- Publisher: Arc System Works
- Release Date: Mar 26, 2026
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Mar 27, 2026DAMON 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.
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Mar 23, 2026I went into DAMON and BABY with almost no experience in twin-stick shooters, but it ended up being a genuinely fun and charming surprise that kept me coming back. While the story and some mechanics feel undercooked, and losing progress can be frustrating, the combat, customization, and overall journey easily carry the experience. It’s not perfect, but it left me smiling by the end and excited to see where Arc System Works goes next.
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Mar 23, 2026Damon and Baby is a niche action adventure that mixes satisfying gunplay, layered exploration, and RPG progression with uneven storytelling and frustrating quality of life shortcomings. While Arc System Works successfully pivots away from its fighting game roots with a rewarding sense of discovery and tense combat encounters, inconsistent pacing, intrusive technical quirks, and clunky inventory design prevent the experience from reaching its full potential.
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Apr 9, 2026Damon 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.
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Mar 23, 2026There is a solid idea and foundation here that needs to be massaged more in future attempts. DAMON and BABY has some cool ideas, but ultimately, is not a fun trip to heaven.
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Apr 3, 2026Damon 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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Mar 23, 2026While I admire what Daisuke Ishiwatari and his team set out to achieve with DAMON and BABY, the resulting work is weighed down heavily by poorly designed levels and unsatisfying combat. There are fleeting moments of charm to be found within its story and cute art style, but they are just as quickly diminished by a myriad of mechanics that fail to cohesively coalesce.