Summary

  • The First Descendant accused of stealing art assets from Destiny 2.
  • Developers took inspiration from Warframe and Destiny, but similarities led to accusations of asset theft.
  • Despite launch issues and controversy, developers are working on fixes and updates.

The First Descendant was accused of stealing art assets from Bungie's massively popular online action MMO Destiny 2. Nexon Games' take on the cooperative looter shooter genre recently released back on July 2 and quickly amassed a sizable player base in the days following its debut. However, The First Descendant also suffered from several major issues following its launch, such as a major bug with its premium currency and heated discussions regarding its allegedly predatory monetization structure.

Even before its release, the developers of The First Descendant were not shy about what influenced their vision for Nexon's third-person looter shooter. Director Minseok Joo has specifically stated that The First Descendant looked to Warframe and Destiny for guidance, explaining how his team wanted to foster the same sense of community in players with future updates. Many fans can likely even feel both games' influence on The First Descendant. Its mod and crafting systems, for instance, bear striking similarities to Warframe's progression mechanics. The First Descendant's emphasis on loot drops and intense boss fights has also drawn positive comparisons to Destiny 2's gameplay,

Booster in The First Descendant
The First Descendant: How To Get & Use Boosters

Each Booster in The First Descendant gives you a 30% bonus for obtaining a specific resource. Here's how to get and use each one.

By 

But while it's expected that past games will go on to influence subsequent titles, a report from Forbes claimed The First Descendant's developers may have taken too much inspiration from other IPs. According to the article, players have noticed some of the icons for The First Descendant's modules and abilities bear an uncanny resemblance to Destiny 2's assets, only with just enough tweaks that they weren't an exact one-to-one replica.

The First Descendant Receives Mixed Reviews

The similar icons have led to deeper dives into both games' assets, with some players scrutinizing and finding notable similarities between Destiny 2's armaments and some of the weapons from The First Descendant. Players were particularly skeptical of the design of the Another Dream sniper rifle, which does look like a fusion between Destiny 2's legendary Ikelos sniper rifle and exotic Sleeper Simulant linear fusion rifle. As with the icons, The First Descendant's model is not an unabashed copy, but there is enough of a resemblance that players were left wondering whether this was meant to be a tribute or a sign of something more nefarious behind the scenes.

Despite the hiccups from its launch, developers are hard at work and have even recently released a hotfix for The First Descendant's technical issues. However, with a genre as competitive as online action RPGs, there's still no guarantee of future success. Only time will tell if The First Descendant can overcome its issues and carve a place for itself in the industry.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
The First Descendant Tag Page Cover Art
The First Descendant
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget
Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget
Released
July 2, 2024
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

The First Descendant is a next-generation third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter featuring high-quality graphics created in Unreal Engine 5.

Players become a Descendant whose mission is to combat alien invaders – The Vulgus who crossed dimensions over 100 years ago and brought with them the devastating Colossi and destruction – for the survival of humanity and to protect Albion and the continent of Ingris. Players will encounter spectacular stories of forces fighting over the Iron Heart as they grow stronger through various missions and raids.

Encounter features that make The First Descendant's gameplay unique: a variety of characters with unique concepts and combat styles, massive boss battles with up to four player co-op, free movement and coordinated action with grappling hooks, a variety of weapons and compelling customization options.

ESRB
Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language
Developer(s)
Nexon Games
Publisher(s)
Nexon
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Third-Person Shooter