Since its debut, widespread sentiment among gamers has been that The First Descendant is a muddled amalgamation of elements typically found in popular live-service looter shooters, featuring a mishmash of mechanics, concepts, techniques, building blocks, and design inspirations from various corners of the genre.
Until everyone’s enjoyment was evident, the existence of those emotions had been largely substantiated. When we initially tackled it with Connor, our criticism was its lack of originality; however, since it’s now in the hands of millions of players, numerous flaws are starting to surface.
While credit is due to Warframe’s innovative title The First Descendant, it’s worth noting that Nexon didn’t draw inspiration solely from this ever-evolving Digital Extremes shooter. Let’s scrutinize the microtransaction costs of The First Descendant and compare them to Warframe’s, questioning whether they’re indeed as excessive as everyone claims.
As players delve deeper into The First Descendant, they increasingly uncover nods to other iconic games that extend beyond casual homages. A recent uproar centers on several in-game icons that bear striking resemblance to their Destiny 2 counterparts.
According to Forbes, the sport boasts an elite group of six icons whose creation is reminiscent of Bungie’s groundbreaking shooter, evoking memories among gamers. The problem isn’t what the icons are intended to represent, but rather how they’re visually presented. They appear as nascent versions of their true selves, with hints of an amplified persona.
There exist distinct elements within this game, exemplified by the unique Dream weapon in The First Descendant, which bears a striking resemblance to both Future 2’s Sleeper Simulant and the IKELOS sniper rifle.
One piece of the sports’ promotional artwork featured what seems to be a Ghostbuster from the 1984 film, rather than a spectral entity. While The First Descendant lacks traditional companions, it shares a common trait with certain sports characters; namely, this skillset is integral to their character profile. Despite the superficial similarity, it’s challenging to ignore the connection.
Whether the discoveries we make will significantly impact the sport remains uncertain for now. Video game developers often draw inspiration from existing titles, creating novel twists on familiar ideas – a process that gives rise to new genres.
While comparisons to in-game icon designs may seem straightforward, their nuances shouldn’t be oversimplified. It’s unlikely that this minor issue would justify formal repercussions for either Bungie or Nexon. Let’s wait and observe how events unfold.
Now that the data has been released into the public domain, it’s likely that gamers will actively seek out additional examples to contribute to the growing pool.
