Topic: Which Descent game do you think is the best in the series

[Matthew]

I very rarely use vauss, the knock-back effect is extremely annoying on all but the largest of robots. Although, knocking stormtroopers around so they shoot each other is always nice.

Flame Gyros and Old Scratch are my nemesi. They always make me crap my pants, especially old scratch in a dark place (Subway level, dodging into oncoming trains anyone?)

[Scyphi]

...which leads me to point out something I've noticed among the fanbase. This isn't always the case with everybody, of course, but I've noticed a trend where a Descent fan's favorite game of the series is typically the one that scares them/gives them chills/puts them on edge/surprises them the most. For example, for me that would be D1. Something about how D1 did things always could get me on edge, to the point that whenever I'm playing D1, I'm especially on edge in really big, really dark, rooms, because you can never know what might be lurking in them, especially when it's likely to be big deadly bots (bosses or a fusion hulk). D2 and D3, however, never really succeeded at recreating that feel for me, at least not entirely (they both still have their moments).

Again, this isn't the case with everyone, but when I see a fan defending their favorite Descent game, the fear factor's usually one of the things they list on average.

I like D3 the best. D1 and D2 are good for that blast of nostalgia, but it's not really the kind of game I can sit and play for hours. It's too much the same. D3 shakes things up.

I have nothing against variety and mission-based-ness in gameplay -- I just think D3 didn't pull it off very well.  It was additional confusion instead of additional fun IMHO....On the other hand D1 and D2's gameplay still feels fresh to me when I'm playing a level I haven't played before.

I can see both sides on this matter. D3's great simply because it does shake things up, and as such stands out from the others, but D1/D2 are great for both nostalgia and that more "classic" gameplay. Personally, I have never gotten tired of playing D1, even though I've played the mission a bizillion times before and could probably beat it in my sleep.* At the same time, though, D3 adds an added edge to the gameplay the other games lack, and keeps things fresh and interesting by making your objectives different every time. If there were so many more singleplayer missions for D3, I'd probably play it a whole lot more than I already do. Funnily enough, it's D2 that I seem to suffer the getting-tired-of-the-same-old-thing the most on, for reasons I have never been able to fully tack down, although I suspect it has to do with the style of level architecture that D2 typically features. But of the three games, D2's the one I'm most likely to grow tired of first, and it's the only one of the three now that I've never actually managed to fully play through the official game on before.

*Disclaimer: I can't actually play Descent in my sleep. That's be cool if I could though.

[Kaiaatzl]

I challenge you to D1 multiplayer in your sleep!

[Scyphi]

Can't. I'm usually asleep at those times.

[Matthew]

Well if we're talking about fear factor, then D1 or D2 all the way. Cloaked lifters give me nightmares.

[descentgod]

what??!! descent maximum is not on the list  . but it was my favorite psx game  :

[Kaiaatzl]

I think it'll count as D2.  We all explain our votes after we vote them anyway.