More digital monsters are on the way

There's more in store for the world of digital monsters. Digimon game producers Kazumasa Habu and Takahiro Yokota confirm that "multiple" Digimon game projects are in the works.

The news arrives alongside the confirmation that Digimon World: Next Order is getting ported to the PC and Switch. In a video from the duo, they confirm that there's more in store for Digimon.

"Currently, we have multiple Digimon game projects in the pipeline," said Habu. "And Digimon World: Next Order is actually handled by a new producer that joined the Digimon game team this year."

//twitter.com/digimon_games/stat??us/1583141278513889281

No details on what those projects are yet. As for Digimon World: Next Order, the 2017 game is get??ting some quality-of-life features for its PC and Swi??tch port.

One addition is a "Beginner Mode" difficulty setting. Alongside that, the Digimon team is also ?adding a run option. F??inally, some cardio in the digital world.

Digimon World: Next Order will hit ??PC and Nintendo Switch on Feb??ruary 22, 2023.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6ISYwy_l9M

Digital champions

There's been a few Digimon games steadily trickling out, including one this year. Digimon Survive finally launched this last July, after a series of delays.

And before that, the frequently praised Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth made its way to Nintendo Switch and PC.

Now, Next Order is next up on the docket and more projects are potentially on the way. Although we don't have any details, this still seems like good news for Digimon fans? who have been holding out for more from the franchise.

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Make good choices at Digimon camp

The long-awaited Digimon Survive got a new trailer today, highlighting both its tactics and its story ahead of its July 29 launch. There are dangers, decisions, and a w?hole lot of Digivolution.

Digimon Survive is one-part visual novel mystery adventure, following a character lost in the world of Digimon. These sections seem to follow the cast of humans as they venture around,?? trying to figure out wh??at's happened and how to get back home.

Then, once a battle breaks out, it gets tactical. Digimon battles happen on a grid system with turn-based tactical fights. And yes,?? the Digimon can evolve into wild, wacky new D??igimon.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLiTAk9TyUk

The mix of mystery and tactics certainly seems interesting. And I can't help but be drawn in when the trailer shows a chart of Digivolu??tions with all kinds of crossing arrows and paths.

Digimon are the champions

The tactical story-driven Digimon Survive has been in the works for quite a long time, with quite a few delays. Then, earlier this year, the team finally locked a firm date for it on July 29.

With such a long road to launch, I'd hope Digimon fans find what they're looking for in Survive. Other Digimon games like Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth have flown under the radar, but been pretty solid.

The tactical take and incorporation of adventure game elements in Survive really intrigues me, even as someone who isn't the biggest Digimon fan. (I did really like Our War Game, though.)

Hopefully the wait's been worth it. Digimon Survive wi??ll launch on July 29 for PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xb?ox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

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Also known as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 day

That long-delayed tactical Digimon game with the fancy character art is finally coming home. In a succinct video message, producer Kazumasa Habu announced that Digimon Survive will release on July 29, 2??022, across PC, PS4??, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

"The Digimon Survive team is planning to deliver more exciting news to you in all forms," said Habu. "Please loo?k forward to it and stay tuned. We are almost there!"

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q_KGjmtoXQ

If that date sounds strangely familiar, well, you might also be a Xenoblade fan. In a rare move, Nintendo recently pushed Xenoblade Chronicles 3 up a couple of months to July 29.

Digimon Survive is a turn-based strategy RPG with "anime-style storytelling," as publisher Bandai Namco puts it. Playing as Takuma Momozuka, you'll make tough choices and ??fight alongside fellow students to escape a dangerous world and return home. The game is b??alancing elements from different genres, and I hope it all clicks in a fresh way.

It's hard to think of a more-frequently-delayed video game than Digimon Survive, at least around these parts and in recent memory. At one point, the game was expected in 2019 �then in 2020, 2021, and now 2022. To that end, I literally wrote an article on this site with the headline "This is hopefully the last time Digimon Survive will be delayed."

So while its launch alongside Xenoblade Chronicles 3 isn't ideal if you're in t??he wider Switch RPG audience, it's sure nice to see this long-??awaited game solidify its timing.

