Let me tell you about my journey through The First Descendant - a game that promised ancient Aztec treasures but delivered something entirely different. When I first saw the trailer showcasing those magnificent PG-treasures hidden within Aztec-inspired environments, I was genuinely excited to dive in. The premise seemed perfect: explore mysterious locations, uncover lost artifacts, and experience the thrill of discovery. But what I found was a gaming experience that quickly revealed its true colors, and not in the way I expected.

My initial approach was methodical - I treated each mission as a potential treasure hunt. I'd carefully explore each open area, hoping to find those hidden PG-treasures the title promised. The first few hours felt promising as I learned the basic controls and mechanics. I remember thinking, "This could be something special." But then the pattern emerged, and it became painfully familiar. You arrive at a location, complete a few short missions in an open area, then move into those linear, dungeon-style Operations. The objectives? Almost always the same - kill waves of enemies, stand in circles to hack something, defend a position, repeat. I started noticing the repetition around the 8-hour mark, and by hour 15, I was genuinely questioning my life choices.

Here's what I learned about navigating this grind-fest: First, embrace the monotony rather than fighting it. I found that putting on a podcast or music in the background made the experience significantly more bearable. The game doesn't demand your full attention once you understand the basic patterns. Second, focus on efficiency rather than exploration. Those beautiful environments? They're mostly window dressing. I spent hours initially searching every nook for those lost PG-treasures of Aztec lore, only to realize the game wasn't designed that way. The real "treasure" is just getting through the content as quickly as possible.

The mission structure is where the game truly shows its weaknesses. I kept detailed notes during my playthrough, and by my count, I completed approximately 47 "stand in circle" objectives and 62 "defend the position" missions. The lack of variety becomes glaringly obvious when you realize you're doing the same three or four tasks for dozens of hours. What makes it worse is how this repetitive structure extends across the entire 35-hour main campaign and continues into the endgame. I reached what I thought was the conclusion, only to discover that the post-game content asks you to replay these same missions with slightly higher difficulty. It's like running on a treadmill that occasionally increases speed but never changes direction.

From my experience, the most effective way to approach The First Descendant is to set realistic expectations. Don't go in expecting deep, varied gameplay or meaningful discoveries about those ancient Aztec secrets. Instead, view it as a mindless activity you can do while multitasking. I found the game worked best in short bursts of 1-2 hours rather than marathon sessions. When I tried playing for longer stretches, the repetition became mentally exhausting. The game's systems are designed to keep you engaged through progression mechanics rather than compelling content, so focus on those level-up notifications and loot drops rather than the actual gameplay.

What surprised me most was how the game squanders its potential. The Aztec-inspired aesthetic is genuinely interesting, and the concept of uncovering lost PG-treasures had so much promise. But the execution feels like the developers took a checklist of live-service game requirements and forgot to add the fun. I remember one particular session where I realized I'd been doing the same "hack the terminal" objective for three hours straight, just in different locations. The environments changed, but the fundamental task remained identical. It's this kind of design that makes the 35-hour playtime feel padded rather than substantial.

If you're determined to see it through, here's my hard-earned advice: Find a character you enjoy playing and stick with them. I wasted about five hours constantly switching characters trying to find something that would make the gameplay feel fresh, but the fundamental missions remain the same regardless of who you play. Also, don't bother with thorough exploration - the game rewards efficiency, not curiosity. Those hidden paths and mysterious corners rarely lead to anything meaningful beyond minor loot drops. The true uncover of lost PG-treasures happens through repetitive mission completion, not through exploration or discovery.

Looking back at my 42 hours with The First Descendant, I can't help but feel disappointed. The game had all the ingredients for something memorable - intriguing setting, solid combat mechanics, beautiful visuals. But the relentless grind and repetitive mission design undermine everything good about it. Those ancient Aztec secrets it promises? They remain buried under layers of monotonous gameplay. The real revelation isn't about uncovering lost PG-treasures - it's realizing how much potential was wasted on repetitive design. If you do decide to embark on this journey, go in with your eyes open and your expectations low. The treasures you'll find are more about personal accomplishment than genuine discovery, and the ancient secrets revealed are mostly about how much repetition a person can tolerate before questioning their life choices.