The First Descendant (previously known as Project Magnum) presents beautiful visuals and attractive and unique characters based in a sci-fi-style player vs. environment worldview. It also provides exciting battles using various skills, actions, and guns, as well as the fun of high-quality PvE shooter battles that target huge bosses.

Experience the fun of strategic boss fights through 4-player co-op and various unique characters, exciting gunplay, and looting. A variety of equipment is necessary for growth, and you can obtain them through clearing scenario missions within the game or in the World Missions where cooperation is crucial and battles with huge bosses.

The player becomes a Descendant in the game and is given a mission to fight against the invaders for the survival of humans and to protect the ‘Ingris continent’. The player can experience a spectacular story by growing stronger through various missions and stories to finally discover the Descendants' secret. You can also feel the First Descendant’s unique atmosphere through high-quality fields developed with Unreal Engine 5 and gain a new experience of reality and SF fantasy coexisting in one place.

The gameplay includes strategic boss fights with 4-player tactics, grappling hooks, unique character abilities, gripping gunplay, and tons of looting. After clearing missions and defeating enormous bosses, players can unlock powerful new characters, equipment, and upgrades. 

NEXON announced a playtest that will be taking place between May 25 - 26.

The playtest will be on PC via Steam and open to the public for anyone wanting to see all the action they may have missed during the Open Beta.

For those who are new and haven’t participated in the previous Open Beta, they will need to request access through the Steam page here.

In a gesture of full disclosure, during the 2022 Steam Beta Test, the UI had received a satisfaction score of 3 out of 5 points, leaving things much to be desired. In order to improve the issues brought up in feedback, the Dev Team had revamped and modified most of the UI, improving the score to 4 points during the Crossplay Open Beta Test.

Despite such efforts, even during the Crossplay Open Beta Test, we still received a wide variety of feedback when it came to the UI/UX. Considering how closely tied the UI/UX is to the convenience of gameplay, the Dev Team has been working on improvements to increase satisfaction when the official service starts by implementing the feedback as much as possible. Therefore, today, we would like to introduce the ongoing improvements and the new features when it comes to UI/UX.

New Feature : Loadout

We are excited to announce that the most frequently requested function, 'Loadout', is being added. Loadout is largely divided into three categories: The Descendant's Module Loadout, Weapon Module Loadout, and Integrated Presets.

To go into more detail, various Module settings for Descendants and weapons in Loadout can be set up and saved in advance. Additionally, the Module Loadout of the Descendant or weapon currently in use can be switched regardless of location when not in combat.

The Preset function can be used to set up Descendants, weapons, and even Modules. However, in the case of presets, they can only be set up in Albion or at the field camp. In order to accommodate the increasing diversity of content which will be available at the time of official launch, we believe that the utilization and management of various settings and strategies is essential, and the Dev Team is working hard to develop such functions with increased importance.

Core Menu Improvements

First off, we have changed the entire layout of the in-game core menus, improving its convenience. As the number of new features has increased, the existing top menu has been divided into inventory-centered and map-centered menus for improved accessibility.

In the case of inventory-centered menus, functions related to characters and equipment have been integrated, and the layout of the inventory screen itself has been revised to improve visibility.

For map-centered menus, various content including maps and new features such as Journals, Achievements, and Library have been included. In addition, improvements have been made to the map control method. Previously, in order to pursue operational uniformity with the gamepad, map control carried out by dragging the mouse was not supported. However, there was a lot of feedback that the action as it stands was not intuitive. Therefore, we separated the mouse and gamepad operations so that you can control the map by clicking and dragging the mouse. Furthermore, we are improving the convenience of the overall gamepad controls itself by supporting menu movement through the D-PAD, so please look forward to that.

Improvements in Equipment Info

There are many items that have various functions in The First Descendant. Therefore, clear delivery of information is of the utmost importance. However, for some equipment, information about their performance was not very intuitive. A central example of that would be the 'Reactors.'

Reactors are equipment that can greatly influence a skill's performance. However, despite the need to convey a lot of information through Tooltip, we believe that this information is not displayed very intuitively. Therefore, we have improved the Tooltip to display information in the following segments: (1) Base Power; (2) Compatibility with the current Descendant; and (3) Detailed changes in power for each skill. Also, when comparing Reactors, the changes in power for each skill will be indicated, helping players to choose the right Reactor for them.