As much as I've drifted away from the Digimon series at large, I have fond memories of watching the show on Saturday mornings, and Andromon still randomly drifts into my mind. I hope Digimon Survive does well so we'll see even more types of Digimon games.

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Another delay for the Digi-tactics game

Digimon Survive will be pushed back again into a new year. Today, Toei Animation and Bandai Namco confirmed that Digimon Survive has been delayed into 2022.

There were hints this might happen due to a financial report spotted earlier this year, but today brings official confirmation of the delay. In a message from Digimon Survive game producer Kazumasa Habu, he detailed why the game has been ?delayed again from its 2021 tar?get.

"Our original goal was to launch Digimon Survive in 2021," wrote Habu. "However, ??due to ??the need to allocate more time to development, it is necessary to move the game's release date to 2022. While this decision hasn't been an easy one, we want to make sure we use this extra time to enhance the quality of the game."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYNEJuXvkHM

For those keeping track at home, Digimon Survive has now been delayed three times: from 2019 to 2020, then again into 2021, and now into the year 2022. Along the way, there have been plenty of strange development non-updates, too.

Whenever we do actually see Digimon Survive launch, it seems like it'll be a pretty interesting take on the Digimon formula. It's a tactics game with some visual novel thrown in, and story choices can impact the evolution of your monsters alongs??ide your ending.

This is hopefully the last delay we'll see of it, though after three delays, I'm just hoping the developers are doing okay. Digimon Survive will have my attention whenever it launches. We'll see if this launches in 2022, and even more hopefully after that, the creators get some d?e??served rest and relaxation.

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It slipped from 2019 to 2020 and now it's gonna be 2021

Bandai Namco has been no stranger to delays this year, and here's another one. Digimon Survive, a turn-based tactical g??ame? with visual-novel loveliness, is now aiming for a 2021 release window.

In a message on Twitter, producer Kazumasa Habu said that "current world events have shifted our development timing and we have made the difficult decision to push Digmon Survive's launch to 2021."

He also thanked fans for their "continued patience" and promised "exciting u?pdates" i?n spring 2021.

This isn't the first time Digimon Survive has been pushed back. And actually, we even had a false alarm back in April when Weekly Famitsu printed a "TBA" error instead of the then-"2020" ?re?lease date.

One of these days, Agumon. One of these days.

Digimon Games [Twitter]

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You could say it Survived

Fear struck among the Digimon faithful when news surfaced of yet another Digimon Survive delay. As it turns out, it was just a m??edia-side ga??ffe.

The new issue of "Weekly Famitsu" states that Digimon Survive's release window is TBA, when previous issues said 2020. That rightly led to people assuming it had suffered another delay. It wouldn't be all that crazy considering Digimon Survive was already delayed in 2019, and no one's workin??g situation i?s completely normal right now.

However, Bandai Namco says that the change is a misprint. In a statement to Gematsu, a Bandai Namco representative confirms that Digimon Survive&n?bsp;is still set for 2020, and that this is me??rely "a typo on Famitsu's side."

The latest issue of Weekly Famitsu has a change in release d??ate for Di?gimon Survive from "2020" to "TBA."

A @BandaiNamcoUS rep has confirmed to Gematsu that Digimon Survive is still on track for a 2020 release and that "the switch from 2020 to TBA is a typo on Famitsu’s side." pic.twitter.com/jSjjO0QeME

— Gematsu (@gematsucom) April 22, 2020

Digimon Survive is a fairly radical departure from other Digimon games like Cyber Sleuth. This is a turn-based tactical game, it's set in a different dimension, and the presentation has a visual novel bent. Also, the trailer that's embedded above touts death, danger, and tough decisions. It sounds like a wild ride. We'll find out when Digimon Survive definitely absolutely positively releases in 2020 on?? PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox ??One.

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'The voice of the spirit echoes...'

Digimon Survive will kick things off with an animated opening movie, and while the strate??gy RPG isn't releasing until next year, Bandai Namco has shared the intro to help f?amiliarize us with the cast.

