Doom didn't just introduce the masses to a first-person, action 3-D shooter, it spawned a variety of first-person clones. Some of these clones, like Dark Forces, were welcome additions to the genre. Others were just more of the same. Only one 3-D shooter adds a whole new dimension to the field: Descent. No exploding body parts or fireball-vomiting demons here--Descent puts an industrial spin on the genre by taking you into the bowels of huge factory-like space stations to fight mining robots gone mad.
Consider this: in space, there is no up or down. Descent uses that concept to hit you like a 9G turn with a labyrinth environment and free range of motion on the x-, y-, and z-axes. Nudge your spaceship into a room, and watch out—attacks can come from your left or right, from above or below you. You'll spin your ship around while firing missiles and lasers until vertigo isn't just an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but a way of life. Surrounded by this chaos you must rescue scattered human hostages and gather powerups while trying to keep your firepower and shields at their max. A 3-D rotating map is available for those who can't handle the bewildering turns of each level.
With addictive action, network multi-player play and Descent level editors available everywhere you turn, I say without hyperbole that Descent is destined to be a classic. Don't believe me? Download the widely available free demos (while you're at it, check out Descent II as well) and judge for yourself. Just remember to keep your airsickness bag handy.
