Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, developed by Marvelous and published by XSeed Games and Marvelous USA, is another narrative using the Daemon X Machina setting. The game is a far departure from the first game, as it now focuses on suits instead of mechs as the forefront of the design. While this can be seen as a departure from the original game, it does change up the designs of the game to become more bipedal and human in design. This might make the game a bit off-putting for fans of giant mechs who want to see giant suits in action as opposed to miniature ones. Moreover, the narrative of the game is a bit challenging to understand, as some parts feel haphazardly thrown together, especially at the start. Aside from the narrative being off-putting, the gameplay really carries the game on its back due to the gameplay loop. And let us not forget the music, as it still goes hard like the last game, so fans of metal will be quite happy with the various soundtracks being played during their playthrough.
The narrative for the game is quite subpar, especially when looking back on the first game, as it feels like it jumps the gun too fast for the player to enjoy. While a quick start for a game is nothing new for the gaming industry, there needs to be some time to slow the pace down at the start to acclimate players to various characters. This might leave players with a lackluster experience in terms of the story’s emotional impact due to it being rushed in how it develops its characters. Which is especially prevalent in character development, as there is not too much for the player to attach themselves onto. By doing this, it can alienate the player and make them feel frustrated by being tossed around from story point to story point.
As for the gameplay, it is what truly keeps the player enticed, as the controls and overall speed of the game are like a natural evolution of the more suit like combat, being focused on more fluid forms of combat. The way the player moves around in the open world is through the use of the arsenal that is capable of flight and fast-paced movement. Moreover, it is a source of player agency through customization of weapons, loadouts, armor, and modifications. Players will need to customize their arsenal to make full use of the various weapons in the game to fit their playstyle. These weapons come in the form of your usual assortment of range, melee, and support-based equipment that can provide the player the ability to dish out damage and survive longer in fights depending upon the equipment they took with them. Players will have access to a large assortment of ranged options, from laser rifles to miniguns, that can be scavenged out in the open world or made in the factory through research. Furthermore, this statement can be extended towards the other weapons and armor the player can have access to so long as they have the materials necessary to do so. This is just a small part of the overall gameplay loop the game has established by the developers; as for another important part of the game, it would have to be the fact that it is open world. And with an open world comes some challenges, and those would have to be populating the space with enough enemies, locations, and environmental details to dot the map without making the map feel cluttered. Another thing to make note of is that the game has a built-in card game, so fans of trading card games such as Yugioh, Gundam, Magic, and One Piece will have a blast playing and collecting cards.
As for the soundtrack of the game, it is composed by Junichi Nakasturu and Rio Hamamoto, who bring forth this heavy, hard-hitting soundtrack to fit the overall tone of the fights. The sounds of gunfire and metal smashing against metal really go well with the amped-up soundtrack, making the player feel like they are either an unstoppable force or facing one. Going back to the previous game, one song seems to have made a comeback in the new installment, and that would have to be Arms of the Immortal, which is by far one of the best songs from the old soundtrack, boasting this high energy perfect for the overall speed of that game. And hearing it again was wonderful, as it definitely is the leitmotif of the series now due to one part in particular that is a complete banger in every sense of the word. While high energy is always good, there need to be moments of calm and serenity to balance the player out and prevent them from getting fatigued due to all the hype. Moreover, there are moments of peace to break up the constant action, and the song “Liberators” in the game establishes it quite well. By having the tempo slow down, players have the opportunity to just relax and take their time instead of being in a hyperactive state.
Daemon X Machina Titanic Scion is a solid game in terms of how it plays and the soundtrack, with the only thing that needs to be improved being the narrative. So hopefully later down the line in the roadmapfor the game will include special character stories for players to actually know who they have been fighting against and with. This will help the overall story being told to the player and hopefully establish some popular fan characters, as the designs in this game are quite well done. As it would be a shame to allow such cool character designs to go to waste, as their character traits all feel one-dimensional, as Marvelous is known for making such awesome characters, as they have developed a whole slew of games ranging from Rune Factory all the way to God Eater 3. So, it really hurts to rank Daemon X Machina as a solid, and I do mean solid 8/10 as it is so close to perfection.
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is available for PC via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Kyle Manila
I would describe myself when interacting with games as a strategist with a pension for stealth and loud explosions.
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