The opening movie is a quick sl?ice of life for Takuma and his classmates. They're about to embark on a school camping trip in the woods, despite the fact that there's been an ominous earthquake and other strange occurrences. One thing will ultimately lead to another and the gang will find themselves "transported to a strange new world of monsters and danger." That's where we come in.

I'm interested to see just how malleable the story is in terms of player choices and consequences. After all, Bandai Namco has promised a "darker tale" for Digimon Survive. Knowing how my Until Dawn playthrough ended (not well!), these?? kids may have some cause for c?oncern. I'll do my best!

When Digimon Survive launches in 2020, it'll be availabl??e on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switc??h.

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The delay gives me more time to play Cyber Sleuth

This weekend brought a blend of good and bad news for Digimon fans. On the lighter side, we learned about the incoming Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition for PC and Nintendo Switch. That Anime Expo tidbit was a real crowd-pleaser. On the less-fun news front, Bandai Namco also announced that Digmon Survive won't release in 2019 as previously thought. The game ??is now set f??or next year.

Digimon Survive can look like two totally different video games de?pending on which screenshots you encounter. It features turn-based ta??ctical combat, like the scene shown in this article, but it's also a bit of a visual-novel adventure. So beyond battling "over 100 Digimon," you're also making story choices that are said to "impact the evolution of [your] monster allies, and the final ending." I'm into it!

The plot follows a band of teenagers who go from being lost on a camping trip to being lost in the realm of digital monsters. It's a tale as old as time. The idea of forming a bond with a critter and eventually needing to go your separate ways still gets to me all these years later. You're too bittersweet, Digimon.

Bandai Namco did not divulge a more specific release date during the Future of Digimon panel at Anime Expo. As it stands, Digimon Survive is simply set for 2020 ??on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Having Survive come out after Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth does its thing on Switch could work in its favor. As someone who hasn't touched a Digimon game in forever, Cyber Sleuth can be my warmup.

[Via Gematsu]

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Digimon...Digital Monsters...

During Anime Expo's "Future of Digimon" panel today, Bandai Namco America announced that a complete edition of Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth would be heading to PC and Switch this fall. Releasing October 18, 2019, the package will include both the base game and its Hacker's Memory DLC expansion in one, easy package.

As for how the game is, Destructoid's own Chris Carter seemed pleased with it. In his review for the original game, he said, "Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth plays it safe in a lot of ways, but for many of you out there, that's going to be perfectly fine." He was even fond of the expansion, stating, "Hacker's Memory is another solid turn-based RPG and a damn good Digimon game tha?t you shouldn't miss if you played the original." That so?unds pretty good, to me.

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There will be many more Digi-men, I assure you

Digimon is one of those franchises you probably don't think about every day. While Pokemon is inescapable (especially after Pokemon Go), Digimon is c??ontent with being the backline for folks to fall back on in case you've filled your Pokedex or just pla??in don't resonate with the little pocket monsters.

Since 1997 the ser?ies has spawned various toys, manga, anime, and game adaptations, and the fun isn't stopping anytime soon. By way of a public Twitter posting, Bandai Namco and Toei Animation are asking fans for questions on the "Future of Digimon" panel, which will be held at Anime Expo 2019 in LA on July 6 at 10AM PT (Room LP5, if you're going).

Select questions will be read aloud so long as they have to do with the "Digimon games or Digimon Survive," which goes without saying as Survive is indeed a Digimon game. It seems as if the main purpose of this event is for fans to get more info on the elusive Survive, which is being developed by Witchcraft for t??he PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch platforms.

Lest you think the series is slowing down: although the recent TV show ended its run in 2017, there is another movie coming in 2020 (the 17th overall), the aforementioned Survive is set for a worldwide debut this year, and Cyber Sleuth arrived in the west just recently in early 2018.

Bandai Namco [Twitter]

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Digital monsters Digimon are the champions

Digimon fans should keep their eyes pee?led for exciting new news about the monster-catching franchise. Publisher Bandai Namco has stated that "Something big is coming," with the news expected to drop in next month's issue of Japanese magazine V-Jump.

