Epic Games] Both light and heavy gamers will enjoy this game! Review of "DAEMON X MACHINA," a 3D mecha action game of blood and steel

Dear readers of Akiba Research Institute, how are you doing? This is Nero Hyakkabe, a writer who buys too many games. I'd like to ask you, do you like "mechas"?　I wrote an article in Akiba Research Institute about "3 PC games starring mechas! I think it's safe to say that games and mecha go hand in hand and are inseparably linked. This time, therefore, I would like to introduce "DAEMON X MACHINA," a work in which such "mecha" proudly play a leading role.

The story and worldview of "DAEMON X MACHINA" will be introduced! A hot steel battle unfolds in a world where the fall of the moon has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. ......

DAEMON X MACHINA is a mecha action game from Marvelous, released in 2019 for Nintendo Switch, followed by a Steam version in 2020 and an Epic Games version in 2022. We will be sending you a review of the Epic Games version of the game.

I have a strong stereotype that "mecha games," no matter what genre they are in, are games where the system, worldview, graphics, and music are all gory and hardcore, but the main feature of this "DAEMON X MACHINA" is obvious at first glance, The main feature of "DAEMON X MACHINA" at a glance is its soft anime-style graphics drawn with toon shaders. This gives the game a light and friendly impression, even though it is a game that focuses on mecha, a motif that is often associated with "hardcore gamers.

Let us begin with the story of this work.

The story takes place in a world where the human race is in danger of extinction due to the fall of the moon. The moon collapsed with a bright red light, half of the moon remained in geostationary orbit, and half of the moon fell to the ground. Civilization collapsed as a result of this event, and the new energy resource "femto" released from the moon brought benefits and wonders to the world.

In the midst of this, AI for reconstruction suddenly left the control of mankind and turned into "immortals" with a behavior pattern that eliminates mankind. Meanwhile, at the same time, new human beings called "Outer," who have come to possess special abilities under the influence of Femto, are born. The Outer, who are able to activate the external armor "Arsenal" developed for combat, form the mercenary group "Liberation Brigade" and repeatedly fight back and forth with the Immortals, who continue to increase their own production. The protagonist, who survives in the chaotic battlefield as a rookie mercenary, sees what he sees at the end of the battle. ......?　This is the synopsis of the film.

Hard elements such as "the falling of the moon" and "the collapse of civilization" are combined with unique SF terms such as "immortal," "outer," and "arsenal," to create an epic story reminiscent of a major motion picture or original anime. Personally, I found the settings such as "a world where civilization has collapsed due to the fall of the moon" and "new energy released from the moon" to be unintentionally fascinating.

The game uses a mission-based system in which players progress through the story by clearing missions called "offer orders.
The system in which players earn rewards by clearing orders and receive further orders as their rank as mercenaries increases is different from simply completing inorganic missions presented to them: "As a mercenary in the world of the story, you are taking on missions given to you by the organization at your own will, The system is designed to allow players to enjoy an immersive experience.

I was surprised that the first tutorial-like order you play after starting the game is titled "Outer Aptitude Test. Rather than being given a big mission out of the blue, it would be more realistic for the main character to take the aptitude test first and then be registered as a mercenary if he passes the test, which would also be more realistic for the player. ......! (but in reality, it's not a good idea to be a mercenary. (Although, in reality, the difficulty level of the aptitude test missions is low, so even if you are not good at action, you don't need to worry!)

The battle system of "DAEMON X MACHINA" was introduced!　Enjoy speedy and exhilarating battles by making full use of a variety of armaments!

Now it's time to introduce the main action part of the game.

As mentioned above, the story progresses through the completion of missions called "orders," and there are various types of orders available, such as "extermination of hostile AI" and "investigation of an area.

To accomplish these orders, the player controls the externally armored "Arsenal" and navigates the 3D battlefield. This amount of information is the reason why "Cockpit" is called "Cockpit". This amount of information is one of the points that make the player feel like he or she is piloting a mech in the cockpit, but if the player feels that there is too much information, he or she can freely customize the display by turning it on or off, displaying positions, and so on.

However, the basic controls in Arsenal are relatively orthodox for a 3D action game: "Attack," "Jump," and "Boost (acceleration). The "Jump" is a relatively orthodox lineup for a 3D action game.

Jumping, as the name implies, is the action of leaping from the ground into the air, and the arsenal can transition directly from jumping to flying. I personally felt more comfortable and comfortable flying around in flight than running around on land.

Boost" is an action that consumes stamina to temporarily accelerate. It is a useful action that is often used to avoid enemy attacks, to approach a target enemy, and to move quickly.
One of the charms of "DAEMON X MACHINA" is that by making good use of these flight and boost functions, you can freely run around 360° without boundaries, both on land and in the air. One of the appeals of "DAEMON X MACHINA" is that you can freely move around 360° without boundaries on land or in the air, which is the ideal form of action games.

Attacks are mainly carried out using the "Left Arm" and "Right Arm" equipment in both hands.
For example, the player can equip different types of weapons, such as a shield on the left arm and a gun on the right arm, so a distinctive fighting style is required to use each of them according to the situation. On the other hand, you can equip both arms with the exact same weapon and use the other one when you run out of ammunition. The depth of the game is appealing, allowing players to come up with a strategy that suits them best.

In addition to the left and right arms, players can equip not only left and right arms, but also left pylon, right pylon, shoulder, and augmented arms for a total of six weapons.

