If you’ve spent any time scrolling looter shooter forums lately, you’ve almost certainly seen the question pop up: is the first descendant like destiny? Both games blend fast-paced third/first-person action, shared open worlds, and endless loot grinding, but they also have distinct identities that set them apart for long-term players. I’ve sunk over 200 hours into Destiny 2 across all expansions, and 120 hours into The First Descendant since its full launch, so I’ve got a front-row seat to all their similarities and differences. This breakdown will cover every key area you care about, from story beats to endgame loops, so you can pick the right game for your free time.
Core Lore And Worldbuilding Similarities
Both games build their worlds around a core cataclysm that left humanity on the brink of extinction, with a small group of empowered fighters stepping up to defend what’s left. If you love Destiny’s deep, hidden lore scattered across the world, you’ll be happy to know that the answer to is the first descendant like destiny is yes when it comes to worldbuilding depth. In Destiny, you play as a Guardian gifted power by the Traveler, a mysterious celestial entity that fended off a galaxy-wide attack known as the Collapse. In The First Descendant, you take on the role of a Descendant, a genetically enhanced fighter with access to unique Void powers, tasked with defending the last human city from invading alien species called the Vulgus and the Invidia. The core heroic fantasy hook is almost identical between the two titles: you’re a super-powered underdog fighting impossible odds to save humanity, with layers of hidden lore scattered across world collectibles, NPC dialogue, and seasonal story updates. You’ll also find similar faction dynamics, with conflicting groups of human survivors that have competing priorities for how to rebuild civilization. That said, The First Descendant leans far more into sci-fi horror elements with its enemy design, while Destiny balances its darker lore with moments of campy, lighthearted humor from fan-favorite NPCs.
Is The First Descendant Like Destiny When It Comes To Gameplay Loops?
On the surface, the core gameplay loops feel extremely similar at first glance. Both games drop you into open world zones where you can complete public events, collect resources, run short repeatable missions, or team up with other players for more challenging content. You’ll earn new weapons, armor, and ability mods as you play, which let you customize your build to fit your preferred playstyle, whether that’s a long-range sniper, a close-quarters brawler, or a support focused on buffing your team. The most noticeable difference comes with movement and ability pacing. Destiny’s movement is far faster and more fluid, with options like double jumps, slides, and aerial dodges that let you zip across maps in seconds. The First Descendant has slower, more weighty movement, and its abilities have longer cooldowns, so you’ll rely more on gunplay than spamming super abilities during most fights. Another big difference is the loot system: Destiny’s loot is mostly random, with god roll perks that feel incredibly rewarding to chase, while The First Descendant lets you craft almost every weapon and armor piece in the game if you put in the time to farm the right materials.
- 4-player cooperative missions for endgame content, including raids and high-difficulty dungeons
- Seasonal content drops that add new story, weapons, and activities every 3-4 months
- Cross-platform play support, so you can team up with friends no matter what console or PC store they use
- Character-specific unique abilities that let you tailor your playstyle to your team’s needs
If you play both for a few hours, you’ll notice that Destiny feels more arcade-like and fast-paced, while The First Descendant has a more tactical, methodical feel to most combat encounters. That doesn’t make one better than the other, but it’s a big distinction if you prefer one playstyle over the other. New players often report that The First Descendant has a steeper learning curve for its crafting and mod systems, while Destiny does a better job of guiding new players through its core mechanics in the first 10 hours of gameplay.
Endgame Content: Where The Two Games Diverge Most
Endgame is what keeps most looter shooter players coming back for hundreds of hours, and this is where the two games have the biggest differences. Many players who ask is the first descendant like destiny are specifically curious about endgame grind, and the two have very different reward structures for top-tier content. Destiny has built up nearly 10 years of endgame content, including multiple raids, dungeons, competitive PvP modes, and rotating weekly challenges that give you new reasons to log in every week. It also has a huge, active community that creates fan-made challenges, speedruns, and build guides that extend the game’s lifespan even further. The First Descendant is far newer, so its endgame pool is much smaller right now. It currently has two raid-equivalent missions called Void Intercept Battles, a handful of high-difficulty solo challenges, and no competitive PvP mode as of its latest update. What it lacks in content volume, though, it makes up for in player-friendliness. All of its endgame content is accessible for free, with no paid expansions required to access the latest raids or story missions, which is a huge contrast to Destiny’s model where you have to buy every new expansion to access most endgame content. If you’re a free-to-play player on a budget, The First Descendant’s endgame is far more accessible right out of the gate. That said, if you want hundreds of hours of varied endgame content to work through, Destiny’s massive existing library will keep you occupied for far longer.
Which Game Should You Pick For Your Playstyle?
If you’ve been wondering is the first descendant like destiny enough to be worth your time, the answer depends entirely on what you prioritize in a looter shooter. Now that you know all the key similarities and differences, you can make a choice based on what you care about most. If you’re already a Destiny fan who wants a similar looter shooter experience with more grindable crafting and a free-to-play model that doesn’t lock content behind paywalls, The First Descendant is probably going to be a great fit for you. If you care more about fast-paced movement, a huge library of existing content, and a thriving competitive PvP scene, you’re better off sticking with Destiny, or trying it out if you haven’t already. You don’t have to pick just one, either – many players enjoy both games, alternating between them depending on what kind of gameplay they’re in the mood for on a given day. Just keep in mind that The First Descendant is still growing, so you can expect regular content drops that add new activities, characters, and story beats over the next few years, just like Destiny did in its early years. If you’re the type of player who likes getting in on the ground floor of a growing game, there’s never been a better time to jump into The First Descendant.
At the end of the day, asking is the first descendant like destiny only gets you half the answer. The two games share a lot of core DNA and will appeal to the same type of looter shooter fan, but they have enough unique features to feel like distinct experiences rather than direct copies. Whether you end up sticking with one or playing both, you’re in for hours of fun cooperative action, satisfying loot grinds, and engaging sci-fi lore. If you’re still on the fence, both games have free-to-play base versions you can try out for a few hours before committing any money, so you can test the gameplay for yourself before you decide which one to sink more time into.