That's literally it. No further hints as to whether this news will relate to a new game, series or movie. Hey, maybe Digimon is getting its own CGI/live-action film, ala Sonic the Hedgehog and Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. Okay, realistically, it probably isn't going to be that. But hopefully it'll be something to get the Digimon community all in a tizzy.

Digimon never really entered my sphere of reference, coming way after my time, but I definitely recall the TV show's ear-worm of a theme tune, as well as a description once told to me regarding the difference between Digimon and Pokemon, where I was told "Pokemon are your slaves, ?but Digimon ?are your friends." Seems legit?

Major Digimon news expected in next V-Jump issue [Gematsu / Ryokutya2089]

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Coming to PC and consoles

Bandai Namco has fully revealed Digimon Survive, a new "survival RPG" bringing turn-based battles and visual novel story sequences to Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One next year. Can you ?believe the original anime is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary? I don't like feeling old on Mondays.

The story will follow a group of teens who get lost on a camping trip and become even more lost when they suddenly find themselve?s in the world of digital monsters. "As they ??fight their way back home through a 3D world of difficult decisions and deadly battles, players' choices throughout the game will impact the evolution of their monster allies, and the final ending," said Bandai Namco.

Not too terribly much to go on in today's trailer, but the publisher has confirmed that Digimon Survive will have characters designed by Uit??i Ukumo and music composed by Tomoki Miyo??shi.

The post We’re getting the strategy RPG Digimon Survive next year appeared first on Destructoid.

With an extra dash of visual novel thrown in

Bandai Namco is going in a different direction with Digimon Survive, an upc?oming Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 title coming to Japan next year. Details are light ahead of the publisher's full reveal, but it's a strategy RPG that incorporates visual novel elements for its illustrated story sequences.

As reported by Siliconera, the idea is that your choices can affect the story and evolutions. Digimon Survive revolves around an eighth grader and his new pal Agumon. An early screen from V Jump magazine shows a grid-base??d battle with Greymon, Numemo??n, and a couple other familiar faces.

I like Digimon, I'm partial to strategy RPGs, and combining the two on?? Sw??itch sounds fab.

[Via Ryokutya2089 and Siliconera]

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DigiDestined for my phone

Digimon ReArise, the new and upcoming Digimon training RPG for mobile devices, showcased its opening video today with the theme song “The Future Is Now” by Japanese rock band Straightener. The opening video also gives us a first look at Erismon, a new and original Digimon made for ReArise.

Erismon is described as the “Lightning hedgehog Digimon” with the abili??ty to shoot “light needles” from its body with i?t's trademark attack -- “Lightning Fur.” ReArise features an all-new story with an original cast of characters illus??trated by Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, with the developers describing the game as both: “The adventure story of tamers and their Digimon, and looking after and training Digimon at any time.”

Given the success and popularity of the past two Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth games in Japan, it's no surprise Bandai Namco are looking to expand o??n that p?opularity on the country's most popular platform -- mobile devices.

Digimon ReArise will be releasing this summer in Japan for iOS an??d Android.?? There has been no word yet on a western release.

Digimon ReArise opening movie [Gematsu]

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Digimon are the champions!

As we wait for the final episodes of Digimon Adventure tri., the sequel series where the original cast are teenagers, to launch, Toei Animation and Shout! Factory are showing the fourth movie, Digimon Adventure tri: Loss, for one day in the U.S. on February 1. J?ust like the previous showings, it'll feature the English dub.

While I wasn't a fan of the direction the films took during the third one, I'm glad that people will get to see a good number of the voice actors from Saban's version of the original series reprise their roles. That, and I love that we're getting more anime screening ev??e?nts in the U.S. Since the fifth and sixth movies are getting this treatment down the road, these showings could serve as a trip down memory lane.

One of the great parts of Digimon Adventure tri.'s treatment in the West is its home release having the original Japanese audio. Considering that Shout! Factory plans to release Loss and its sequels on Blu-ray and DVD, I'm hoping that it could lead to the company releasing uncut versions of the Digimon TV shows.