The commonly used, but slightly inconvenient, Module Enhancement screen is also being improved for better convenience. improvements not only by enhancing the notified effects, but also by adding information on exactly which Descendant or firearm the enhancement has taken effect.

Improvements in Content Reward Info

For collecting items, improvements are being made for the information concerning rewards acquired from content clearing. Although the reward information acquired from various content had been previously displayed, it lacked uniformity, and checking the drop rates was also inconvenient. In response to that, we intend to unify the information screen, and specify the types of rewards, drop rates, and quantities.

Furthermore, the information on items needed to be collected, and their farming locations, will be provided from the newly added 'Library' function. Research materials for Descendants, Weapons, and Growth Items can be viewed, as well as where to get these research materials.

In addition, information on all Modules, and where to obtain them, will also be available, allowing players to search for Modules when enhancing their builds. Information on Amorphous Material will also be available.

The Library will help players not only by providing guides, but by directly assisting in farming items as well. By setting the item that is needed as a target, the tracking function will be activated. Players can check the farming progress of the targeted item that is being tracked on their HUD, reducing the time to visit Consumables to check how many of the items they have acquired so far.

Along with the changes mentioned, in an effort to minimize any inconvenience for game play at the official launch, such improvements for Gamepad Controls, in-game option menus, and various in-game UI and UX are being made.

Mission Gameplay Content Improvements

We'd like to tell you about our progress with the mission gameplay content improvements. As previously announced, in preparation for the launch, the Dev team has changed the structures and rules of the fields. To accommodate these changes, the Dev Team is in the process of redeveloping missions, contents, and monster placements. Given that missions are the most integral part of The First Descendant's co-op PvE experience, various improvements are in development to bring tangible change and more fun gameplay.

To this end, we are working diligently on noticeable improvements, from meticulously enhancing the Mission UI and UX to introducing new features such as Instance Dungeons. In this Dev Note, we want to share our current progress in as much detail as possible.

Instance Dungeons

The biggest change pertaining to mission gameplay is adding Instance Dungeons. Not only are Instance Dungeons intended to offer convenient mission gameplay, but our goal is to guarantee content volume and variety. Specifically, in addition to Intercept Battles, we aim to establish Instance Dungeons as end-game content. To allow a variety of gameplay for many players, both single-player and co-op gameplay are supported, and the difficulty level can be adjusted according to the number of participants.

First of all, the Instance Dungeon is called [Reclamation Operation] in-game. You can enter it through the terminal in Albion. You can also enter each dungeon through Mission Beacons in the field.

There are Normal and Hard difficulty settings. Both difficulty settings use the same map, but there are big differences in the actual gameplay and content system. While clearing the given mission is the focus of Normal difficulty, Hard difficulty is a mode with a stronger end-game character, providing a bigger challenge and offering distinct rewards based on how the level is cleared.

Players whose goal is not to just clear the dungeon can select additional difficulty options to aim for higher rewards. We wanted to provide players with the enjoyment of working closely together in a party to brave higher difficulties.

In addition, we worked hard to make strategic gameplay more fun by introducing new hidden mechanics and traps. Our goal is to establish "Reclamation Operation (Instance Dungeon)" as a key component of The First Descendant through its implementation of difficulty, strategy, and challenging tasks.

Matchmaking System Improvements

A "Private" option has been added to matchmaking, which many requested during the previous Crossplay Open Beta Test. In an Intercept Battle or a dungeon, you can play alone or in a party using the "Private Matchmaking" option. When playing alone, you will be entered immediately, and when in a party, the Party Leader will select the "Private" option and then enter with the Party Members.

Furthermore, the "Close" option has been added to the matchmaking screen. Previously, the player had the inconvenience of having to remain on the screen until matchmaking was completed, but now you can close the screen to resume your gameplay! When the matchmaking screen is closed, the HUD indicates the matchmaking progress. If you start a new matchmaking process from another void battle or dungeon, the previous one will be cancelled.

