One of many titles at SGF I used to be most excited to take a look at was Digimon Story: Time Stranger. Having liked the earlier two Digimon Story video games I used to be excited to see a brand new location, new story, however extra of the identical JRPG goodness.
I bought to take a seat down and play half-hour of Digimon Story: Time Stranger, beginning with the protagonist, Aegiomon, and Inori first reaching Central City within the Digital World. After a short cutscene of the characters making their manner by way of a sewer to a ladder, the social gathering emerges in Central City.
Central City Is Alive With Digimon
I used to be blown away by simply how a lot was occurring on this metropolis. From the place you emerge, you’ll be able to see no less than three dozen digimon, of ranges from Child as much as Mega, some hanging round having conversations, some watching over town, and others working as retailer house owners or guides.
It was a feast to the eyes, and as a fan of Digimon, I used to be much more excited to listen to that each Digimon that I might see in and round Central City was one I might receive for myself by way of scanning or digivolution.
With quite a lot of colourful characters, completely different themed Digimon exploring related environments, and energetic motion, it actually made town really feel alive.
Exploring town, there was a store to buy stat-changing gear from, assaults to buy on your Digimon, and meals for the Digifarm. A lot so that you can spend your hard-earned money on. I did not get to dig far more into that, however quite a lot of it was the usual RPG array of things and elemental assaults of various energy.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger Overworld Fight And QOL
Leaving Central City on a Pegasusmon’s again, it was my new aim to succeed in the highest of a giant tower. Getting into an area with aggressive Digimon, there have been just a few issues that I used to be proven.
The primary was that there have been quite a lot of provides and crates that I might destroy with my Digimon to acquire the merchandise.
Digimon now spawn within the overworld, versus being random encounters. On prime of that, I used to be shocked after I initiated my first battle… and it was over simply as quickly because it had began. A brand new High quality of Life characteristic in Digimon Story: Time Stranger is that in the event you’re up towards Digimon which might be much less highly effective than your individual social gathering by a specific amount, you will win mechanically.
What’s even higher about that is that not solely is EXP nonetheless earned, however you get scan knowledge for the Digimon you face too.
If you encounter a Digimon that you do not kill instantly, you will get launched into turn-based fight. Right here you’ll be able to carry out fundamental assaults or lean into your Digimon’s particular talents. That is the place I skilled the least distinction from prior Digimon Story video games, but additionally it is Shin Megami Tensei fashion fight, the place there is a deal with utilizing particular assaults and swapping between quite a lot of distinctive creatures. It does not have to completely reinvent the style to be fight system.
One other main High quality of Life enchancment is that fight velocity can change. You possibly can have 1x, 2x, 3x, and 5x battle velocity. When you recognize your Digimon, what combos of talents are strongest, and are possibly performing some expertise farming this velocity up will probably be a saving grace.
Boss Battles Have Evolving Moments
There have been two locations the place fight confirmed off some distinctive elements that I skilled as I used to be preventing towards Parrotmon, a boss/titan at this level within the story.
The primary of those adjustments concerned Parrotmon instantly. Partway by way of the battle, Parrotmon introduced its wings in in the direction of its physique, defending itself because it began to cost up electrical power with its head. A brand new white bar appeared under its well being; this was a gauge that I wanted to take down by particularly attacking its head as a substitute of its physique, in any other case it could unleash a robust assault.
This added dynamic factor created a cause to prioritize highly effective assaults, turning the battle momentarily right into a dash versus being a marathon.
The opposite change is how the tamer is concerned in a battle. The primary of which is in merchandise utilization. As an alternative of an Merchandise getting used, and taking on a Digimon’s flip, the Tamer has their very own ‘motion’ that they will take. If an merchandise is used, the Digimon whose flip it’s remains to be capable of carry out a capability, however it would take a rotation of the entire Digimon earlier than your Tamer can use an motion once more.
