Daemon X Machina is an interesting series, to say the least. The original title was released exclusively on the Nintendo Switch in 2019, before eventually being ported to PC. It was produced by Kenichiro Tsukuda, a veteran who previously worked on FromSoftware's Armored Core series, and those influences were immediately obvious from the get-go.
The game followed a familiar loop: players would build and customize their own giant robots—known as Arsenals—before departing on missions. The earnings from these contracts could then be used to buy new parts and further upgrade their mechs. Though sometimes players had to rely on a trial-and-error approach to lock down the best build for a mission, trying out different configurations was a key part of the fun, and the experience was enhanced by online co-op. While the game wasn't perfect and its story was a confusing mess, it contained nearly everything a mecha fan could ask for.
So, when the sequel, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, was announced, most fans already knew what to expect: more Arsenals to customize, new missions and characters, online co-op, and hopefully some quality-of-life improvements. While Titanic Scion technically delivered on those expectations, that was really only half the story.
The sequel takes the original's mission-based structure in a new direction. Instead of having multiple stand alone stages to play through, Titanic Scion embraces a full open-world setting. It integrates the previous mission structure into it, while also downsizes the Arsenals from towering giants to "Iron Man"-like power suits, and throws in fundamental gameplay changes for good measure.
This new direction personally had me concerned. It seemed to abandon everything the original had established and further distanced the game from its Armored Core inspiration. Yet, after spending countless hours exploring the open world (something I originally had no interest in), customizing my Arsenals, battling in the arena, and tackling dozens of missions, I can confidently say my worries were all for nothing. Yes, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion does have its issues, but the new format isn't one of them. In fact, Titanic Scion might just be one of the best mecha action games on the market—it's simply held back from reaching its full potential.
The Story:
The game's story begins with our unnamed protagonist, a special being known as an Outer, attempting to escape from a space station controlled by the group known as Axiom. After fighting through the Neun, Axiom's elite force, they escape the space station and crash-land on the planet below. Here, they meet up with a resistance group fighting against Axiom and join them for a common cause. Of course, not everyone within the resistance trusts the newcomer, as they are an Outer, but when the Neun begin their attack and the protagonist steps up to fight back, allegiances begin to change.
Titanic Scion isn't a very story-focused game. The narrative is primarily told through cutscenes between major moments and via mission descriptions posted by the resistance. There's no denying that the initial experience can be confusing, with a non-stop barrage of alien (to the player) terms being thrown around, but eventually, the pieces come together to paint a clear picture.
Eventually the story's focus shifts from that of the resistance, to a young girl with a mysterious background, which also makes her a prime target for the Neun. She is seen as humanity's hope, and the resistance must protect her at all costs.
The Core Gameplay:
The main gameplay of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is similar to the original, except on a much smaller, grounded scale. Rather than piloting giant mechs, at least initially, characters are in full suits with multiple weapons and abilities at their disposal. Every single piece of armor and weapon in the game is unique, and choosing your loadout will drastically change the core gameplay experience. Heavier units will move slower but be stronger, while light units will be glass cannons, and medium-weight gear will be a healthy balance between the styles. Mix in the fact that there are multiple types of ranged, melee, and support weapons at your disposal, and the gameplay further changes, with players also being able to swap between them on the fly.
Thanks to this wide range of options, no two players will ever be completely the same, and the game encourages them to continue trying something new. The moment gameplay begins to feel a bit stale, or enemies have suddenly become harder than they should be, simply swapping to a new build will allow you to see the game in a new light. This adds greatly to the replayability, but the actual core gameplay does remain the same.
Mission Structure -
Like in the original, Titanic Scion is mostly mission-based. A hub serves as your base of operations, with a console allowing players to search through a list of available missions, and key characters offering story missions as well. These quests can range from simple "defeat X target" objectives, to escort jobs, and even unique ones that put you behind the wheel of a vehicle, but in general they are all combat-focused. Some require specific gear be used to take them on, while others will simply block you out if you do not meet the requirements. Once you select one, however, and set out, players can show off their skills and test themselves against whatever threats come their way.
Arena -
Along with standard missions and free battles in the open world, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion does in fact include a set of Arena Battles, which pit you up against another Arsenal user. Winning fights in the Arena will reward players with cash and items and will also advance their rank. Old fights can be replayed to farm for cash, but the rewards are not as great as a first-time clear.
Controls & Combat -
When it comes to actually controlling the Arsenals, the game makes full use of every button on a standard controller. Weapons are assigned to the trigger buttons by default, quick steps and dashing are also handled by triggers, jump can double as activating flying, sprint can be toggled off and on, special skills are activated by holding specific button combinations, weapon swapping is handled by the D-Pad, and there are of course buttons dedicated to sub-weapons as well.
