Digimon, as a franchise, appears to be going via one thing of a superb interval. We gained’t be entering into the large monster franchise right here for comparability, or the numerous impartial/smaller collectable rivals, though I do miss each Jade Cocoon and Monster Rancher. Nonetheless, Digimon, after a substantial period of time not fairly having the success of the “Different Franchise,” and being the longest working competitor that’s nonetheless going, lastly to be off it’s ordinary shelf when it comes to gross sales, at one level being greater on the Steam gross sales pre-order checklist then Battlefield 6.
I, for one, have very a lot been on the Digimon facet of the monster divide since my childhood, having watched Digimon Journey 1, 2, and Tamers and the proceeded to fall off on the anime facet till Ghost Recreation. I’ve maintaining with what non-mobile Digimon video games I’ve been capable of, and nonetheless have a few of my Digimon card sport playing cards someplace round right here. I’ve been a tad aggravated by Bandai Namco’s advertising tendencies up to now, though I do imagine I observe the logic. It’s at all times had extra area of interest collection for a bigger writer, they usually usually have devoted fanbases that’ll do the advertising for his or her titles. The Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Collection being the opposite collection that’s a poster youngster for them.
Then there’s Tekken and Darkish Souls, the latter of which’s main reputation and influenced within the gaming sphere nonetheless amazes me to at the present time, that are it’s massive hitters now. Can Time Stranger get Digimon into being Bamco’s third largest franchise? That continues to be to be seen, and I’m not smug sufficient to make that assumption. Is Time Stranger a superb sport, and price taking part in? That I really feel marginally extra certified to touch upon, so let’s take a look, lets? As ordinary, all photos will likely be from pretty early on within the sport, and this overview will likely be as spoiler mild as attainable.
Why Do You Look Acquainted?
Time Stranger begins, after you make your selection of who’s going to be the Agent and who’s going to be the Operator, in a theatre. A personality, who those who’ve performed the Digimon Story Cybersleuth sub-series and apparently Re-Digitize, will likely be accustomed to, however significantly youthful, sits your Agent down and has you watch a extremely stylized film that includes somebody that occurs to appear like your Agent, a Digimon that I’m not fairly sure hasn’t had a serious function in different Digimedia, and your Operator, earlier than it pans out to your preliminary space of Higashi-Shinjuku: Imaginative and prescient Sq..
It escalates pretty rapidly within the hour after that, the place you meet somebody that’ll be an essential face for the remainder of the sport, and get used to the fight and- one thing of the overall vibe of the sport? Tone is tough to touch upon, for the reason that franchise has by no means actually been one to restrict itself to a particular style or what can be regarded as it’s anticipated age-rating. Anyhow, in the beginning of the sport, you’re in a park surrounded by folks, and roughly a hour in you on high of a secret authorities constructing punching a Kuwagamon within the face, as Kuwagamon are usually as an ongoing deal within the collection. After which- effectively, then issues begin to choose up additional. It’s extraordinarily well-paced, and opens questions that get neatly answered all through the sport’s runtime.
Why Are You Dressed Like…?
So, after one thing of an sudden occasion — one in every of many — you end up in a well-known however subtly modified place, and into the Digi-meat of the sport. So, how is it? Battle-wise, it’s principally a largely improved model of the Cybersleuth gameplay system. Pretty easy turn-based mechanics to start out, nevertheless it does ramp up beginning with the third or fourth main story boss, including new mechanics for bosses the deeper you get into the sport. Admittedly, some extra irritating than others. I’m primarily taking a look at an enormous silly fowl boss for the earliest instance of them getting a skosh irritating.
There are presently confirmed to be 451 obtainable Digimon throughout the a number of ranges of Digivolution, from “Contemporary” to “Final,” and it largely tends to stay throughout the easier parameters of these phases and all the pieces in between. Largely. There are a number of Fusions, though so far as I’m conscious it the checklist doesn’t go too deeply into the weeds of the more- let’s say obscure variations of Digimon. So far as I’m conscious it doesn’t deal with among the newer new Digimon, though it’s my understanding that Bandai Namco does have plans so as to add extra in future.
