Systems: Windows, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: May 7, 2019
I picked up Descenders for a couple of reasons. First, I liked the idea of a mountain biking game akin to 1080 Snowboarding. Second, the tracks are procedurally generated so you can, hypothetically never race the same track twice, although the locations for each track are identical so the environment/vistas are the same depending on which location you choose to start at. Lastly there was a response by the developer towards someone who was offended at the inclusion of an LGBTQ Pride flag as a cosmetic customization option that you have to choose to enter yourself. So when I saw that the game was on sale in the middle of December, I thought I would throw some money at the developers/publishers. 
Having already written a little bit about my inability to really shine in games that focus on performing tricks, I enjoyed the ability to not have to perform tricks in order to succeed at this game, although needing to complete a series of maneuvers in the tutorial section right off the bat was a little worrisome. Most of the tricks required you to perform a bunny hop (hold down then press up on the right joystick) while accurately riding up a not too wide ramp (while holding ZR to maintain speed pedaling) then rotating the body of the rider either using the left or right joystick, so there is a bit of coordination involved. Thankfully, there was nothing that was too difficult and there was a bit of a learning curve when it came to the physics engine, but even now I am still trying to learn how to make more subtle moves with the joystick.
My first attempt at the Tour Ride in the Highlands did not go so well as I previously had just been messing around in the free-ride hub area. Once on the actual course, I felt that the controls were more sensitive, but that was probably just from feeling that I needed to stay on the track; more mind over reality I think. I quickly found that performing tricks while on the course felt more difficult because of the added pressure of your Health Meter which decreases by 1 every time you crash, so unlike 1080, you do not have a health meter, but instead have a one-hit and dead mechanic (although you are not really dead-dead). When you do crash, thankfully there is a checkpoint system that is usually placed a bit before each ramp/stunt so that you have enough room to gain speed especially if you are expected to jump over a pit of boulders.
The next day I got back on the bike and paid a little more attention to the tracks, and more importantly, my lives. I did try to avoid a lot of the ramps (you can't suffer fall damage/crash if you don't go off a ramp!) and just focused on getting to the finish. I also started noticing the Optional Objectives, but most of the time they involved some variation on performing a trick, so again I avoided completing those. Although I was being more careful than my first time, I was very excited to see that there was a "Medic" track that granted you additional health upon completion.
So I continued to ride the bike down various tracks heading further to the right of the map screen towards a Skull icon on the map which turned out to be the final track for that area. The objective here was to make a jump over an elevated train track and I knew that that was not something I was going to attempt with having only one life left at that point. So I pedaled down the hill, swung to the left of the ramp, and rode under the train only to have the game call me a Chicken! I was okay with that because I made it across the finish line. This second time through the Highlands was a lot more fun although I knew that I was still just scratching the surface of the game.
Leading into my third time playing, I discovered a couple of important aspects of the game. First, when you complete the Optional Objectives on each track, you gain additional health which is incredibly important when you go up against the Boss Jump at the end of the course. Second, unless the Optional Objective is to finish the track in fewer than 50 seconds, it is perfectly okay for you to avoid the finish line to ride back to go over jumps if you have objectives like "2 Near Misses," or "6 Seconds of Air." Third, there is a Day/Night cycle, and the more tracks you do in a course/area, the less daylight there is and since all of the tracks are in backwoods-type areas, it is likely that there are no spotlights illuminating the course, so attempting tracks in the evening is probably not advised. Fourthly, there is an in-game achievement-type system that can be completed... to unlock cosmetic items? Maybe, I'm not 100% sure on this, at least on the Switch edition. Lastly, I found out that you can skip the first area, The Highlands, if you manage to complete the Boss Jump three times, presumably to show competence in riding your bike down a hill/mountain/track.
There are a couple of other in-game mechanics that I have not touched on such as crew team/crew, gaining reputation, getting sponsors, free riding, Daily Challenges, and likely a lot more that I am not recalling off of the top of my head. The point is, there is quite a bit to this game that I know only a little about and have either just found out about or have yet to discover. Four attempts in and I am having quite a bit of fun having my avatar fly down the hillside on a mountain bike peaking around 70 kph while avoiding trees, boulders, castle ruins, and apparently trains.
~JWfW/JDub/The Faceplantman/Jaconian
Lift Yourself Up
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