It is a lot, and it does take some practice to get the controls down to the point they become second nature to you, but once this happens, the game simply feels great to play. A lock-on feature also helps keep the central target you are fighting in view, but as the game throws many enemies at you at once, sometimes not locking on to a single target can work to your advantage. There are of course energy limits that dictate how often you can attack, dodge, fly, etc., but items can be used to recover and buff more than just health, and the game world itself is littered with resource points to give yourself a quick refresh.
In general, someone who goes out on a mission prepared should never have to worry about running out of supplies, but there are many ways to reclaim what is lost without having to return to base or restart the mission. Checkpoints are also very forgiving in general, and are often placed before a major fight, so even these allow players to take a step back and recoup their resources if needed.
Customization:
Of course with all of this being said, customization is still the most important aspect in the game, and ignoring this fundamental feature will result in things being much more difficult than they need to be.
Arsenal Customization -
Every single Arsenal in the game can be customized both functionally and cosmetically. The head, body, legs, left arm, and right arm are all independent pieces and can be freely swapped out. Four main weapons can also be equipped at once, a single sub-piece of equipment can be selected, and a back-mounted weapon can be chosen as well. There are weight and energy limits that players need to be aware of when choosing gear, which means not all parts are compatible with each other, but in general, the game is very generous about allowing one to create their dream Arsenal.
When it comes to the parts themselves, there are many different pieces to select from, and every single piece has multiple versions to obtain. New parts can be developed or purchased at the home base, or they can also be picked up off of fallen enemies in the field. These parts have random stats assigned to them and often come with either ability slots or special abilities already equipped. This effectively makes every duplicate worth picking up, as these different versions can work better in different builds.
However, parts that do come with extra abilities can actually have them removed and have new ones put in their place. The removed abilities will go within one's stock, meaning they can then be equipped to a different piece of gear—so there is especially no reason to skip over picking up a duplicate that has abilities, because the abilities themselves can still be useful. Unneeded gear can also be sold for extra cash, making duplicates a vital part of the general gameplay loop.
After customizing an Arsenal and equipping abilities into any slots that parts may have open, the build can then be saved and loaded back up at any time. This encourages players to create multiple Arsenals that fit multiple situations and not to simply stick with the same one start to finish. However, the game does recognize that players might prefer the look of one Arsenal over the other, so it does include a full cosmetic system.
Rather than considering the look of your Arsenal as you create a build, players can simply focus on the stat and ability aspect and come back for the actual style later. Yes, the game allows you to customize the coloring and add decals (which comes complete with its own massive graphic editor), but it also allows you to apply the look of any owned part. In other words, the moment you pick up something new in the game, its look and style are added to your list, and you can freely swap things out to create your own unique style. This style can then be saved and applied to other Arsenal builds, making it so you never have to compromise your look simply because another part is better or is required for your next mission.
Character Customization -
Initially, when the game starts, players are given the choice between which protagonist they wish to play as (male or female), and they can customize basic aspects such as body shape, eyes, hair color, etc. It is a pretty standard character creator, and one that players could easily spend quite a bit of time on; however, the real character customization doesn't fall into place until starting the game.
The player character is a unique being known as an Outer—someone with unique DNA who can also undergo body modification by fusing with parts from the alien beings they slaughter.
These parts (Factors) can be picked up from nearly every organic enemy fought in the game and come in a wide range of colors and types. Players can only hold so many Factors at a time, and the specific combination held is what will determine what abilities are unlocked when they are fused into the player character's body.
Thankfully, the game does have a complete list showing which Factors are needed for specific abilities, but finding the exact ones needed can pose a problem. It isn't always as simple as going out to kill the same enemy over and over to farm them, and often Factors will come with additional ones attached—this takes up additional storage spots as the connected Factors cannot be separated. Of course, later on, the game allows you to hold additional ones, and there is an option to delete Factors at the home base, but this does little to help you when you are out in the field.
Either way, after picking up Factors and returning to the base, they can then be fused into the player character by paying a small fee, and the displayed skills will be unlocked. Attack skills can then be equipped to specific weapon types to use, and passive abilities can be turned on and off freely. There is a limit to how many passives can be on at once, however, with stronger abilities taking up more of the limit. This prevents players from making completely overpowered characters and forces them to choose what will work best for their current Arsenal build.
Although fusing Factors into one's body does make that person stronger, it does greatly alter their appearance as well. The game will warn you of what will be impacted after the fusion is complete, with each follow-up fusion turning the character into more and more of a "monster." Players can spend a large fee, which continues to increase in price as more mutations occur, to reset things to normal, but there is a piece of equipment unlocked later on that hides the changes. On the other hand, players can also incorporate these mutations into their own personal style, making their characters stand out. It is just another one of the many ways the game allows players to express themselves, and a lot of fun can be had with the mechanic.
Heavy Armor -
When I said the game switched from giant mechs over to "Iron Man" suits, that wasn't entirely true. Yes, the main gameplay is in fact piloting Arsenals, but later into the game, "Heavy Armor" becomes unlocked as well.
