If you’ve scrolled through RPG gaming forums lately, you’ve almost certainly seen the hot take debate popping up: is the first descendant mmorpg a legitimate entry in the genre, or just a fancy online looter shooter with extra steps? As someone who’s sunk 120+ hours into the game across PC and console, I’ve tested every multiplayer mode, maxed out three character classes, and run enough endgame raids to have a clear, unbiased take on the debate. Most of the confusion comes from the game blending third-person shooter mechanics with traditional MMORPG progression, so it’s easy to see why casual fans might be confused about where it lands genre-wise. This guide breaks down exactly what it does well, where it falls short, and who will get the most out of picking it up.
Why Fans Are Debating if Is The First Descendant MMORPG
The confusion started the second the game launched, because its marketing leaned heavily on both looter shooter and MMORPG labels without drawing clear lines between them. Unlike traditional single-player RPGs, The First Descendant lets you team up with up to 3 other players for story missions, and up to 8 for endgame world boss raids, which falls in line with many modern MMORPGs. But the smaller party size, limited open world zones, and focus on fast-paced shooter combat made a lot of old-school MMORPG fans push back on the label. I noticed this divide first hand when I joined a public raid last month: half the group was there for the fast-paced loot grind, while the other half was complaining there wasn’t enough open world roleplay content to fit the MMORPG name. That split is exactly why this debate has stuck around for so long, instead of fading away a few weeks after launch. Even casual players often get wrapped up in the label conversation, since it shapes what they expect when they download the game for the first time.
Core MMORPG Features The First Descendant Nails
If you’re flexible about what counts as an MMORPG, you’ll find a lot of familiar, well-executed genre features here that make it worth your time. The most notable MMORPG-aligned features include:
- Persistent character progression that carries over across all game modes, with no resets unless you choose to make a new alt character
- Player-driven trading posts where you can sell rare loot and craft materials to other players for in-game currency
- Guild support with dedicated guild quests, shared storage, and exclusive guild-only endgame raids for up to 16 players
First, it has a persistent, shared open world where you can run into other players even when you’re not in a pre-made party, with dynamic public events that pop up randomly across all zones. It also has full crossplay support across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, so you can play with all your friends no matter what platform they own, just like most popular modern MMORPGs. The progression system is also straight out of the MMORPG playbook: you can customize your character’s skills, gear, and appearance entirely, and endgame content is built around repeated runs to get better loot and unlock rare cosmetic items. I’ve been part of a small casual guild for the past two months, and the shared quests and group raid nights feel exactly like the guild experiences I’ve had in more traditional MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV. You don’t have to join a guild to enjoy the game, but it adds a layer of community that’s core to the MMORPG genre, and it’s executed really well here. These are the same quality of life features you’d expect from any modern competitor to is the first descendant mmorpg, so it’s clear the devs took inspiration from the best parts of the genre.
Gaps That Make Some Fans Argue It’s Not a True MMORPG
For all the features it gets right, there are a few key gaps that make purists argue against labeling it a full MMORPG. The biggest issue is that the open world is split into separate, relatively small zones, instead of one massive, seamless map that you can walk across from end to end. You also can’t engage in open world PvP outside of dedicated, separate PvP modes, which is a staple for a lot of older MMORPGs. The story content is also fully instanced for the most part, so you won’t run into other random players while you’re playing through the main campaign unless you invite them to your party first. I get why these gaps bother long-time MMORPG fans, but I don’t think they make the game any less fun, especially if you’re not tied to the strictest definition of the genre. It’s also worth noting that a lot of modern MMORPGs have moved away from fully seamless maps and mandatory open world PvP, so this is less of a flaw and more of a design choice that caters to more casual players who don’t want to get ganked while they’re running story missions. Even with these gaps, a lot of casual players don’t care about the label debate as long as the game is fun, and that’s the most important thing when evaluating if is the first descendant mmorpg is right for you.
Who Should Play The First Descendant If You Love MMORPGs
At the end of the day, whether this game is for you depends entirely on what you look for in an MMORPG. If you live for open world roleplay, player housing, and massive 100+ player PvP battles, this game probably won’t scratch that itch for you. But if you’re a fan of fast, action-focused combat paired with MMORPG-style progression, guild content, and shared world events, you’ll probably have a great time with it. I recommended it to a friend who loves Destiny 2 but got bored of the lack of long-term progression, and he’s already sunk 80 hours into it and started his own guild. It’s also a great pick if you don’t have a lot of time to sink into grinding, because most missions only take 15 to 30 minutes to complete, so you can make progress even if you only have an hour to play after work or school. You don’t have to be a diehard MMORPG fan to enjoy it either, even players who have never touched an MMORPG before will be able to pick up the basics of is the first descendant mmorpg in under an hour. Just don’t go into it expecting a traditional old-school MMORPG, and you’ll have a lot of fun. I also appreciate that the base game is completely free to play, so you don’t have to drop $60 to test it out and see if it clicks for you.
At the end of the day, the debate over is the first descendant mmorpg comes down to how flexible you are with genre definitions. It doesn’t check every single box for a traditional MMORPG, but it brings enough of the core genre features to the table, paired with unique looter shooter mechanics, that it stands out as a solid option for anyone looking for a new online RPG to play with friends. If you’re on the fence, you can download the base game for free on all platforms, so you don’t have to spend any money to test it out and see if it fits what you’re looking for. I’ve gotten dozens of hours of fun out of it with my friends, and it’s still one of my go-to games when I want to grind for loot and hang out online without committing to a 4-hour raid night. The devs are also adding new content every few months, so the world and feature set will only get more robust over time.