Digimon Story: Time Stranger

Digimon Story Time Stranger combines nostalgia for fans of the anime series with fun combat and an emotional rollercoaster of a storyline. It’s the perfect entry point for new fans, and one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

I’ve mentioned in the past that Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth is not only one of the best games from the past decade in my opinion, but easily one of the best and most underrated JRPGs of all time. It fills my heart with joy to see that, at least nowadays, a lot of people have managed to catch up on what was initially a pretty obscure release with little to no marketing fanfare, only to realize it, alongside its side-sequel Hacker’s Memory, was indeed that good. Maybe it was the mixture mon...

Digimon Story Time Stranger is the boldest entry in the franchise to date, delivering a thrilling narrative, stunning environments, and over 450 Digimon to collect. Its deep combat system, expansive quality-of-life improvements, and superb English voice acting elevate it alongside the best RPGs of the year. Minor issues aside, this is the definitive Digimon experience fans have been waiting for.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is an excellent entry for the franchise and continues what made the prior Digimon Story games great.  The story is fun and engaging with a lot of different choices to make in the narrative and Digimon to level up and digivolve.  While some of the mechanics can be a bit complex and the difference in difficulty between normal and Titan battles can be a bit jarring for the unprepared, it won’t take long before you’re saving both the real and digital worlds like you’ve been a Digimon Tamer you’re entire life.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger delivers an excellent narrative, with some weaker side-quests, that builds a living and breathing Digital World where you get to grow with allies. Combat is filled with limitless possibilities and hundreds of cool monsters to grow. It's a fantastic evolution for current Digimon fans, and also a great jumping-on point for those new to the franchise.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is one of those rare games that should appeal to both veterans of the franchise and absolute newcomers. A decent story, great music and appealing visuals are icing on the Digimon cake, a delicious and satisfying take on the turn-based JRPG battle formula. With a little more edge and deeper mechanics than its Poké-cousin, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is addictive, fun and definitely the best game in the Digimon Story series.

The wait is finally over. After nearly eight years since Cyber Sleuth Hacker’s Memory, the Digimon Story series returns with Digimon Story: Time Stranger. Developed once again in collaboration with Media.Vision, the studio behind the Cyber Sleuth titles, this entry refreshes the franchise with a strong narrative focus, refined systems, and a deeper bond between Tamers and Digimon.

After being delighted by the demo, I decided to play Digimon Story Time Stranger despite being new to the series and I'm happy that I did.

Time Stranger propels Digimon forward as a serious contender in the critter-catching genre.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger does some things right, but its repetitive quests and dungeons drag the experience down significantly, to the point where it becomes almost a chore to play at times. Still, hardcore Digimon fans may be able to overlook even its most glaring flaws, as the game was clearly built with love for the franchise.

The core of Digimon Story Time Stranger is fantastic.

Digimon fans starving for a game with a proper budget can finally have their fill. Digimon Story: Time Stranger is everything that those who grew up alongside Taichi and Agumon once dreamed a game could be. The story, though it sometimes stumbles with its time-travel theme and clunky script, has a glorious conclusion, and there's nothing better than filling your roster with 400+ Digimon. However, those who are just looking for a new turn-based JRPG might not find much here to hold their attention, especially since the first hours feel unappealing for anyone who doesn't care about Digimon.