90
MobyRank
100 point score based on reviews from various critics.
4.0
MobyScore
5 point score based on user ratings.

Description

The Post-Terran Minerals Corporation (PTMC) digs up minerals on all nine planets of the solar system, employing humans and robots to do its job. Unfortunately, the mining robots are now being controlled by a hacker, and have taken the human workers hostage. The PTMC has tried to get the robots back under their control, but communication with the mining stations has been lost. In desperation, the PTMC modifies a Pyro-GX ship for combat and hires a mercenary, codenamed "Material Defender", to fly it. The mission is to destroy the infected mines and rescue human hostages, destroying any hostile robot that gets in the way.

Descent is a 3D first-person game that puts the player at the controls of the Pyro-GX spaceship. Descent is notable in that the player travels through various interior locations (mines) but can do so in 720 degrees of movement. The ship however only moves forward and backward in any of the directions it is facing. The ship is able to use a variety of weapons scattered as power-ups throughout each level. They include: standard lasers, the Vulcan Cannon (a chaingun-like weapon), the Spreadfire Cannon (a rapidly firing, shotgun-like energy weapon), the Plasma Cannon (a rapidly firing energy weapon more suited for medium-range combat), and the Fusion Cannon (fires a ball of energy that's more powerful the longer it is charged it up, but could destroy the ship). All of these weapons, except for the Vulcan Cannon, use the ship's energy supply. The Pyro-PX is also capable of firing regular concussion missiles, homing missiles, proximity bombs (sits in the sky, then explodes when something gets close to it), smart missiles (more powerful homing missiles that fire out homing energy balls upon impact with their target), and Mega Missiles (the ultimate weapons of mass destruction).

The goal of each level is to locate and destroy the mine's reactor. Once completed, there are only 45 seconds to find the escape hatch to get out of the mine before it explodes. As progress is made through the game, the AI will adapt to player's strategies and attempt to prevent the player from reaching the goals.

Alternate Titles

  • "Inferno" -- Working Title
  • "Descent: Destination Saturn" -- Demo Version Title
  • "Descent 1" -- Informal Name

Part of the Following Groups


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User Reviews

Great technology, but lacks atmosphere. Afterburner (478) 3.75 Stars3.75 Stars3.75 Stars3.75 Stars3.75 Stars
Axes Ashley Pomeroy (227) unrated
A Classic Game You Can't Go Wrong With wossname (162) unrated
A stomach turning adventure... Chris Martin Bronze Star Contributing Member (1115) 5 Stars5 Stars5 Stars5 Stars5 Stars
A decent flight combat sim, but could've been better. James1 (250) unrated
This is one of my favorites Goteki45 (324) 4.75 Stars4.75 Stars4.75 Stars4.75 Stars4.75 Stars
Was a good game on an older PC Jeremy Bailey (5) unrated
A 360 Degree Shooter, that is Innovative, but it is highly repeatative NotTwoQuick (22) 3 Stars3 Stars3 Stars3 Stars3 Stars
A game I'm rather indifferent to. Tomer Gabel Bronze Star Contributing Member (4466) 3.5 Stars3.5 Stars3.5 Stars3.5 Stars3.5 Stars

The Press Says

High Score May, 1995 5 out of 5 100
Abandonia Oct 30, 2004 5 out of 5 100
MikroBitti May, 1995 92 out of 100 92
PC Games (Germany) Feb, 1995 92 out of 100 92
PC Player (Germany) Feb, 1995 90 out of 100 90
All Game Guide 1995 4.5 Stars4.5 Stars4.5 Stars4.5 Stars4.5 Stars 90
Joystick (French) Mar, 1995 87 out of 100 87
Power Unlimited Apr, 1995 8.1 out of 10 81
World Village (Gamer's Zone) 1995 4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars4 Stars 80
GameSpot May 01, 1996 8 out of 10 80

Forums

Topic # Posts Last Post
Early Moby Shenanagins. 9 AQUAMAN! (1430)
Jul 30, 2008

Trivia

If you used one of the cheat codes, you'd hear a female voice call you "Cheater" in a mocking tone.


This entry was contributed by Kabushi (52022), Adam Baratz (1362) and Accatone (5226)
 

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