Damon and Baby has some endearing qualities and decent gameplay at its core, but its repetitive nature and a few clunky mechanics keep it from being a truly grand AA game. The core gameplay and world are intriguing, but they can’t quite make the game truly stand out.
Credit: Arc System Works
I’m a big proponent of original IP, and perhaps an even bigger proponent of AA games. I’m tired of companies chasing wildly expensive and realistic visuals with development cycles that span entire childhoods, so games like Damon and Baby are, hypothetically, right up my alley. In some ways, it is, though there are some things that keep it from really popping off.
The main gameplay loop of Damon and Baby has you travel through fairly large areas as you blast away at enemies who respawn when you rest on benches, a la Soulsborne games. It’s got a twinstick control scheme, with you moving Damon and aiming his weapons using the two sticks, then firing and reloading with the right trigger and bumper. It’s simple enough to grasp pretty quickly, but using all the different gun types and their various stats adds a bit of needed complexity to the mix.
Credit: Arc System Works
Defeating groups of creatively designed demons can be a lot of fun, as there’s definitely a satisfaction to blasting away using the different sorts of guns you pick up. The pistol has unlimited ammo, while the machine gun and shotgun require you to pick up ammo as you go, though you’ve got an upgradeable limit to each ammo type. Hopping between the guns as different demon hordes come after you can be a blast for a bit, especially as the leveling system adds a bit of extra satisfaction to combat.
I’m fond of the world and story of Damon and Baby, which are pretty inspired in terms of how they’re presented. Damon is a pleasant character to follow, and he doesn’t come off as either too heroic for a demon or unlikeably awful, either. The supporting characters mesh well with Damon and add to the world of angels and demons in neat ways, and I like how the services a lot of them offer tie into both their characters and the gameplay systems themselves. Of course, the gruff but pleasant shopkeeper would let a demon buy stuff off of them, while Tinatana – the shrewd and boorish angel- would naturally work for an insurance company. It’s a good cast of weirdos, and they’re one of the best parts of the game.
Credit: Arc System Works
An issue with Damon and Baby is that, even with different weapons and locations, the game quickly begins to feel repetitive. I think part of this comes from the maps being a bit confusing to navigate, even once you get the ability to unlock maps, which is a bit more complicated than you’d think. I spent a fair amount of time running through hallways that looked incredibly similar to one another, pursuing things like keys and bosses, which all began to blend together a bit after a while. It’s a shame that this is the case, as many of the concepts and enemies are pretty unique, but the difficulty of navigation, combined with the sameness of the gameplay, makes it a bit blurry.
One of the other primary issues in Damon and Baby stems from its inventory system, which is more frustrating than fun. Even with decently frequent upgrades to it, it often feels as though you never have enough room for all of the food, weapons, and accessories that so frequently drop throughout the game. I was always fighting with my inventory and chests, and with the sparseness of shops to sell things at and the lack of recipes that use a good chunk of these foods early on, you’ll have to fill up coffers more often than not. This makes you stop to manage your inventory more often than you’d like, which messes up the pacing a tad.
Credit: Arc System Works
Damon and Baby has a colorful style that shines.
The visuals are admittedly a bit simple, but I truly don’t mind one bit. It’s to be expected for an AA game such as this, and the title does well to work within those limits with a suitable style. There’s a distinct look to Damon and Baby that works with its tone and characters, feeling perfectly in line with other Arc System Works games like Guilty Gear and BlazBlue (which have some cameos in this game for loyal Arc Sys-heads). It’s colorful and cartoony, while the music is complementary in its mischievous, almost whimsical tones. I wish there were voice acting, as the game feels a bit hollow in that regard, but it’s not a massive issue given the title’s scope.
The Final Word
Damon and Baby has some solid qualities, such as its core gameplay and narrative/setting, but its repetitiveness and confusing map design hold it back from reaching its full potential. I think a couple of additional mechanics and a couple of gameplay tweaks would go a long way for this one, as what’s there is decent, but could be better.
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