For those who want to return to the Digital World, you can head to Fathom Event's Website to see if it's showing in your location.

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Anyone else remember that awful Angela Anaconda short?

With Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory (say that eight times fast) releasing January 19, 2018 in North America and Europe -- and in just two days time in Japan -- it's not a huge surpri?se to learn that development is alread??y underway for the next game in the popular series.

This news comes from an interview that game producer Kazumasa Haba had with Japanese site 4Gamer, in which he confirmed that a completely new Digimon Story game is also being developed, alongside the aforementioned Hacker’s Memory.

Considering both Hacker's Memory and the original Cyber Sleuth title were both released on the PS Vita, here's hoping this one finds its way to the Switch, as I think this would be another perfect RPG to have on t??he go.

New Digimon Story game in Development [Niche Gamer]

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Change into digital champions again

After announcing a December 14 release in Japan, I'm glad we don't have to wait that much longer for Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker's Story?? (who knows wher?e that damn colon goes) to hit the West. 

Hacker's Memory hits the Americas and Europe January 19, and those who pre-order gain access to extra Digimon (Omnimon NX, Sistermon Ciel and Blanc, Leopardmon NX, and Crusadermon NX) and extra costumes (V. Uchida Costume, Inoden School Attire, Summer Camp T-Shirt, and Beelzebum??on Emblem T-Shirt). 

I liked the first Digimon Story, so I'm down for another run through this world. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker's Memory releases January 19 on PlayStation 4 

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Digivolve to: Please for the love of god come to the west-mon

That's my new champion form, thank you very much. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth was one of the best Digimon games released in years in my opinion. So obviously I was pretty ecstatic to find out it's getting a sequel in the form of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker's Memory. Better y?et, it's getting a limited-edition “Digimon 20th Anniversary Box” which was announced today for Japan during Bandai Namco's reveal of the official box art.

From the ?standard version of the game for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.

The Japanese release will also be receiving a first-pr?int bonus which includes various costumes for characters in the game and three exclusive Digimon (Sistermon Noir, Sistermon Blanc, and Edge Style Body Digimon Omnimon NX).

The Digimon 20th Anniversary Box editi??on of the game will include:

• An anime sound edition of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker's Memory
• A Digimon Story Visual Art Book
• A copy of the Hacker's Memory original soundtrack
• A download code for NX Edge Style Body Digimon: Gallantmon and Alphamon
• A special 20th anniversary box

For now, it's unknown whether or not this edition of the game will be coming to the west. The game is set to re?lease December 14, 2017 for Japan and early 2018 for the west, for both PlayStation 4 and?? Vita. Will you be digital sleuthing once more?

Japanese Box Art, Limited Editio??n ?Revealed for Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory [GameSkinny]

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Featuring Goldmember's Digimon

Bandai Namco has released new screenshots and details for Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker's Memory, covering new characters, the new "Domination Batt??le" system, and the Digital Monster 20th Ann?iversary Digimon Zubamon.

In Hacker's Memory, a conflict between hackers has erupted in the digital world in an attempt to claim the ultimate power. Players will meet Yuugo, leader of the biggest hacker group called Zaxon, who are fighting for their rights; Arata Sanada, a former?? jacker that is the leader of the legendary hacker team known as Jude that Zaxon is fighting against; and Ryuji Mishima, leader of the Hudie faction that players will join.

A new feature called Domination Battle will also make its debut. Two teams battle each other in a neutral network area, which will cha?nge colour according to the allegiance of the character that steps on it. The goal is to fight for these areas and collect area points to? win.

Finally, a new Digimon, Zubamon, will be playable along with its three Digivolutions. Zubamon is a Legend-Arms Digimon, which is capable of transforming its arms into weapons to slash at foes. Much like the Hot Scramble Gundam for Gundam games, Zubamon was created and is being included as part of the Digital Monster 20th Anniversary??. Zubamon digivolves into ZubaEagermon, Duramon, and Durandamon.

