Descenders Next early access review: Going downhill fast (in a good way)

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One effective method to captivate me in a game is by ensuring movement feels fantastic, and the creators of Descenders have consistently nailed this aspect. I’ve invested hours beyond counting (we’re talking thousands here) into the initial game due to my profound affection for the exhilaration of hurtling down slopes at high speeds, effortlessly dodging corners, jumping over obstacles, and occasionally colliding with a tree at supersonic speed. It’s challenging to pinpoint what exactly makes it so addictive, but it’s a game that I play for 30-60 minutes almost every day because of how gratifying it is to navigate these trails.

To make sure you understand my enthusiasm, I share with you all the background details about Descenders Next. Instead of BMX, this version features snowboarding and mountainboarding, alterations that will undeniably impact the gameplay in intriguing ways.

Riding a bicycle requires constant pedaling to maintain speed, while with a snowboard, a little push gets you going, and afterward, gravity takes over – quite the opposite of cycling! What sets it apart is that unlike a bike, there are no brakes to control your speed; managing momentum becomes an entirely different ballgame.

Previously, you’d maintain near-constant pressure on the accelerator, mastering the art of knowing when to let off the gas and apply the brakes to prevent a catastrophic collision. Now, slowing down is more challenging, and instead, you manipulate the analog sticks to twist your character’s body, influencing the intensity of turns and deceleration. The left stick governs standard turning, while the right can be utilized during turns to intensify the maneuver, causing the board to spin with you as well, bringing a swift halt – provided you don’t perform the action too abruptly and flip over.

In the new version, since continuous acceleration isn’t necessary like in the original game, the control scheme has also undergone changes. Instead of using RT/R2 for acceleration as in the first game, here you press A/Cross. This change allows the triggers to be used for performing tricks, an area where more options have been included compared to the initial release.

In addition to previous moves using the left analogue stick for flips and spins, you now have the ability to roll sideways with the bumpers, adding a new dimension to your combos that can be incredibly dynamic, particularly when combined with the grab-tricks activated by the triggers. The variety of options may initially feel overwhelming, leading to occasional miscalculations resulting in falls, but as you become accustomed to the controls, the sense of accomplishment is immense.

Both snowboards and mountainboards can accommodate various activities, but they have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Although they share some similarities, they are not exactly the same. The nuances of each type of board differ significantly, particularly in their applications for daring jumps. Mountainboards, equipped with large wheels, offer more flexibility when landing from heights due to their increased shock absorption. However, only a snowboard allows you to glide along rails since mountainboards’ wheelbase is too wide to maneuver effectively in such situations.

In this game, you’ll have the opportunity to experiment with different types of boards in distinct environments – snowy mountains for the snowboard and highlands for the mountainboard. Within these settings, you’ll traverse a predetermined network of points that lead to levels with varying slopes, turns, and jumps, which is quite unlike the roguelike progression style from the previous game.

The game retains certain aspects, such as the life system. Initially, you begin with four lives, and each time you fail or have a major accident, you lose one. For instance, if you collide head-on with a pylon at high speed while attempting a tricky maneuver through a narrow gap – purely hypothetical, mind you – you might lose two lives.

As you navigate from one checkpoint to another, your objective is to discover a secure location to save your progress and accumulate Rep points. The longer you go without cashing in, the more Rep points you’ll amass at the end. However, this increases the risk of depleting your lives and forfeiting all your hard-earned rewards.

The game encourages you to play it daringly, since larger stunts yield more Rep points. Moreover, each level provides an optional goal such as “perform two backflips” or “spend five seconds in the air,” which grants extra lives if accomplished successfully. This balance between incentive and potential danger maintains your interest throughout each run, as you continually experiment with new moves while remaining ever so close to being hurtled off course by a tree.

By thoroughly examining the maps, you’ll eventually gain access to the “Boss node” for that particular map. This will lead you through a roguelike map design, similar to the one from the initial game, ultimately leading to an epic boss leap that must be executed perfectly in order to advance to the next biome. However, keep in mind that there are currently not many of these advanced stages available in this early access version of the game.

The various aspects combine to create a game that’s undeniably moving in the right direction. Although the absence of roguelike features may mean I won’t play it as frequently as the original, Descenders Next demonstrates that the series remains unparalleled in terms of momentum-based gaming. Racing downhill has never been this enjoyable.

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2025-08-06 15:52