Editing Descent II (section)

== Gameplay ==
[[File:Descent II gameplay.png|250px|thumb|left|After finding and freeing it, the Guide-Bot can then be used to locate and lead the player to many points of the level. In this case, it is directing the player to the blue key, the player's current objective.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=23–25}} From top-left counterclockwise, the [[Heads-up display (video games)|HUD]] comprises the [[extra life]] counter, a missile lock alarm, an afterburner energy gauge, an energy bar, the primary weapons window, a status indicator of the player ship's shields, the secondary weapons window, a bomb counter, and the current score.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=41–42}}]]

Like its predecessor, ''Descent II'' is a six-degrees-of-freedom [[shoot 'em up]]<ref name="Tom's"/> game in which the player pilots a fighter spaceship from a first-person perspective in zero gravity. It differs from standard first-person shooters in that it allows the player to move freely across three-dimensional planes and rotate on three axes, often termed [[flight dynamics|pitch, yaw, and roll]].<ref name="RPS-Descent"/><ref name="Daqaq"/> Besides the keyboard, ''Descent II'' features a wide range of supported hardware configurations with which to play it, including the [[Gravis Gamepad]] and certain brands of joysticks,{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=12–13|loc=Controls Menu}} some of which support [[force feedback]]—making it one of the earliest PC games to support force feedback.<ref name="Popular Mechanics"/> Virtual reality and [[stereoscopy|stereoscopic]] graphics are also officially supported.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=45|loc=VR Headset Information}}<ref name="TotalGames review"/><ref name=boot/>

In the game's single-player mode, the player must complete four levels in each of six differently themed star systems where different types of robots attempt to hinder the player's progress.<ref name=PCPP/> In each level, the player must find and destroy the mine's reactor and then escape the mine through an exit door before the mine self-destructs.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=34}} Every fourth level has a [[Boss (video gaming)|boss robot]] that takes the place of the reactor.{{Sfn|PC Player|1996|p=90}} Each level is composed of rooms separated by doors, most of which can be opened by shooting or bumping into them.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=32}} Some other doors are colored blue, yellow, or red and require a key of the corresponding color to be opened.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=35}}<ref name=TAD2/> In addition to brightening passages by shooting flares or turning on a headlight if the latter has been picked up,{{Sfn|PC Player|1996|p=90}} at least three measures can be used to prevent getting lost in the mines, two of which are using a wireframe [[automap]] that documents all explored areas of the mine and dropping markers in certain locations. The markers are displayed on the automap.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=35–36|loc=The Automap}}{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=39–40|loc=Markers}} Along the way, the player may also find and free a Guide-Bot, a commandable scouting assistant that guides the player to a specified objective or powerup.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=23–25|loc=The Guide-Bot}} Additionally, many stages have human hostages that award an additional point bonus if they are rescued before completing the level.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=34–35}}

Within each level, the player may find and collect power-ups scattered throughout the mine or dropped by dying robots. Many of the power-ups expand the ship's weaponry, which is divided into primary and secondary weapons. Primary weapons range from a variety of pulse lasers and plasma bolts,<ref name=Gambler/> and all of them consume energy in varying increments, except for two [[rotary cannon]]s whose ammunition consists of explosive shells instead. Secondary weapons include many types of missiles, and mines which are dropped behind the player's ship to slow pursuing enemies. Ten new weapons have been added for ''Descent II'' of which some are upgrades from the original ''Descent'' weapons which are all present as well; new weapons include the Phoenix cannon which fires energy orbs that rebound off walls, the Omega cannon which fires [[electrostatic discharge]], and the Guided Missile which can be remote piloted by the player.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/197096-descent-ii/faqs/50804 | title=Descent II - Enemy/Weapon FAQ - PC - by chaosshade2638 - GameFAQs }}</ref> The player can also collect equipment items which grant special abilities. For example, a converter exists for converting energy in excess of 100 units into shields, whereas the afterburner allows the player to temporarily fly forward twice as fast.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=23, 28–31}} Levels may contain energy stations the player can fly through to recharge their ship's energy level while in motion,{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=37}} as well as generators that spawn more robots.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=39}} Shooting out certain control panels causes a variety of events, such as doors opening, walls being removed, or force fields being deactivated.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=33}} In a few levels, behind some hidden doors are teleporters that warp the player to the current star system's secret level. These secret levels are not required to complete the game but contain many power-ups, and can be revisited provided that their reactors have not been destroyed and the teleporters are discovered. Players cannot save the game in a secret level, and have to teleport back to a regular level in order to save their game progress.{{Sfn|PC Player|1996|p=90}}{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=36–37|loc=Secret Levels}}

The player's ship is protected by a shield which decreases when incurring damage from attacks and collisions with force fields,{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=38}} is replenished by picking up shield power-ups, and like energy is limited by a capacity of 200 units.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=23, 28–31}} If the shield is fully depleted and the ship takes any additional damage, the ship will explode, costing the player one life and killing any hostages on board,{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=34–35|loc=Hostages}} leaving most of its weapons where it was destroyed. A respawning player has to start at the level entrance with a ship having only minimum armaments, so it is often challenging to retrieve their previous ship's weapons. New to ''Descent II'' is the ability to drop weapons, so a player can stockpile surplus weaponry in safe locations in the event of a respawn.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=27}} Failing to escape the mine during the self-destruct sequence will also cost the player a life, as well as their power-ups, and any hostages embarked, although having destroyed the reactor or boss robot the player will still advance to the next level.<ref name="CNET"/> If the player loses all lives, the game will end, and their high scores are recorded.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=40}} Points are gained for destroying robots, rescuing the hostages, and end-of-level bonuses based on the player's performance with score multipliers for escaping the mine; scoring enough points results in an extra life.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=40}}

''Descent II'' also features a multiplayer mode whereby two to eight players can compete against each other in several game types, which include a [[deathmatch (video games)|deathmatch]] mode called Anarchy and [[capture the flag|Capture-the-Flag]], in which two teams compete against each other to capture opposing flags. Conditions for ending the level such as maximum time limit, how long the reactor will remain invulnerable before it can be destroyed, and the number of kills to reach can be set, as can which power-ups to allow and whether players may drop surveillance cameras. The game also features a co-operative mode that allows up to four players to work together to complete single-player levels.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=54–58}} A player can send messages and predefined taunts, handicap their ship's shields they begin with after respawning, and in Capture-the-Flag drop and pass flags to their teammates.{{Sfn|Manual|1996|pp=46–48}} ''Descent II''{{'}}s multiplayer was designed for [[modem]]s, [[null-modem]]s,{{Sfn|Manual|1996|p=49}} and [[local area network]]s, but an alternative then widely used is to use third-party software such as [[Kali (software)|Kali]] to play the game on the Internet.<ref name="Ars Technica"/> It is possible to have DOS and Macintosh versions of the game play on the same server, providing a [[cross-platform play|cross-platform]] experience.<ref name=NGen21/> The PlayStation version has a two-player mode that requires [[PlayStation Link Cable|a link cable]] used to connect two consoles running the same game. It contains the same game modes as found in the original DOS version, except for Capture-the-Flag.<ref name="D2-PS"/>