The Digimon anime franchise will at all times maintain a particular place in my coronary heart: I grew up watching the reveals and located their tales concerning the significance of bonds and connections to be genuinely heartfelt. Whereas the plots lean in direction of a youthful viewers, there’s additionally a common and timeless high quality. My publicity to the Digimon RPGs was severely restricted by comparability till monster-taming turn-based RPG Digimon Story: Time Stranger. After spending time with the sport, I discovered a title that performs very similar to an interactive narrative arc of the beloved collection, making an attempt to develop up alongside its unique, mature viewers. Time Stranger largely succeeds, offering numerous hours of leisure, but it’s not with out some viewers dissonance.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger tells the story of a undercover agent from an company known as ADAMAS, tasked with holding the world secure from harmful anomalies. Upon beginning, you choose between a male or feminine protagonist (narratively identified merely as “Agent” no matter the way you title them). This determination is basically superficial, because the plot stays as gender-neutral as attainable. Whereas on a mission, Agent encounters unusual digital beings described as electron part lifeforms, higher identified by the moniker “Digimon.” It isn’t lengthy after that Agent good points the power to associate with varied Digimon they encounter {that a} catastrophe happens, spanning each the human realm and the conflict-soaked Digital World of Iliad, alongside the very cloth of house and time itself. Along with their Digimon companions and a colourful assortment of allies from each worlds, can Agent stop a reality-ending tragedy?
I don’t wish to spoil an excessive amount of of Digimon Story: Time Stranger‘s plot, because it goes by some fairly hefty twists and divulges that gamers ought to expertise first-hand. The principle characters and their supporting forged of allies, each human and Digimon alike, are largely likable and memorable in varied methods. Even most of the antagonists have stunning depth or a compelling purpose behind their actions. Time journey tales are sometimes convoluted, and I wouldn’t say Time Stranger differs in that regard, however issues handle to play out in a surprisingly passable means regardless of that.
From an idea stance, Digimon Story: Time Stranger takes the Digimon franchise system of people forming bonds with Digimon whereas happening an journey to save lots of all existence and runs with it to new heights. Throw in some reality-breaking parts like a Persona Velvet Room-esque space in-between time and house, and the morally complicated/ambiguous anti-war messages present in Bandai franchise line Gundam, and you’ve got a reasonably fascinating narrative. In numerous methods, I admire that the story doesn’t dumb down its severe messaging or tone, seemingly matured with the little doubt getting older unique viewers of the Digimon franchise; nevertheless, it’s inside that very facet that the title suffers its greatest weak point: the dissonance of simply who this RPG means to cater to.
Digimon started as a family-friendly collection that might attraction to adventure-seeking kids with out fully dropping its attraction to older audiences, which is why it continues to have a faithful fan base. Digimon Story: Time Stranger approaches its multi-layered story of bonds, time journey, and battle with a extra mature mindset. In some ways, that is the continuation of a franchise that returning followers have aged alongside. But the shadows of its preliminary, family-friendly type stay. The Digimon themselves typically seem cutesy and infantile, which could lead on somebody to dismiss the RPG as youngsters’ fare. Nevertheless, the subject material it covers is way from kid-friendly, with a number of later plot twists which might be triggering and disturbing even for adults. These wanting the nostalgic adventures of youth will solely discover slivers right here, whereas these wanting extra mature storytelling will equally solely discover slivers. Provided that, I really feel just like the precise viewers for Time Stranger will probably be severely restricted.
From an RPG stance, Digimon Story: Time Stranger supplies a richly detailed and in-depth monster-taming expertise. Upon choosing a beginning Digimon to assist get by the primary dungeon, you may add a number of to your initially restricted roster. This addition is initially completed by encountering varied kinds of Digimon and combating them on the sphere, scanning the digital beings every time you battle them. A better share scan means stronger Digimon when you’ve sufficient of a share so as to add them to your roster. You may create a celebration of as much as six energetic Digimon with three really combating and three in reserve, switching between them at any level throughout your flip. Fight is a simple, conventional turn-based affair, but it feels prefer it goes at a breakneck tempo given all of the skill-slinging that happens.
Sure kinds of Digimon have their very own strengths and weaknesses alongside innate expertise and stats, although you may present them with extra expertise and stat-boosting gear to assist totally increase and customise their arsenal as you see match. Important to that is the fight’s Rock-Paper-Scissors kind triangle between Digimon: Vaccine kind Digimon deal further harm to Virus, who’re efficient towards Knowledge varieties, who in flip beat Vaccine varieties. As soon as a Digimon reaches particular targets, it might additionally digivolve to a stronger type (or, if it’s a explicit Digimon you’re after, you may de-digivolve and try a distinct digivolution part). Quite a few permutations can be found relying on a Digimon’s stats, their base persona, and Agent’s rank. As you advance within the recreation, Agent good points anomaly factors, which you’ll be able to then spend on pretty in depth ability timber that assist unlock a brand new tremendous transfer throughout fight or increase stats of the differing Digimon personalities. With so many alternative approaches to how a Digimon can advance, one may spend hours merely experimenting with the system to realize potent allies.
To additional strengthen Digimon, the In-Between Theater you may go to additionally permits you entry to extra Outer Dungeons for expertise and awards. It’s also possible to place Digimon you aren’t at present utilizing at a digi-farm to bear coaching to assist additional strengthen them or alter persona traits, which in flip adjustments their stats. It’s a pleasant contact, albeit maybe extra superfluous than not, relying in your chosen problem settings. Other than advancing the principle storyline, you may as well partake in quite a few aspect quests. These aspect quests are of the fetch or battle selection, however supply fairly first rate rewards as incentives for completion. Once more, you may spend hours making an attempt to do all the pieces this title provides, particularly with its varied replayability options. As a result of there’s a lot to see and do, a option to journey between the realms simply with out backtracking would’ve been welcome.
Visually, Digimon Story: Time Stranger isn’t terrible-looking, although it does endure from some budgetary points. This challenge is, specifically, obvious within the restricted animations for the varied Digimon you encounter. I need to admit that I’m not the largest fan of the character designs by Suzuhito Yasuda, however that’s extra a private choice than the rest, and I believe they transition properly sufficient to the sport’s graphics, regardless. The sport’s art work and its visible presentation are actually eye-catching! Nevertheless, the dialogue subtitle UI font will be difficult to learn at instances, relying on the background’s colour and lighting. Soundwise, the English language voice work is first rate sufficient to hold the narrative, and the music successfully bolsters pivotal moments and battles. I particularly just like the instrumentation and lyrical message behind the sentimental theme tune. The script works, and the localization is great. I solely observed two spelling errors, which is spectacular given the quantity of dialogue.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger has rather a lot to supply as a monster-taming RPG. A heartfelt story lies at its core, regardless of some dissonance relating to its audience, and the gameplay mechanics are polished and totally entertaining. You may end up spending hours and hours enjoying the sport and experimenting with customization alone! I had a good time enjoying the first story marketing campaign particularly, and located myself rising to care concerning the characters. So far as an interactive Digimon expertise goes, I believe that sentiment proves simply how a lot Digimon Story: Time Stranger in the end delivers.