The left and right pylons can be equipped with spare weapons, which can be replaced in real time at any time during battle, and the shoulder and augmented arms can also be equipped with their own special weapons. Naturally, the more parts that can be equipped, the more there is to learn. Nevertheless, this system, which allows players to customize their aircraft by equipping each part with a variety of weapons, gives them a realistic and fulfilling feeling of "I'm playing a mecha game! I felt that this is a positive element that gives players a sense of reality and fulfillment of "I'm playing a mecha game!

One thing to note when attacking is that some weapons, such as guns and missiles, require the player to lock on to the enemy in order to attack. In reality, however, the system is designed to automatically lock on to an enemy by simply capturing him in the center of the screen for a certain period of time.

Now, in the synopsis, I introduced the new energy resource "femto" released from the moon, and in fact, this "femto" is closely related not only to the story but also to the battles.

First of all, the premise is that femto is floating in the field where the main character fights, and the arsenal naturally absorbs femto. The accumulated femto can be used to improve the arsenal's fighting ability.

One of the uses of femto is "particle armament. The name sounds like something out of science fiction, but this particle armament comes in three forms: "assault," which increases the attack power of the arm weapon; "wing," which increases the speed of the Arsenal during boost movement; and "shield," which uses a wall of particles to block attacks from the enemy, and each can be switched whenever desired. You can switch between them at any time. However, it is important to note that Femto cannot be activated without a certain amount of Femto, but I got the impression that there is no serious shortage of Femto, since Femto can recover naturally, absorb residual Femto left by defeated enemies, and recover faster in the high-density Femto areas scattered throughout the field.

Another use for femto is "mirage. The word means mirage, and this is an amazing ability that, when activated, can create an alter ego of oneself with mass. The alter ego automatically moves and fights, making it both an asset and a decoy. Like the particle armament, this ability also makes combat much easier, so those who are not good at actions should take advantage of it.

Finally, I would like to introduce one more characteristic element of the attack. It is, without a doubt, the "grabbing technique. Arsenal can grab some of the seemingly mere decorative objects placed throughout the stage and use them as attack items. It can pull off road signs and wield them like melee weapons, lift up cars and throw them at enemies with the boldness that only a giant mecha can provide!　The action is intuitive and pleasing.

Although there are a few more battle-related controls to learn, such as six arms, femto, and object grabbing and throwing, there are many elements that reduce the difficulty of the action, such as easy lock-on controls, weapons that automatically attack enemies, and NPCs that automatically help you in battle! The game can be played quite casually because it is prepared for you. I felt that even those who are not very good at action games can enjoy exhilarating battles with ease.

This is what's great about it! My personal recommendation for "DAEMON X MACHINA

The first thing I would like to mention as a recommendation for this title is the "great feeling of battle. The feeling of flying through the air and moving freely in 360°, the feeling of speedily running through the battlefield with boosts, and the feeling of shooting down locked-on enemies one after another, there are many points in this title that make it a pleasure to play. The synergistic effects of the flashy effects and the euphoric sound effects double the pleasure of the game. The addictive nature of the game makes you lose track of when to quit.

The so-called "hack and slash" element, in which players defeat enemies to acquire equipment, is another point not to be missed.
In this title, players can acquire a piece of armor or weapon by approaching the arsenal of a defeated enemy and retrieving it during battle, and the acquired armament can be replaced on the spot. This system of "flesh and blood" in which you can enhance your own ship by stripping off the equipment of fallen opponents gives the game a "battlefield" feel, but at any rate, this huxla element is sure to make the rounds you make to acquire stronger equipment even more exciting. This makes this game a "swamp" game that you can't get back into once you get hooked.

Another thing I would like to emphasize is the abundant customization elements. In addition to the large amount of customization for weapons, armor, and other parts related to the performance of the aircraft, this title also allows players to enjoy a great deal of customization related to its appearance.

The player-controlled Arsenal can be customized by freely changing the coloring of each part of the body, such as the head, body, light arm, left arm, and leg, and by applying decals to dress it up. If you like to customize the look and feel of the Arsenal, you will find yourself playing for hours on end. Furthermore, this title supports online multiplayer play, so you can show off your customized aircraft to other players. This is another "swamp" in a different sense from the Huxla elements. ......

DAEMON X MACHINA" is a game that should be played by those who are not good at mech games!

So, I introduced "DAEMON X MACHINA" to you.

DAEMON X MACHINA" combines a "hardcore worldview," "plenty of customization elements," and an "easy-to-play game system" to create a mecha game that can be enjoyed by everyone from heavy gamers to light gamers. To be honest, I had a preconceived notion that action games in which players control mechas "look difficult" or "look complicated," and I had a slight dislike for them. I would recommend this game not only to those who like mechas and science fiction, but also to those who have never played 3D action games before. If you are interested in this game, please become a mercenary and join the Arsenal to experience "a story of faith, blood, and steel.

Title Information
DAEMON X MACHINA" (Marvelous Inc.)
Genre: Action
Release date: January 28, 2022 (Epic Games version) Price: 6,578 yen (as of February 21, 2022)

Click here for Epic game game site

Author: Nero Hyakkabe: Freelance writer who buys too many games. I currently have more than 300 games in my stack. I am also a novelist. His works include "Yubisaki Kaidan: 140 Scary Stories" (PHP Kenkyujo) and "Goa-ken: Unrated Edition" (Kodansha).; Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/KINGakiko; Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nero100kabe; about.me: https://about.me/nero100kabe/

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