Overall, the new game appears to be shaping up quite well. If it's anything like the previous Cyber Sleuth game, which our own Chris Carter had a good time with, I may have to check it out myself

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Why do I get all the games with long names?

Slightly odd to call this an "announcement" trailer since we've known about this game for some t?ime, bu?t it's the first one I suppose. Electronic beats jazz over a first glimpse at gameplay and environments.

Digital worlds and electronic music combos may be as cliche as that "Yooo!" sound effect in Japan-themed settings, but its one I'll never tire of. It's just cool. Even if Tron Legacy was bland overall it got the vibe right. Likewise, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory has a check mark fo?r style. Now let's hope the gameplay is good.

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There's no shame in playing on easy

I’ve been jokingly crediting the original Digimon World as my all-time favorite game for years, all the while secretly hoping that someone would agree with me and reminisce. There was something uniquely charming about the first entry in Digimon World series that the decade and a half of Digimon r?ole-playing games, cart racers, and arena fighters that followed couldn’t match.

And while Japan has had a steady flow of Digimon titles, western fans have had to endure nearly a decade without a single new RPG. Last year’s Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth offered a taste of what a modern game in the series could look like but the dual PlayStation 4 and Vita title felt like a Persona game rather than the distinctly Digimon experience I had been hoping for.

One year later, Digimon World: Next Order was localized and sudd?enly all of my prayers were answered.

Digimon World: Next Order (PS4 [reviewed])
Developer: B.B. Studio
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Released: January 31, 2017
MSRP: $59.99

Like Cyber Sleuth before it, Next Order was first released for Sony's neglected PlayStation Vita handheld in Japan and then re-released for the PlayStation 4. But unlike Cyber Sleuth, Bandai Namco decided not to offer the game on the Vita in the West. While it's unlikely that this absence was noticed by Vita fans, those picking up the game on PS4 are sure to notice Next Order's origins as a handheld port.

While the cartoonishly stylized world favored in recent Digimon games doesn't look out of place on the PS4, the game is littered with small little hiccups that remind players that what they're playing isn't taking full advantage of the platform they purchased it for. This never manifests in anything outright game-breaking, but lackluster special move animations and jumpy transitions between day and night cycles never let you forget that you're actually just playing a Vita game. Despite this, Next Order's is still a decent port, and it is thankfully is free from the comically error-ridden textboxes that plagued the last Digimon localization attempt. 

Next Order is, in many ways, an homage to the first Digimon World. The gameplay, structure, and even sound effects all call back to the most memorable elements of that original game. Just like in Digimon World, one of the primary goals of Next Order is to explore and track down new residents for a growing city. But even then, it feels more like a welcoming reimagining of the origina?l rather than a ?decade-overdue continuation.

At its core, Next Order is more about raising and training Digimon than it is anything else. Right from the start, players are given two partner Digimon but the exact kind of creatures they’ll raise is entirely dependent on the training decisions players make. There are 217 possible partners in Next Order, and chances are you won&rsquo??;t see all of them.

Initially, players are given their choice of ten eggs that will hatch their first pair of baby Digimon. From there, Digimon ‘Digivolve’ through six total stages, most of which offer multiple possible Digivolutions depending on how players have raised their partners and which of six statistics they’ve trained. If your partner doesn’t meet the requirements for any of its next possible stages within a set amount of days, it’ll collapse, die, and be reborn once again into an egg of y??our choosing, each time with a slight boost to its stats.

It’s entirely possible to dump a significant amount of time into the Digivolution trees alone while more or less ignoring the rest of the game. On its own, blindly training different Digimon to unlock and discover new Digivolution routes is addicting, and sitting down with a spreadsheet and a notebook to train your way to a specifi??c powerful Digimon is doubly so. 

Here’s the downsi??de: the actual act of skill training is incredibly uninvolved and repetitive. You’re able to put a bit of thought behind training by feeding partners specific foods, or focusing on building certain skills on certain days, but for the most part training involves picking a category and trying to stop a roulette at a set point to boost training effects. That’s it and, since Digivolution?? is partly a race against the clock, that’s what you’re likely to spend multiple in-game days doing every single time your Digimon is reborn. 

