Damon and Baby: Deluxe Edition

DAMON and BABY represents a successful experiment: a chaotic and original action game with a strong narrative bond and unique style, but with imprecise controls, weak melee combat, and some readability issues.

Damon and Baby is a fun, unique, and criminally underappreciated new title. While the game could improve in some areas and the mechanics are a bit simple, the game shines for its excellent characters and is a solid, fun experience. Damon and Baby certainly deserves more attention than it is getting, and will likely to be remembered as a cult favorite.

I fell in love almost instantly with Damon and Baby. It was a complete surprise, and I think Arc System Works has hit it out of the park, despite being known more for their fighting game entries. It shows they aren’t a one-trick pony, with ArcSys’s arc as a developer perfectly emulated in Damon and Baby as the game too constantly evolves throughout its somewhat poor pacing, both in the gameplay and the story. The game is a jack of all trades, and while it doesn’t master any, Damon and Baby makes for a rather entertaining time. It once again shows that developers don’t always need the biggest budgets and all the AAA bells and whistles to create an endearing and fun title.

Damon and Baby is a game which is just sort of fine. It can be fun to play, but it just feels a bit repetitive most of the time, and neither the combat nor the story are engaging enough to really keep you locked in. I don't think it's a bad game, per say, but I do think it can be a bit dull, and that's just as bad a lot of the time.

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Fighting game legend Daisuke Ishiwatari has made his debut in the top-down shooter adventure genre. While clunky enemy AI, hitbox issues, and lackluster sound are disappointing, the game successfully blends top-down shooting with the deep exploration of classic JRPGs and the fun of platformer adventures. I look forward to seeing further improvements through the announced update roadmap.

It has a highly unconventional premise yet everything in DAMON and BABY works so well together and it's super-charming to boot. 👶

DAMON and Baby from developer Arc System Works contains a bevy of fun gameplay elements across different genres that work more than they don’t. The action can get a bit frustrating at times, but big multi-tiered maps, interesting weapons, and a cooking system help to push past that frustration. It’s a good game that has a lot to offer players.

DAMON and BABY is a game that starts well, intrigues and entertains, but ends up getting lost along the way. It's not a total failure, but not a complete success either, but it's still curious.

Damon and Baby is a game designed to pave the way for Arc System Works to explore uncharted territory. It’s a project that takes the team out of its comfort zone, intended to provide valuable experience and, from there, serve as a guide for developing new games. I find it interesting that Daisuke Ishiwatari isn’t confined to a single genre and is opening up new avenues for the company. Unfortunately, this new venture has encountered many setbacks.