Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion [PC] | REVIEW

After the 2019 original found a small but dedicated following, it’s great to see the world of Daemon X Machina grow with the newly released sequel, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. The game sets out to build upon the formula with a bigger world, more customization, and a faster pace, and whilst it doesn’t always hit the mark, it still delivers some super rewarding mech action where player customisation is at the forefront.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion casts you as an Outer, a genetically altered human caught up in a centuries-long war. After a chaotic escape in the opening, you’re branded a traitor and shot down from the safety of orbit, crash landing on the Ground – a wasteland littered with machines, mutants, and rebel groups. Aligning yourself with rebelling resistance fighters, you begin a journey of survival, revenge, and discovery.

Whilst rife with tropes and clichés, the narrative premise does have a lot of potential, especially when it dives into the lore between the warring factions and how the conflict fell into place. But honestly? It plays things way too safe to ever feel all that exciting. Character interactions rarely surprise, there’s predictability across the story beats, and even when it does feel like it’s beginning to build into something more intense, it never fully delivers. It’s not a deal deal-breaker by any means – especially since the action of the game is clearly the priority – but there’s a lot of potential here for some gripping sci-fi storytelling that’s just never really fulfilled.

Luckily, it absolutely delivers on the gameplay front. The real draw of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is its Arsenal suits, with these exosuits making for fast and flexible combat where player control (and satisfaction) feels at the forefront. Flying across the map, boosting through the air, or sprinting across open plains feels insanely rewarding, and compared to other mech games where movement can often be clunky and cumbersome, everything feels fluid and intuitive here.

“Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion thrives on thrilling mech combat and the sheer joy of tailoring your Arsenal to your playstyle.”

It’s complemented by the expansive combat, which is built around equipping up to four weapons: one in each hand, a shoulder-mounted option, and an auxiliary tool. You’re in a mech… got to take advantage of its full functionality, right? The variety is impressive, ranging from heavy melee weaponry and shields to rifles, lasers, and homing missiles, and swapping between weapons mid-battle allows for creative approaches to any scenario you find yourself in, allowing players to diversify their skillset to deal with enemies in close-range brawls or pick them off from afar with long-distance barrages depending on what the situation demands. Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion doesn’t bring with it a massive variety of enemy types, but they have enough differences within them to demand varied approaches on the battlefield if you want to survive.

This added flexibility feels particularly significant in larger fights, with encounters against bigger bosses or even rival Arsenals making for some real spectacles that put your skill and adaptability to the test. Admittedly, things can get a little more formulaic as you progress and start to figure out what works best for you, but there’s always a satisfying flow to combat that keeps encounters engaging throughout.

Customisation isn’t built entirely around combat alone either, with every limb, weapon, and module of your Arsenal able to be swapped out or upgraded to continually improve your build. Do you want a heavily armoured juggernaut that can soak up damage but moves slowly, or a lightweight build that darts through the air but with sacrifices to your defensive capabilities? The choice is yours, and tinkering with builds remains absolutely enthralling – heck, there’s even an element of character progression that sees players able to develop their abilities outside of the Arsenal, adding extra elements of customisation to the experience. I’m a real sucker for things like this in gaming, and believe me, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion gives you a lot to play with.

Check out some screenshots down below:

One of the biggest changes in Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is the move to a semi-open world, and instead of being restricted to linear missions, you can roam the Ground, picking up objectives, finding loot, and discovering points of interest. It gives the game an extra layer of freedom and scale, but I’d argue that it isn’t always beneficial. Whilst the Ground has its share of compelling areas to explore, a lot of the world feels barren, with bland environments that don’t match the excitement of the combat. Side missions can often feel repetitive too, amounting to escorting NPCs or destroying waves of enemies… once you’ve done it once, you’ll know exactly what to expect. The thrill of piloting your Arsenal across the landscape can soften these shortcomings, but after a couple of hours, it’s hard not to find things a little repetitive.

One thing that is worth mentioning is that the full campaign of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion can be played in co-op, and battling massive bosses with friends would undoubtedly add energy and strategy that the AI companions simply can’t replicate. However, I have to admit I haven’t had the chance to try it out. It’s something I’m absolutely looking forward to checking out one day though, because I’ve had a lot of fun in single player… I just know it’d be even better again with a friend, where we’re able to show off the tactical nuances of our Arsenal (or just how cool it looks).

Presentation-wise, everything in Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion looked striking, with the anime-inspired art direction, detailed Arsenal designs, and dazzling visual effects during combat certainly standing out. As mentioned, the world itself could be a little dull, but it was fine… it just would have been nice if there were a few more extravagant sights to bring more personality to your surroundings.

Developer: Marvelous First Studio
Publisher: Marvelous
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1342490/Daemon_X_Machina_Titanic_Scion/