Wait, Who ARE-
That’s to not say that the fight is wholly uninteresting, fairly the opposite. Except you progress the problem right down to Story Mode as a result of a boss will get too irritating and also you don’t wish to take care of repeating it or grinding. Each of that are utterly comprehensible causes, don’t let anybody inform you in any other case. In the event you do, there’s virtually at all times a Digimon that has what’s wanted to deal with a scenario, it would take a little bit of time to get there, nevertheless. However the fight and gameplay comes a really shut second to the story and characters.
This may in all probability be stunning for these comparatively new to the franchise, or have dismissed it as not the “Different Franchise,” however the Digimon Story video games and reveals are inclined to go locations, and have genuinely very human, very deep moments. Time Stranger isn’t any completely different in that regard, however as a part of my wanting to maintain this as spoiler-free as attainable I can’t go too deeply into it. What I can say, nevertheless, is that the sport reside and dies on how and if you happen to come to look after it’s forged. You watch quite a few of us — largely Digimon — develop all through, and whether or not you get invested of their tales or not are a serious a part of if you happen to’re going to love the locations it goes.
I for one, grew fairly strongly hooked up to the 2 primary voiced characters, Aegiomon and Inori, and their dynamic is the large driving drive of the sport. Yeah, I do know, I hear from the extra skilled Digifans,’ a Digimon and their companion being what makes you care, “what an enormous shock.” That is actually true, however since they’re the principle two, they’ve to hold the story and… I personally assume they achieve this. Once more, the story as an entire isn’t weak within the least, it’s Digimon, each story-based Digistory has no less than been fairly good, however these two because the emotional core glue it collectively fairly effectively.
…Lengthy Story, You Say? Hmm…
So, as an entire, what do I consider it? That’s a skosh tough to say. I’m largely an enormous fan of the sport, the story’s nice, the characters are fairly good to incredible. The gameplay loop of battling, elevating, and coaching your Digimon doesn’t get annoying though it might probably often be fatiguing. The Agent Ability system the place a great deal of making issues simpler for your self and your Digimon to get to the stat parameters they need and must get to the following stage is pretty easy and intuitive to to make use of, do you have to bear in mind to usually allocate your Agent Ability factors as you earn them by going via the story and doing facet quests. The Digifarm is there, and is definitely pretty streamlined and easier to make use of than it has been, and never tremendous intrusive. You don’t must hold going again to it, except you truly put Digimon into the farm, and also you simply have to seek out the golden door in every space to get again to the In-Between Theatre through which it resides.
My solely actual points are a number of main boss battles, the latter two are deeper in and make sense for his or her problem. There are minor ones as effectively, I’m not wholly sure why the cardboard sport that I can’t bear in mind the title of is there, except it’s simply meant to interrupt up the battles, through which case I suppose it’s truthful. In all probability the weakest card sport in a RPG I’ve seen since Tetra Grasp in Ultimate Fantasy 9, though not like that one it’s by no means obligatory to play. There’s additionally the same old situation with Bamco RPGs with there being $8 DLC for grinding dungeons, however that’s unobtrusive and utterly not wanted except you’re pressed for time or don’t wish to grind usually, which I absolutely perceive. That and cosmetics are what DLC are meant for, in spite of everything.
Do I like to recommend Time Stranger? Sure, however that’s a certified sure, if largely contemplating how issues are as of the time of this writing. I absolutely suggest it if you happen to’re a Digimon fan, like RPGs, and are open to wild, emotional rides. At full value? That’s additionally a certified sure, however that’s solely due to how sturdy a yr it’s been for video games typically. I’m not going to go on at size, you’ve lived via 2025, simply the identical as I’ve — congratulations on making it this far, by the way — it’s actually only a matter of cash and tastes, and the yr nonetheless isn’t over. I don’t love Time Stranger as a lot as I do a number of different video games I’ve performed this yr, that checklist will come on the finish of the yr, God keen, however I do nonetheless adore it. You would possibly wish to look ahead to it’s first sale when you have different considerations, it’s a Bamco title they usually are inclined to do these on a reasonably frequent foundation, however do give it a shot, on the very least.
