Daemon X Machina Prologue Animation Has Been Released

The slate of titles releasing for the Nintendo Switch is pretty large and still growing. This September alone, we will finally get more of that sweet mech action as Daemon X Machina finally releases exclusively on the platform. After a well-publicized showing at E3 2019, and the developers showing that they actually listen to the player base’s feedback, the game is looking like it could be the start of a proper revival of the mech genre.

Now, developer Marvelous has released a four-minute animation sequence for Daemon X Machina that covers everything that happened before the events of the game. Dubbed “Order Zero,” the animation is entirely in Japanese – but you do see the backstory that will permeate throughout the game once it finally releases. Check it out below.

While I didn’t understand a word of the narration, I can assume from context that the scenes shown denote the point where the Outers were granted special abilities after a cataclysmic event. We know from Marvelous that this event was a moon colliding with the Planet, which in turn also radiated a special energy that turned artificial intelligence against their creators. The Outers themselves are a group of pilots that act as humanity’s protectors as the war with the Arms of the Immortals (AIs) blaze on.

It’s also worth noting that this animation was developed and produced by Satelight, best known for their work on another animated mech series, Macross. Satelight’s involvement with Daemon X Machina doesn’t end there, though, as their current executive director also acts as the game’s lead mech designer – the legendary Shoji Kawamori himself, who is probably best known for being part of the creative team that designed the original Optimus Prime toy design. This is probably the reason why the mech designs in Daemon X Machina stand out so much, with each having a unique and distinct feel to them.

As part of the game’s promotion in Japan, both the “Prototype Arsenal” mecha and “Prototype Suit” worn by the characters in the animation will be included in the game as an early purchase bonus. Here’s hoping it makes its way to other versions as well.

Daemon X Machina will be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on September 13.