Descenders is an extreme downhill biking game that doesn’t suck

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Extreme sports games used to be all the rage, from the obvious Tony Hawk experiences to Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX and the Skate series, there were constantly new offerings for gamers to try out.

As the years passed, however, these games started dwindling away, with snowboarding game Steep being one of the bigger, recent offerings. Steep wasn’t bad, but it left a lot to be desired in the world of extreme sports titles.

Descenders is hoping to scratch that itch. A downhill, extreme bike game, Descenders has you sliding and jumping your way through a variety of courses and free roam. The game is a solid experience with smooth controls that blend technical and arcade feel. It never feels easy, but it is also forgiving enough to enjoy the game within minutes of firing it up.

Worlds are procedural, meaning you’ll never ride the same tracks twice. While this does have its benefits and adds endless replayability, it would be nice to see set tracks that gamers can learn and practice on, striving for that “perfect run.” Controlling your bike is very physics-based, and you’ll learn that quickly as you skid into rocks and trees and castles on your way down the courses.

The game is fast-paced but maintains a smooth experience throughout. If you’ve been looking for an extreme sports title, then Descenders is definitely worth your time. The game is currently in Early Access on Steam, but it truly doesn’t feel like many other Early Access titles out there and the fact that it feels more complete. There is also plans to bring it to the Preview program on Xbox One, with PlayStation 4 and Switch following later.