Daemon X Machina is an upcoming action game which is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. The game was initially revealed at the beginning of Nintendo's presentation at E3 on June 9, 2018. Development was started by Marvelous Inc. in mid-2017, and the game will be released in 2019.
Plot
The Earth's moon has fallen, which has led to the discovery of a new kind of energy called Femto energy. Humanity has created Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is in use in industries like construction, however exposure to Femto energy causes the AI to go rogue. Industrial machines are reconfigured into war machines, in order to capture Femto energy and destroy humanity.
Femto energy also impacts humans who are exposed to it, who become hybrids of man and machine – shunned from society, and referred to as Outers. Despite being outcast, Outers become responsible for saving humanity, by using mechs called Arsenals.
Gameplay
Gameplay is centered around fast-paced mech combat, which takes place on the ground and in the air, with RPG and strategic elements.
RPG-like mechanics allow the player to upgrade their Outer's capabilities like movement speed and jumping ability, and also unlock new skills. These skills and abilities carry over to the Arsenal.
Players can strip body parts and weaponry from defeated enemy mechs, which can be used in future missions. This creates a strategic element, where players will need to think about equipping the right tools for the mission at hand.
Bosses defeated in certain ways will also drop weapons. An R&D department will research the boss weapons to create smaller versions which can be equipped on your Arsenal.
Up to four players will be able to play co-operatively locally and online, with CPU mechs able to fill any positions on the team.
People
Producer: Kenichiro Tsukuda, who previously produced the Armored Core series of mech games.
Mech designer: Shōji Kawamori, who created Macross in 1982, and designed several Transformers Generation 1 toys including Optimus Prime.
Character designer: Yūsuke Kozaki, who has worked on the Fire Emblem series.
References
Nintendo Direct: E3 2018, YouTube
Daemon X Machina @ gamescom 2018, YouTube
Nintendo Switch Exclusive Daemon X Machina Is Made For People Who Like To Take Machines Apart, Kotaku
Interview: Daemon X Machina Producer Kenichiro Tsukuda On Cooking Up An Authentic Mech Game For Everyone, NintendoLife
Dive into the creation of DAEMON X MACHINA in our developer interview, Nintendo UK
Shōji Kawamori, Wikipedia
Yūsuke Kozaki, Wikipedia
