Descent Overview
Descent is a first-person game set in three-dimensional interior environments, specifically a network of mines. The player operates a Pyro-GX spacecraft, which is notable for its ability to maneuver with a full range of rotational freedom, though propulsion is limited to forward and backward relative to the ship's orientation.
The setting involves the Post-Terran Minerals Corporation, whose mining robots have been compromised by a hacker and now hold human workers. After failed attempts to reestablish control, the corporation retrofits the Pyro-GX for combat and employs a mercenary known as Material Defender to resolve the crisis.
Primary objectives involve navigating the mines to destroy a central reactor in each level, followed by a timed evacuation before detonation. Opposition comes from the hostile robots, whose artificial intelligence adapts to player tactics over the course of the game, making the experience challenging.
Combat utilizes an array of weapons found as power-ups. Energy-based armaments like lasers, a Spreadfire Cannon, a Plasma Cannon, and a chargeable Fusion Cannon draw from the ship's power supply. A Vulcan Cannon operates independently of this system. The ship also carries missile variants, including standard, homing, proximity-triggered, and high-yield types such as smart missiles and Mega Missiles.