Mission Gameplay UX Improvements

Beyond the ability to request support from another player, as announced in the previous Dev Note for field improvements, we developed further solutions for a better gameplay experience. Among these were improvements to mission functionality. For instance, in missions requiring interaction with multiple objects, not being able to interact with the objects simultaneously became a problem. To correct this, now when there are various targets within a mission, you can interact with multiple objects simultaneously and see them at a glance on the UI. Furthermore, we improved the visibility of information such as mission tracking and status notifications on the UI.

To make the mission gameplay more fun, we also made overall improvements to the Monster AI. We are actively making detailed improvements such as the monsters' ability to track the player when in battle and their movement when hiding or taking cover. One more thing also sparked a lively discussion among the Dev Team. It was about how to resolve situations where there isn't enough ammo. We wished to preserve the sense of excitement and tension from having to manage the rounds resourcefully, but avoid the feeling of frustration. To that end, we implemented "Support Droids" in key locations within the camps, dungeons, and fields to provide players with additional rounds.

New Content: Special Operation Research Blocking

We'd like to announce some new content to be added at launch. First, after the current Mine Blocking and Resource Defense there is a new Special Operation. Bearing the Dev codename of "Research Blocking," it offers a new fun experience that stands apart from the standard extermination objectives. To elaborate on the concept currently in the works, as the codename suggests, the mission is to stop the Vulgus, which infiltrated the continent of Ingris, from conducting secret research. The Vulgus Researchers that appear in the applicable missions do not engage in battle, but as monsters possessing specialized abilities who were granted a secret mission, they carry out research and experiments. To protect these Vulgus Researchers, a large number of Vulgus legions are deployed. The players' mission is to eliminate these monsters and to locate the Vulgus Researchers to halt their progress.

New Content: Achievements and Titles

Achievements and Titles have been added! It is our plan to present various activities within the game in the form of Achievements. We would like you to experience the fun of attaining Achievements as you progress through the missions. On top of the satisfaction of making Achievements, we plan to offer various rewards. One such reward is obtaining a "Title" that can be used within the game. Titles can be obtained through Achievements, and because they are formed by combining a prefix and a suffix, you can show off your Achievements by making a wide variety of fun Titles.

New Content: Laboratory

Finally, we'd like to introduce a different kind of new content. It is the "Laboratory." As you already know, there are many diverse characters and various equipment like firearms and modules in The First Descendant. It is very important to try out different combinations of modules and equipment to compare their performance, but having to do so within the game has admittedly been inconvenient.

The Dev Team concluded that this inconvenience should be done away with. We now offer you a new space designated as the "Laboratory" within Albion. In the Laboratory, you can change Descendants and different equipment you own to test their performance. You can also summon monsters to battle to verify the results first hand. Even after launch, we will continue to improve this functionality to provide convenient gameplay. We hope this feature helps all Descendants, with your growth and your diverse build settings.

We are preparing these features to be ready for the upcoming additional test, so please continue to give us lots of feedback. 

Key Features:

• 4-Player Co-Op Play - Team up with other players for four-player co-op strategic battles. Each player’s amazing powers and abilities will lead to tactical battles for the win.
• Charming and Unique Characters: You can play various characters with distinctive concepts and battle styles. We plan to add various customizable elements such as skins for each character to support character decoration.
• Exciting Battles and Dynamic Action Using Various Skills and Firearms: Experience the First Descendant’s exciting battles composed of various characters with unique skill sets, free movements, and chain actions through Grappling Hooks, colorful firearms, and additional effects. With these, the player can create any battle style they desire.
• Battles With Huge Boss Monsters Through Cooperative Play: You can target huge boss monsters with different appearances and abilities through 4 player co-op play. The various difficulties will stimulate your competitive spirit, and you can destroy or extract various parts of the huge bosses through 4-player cooperative play. By targeting the huge boss’s gimmicks, you will be able to experience a more compact team play.
• Motivating Play and Growth: You can equip a character with 3 guns, 4 secondary equipments, and various sub-weapons. Of course, there will also be items to enhance a character or their firearm stats or add a new ability all together. A variety of equipment is a necessary element for growth, and you can obtain them through clearing scenario missions within the game, or in the World Missions where cooperation is crucial and battles with huge bosses. We provide equipment so you can develop the characters to play continuously through character growth and acquiring and combining the various equipment. Use it to challenge yourself with more difficult tasks and enjoy the thrill of clearing them.

The First Descendant is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam) in 2024.