Descenders

RageSquid, the Dutch studio behind the physics-driven runner Action Henk, released Descenders on May 7, 2019 as a procedurally generated extreme downhill biking game that sits at the intersection of sports simulation and roguelike structure. Each run places the player on a freshly generated mountain broken into discrete sections of jumps, slopes, and hillbombs, and a single failed crash can end the attempt entirely, making every line choice carry genuine risk.

Completing chained sections across a full mountain descent without losing all health is the core loop. Along the way, earned mutators modify how the rider handles or what bonuses accumulate, and choosing which abilities to stack is the primary strategic layer between sections. Built around granular body control, the physics system lets riders throw whips and scrubs with the same input depth that a dedicated trick game would offer, rather than reducing it to button-prompt spectacle.

Team allegiance is baked into the progression system at account level. Choosing between Team Enemy, Team Arboreal, or Team Kinetic is a one-time commitment that shapes the cosmetics, apparel, and exclusive gear available to that player. A global Rep score accumulates across runs and feeds into both individual unlocks and team-wide leaderboard competition, with prizes awarded to the team that leads the Rep standings. The licensed drum and bass soundtrack from label Liquicity runs through sessions without player configuration.

Post-release development has been substantial. After years of updates to the original build, RageSquid began publicly developing Descenders Next, running test sessions and a beta phase through late 2024 and into early 2025. Descenders Next launched in July 2025 alongside a dedicated Descenders Day event and a Race Mode addition, and the build received Steam Deck verification the same month. Subsequent updates added new maps, a BikeOut mode, a Big Air Compound environment in December 2025, and Career Mode in February 2026. A Gear Challenge event followed in April 2026, indicating the live update cadence has continued well past the Next launch.

The clearest measure of Descenders within its genre is the tension between the procedural mountain and the physics fidelity: terrain is never memorizable, but the movement system rewards practiced body-position habits the same way a fixed course would.