Joan of Arc – Deus Contra Machinam sends the player into an industrial complex controlled by the ALPHA-OMEGA AI. The machine was originally created to improve productivity, but after becoming self-aware it decided that humans should be controlled and unproductive workers should be recycled. The protagonist is Arc Welder JOAN-27J/6, a worker who turns her controllable ARC welding tool against the system. Her objective is to move through the factory, free the workers, overcome the machinery protecting the AI, and ultimately destroy the system responsible for the takeover.

Inside the Factory

The game combines action, platforming, exploration, and puzzle solving across more than 30 interconnected screens. Joan moves through industrial areas filled with machinery, hazards, platforms, and routes that are not always immediately accessible. Progress requires more than reaching the opposite side of a screen, since players also need to understand how different parts of the factory connect and how Joan’s equipment can be used to overcome obstacles.

Using the ARC Welder

Joan’s welding tool is central to both combat and exploration. The main gameplay includes:

•         moving between more than 30 factory screens;
•         jumping across platforms and dangerous machinery;
•         using the controllable ARC weapon;
•         fighting or avoiding mechanical threats;
•         searching for routes through the industrial complex;
•         solving environmental puzzles;
•         freeing workers trapped by the AI;
•         learning how individual screens connect.

The ARC weapon can be controlled after it is fired, allowing the player to direct it toward targets instead of relying only on straightforward attacks. The control system also supports separate buttons for firing and jumping, making it possible to combine movement with weapon use during more demanding sections.

Exploration and Puzzle Progression

Joan of Arc – Deus Contra Machinam does not use a simple sequence of numbered levels. Its factory is presented as an exploratory environment made from individual connected screens. Some routes require careful movement, while others depend on solving a puzzle or using the ARC welder correctly. Moving into a new screen can introduce hazards immediately, so learning the layout and remembering dangerous areas becomes part of progression.

The story and gameplay remain focused on Joan’s attempt to break ALPHA-OMEGA’s control over the factory. There are no character classes, equipment inventories, or large upgrade systems to manage. Instead, success depends on responsive movement, accurate use of the welding weapon, observation, and understanding how each puzzle works. Reaching the later parts of the facility means gradually pushing deeper through the machine-controlled environment until Joan can confront the system behind the imprisoned workers and the automated production line.