This got here in clutch whereas I used to be utilizing Tankmon within the battle towards Parrotmon. Tankmon has a robust assault that can depart him paralyzed for a flip. Simply earlier than it was Tankmon’s flip, I used to be about to make use of a restorative merchandise with the Tamer, readying Tankmon for an additional highly effective assault, whereas nonetheless attending to deal heavy harm with a Kyuubimon.
A second manner that the Tamer is concerned is with a robust X-Artwork (Pronounced Cross Artwork). Whereas battling, you will earn factors by hitting your enemy with kind benefit assaults, and avoiding being hit with strikes which might be sturdy towards your Digimon. Activating this capability stacked three turns’ price of each buff on my total social gathering.
This was one other time, this time created by the participant, to arrange your strongest Digimon to assault in fast succession to capitalize on the boosts that you just obtain.
One factor that wasn’t clear about X-Artwork is whether or not this type of capability is one that may be swapped out, or you’ll be able to develop from having one choice to a number of.
Creating And Digivolving Your Companions
Digimon are on the core of this expertise. At any time in your social gathering, you’ll be able to have three energetic members and three reserve members. There are additionally areas for visitor social gathering members who’re a part of fight, however cannot be managed by the participant. You can too have 999 further Digimon in your storage. You possibly can freely switch Digimon out and in of your social gathering whether or not you are in a metropolis or out in areas the place you’ll be able to battle wild Digimon. I bought to see Aegiomon and Minervamon as friends on this session.
Digimon in your social gathering, whether or not they’re energetic or in reserve, will all acquire full expertise in battle, which is a stunning contact.
Encountering Digimon within the wild, you will scan them. As soon as you have scanned them to 100%, you’ll be able to convert that knowledge right into a Digimon of that kind for your self. Additionall,y you’ll be able to scan to 200% and the Digimon that you just create may have boosted stats in addition to the next most stage potential.
A facet of Digimon elevating that I did not get to see as a part of the gameplay demo was the Digimon farm so we’ll need to search for greater than that sooner or later.
Digimon Has By no means Seemed So Good
Strolling around the globe, seeing Digimon work together with each other, and most ceaselessly in the course of the battle scene, was simply how good the Digimon in Digimon Story: Time Stranger regarded.
I used to be most impressed with seeing Zudomon up shut, his bulkier mannequin wanting actually well-defined in Central City, and Kyuubimon in the course of battle. The boss battle occurred underneath darkish cloud cowl, however Kyuubimon’s flaming components glowed brilliant. This not solely regarded extra real looking, but additionally made me consider different attention-grabbing hearth or water components of various Digimon and the way they’re going to be represented.
References In every single place
You possibly can inform that the builders are followers of the supply materials by how even that small slice of the world was overflowing with references. The Digimon 02 Rookies may very well be discovered close to the Trailmon station, Tamers Rookies had been hanging out in an alleyway, and even Arukenimon and Mummymon had been seen collectively.
Exterior of the precise references to teams of Digimon, if there is a Digimon that you are a fan of from particular Digimon media ,then likelihood is that Digimon is right here. We have seen Digimon as early as Digimon Journey, all the way in which as much as Digimon Xros Wars: The Younger Hunters Who Leapt By Time.
It is not totally clear if we’ll see any Digimon from Ghost Recreation or characters like Pulsemon or Herrismon from cellular video games, and I feel it could be secure to imagine we can’t see any Appmon.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger Preview | Last Ideas
I went into Digimon Story: Time Stranger as a lifelong Digimon fan, and somebody who has been poring over launched footage and property, and I used to be nonetheless blown away by what I bought to see. The world is full and thriving with Digimon life. Packed full of recent Digimon (like Tankdramon) and references that Digimon followers will at all times smile to see.
I hope they’re hiding some Ghost Recreation Digimon, and that we’ll get to see extra of the Armor Digivolutions (together with some non-canonical ones).
The discharge of this recreation cannot come any sooner.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger was previewed at Summer season Recreation Fest 2025.
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