This year, Korean developers are being spotlighted as highly anticipated titles are released from studios based in the region. Nexon, known for delivering various free-to-play and premium titles such as Blade & Soul, is gearing up to release its first major AAA title, The First Descendant. Additionally, developer Shift Up released their action-adventure game, Stellar Blade, to critical success. It’s always great to see developers from outside of Japan and the West introduce unique gaming experiences that have a global impact. Personally, I love hearing about these once-niche releases finding success.
To give a little background on these two companies, Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim is no stranger to Nexon, having worked on the Blade & Soul series before leaving to launch his own studio. The First Descendant producer, Lee Beom-jun, also worked with Hyung-tae at the studio. I didn’t know this before I sat down with Beom-jun during Play Days 2024, but I felt the teams shared some similarities, given the vast number of cosmetics available in The First Descendant. After spending 10 minutes with either of these games, it’s easy to see that costumes and stylish character designs get a lot of attention.
While speaking with Beom-jun, I asked a few questions about the obtainable costumes in The First Descendant. The team is eager to continue adding more costumes to the game post-launch. Considering that some of the costumes are revealing, I had to ask if they held back on their approach to costume designs. Beom-jun told me they haven’t encountered any pushback about the costumes they currently have in the game. I mentioned that Stellar Blade’s costumes had recently received positive and negative attention, which opened up the floor for Beom-jun to share his experience working with Hyung-tae on Blade & Soul.
For the readers and me, I had to ask if The First Descendant would consider collaborating with Stellar Blade. Beom-jun replied, “That is something we’d consider.” To me, it would only make sense for this to happen, but regardless, if it doesn’t, plenty of cosmetics are available at launch, and the team seems eager to deliver more to players.
So, if you weren’t already excited about the highly customizable and flashy new looter shooter, The First Descendant, maybe the possibility of collaboration events and unique costumes will sweeten the pot for you. After playing the game, I can say it’s speedy, emphasized by the grappling hook mechanic used for combat and traversal. However, I was playing on a build with journalist difficulty, so I’m eager for the game to launch so I can play with my creations and customize their appearance with cool costumes.
The First Descendant is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam on July 2, 2024.