Heavy Armor is a giant Arsenal that can be customized and is reminiscent of the mechs from the original. They can be summoned into battle once their meter has been filled and can be used to give yourself an edge in battle. The catch is, there is in fact a time limit attached, and their energy depletes faster with use. This prevents players from abusing them and making the game easier, but also provides a little bit extra of an edge if the situation becomes dire.
The Hub:
As previously mentioned, the main hub is where basically everything is either started or taken care of. It contains shops, NPCs to talk to, the mission console to take on requests, it is where you can customize your character and Arsenal, and where you can meet up with other players before missions. It is your lifeline throughout the entire game, but it also serves an additional purpose—providing additional upgrades and unlockable features.
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a game that actually takes quite a while to unlock all of the main gameplay features, and most of this is tied to progression within the hub itself. By trading in a special type of currency, which is obtained from killing enemies and breaking boxes, the base itself can be upgraded, and that in turn can affect your character as well. The Factor limitation as mentioned above? Upgrading the base is how you can increase your own storage limit. When shops stop selling useful parts, they too can be upgraded to bring in a new stock. These upgrades ultimately allow you to become stronger, but they themselves are not what increases your stats. They are roadblocks you need to pay to overcome so you can access and unlock what really matters.
Outside of this, the hub is in fact a hub, both socially online and for when you need a break from all the action in single player. The music can be changed, and there are multiple areas to walk around and explore even outside the "base" itself. It replaces the standard menu system typically seen in games of this style, and it is an expanded version of what the original had to offer.
The Open World:
Although Titanic Scion is still mission-based, the game has adopted an open-world level design. There are multiple regions, a handful of fast-travel points within each, and the missions themselves will lead players to multiple key locations across the world. However, outside of missions, the open-world is still packed with things to do; it just requires players to actively look for them.
Exploration & Side Activities -
Across the entire map, players will be able to discover underground bases, which are typically accessed via tunnels, buildings, camp and town areas, and even enemy bases. Nearly every single one of these locations will contain loot or other rewards that are worth looking into, and they can even put players up against optional bosses. Each location is also littered with items and resources to pick up off the ground, which are used to develop new equipment. Sometimes you can discover enemies that have already been killed by something else—be that other pilots or by the aliens themselves. These deceased enemies offer even more free resources and are worth going out of the way for.
While the map itself does in fact have a lot of large open space, it is these little distractions that add up quickly and can easily see players being sidetracked for hours at a time simply picking up everything they come across, raiding bases they discover, and checking every building for unique items. Of course, none of this is actually required to beat the game, but the additional bases and underground areas do evolve essentially into "dungeons" and become full, unmarked missions of their own. They capture the classic mecha action game mission structure and gameplay without being a part of a checklist of objectives to complete.
Traversal Options -
Besides using your Arsenal to traverse both the land and open skies, vehicles and mountable aliens can be used to travel across the world faster as well. These save your Arsenal's fuel (which typically isn't an issue anyway) and allow players in co-op to ride together on their way to an objective. These traversal methods are not required, but they are a nice alternative, and something one wouldn't typically expect to see in a game such as this.
And More:
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a massive game, and everything above is just scratching the surface. The game does in fact feature a multiplayer mode which allows players to team up to take on missions, there are mountable weapons and other vehicles that can be used in combat, players can setup mini bases and mine for resources, and there is even an entire collectible card game to occupy your time with. This is a game where players will almost constantly be discovering something new, and this doesn't stop until finishing the game—but even then the game has already received multiple free updates that adds substantial content.
All of this helps make the game one of the best mecha experiences out there, but not everything is perfect.
Some Flaws:
For every great thing Titanic Scion does, there is unfortunately some drawback that prevents it from reaching its full potential.
The single biggest issue with the title is none other than the graphics. While the character models, enemies, and mechs themselves look outstanding, the world itself is a muddy mess of low textures that really takes away from the experience. In general, it isn't as noticeable when flying through the air and fighting enemies at high speed, but as the game expects you to scour the ground looking for every little item drop, you can't help but notice just how visually lacking things are. It doesn't prevent the game from being fun thanks to its solid gameplay, but it is extremely disappointing to see—especially after seeing the cel-shaded style used in the previous release that was not revisited for Titanic Scion.
Another drawback is the game's story, which was a complaint many had with the original as well. While this one is much easier to understand and follow along with, it isn't until a good ten hours in that things really start to click, and you have a clearer picture of who the characters are, what they are trying to accomplish, and even who the main character truly is. This isn't a story-heavy game by any means; the plot mainly exists to give us a reason to even set out on missions, but those hoping for something a bit more substantial will be let down in this department.
Should you play it?
Although I wasn't initially sold on the open-world and the shift from giant robots to mecha suits, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a fantastic game. Its high-speed action combat, thousands of customization options, and addictive gameplay loop make it a title you can easily lose yourself in. Unfortunately, it is held back in a few areas, mainly graphically, but despite this, it's a fun experience that mecha fans will not want to miss out on.
VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided
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