Descent by Interplay rating: 10/10

I played the first five levels of Descent (I was never killed! ;-)) 
for the PSX today at a store.  I wanted to play more but was on 
lunch during the time ;-)  Note I have the game on PC and will compare 
them at times..sorry..cant help it ;-).  It seems as if the PSX 
version is *exactly* the same (at least the levels I played) as the PC 
version game wise:  the same levels, robots, etc.  The only difference 
was the music; the PSX version has some rock music (probably the same 
music featured on Descent 2 PC) unlike the PC.  I prefer the music on 
the PC version.

I wont get in too much detail about the plot, for I am sure that most 
people know that and besides it's rather simple ;-).  Basically your 
first objective is to save the humans trapped by robots in a mine shaft.  
After gathering them you have to destroy the mine shaft by destroying 
the generator.  Finally you must exit the mine shaft before the 
generator blows up the entire mine shaft.  After that, on to the next 
level and repeat what you just did on a different level ;-)  Everytime 
you successfully escape the mine, a full motion video clip runs, 
showing your vessel escape the mine as it is blowing up...*very* nice.

No game I have played (on any system or arcade) has more intense battles 
than Descent.  Unlike other games (like DOOM ;-)), the enemies just 
move around.  Thats not the case with Descent.  It takes the artificial 
intelligence of games to a whole new level;  the bots will hide, plot, 
attack in bunches, some will vigorously hunt you down, while others will 
just lay bombs in your path, anything to destroy you.

The graphics on Descent are excellent and so is the sound; the graphics 
easily surpassed the PC version.  The polygons were smoother and more 
detailed than the PCs version. The light source shading is much different, 
better, giving the game a different look and feel.  The action is fast 
and intense.  However game play slowed down (at times considerably, 
especially in full screen mode) after the 3rd level due to more data being 
processed:  larger and more detailed levels, more robots, larger rooms, 
etc.  That can easily be fixed by lowering the detail of the graphics.

It will take time to become used to the look and feel of the game.  You 
will get nauseous when you play it the first few times.  You will be 
lost on numerous occasions, ie flying upside in an area you been to many 
times, thinking it's new since you are upside down (if that does not make 
sense then you will see when you play the game ;-)).  The 3-D effect of 
Descent is more realistic than DOOM (altho DOOM diehards wont admit 
it ;-)). The 360 degree freedom will almost submerge you, notably when 
you play the game in the full screen mode.

Initially maundering the ship will be frustrating.  As stated 
previously the battles in Descent can be intense, therefore controlling 
the ship is paramount in Descent.  The controller for PSX is perfect,  
since the game requires *many* buttons for optimal control.  In fact 
you would need more buttons than the PSX controller has (12 not including 
the Start and Select ones) to *fully* use all the options.  However 
for most people, 12 buttons is more than enough...it sure beats the 
limitations of the Gravis Pad I use for the PC ;-)  Once you master
the controls, you will truly appreciate the game.

The PSX version is much better than the PCs.  The graphics are more 
crisp and more detailed.   However if you already have the PC version, 
it makes little sense to buy the PSX version.  In fact I would 
recommend the PC (assuming you have at least a 486 DX4 with 8 megs of 
RAM and a 14.4 KBPS modem) version over the PSX, simply because of 
the PCs modem play.  Sure the PSX has the link cable, but that is far 
more troublesome than using a modem (no diss to Interplay, more of a 
diss to Sony..the PSX should have come with a *modem*, at least 14.4KBPS 
since they are pretty cheap, not the link cable).  Furthermore with 
special software (which is free) you can create and play your own levels 
as well as other user created levels and play people via the internet...
oh and not to mention network games.