Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores, but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, all whilst including some lengthy gameplay, to give you, the reader, the chance to form your own impressions and views while reading and watching.
In this explanatory review, we’re covering Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion by developer, Marvelous First Studio:
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion (Nintendo Switch 2)
Developed by Marvelous First Studio, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is an all-new action game and a sequel to 2019’s Daemon X Machina. It was released on September 5, 2025, for multiple platforms, including the Nintendo Switch 2 and is one of a few third-party games that had a physical release, with the full game being available on the cartridge.
We first learned about a Daemon X Machina sequel back in September 2021. This is due to writer and producer Kenichiro Tsukuda announcing a sequel being in development during a livestream that celebrated the first game’s second anniversary. Of course, it wouldn’t be until May 2023 that the game would be revealed during a Marvelous Game Showcase as Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. But with the full game available now, was the wait worth it?
Directed by Ken Awata, with art by Shōji Kawamori, Kimihiko Fujisaka, and Kazuma Koda, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion take place 200 years after the events of Daemon X Machina, on an entirely different planet. Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion follows an Outer pilot, whom players are free to name and design to their liking. The game begins with the player character being experimented on, whilst onboard a spaceship in orbit. Thanks to a well-timed jailbreak, the Outer pilot makes their escape, but at a terrible cost. A close ally is left behind, and once a promise has been made, the player character will stop at nothing to fulfil it.
What’s more, the Arsenal that the Outer pilot was controlling at the time of their escape gets shot down and sent barrelling to the planet below and surviving the fall is the least of the protagonist’s problems. The ground environment is a hostile world, occupied by Immortals, organic creatures that have mutated, and our hero has no choice but to form an uneasy alliance with the Reclaimers, should they wish to stand a chance against the Sovereign Axiom and accomplish their vendetta.
In terms of actual gameplay, being the open-world mech action game that it is, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a game all about choice. Yes, you can run, gun, explore and do side quest missions, like you can in most action games, but choice is at the forefront of every action. Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion allows you to adapt your character and their Arsenal, making them every bit the high-tech warrior you wish them to be. Want to fly around near endlessly, shooting down Immortals and over Arsenals? There’s a playstyle to do just that, and all the necessary upgrades are easy enough to implement. Or you could ditch airborne combat and opt for settling disputes on terra firma.
No matter how you choose to play, there is a variety of upgrades and weapons that will cater to your preferred playstyle, even at the cost of mutating the protagonist so much that they turn into a living monstrosity. A little personal sacrifice is necessary when the aim of the game is to liberate one’s future. Besides, no one said you have to pay for all the required upgrades, just because some can be purchased, especially new gear, nothing is stopping you from pilfering weapons and equipment from enemy units you shot down. Yeah, you’ve got to pry it from their cold, dead hands, but who are they going to tell? Dead enemies can’t say anything.
But, where Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion really starts to come alive in its gameplay is when not undertaking side missions or exploring, there is a dark sci-fi story waiting to be discovered and plenty of oversized bosses, all too eager to show you just how small you really are, if you go into a battle against them completely unprepared. So, if you can’t do it on your own, you don’t have to. With online multiplayer action supported, players can play online with others, take down all manner of foes and provide a necessary helping hand.
It might feel like a bit of a cop out for players who’ve come seeking a challenge, but it’s still fun nonetheless, and combat still feels relatively fast-paced for a game of this calibre. It’s tweaks like this, however, that help to make Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion more approachable to newcomers than Daemon X Machina. The revised gameplay makes for an enriching gameplay experience for all who play it, whilst retaining many of the core elements that made returning fans enjoy the previous game.
When not exploring, however, players are free to return to the hangar, a central hub where all manner of upgrades can be implemented, new missions can be accepted, which upon their completion can improve your mercenary rank. However, one of the most important things you can do in the hanger, is you can pet the base pet and switch them to a pet of your preferred preference. In the hangar, players can also request “development of special equipment,” buy and sell useful items, head to the testing ground to properly test out their Arsenal’s capabilities, make any customisations they want, and save loadouts.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for a sci-fi action game where bad guys love to monologue before engaging you in a battle, or just want to hop into cars, or ride horses, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is the game for you. Sure, the English voice acting can sound a little jarring at times, but the cutscenes are phenomenal, the gameplay loop is tighter in its execution, you’re actually rewarded for taking down big monsters as you can take genetic markers from them to mutate your protagonist for new abilities and having a sleeker, more mobile Arsenal feels like a huge improvement over the bulky ones in the previous title.
In terms of performance, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, it is not perfect. It can feel rather shoddy at times and slow, especially when played on the Nintendo Switch 2 version. This is because the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game runs at 30fps, compared to other versions of the game, which run at 60fps. However, just because the action is a lot faster on other platforms, it doesn’t mean it is perfect there either, as even the PlayStation 5 version of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion has performance issues, resulting in a janky experience, but Marvelous are hard at work implementing fixes so future updates could address a number of issues going forward.
Ultimately, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is an improvement to the game that came before it, with plenty of mech combat to enjoy. The story might be light at times, but at the end of the day, in a game like this, it’s the combat that really matters, and there is plenty of variety to keep the combat engaging, even when partaking in simple “go here and kill that” missions. But, to really get the most out of Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, while it can be enjoyed as a single-player experience, playing with others makes it all the better.
Game Specifications:
Developer: Marvelous First Studio
Publisher: Marvelous
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 (Digital)
Genre: Action, Shooting
No. of Players: 1 (Single System) | 1 – 3 (Online)
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Price: $69.99
File Size: 23.9 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
Share this:
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.