The First Descendant Season 2 is upon us. The new update for the free Steam game brings a whole wealth of content and activities to Albion and, as a special treat to kick off the festivities, developer Nexon is giving everyone a free character of their choice. Beyond that, there’s plenty more to look forward to, including a new endgame dungeon, the introduction of Ultimate Sharen and her associated story quest, and new Descendants and weapons both at launch and rolling out as the season progresses. If you’ve yet to give The First Descendant a try, the Season 2 launch might be a great time to start.
The First Descendant Season 2 is titled ‘Void Chaser,’ and sees the cast following mysterious signals emanating from the Void Abyss. At launch, newcomer Keelan joins the lineup, alongside the Ultimate form for stealth specialist Sharen. They’ll be followed by the arrival of Ines Raya in mid-January. Keelan will be found by diving into the free Steam game’s new Void Vessel dungeon, where you’ll fight the colossal Dread Armor Commando.
Defeat the Commando, and you’ll earn both the research materials for Keelan as well as my favorite part of the new season – a German Shepherd companion, known in The First Descendant as a ‘Fellow,’ that helps you grab loot and can dismantle items that don’t meet your exacting standards. You’ll have the ability to customize your pup’s look to your liking, and of course will be able to reward his hard work with plenty of pets and other interactions.
Whether you’re a new player or looking to expand your roster, the Winter Festival Attendance Check event is an ideal opportunity to take advantage of. The first time you log in this season, you’ll be given Descendant exchange tokens that can be used to unlock any one pick from the roster of The First Descendant characters. Log in a total of 14 times, and you’ll get tokens that can be used for materials to unlock either Ultimate Bunny or a special Season 2 cosmetic supply box.
Sharen’s story quest delves into the history of the suit that keeps her alive, and her rivalry with the cyborg Vulgus. Her ultimate form, meanwhile, makes her an even more deadly stealth specialist with the ability to re-hide when she scores a kill from the shadows. She can also use her Active Camouflage ability to evade traps, meaning she’ll be a particularly valuable asset for assaulting the Void Vessel dungeon.
There are also two new Ultimate weapons to look forward to. Hammer and Anvil is a shotgun that switches between the spread-shots of ‘hammer’ mode and the long-range explosive rounds of ‘anvil’ mode. The Voltia beam rifle, meanwhile, chains its electrical damage to enemies nearby its target, and has the unique ability of being a weapon capable of breaking Anti-Void shields, which typically require skills to crack.
Alongside the launch, holiday season has arrived in Albion – the city is decorated for the festive season, and there are all manner of themed skins, cosmetics, and emotes to look forward to. Anais’ Winter Festival offers single-player and co-op missions that will earn you items and weapon enhancements, while the Year-End Celebration will give you some seasonal customizations including a holiday skin and back attachment for your Fellow.
There’s more to come after launch as well. An update scheduled for Monday January 16 will herald the arrival of Ines Raya as a playable character – not much is known about her yet, although she’s a member of the HOUND specialist search team and thus a companion to Keelan. We’ll also be getting a new Void Abyss intercept battle that will test your builds against a series of Colossus mutations, and a Void Erosion Control mission that Nexon says you’ll need a well-geared, co-ordinated party of four with “perfect teamwork” to overcome.
There are also some changes to cosmetics, such as the ability to paint to default character and weapon designs. While Nexon has confirmed that some of The First Descendant limited-time skins won’t be returning despite player requests, it is making a change to ensure you can buy individual items from bundle packages if you prefer, rather than having to shell out for the full thing.
The First Descendant Season 2 is out now, as of Thursday December 5. The mid-season update featuring Ines Raya, the Void Abyss intercept battle against Defiler, and the Void Erosion Control mission, will arrive on Monday January 16. You can play the game for free on Steam. Just download it and start playing to get your hands on those rewards while they’re available and begin your quest for loot.
If you’re jumping in for the first time to check out this second season, take a glance at The First Descendant system requirements to make sure you’re ready to go. For even more great options your friends can join, here are the best co-op games in 2024.
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