It’s been a bit of an eventual first day for The First Descendant. The free shooter launched earlier with a colossal number of players diving in, but there’s been a sting in the tail for the title. Players aren’t entirely happy with what they’re finding once they’re in-game with Steam reviews reflecting that dissatisfaction – currently hovering just above the “Mostly Negative” classification.
We always suspected it wouldn’t quite shake the pillars of gaming. Our The First Descendant preview explains how this isn’t a revolutionary title that’s going to change the face of the genre forever. Instead, the free PC game is a solid shooter experience that looks perfect for unwinding with friends, blasting some foes, and grabbing some loot. Unfortunately for The First Descendant, there have been a few issues that have impacted the community’s ability to enjoy the game.
The largest of these seems to revolve around the game’s approach to monetary transactions, with most negative Steam reviews calling it out for a perceived pay to win approach. “This game released with more real money purchasable items than actual gameplay mechanics,” reads one review by Steam user FzySideUp. “While the game is free the mircotransactions [sic] seem incredibly costly. The “ultimate bundle” for any character is just a straight 100$,” reads another by user DrewishDude. In addition to these criticisms, real money transactions have been hit by delays throughout the day. This has since been resolved, but some reviews continue to reference the issue.
Other players draw parallels between The First Descendant and titles like Destiny 2 and Warframe. “This is literally Warframe and Destiny combined in one game, and it’s worse than both is [sic] basically every aspect,” one review from user Zardoz states. “Just play Destiny 2 or Warframe,” Steam user XeoShock writes.
It’s not all bad news for the game, however. As we earlier reported, The First Descendant has rocketed up the player charts, with 170,000 players in the first two hours and a 24 hour peak of 229,257. In addition, reviews do appear to have stabilized somewhat – sitting at 43% positive at the time of writing.
If you’d like to make up your own mind, The First Descendant is out now and you can play for free on Steam. If you need a hand with your adventure, why not take a look at our guide to all The First Descendant characters or our detailed look at The First Descendant crossplay.
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Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
