Forum - View topic
GAME: Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion Game Review




Note: this is the discussion thread for this article
Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
FishLion
Crazy Fangirl



Joined: 24 Jan 2024
Posts: 857
PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2025 11:38 am Reply with quote
Thanks for your review!

I had a surprisingly fun time with the demo, I tried AC type games before and bounced off of them because of the mission structure. I love mechs and mid air battles, but need some sort of connective tissue between fighting and getting to the next location. I think customizing mechs just to use for missions felt a bit more mechanical and less personal than having a person building a collection of parts for their Arsenal. I am still getting the hang of the gameplay and didn't find the action in the demo super interesting, but the massive amount of customization, exploration, and having an in-game goal to reach for outside of "show up, complete mission" has really made it more compelling overall to me personally.

If there wasn't such a packed game release schedule lately then it would be a day one buy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
AiddonValentine



Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 2947
PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2025 1:49 pm Reply with quote
Reviews for this have made me go "Yup, just like the previous game." The original game was also a bit jank and was clearly not a AAA title. There are definitely a lot of critics who didn't "get" it back when the original released.

Admittedly the attraction for this type of game should be the customization and it clearly does that with flipping between all sorts of setups. Really gives you the idea you're not just doing a loadout, but actually dealing with a complex piece of machinery that you're constantly tuning up. If you're gonna do a mech (or in this case, power armor) game, lean into it and allow people to make those kinds of decisions.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MFrontier



Joined: 13 Apr 2014
Posts: 20003
PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2025 8:24 pm Reply with quote
Sounds like a good follow up game!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wolf10



Joined: 23 Jan 2016
Posts: 989
PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2025 9:16 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Sound/Music : C

What? How can this be this possible? The original DXM has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time and I say that as the guy whose CD collection is more than 90% game OSTs. Please tell me that's the sound portion and not the music dragging the score down. I have a gripe or twelve with the voice selection this time around, for sure, at least off of the demo.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
FinalVentCard
ANN Reviewer


Joined: 28 Oct 2018
Posts: 924
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 12:01 am Reply with quote
wolf10 wrote:
Quote:
Sound/Music : C

What? How can this be this possible? The original DXM has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time and I say that as the guy whose CD collection is more than 90% game OSTs. Please tell me that's the sound portion and not the music dragging the score down. I have a gripe or twelve with the voice selection this time around, for sure, at least off of the demo.


I unfortunately bounced off of the music for this title. Now, make no mistake: I can pick out some songs I really liked, like the heavy industrial-rock theme they use for your home base! But the music that plays during random encounters against Strays and Axiom members is otherwise just plain forgettable for me, and it plays so often that it just got on my nerves.

With all respect to the vocal cast, their uneven performances were also a factor.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Kicksville



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
Posts: 1415
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 3:50 am Reply with quote
Does this feel significantly different from the first one, in terms of moment to moment gameplay? I never did play the original, but it's pretty striking how that one was an Armored Core-esque robot game and now this one uses armored suits instead, which seems like a big change.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
wolf10



Joined: 23 Jan 2016
Posts: 989
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 10:51 am Reply with quote
FinalVentCard wrote:
wolf10 wrote:
Quote:
Sound/Music : C

What? How can this be this possible? The original DXM has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time and I say that as the guy whose CD collection is more than 90% game OSTs. Please tell me that's the sound portion and not the music dragging the score down. I have a gripe or twelve with the voice selection this time around, for sure, at least off of the demo.


I unfortunately bounced off of the music for this title. Now, make no mistake: I can pick out some songs I really liked, like the heavy industrial-rock theme they use for your home base! But the music that plays during random encounters against Strays and Axiom members is otherwise just plain forgettable for me, and it plays so often that it just got on my nerves.

With all respect to the vocal cast, their uneven performances were also a factor.

Well, darn. The standard battle music in the demo didn't really stand out to me, either, but I assumed it would improve over time the way the original did. If it ever really gets to me I can always just listen to the original game's soundtrack on headphones.

On the subject of voices, it's funny that Johnny G and Four are now literally talking for the MC in Japanese, but neither voice really fit what I wanted to do with the character creator so I will probably turn off the MC's event voice when I start a new file on Friday. Hopefully one of the early companion characters has a combat voice set I won't mind using as a replacement so I'm not stuck as a baby-faced bass the entire game.

Kicksville wrote:
Does this feel significantly different from the first one, in terms of moment to moment gameplay? I never did play the original, but it's pretty striking how that one was an Armored Core-esque robot game and now this one uses armored suits instead, which seems like a big change.

From the demo it actually handles a lot like the original, with very slightly refined controls. The left hand/right hand equipment system feels largely unchanged, and the emphasis on scavenging parts from defeated enemies is still there. Pretty much the only noticeable differences are visual: leaving the base now involves stepping into your suit Iron Man style, and your relative size in outdoor environments is much smaller. This has the added bonus of making Immortals bigger, so I think it's a plus. There are also a number of Bubblegum Crisis color schemes in the preset palettes for the people in on the reference.

You probably won't need to play with the controller backwards now, and that may or may not be an improvement depending on your preference. Laughing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dumas1



Joined: 20 Dec 2012
Posts: 117
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2025 9:03 pm Reply with quote
The open world and the introduction of crafting makes me think of games like the God Eater or Toukiden series. It might not be as much of a focus, but having the option to grind either materials or cash for (some) gear you want is nice. I liked being able to set a "cosmetic" suit, but it does make it a bit harder to keep track of what I'm actually using on the shop and equip screens.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group