The shooting is still the strongest reason to try this free looter shooter; repetitive missions, monetization, balance churn, and uncertain long-term depth remain the reasons not to commit.
The First Descendant is worth trying in 2026 if responsive shooting, character builds, boss fights, and repeatable loot farming are enough to carry a free game for you. Do not spend first and ask questions later. Its current Steam population remains divided, and Nexon's own 2026 assessment acknowledged the retention problem behind the strong launch.
This is not a disguised 2024 review. It compares what launch reviewers identified, what Nexon later admitted about staying power, and what the current Season 4 build actually changes. Player Guidebook has not completed a current-season endgame and assigns no site score.
Evidence at a glance
| Source | Time and scope | Published result | What remains useful in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam players | Current PC population | 64,419 positive, 47,926 negative; 57.3% positive of 112,345 | Large current recommendation split, but not a cross-platform verdict |
| IGN | 2024 PC/Xbox launch review | Critical written and video verdict | Strong shooting and visuals versus repetitive missions, weak story, and monetization |
| GamingBolt | 2024 launch review | Critical written/video verdict | Endgame potential versus repetition, drop friction, and activity design |
| Nexon 2026 briefing | Publisher business assessment | “Strong launch, no staying power” context | First-party confirmation that retention—not awareness—was the core problem |
| Current Season 4 notes | Official live-build record | Patch facts, not a review | Establishes what content, rates, fixes, and unlocks changed after launch |
There is no responsible way to average these into a critic score. One row is a current player population, two are launch reviews, one is a publisher retention diagnosis, and one is an official change record.
What still works
Shooting and character power remain the entry point
Even the critical launch reviews recognized the feel of combat, visual spectacle, and the appeal of combining weapons with Descendant abilities. Current-season additions can create new reasons to build characters, but the base purchase decision remains simple: if shooting and build experimentation do not feel good in the first sessions, later farming will not fix the mismatch.
Free entry changes the recommendation
This is not a $70 decision. The practical cost begins with time and can expand through cosmetics or progression spending. That makes “try before paying” more useful than a binary buy/skip verdict. Reach the systems you expect to repeat before deciding whether the grind deserves money.
What remains risky
Repetition was structural, not a launch bug
Launch reviewers criticized repetitive missions, thin story delivery, and endgame friction. Patches can alter rates, matchmaking, and rewards, but they do not automatically replace the activity structure. Nexon's later retention assessment makes that distinction important: acquiring players was not the problem; keeping them was.
Balance and farming move with the season
Any fixed statement about the best farm, drop rate, or character value can age quickly. Use the current Raven blueprint page and Season 4 requirements for versioned facts. A review should explain whether that maintenance burden fits you, not pretend one route is permanent.
Hotfix 1.4.3c illustrates that maintenance burden: it fixes a blocked Hailey quest and a Lepic/Jayber weapon-amplification fault, while also reducing Luna Remix values and resetting named solo leaderboards. Those are material current-build facts, but they do not by themselves prove that the game's larger repetition, monetization, or retention concerns changed.
What the Steam rating cannot tell you
The Steam total spans launch, multiple seasons, balance changes, and players with very different tolerance for farming and monetization. It cannot answer whether Season 4 fixes the reason you previously left, or whether the current activity loop will hold your attention. Use it as a long-term sentiment signal, then use current patch and activity pages for the version you will actually play.
Start, return, or skip?
| Your situation | Recommendation | Decision point |
|---|---|---|
| New player who likes looter shooters | Try free | Judge shooting, farming repetition, and progression before spending |
| Returning player interested in Season 4 | Return for the new content, then reassess | Do not assume structural grind disappeared |
| Player who dislikes repeated material farms | Skip | Farming is central, not an optional side activity |
| Player seeking a strong story campaign | Skip or keep expectations low | Story was a consistent launch-review weakness |
| Buyer considering cosmetics or progression spend | Wait until the loop proves itself | The largest cost can become time and recurring purchases |
Review method
- Method: current player population + historical hands-on reviews + publisher retention evidence + current patch boundary.
- Hands-on status: no Player Guidebook current-season playthrough or score.
- Time rule: launch criticism is labeled historical; current patch facts do not erase structural criticism.
- Platform rule: Steam sentiment is PC-only and is not projected onto PlayStation or Xbox populations.
Sources & evidenceOpen the references used for this page
QUICK ANSWERS
Questions players ask next
Is The First Descendant worth playing in 2026?
Because it is free, the safest recommendation is to try the current shooting and progression loop before spending. Commit only if repeated material farming and build optimization remain enjoyable after the early spectacle.
What is its current Steam rating?
Steam showed 64,419 positive and 47,926 negative recommendations, or 57.3% positive across 112,345 reviews, on September 13, 2026.
Are 2024 launch reviews still useful?
They remain useful for identifying structural concerns such as repetition, story, and monetization, but they cannot prove the content, matchmaking, balance, or rewards of the 2026 Season 4 build.
HELP SHAPE THE NEXT UPDATE
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