A demanding, atmospheric From Software first person action RPG. Firm controls, a dark world and imposing bosses. For patient fans who love rigor.
Your verdict
Category
Action RPG1 player16+
Description
The protagonist can possess his enemies' bodies to explore a futuristic Tokyo and defeat demons in this FromSoftware RPG. Published by Sega, released in Japan in November 1999. Action-RPG with body possession system, futuristic Tokyo invaded by demons, multiple bodies with distinct abilities. Japanese version.
Maken X is the original Japanese edition of Atlus's action game, released with a domestic sleeve very different from the Western artwork. Collector value comes from the Japanese version's distinct artistic identity, considered the most representative of the original Kazuma Kaneko project, whose stark black-and-white design defines the entire Megaten sub-series.
An underrated gem
FromSoftware again, but in a wholly different register: a frantic action game where you possess your enemies to push through a futuristic Tokyo, blade first. Its very Japanese style and raw pace baffled the West. For fans of stylish action and strange worlds, it's a singular gem worth digging up.
A questionable morality
Saving the world, sure, but the method gives pause: you leap from brain to brain, hijacking people's bodies to borrow their muscles and powers before darting off to the next host. It's politely called brainjacking and you go along with it without blinking, far too busy carving up evil to wonder whether the bodies you commandeer ever agreed to any of this.
Is Maken X still worth playing in 2026?
An FPS action title developed by Atlus, Maken X puts you in the role of a sacred blade able to possess other bodies. The fast pace, the strongly Japanese aesthetic and the branching structure tied to chosen hosts give the game a singular flavour. The gameplay feels rigid by today's standards, but the narrative boldness and the art direction make it a precious curiosity for anyone fond of late nineties Japanese experiments that did not always reach western audiences at the time.
