Long gone are the days of Dave Mira Freestyle BMX and Tony Hawk Pro Skater games on consoles, but Descenders hits that craving for an extreme sports game quite nicely.

Extreme sports seemed to be a huge hit for gamers in the 1990s and 2000s. As interest in skating, BMX riding, and even motocross has waned from pop culture, so too have the games that celebrated the insane athleticism and feats of these athletes.

Descenders isn’t out to become a game that captures that insane, X-Games excitement, but it does handle incredibly well. The game allows you to pick from one of three teams to ride for: Enemy, Kinetic, or Arboreal, all with a different emphasis on things like technical riding or tricks. It’s more just a tool to group you with online players, but it’s always fun to be a part of a team.

A few things make Descenders worth your time. For starters, the riding itself is quite satisfying. Something that I actually found comforting was the moments where control over the bike in the air was a bit tricky. At times, it can seem clunky trying to control your bike, but that gives it a more realistic feeling than other extreme sports games have offered in the past.

That’s not to say that the game is terribly realistic in terms of difficulty. The effortlessness of a backflip or other tricks is easy to pick up, thanks to an easy, right stick trick system. The game is forgiving, with a nice balance of arcade-style gameplay and some realistic aspects to making jumps and landings, yet offers room to build true skill.

Another thing to love about Descenders is the first person view camera. Riding in third person is offered at a far angle, close angle, and side angle, but first person riding is truly a blast. It feels a bit intense at first, especially while attempting backflips. Not getting to see the ground as you fly through the air gives you a great opportunity to experience what the real thing is like for professional riders. It’s scary and exhilarating. It’s not great for players prone to motion sickness, but fun in short bursts.

Lastly, each map is randomly generated in-game. That means you are playing a new map every time you hop on your bike. Unfortunately, the terrains and backdrops are bland, so it never looks like a new place or environment, but it’s great not playing the same courses twice in a row, if ever. The load times are longer for this reason, but it’s worth it to avoid the anguish of racing the same course for the 1000th time.

A few things could use some work, most notably the graphics. The visuals of the bikes and riders look like they very well could have been around a decade ago. The terrains are often bland earth tones, making them a bit boring as well. It’s not distracting, but it would be nice to see some finer details and depths.

Descenders is not only a game worth some time if you enjoy sports titles, but it’s free on Xbox Game Pass. That means you have little to lose to give it a try, and its relatively small download size means you can be riding in no time. Give it a go, especially if you can grab it for free.

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Descenders

24.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Nice Blend of Arcade/Realistic Gameplay
• Generated Maps Every Single Race/Event
• Good Nostalgia Trip from the Dave Mira/Tony Hawk Days

Cons

• Graphics Leave a Little to be Desired
• Bland Backdrops/Enviornments
• A Bit Repetitive