The First Descendant is A Lot More Like Warframe Than Meets The Eye

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The First Descendant is A Lot More Like Warframe Than Meets The Eye

Highlights

  • The First Descendant has had a rocky start but is gaining momentum quickly, similar to Warframe’s journey.
  • Both games share gameplay similarities, but also the same controversial aspect, as The First Descendant’s monetization strategy is already causing concern.
  • The game’s use of microtransactions to speed up progress and access endgame content more easily mirrors Warframe, raising questions about the free-to-play title’s future.

Despite a rocky start with mixed reviews, The First Descendant has managed to draw a significant number of players since its release. Though its long-term prospects remain uncertain, it’s expected to emulate the successes and challenges of established games in its genre.

In terms of gameplay, The First Descendant and Warframe, being contemporary looter-shooters, exhibit numerous likenesses in their overall design and minute-by-minute mechanics. By examining these similarities, and acknowledging that The First Descendant draws inspiration from Warframe, we can potentially forecast the future direction of The First Descendant‘s endgame experience and gameplay dynamics. Nevertheless, when it comes to in-game monetization, both games have adopted comparable strategies.

The First Descendant’s Similarities to Warframe Are a Double-Edged Sword

The similarities between The First Descendant and games like it are part of the appeal for some players, as the new hero-based looter-shooter from Nexon offers players a fresh start at a cross-platform game that players can jump into with their friends, for free. Some of the developers behind The First Descendant have even revealed Destiny 2 and Warframe have been a big source of inspiration for The First Descendant. When comparing the gameplay loop of these games side by side, these inspirations are quite plain to see, especially in regard to mission structure, shooter mechanics, and the hero-based gameplay in these games.

Although drawing inspiration from Warframe is beneficial for The First Descendant in many ways, it comes with a risk. Regrettably, this game has inherited some of Warframe’s unwanted aspects. For instance, there is growing criticism about The First Descendant’s monetization methods. In particular, the concern lies in its replication of Warframe’s contentious monetization strategy.

In summary, the use of microtransactions in games like “The First Descendant,” which offers its base game and future updates for free, is a common practice for funding ongoing live-service games. While acceptable in this context, the potential impact on the endgame experience is becoming noticeable even though the game has only been out for a short time.

In simpler terms, while microtransactions aren’t always problematic, Warframe and The First Descendant have faced backlash due to providing players with options to skip tedious gameplay sequences through purchases.

The First Descendant’s Microtransactions Could Put it in the Same Boat As Warframe

In the game “Warframe,” many advanced activities and top-tier weapons remain elusive for most players due to their high requirements. Though these features aren’t locked behind an explicit paywall, they can be challenging for free-to-play (F2P) users without the latest meta weapons and equipment. These essential items can theoretically be acquired through gameplay alone, but they are typically obtained more swiftly by purchasing progress boosters or directly buying the gear using microtransactions.

The First Descendant might address its current predicament by incorporating a trading system akin to Warframe‘s. However, the specifics of this new trading mechanism remain undisclosed. It’s important to note that such a feature may only provide a partial solution to the monetization concerns that The First Descendant has already raised. Given that Warframe serves as a significant influence on The First Descendant, there is a risk that Nexon’s upcoming looter-shooter may face similar criticism regarding monetization in endgame content.

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2024-07-18 23:04