and the Colossi, each equipped with advanced weaponry. The Vulgus and Colossi took Ingris in search of something. Originally, the invasion seemed to gear toward the extinction of humanity. However, the Vulgus and Colossi began the invasion to search for a mysterious power source called the Ironheart, believed to be on Ingris.

The Vulgus scientific faction, the Magisters betrayed their empire and sided with humanity despite its near extinction. The technology and resources the Magisters possessed allowed the remaining humans to evolve. The Magisters were able to activate a dormant gene in the human race called Arche, which gave members of humanity a special power. Armed with this new power and with the technology of the Magisters, humanity began a counter offensive against the Vulgus to protect Ingris.

The Vulgus General, Karel, continues his search for the Ironheart. As the first descendants of the humans imbued with Arche, the goal is to protect Ingris by defeating Karel and the Colossi.

{{Video game reviews

| MC = PC: 57/100{{Cite web |title=The First Descendent for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-first-descendant/ |url-status=live |access-date={{date|2024-09-20|DMY}} |publisher=Metacritic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829162141/https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-first-descendant/ |archive-date={{date|2024-08-29|DMY}} }}

|Destruct=6/10{{cite web|last=Dawson|first=Christian|date=July 8, 2024|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-the-first-descendant/|title=Review: The First Descendant|website=Destructoid|access-date=September 8, 2024}}

|GSpot=3/10{{cite web|last=Wakeling|first=Richard|date=July 19, 2024|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-first-descendant-review-grind-me-down/1900-6418259/|title=The First Descendant Review - Grind Me Down|website=GameSpot|access-date=September 8, 2024}}

|IGN=5/10{{cite web|last=Northup|first=Travis|date=July 9, 2024|orig-date=June 11, 2024|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-first-descendant-review|title=The First Descendant Review|website=IGN|access-date=September 8, 2024}}

|PSQ=3/10{{cite web|last=van der Velde|first=Issy|date=July 11, 2024|url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps5/the-first-descendant|title=The First Descendant Review (PS5)|website=Push Square|publisher=Gamer Network|access-date=September 8, 2024}}

|SN=5/10{{cite web|last=Broadwell|first=Josh|date=July 9, 2024|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/140377/the-first-descendant-review-score|title=The First Descendant review: 'We have Destiny at home'|website=Shacknews|access-date=September 8, 2024}}

}}

The First Descendant received "mixed or average reviews", according to review aggregator Metacritic.{{cite web| url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-first-descendant/| title=The First Descendant| publisher=Metacritic| access-date=2024-07-12}}

The game received mixed reviews on Steam at launch, with players criticizing its grind and feeling it incentivized purchasing microtransactions.{{cite web |last1=Macgregor |first1=Jodie |title=Despite its 'mixed' user rating on Steam, The First Descendant has racked up over 10 million players in its first week |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/despite-its-mixed-user-rating-on-steam-the-first-descendant-has-racked-up-over-10-million-players-in-its-first-week/ |website=PC Gamer |access-date=16 July 2024 |date=July 15, 2024}} Despite this, the game topped Steam's best-sellers chart upon release,{{cite web |last1=Cryer |first1=Hirun |title=Co-op looter shooter The First Descendant dethrones Elden Ring as Steam's top seller, but 43% positive early user reviews frame a rough start overall |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/co-op-looter-shooter-the-first-descendant-dethrones-elden-ring-as-steams-top-seller-but-43-positive-early-user-reviews-frame-a-rough-start-overall/ |website=GamesRadar+ |access-date=16 July 2024 |date=July 2, 2024}} and reached a player count of 10 million during its first week.{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Catherine |date=2024-07-12 |title=The First Descendant hits 10 million players in a week despite rough start with 52% positive Steam reviews: 'We will do our best to bring you great experiences' |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/the-first-descendant-hits-10-million-players-in-a-week-despite-rough-start-with-52-positive-steam-reviews-we-will-do-our-best-to-bring-you-great-experiences/ |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=GamesRadar+ |language=en}}

{{clear}}

Six months after launch, the game lost 96.4% of its Steam player base.https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/01/14/live-looter-the-first-descendant-has-lost-96-of-its-playerbase-in-six-months/#:~:text=The%20result%3F,96.4%25%20of%20its%20initial%20playerbase.{{Cite web|url=https://news.instant-gaming.com/en/articles/10141-pve-shooter-the-first-descendant-has-lost-96-of-its-steam-player-base-in-six-months|title=PvE shooter The First Descendant has lost 96% of its Steam player base in six months - IG News|date=14 January 2025|website=Instant Gaming News}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/report-the-first-descendant-has-lost-96-of-its-active-players-since-launch-1482653/|title=Report: The First Descendant has lost 96% of its active players since launch|first=Ben|last=Lyons|date=16 January 2025|website=Gamereactor UK}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.zleague.gg/theportal/gaming-news-why-the-first-descendant-lost-96-of-its-playerbase-in-six-months/|title=Gaming News: Why 'The First Descendant' Lost 96% of Its Playerbase in Six Months|date=14 January 2025|website=www.zleague.gg}}

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• {{official website}}

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Category:2024 video games

Category:Free-to-play video games

Category:Looter shooters

Category:Multiplayer video games

Category:Nexon games

Category:Science fiction video games

Category:Third-person shooters

Category:Unreal Engine 5 games

Category:Video games about alien invasions

Category:Video games developed in South Korea