The Digivolution grind is one of two things pulled from the original Digimon World that will either endear players to Next Order or turn them off from the game?? ?completely. Combat is the other.

On its own, Next Order’s combat is strange. Battles take place in real-time, and combatants unleash attacks with minimal player input. While the bul?k of the action is AI-driven, players can i??ssue direct commands to partners periodically throughout battle at the expense of order points, which are per-battle currency slowly built up during fights. It sounds strange, but there’s a strategic element here that emerges as you both adjust to the combat and progress through the game.

Hitting that support button right as a Digimon either lands a hit or takes damage yields significantly more order points, and more powerful orders naturally require more points. Eventually, you’ll build up a repertoire of different skills and abilities, and the moment-to-moment decisions of order selection and point ??management compound with the real-time combat to make even the player’s role as support intense.

Both combat and Digivolution get more interesting as players progress through the different chapters of the main story arc, but that’s honestly easier said than done. Next Order suffers from some significant pacing issues that are really only exacerbated by the fact?? that Digimon have limited lifespans. 

My first twenty hours in the game were spent just trying to clear the first Machinedramon boss in the first chapter. I spent entire evenings training my Digimon as much as possible and waltzed into the fight with two Ultimate-level partners, only to be annihilated in just a couple minutes. I repeated this ritual through two or three partner life cycles, but seriou??sly barely made a dent in that chrome bastard.

I took a break, completed every side-quest I could at that point in the game, and came back later to the exact same problem. I’m not criticizing Next Order for having difficult bosses—I can appreciate a challenging fight—but I cannot imagine the amount of mindless skill training I’d have to do to even get to the point where I could measure up to this level 6 boss. I stomped my way through regular enemies of a significantly higher level but I w?as? unable to see that same level of success with Machinedramon.

The sudden difficulty spike was irritating enough, but having to start fres??h after a partner aged to the point of death time after time was legitimately demoralizing.

But that huge flaw completely vanishes if you drop the game’s difficulty from normal to easy. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the two settings is how many skill points you earn per training session. I played through my final 70 ho?urs with the game on easy mode, and I honestly wish I had just done that from the start. 

Even with the difficulty cranked down, bosses and minibosses are by no means easy to take down. You’ll still need to dutifully train each?? Digimon’s library of skills and pay attention to Digivolution paths to win, and even th??en careful item and order point management still often makes all the difference during the fight itself.

Next Order isn’t without flaws, but it's exactly the kind of game the Digimon World series needed after a regional hiatus. While the unconventional combat and grind-heavy skill training aren’t likely to deter fans of the franchise, newcomers might find some of the game's quirks unwelcoming. As such, Digimon World: Next Order likely won’t appeal to everyone, but the game is something longtime fans of the series ?will have no prob??lem dumping hours upon hours into.

The post Review: Digimon World: Next Order appeared first on Destructoid.

Digitize me captain!

Localization confirmed, Cyber Sleuth pack-in not so. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory will release in the west in early 2018 per Bandai Namco. It will feature Japanese voice?s with English/German subtitles. The PS4 version will be available both physically a??nd digitally, but the Vita version is digital only in Europe.

The story follows Keisuke Amazawa, "the main protagonist accused of a ??crime he didn't commit, who will have to dive into the Digital World and investigate to prove his innocence, even if that means joining a group of hackers and help them to ??solve the troubles threatening this mysterious universe…"

Although the Japanese version of the game will be bundled with the original game on PS4, the west will not receive such a bundle. Bandai Namco explains that the original game did not come out on PS4 in Japan, "hence the bundle." The game not a sequel but "more of a side story within the Cyber Sleuth universe."

Although I was never a Digimon fan, I felt guilty about not playing the original Cyber Sleuth. Too cool not to be on my backlog, maybe these games will make a Digimon fan out of me yet.

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Hacker's Memory

Word of a new Digimon game for PlayStation 4 and PS Vita bubbled up over? the weekend.

As revealed in the most recent issue of V-Jump, Bandai Namco is following 2015's Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth with a new role-playing game, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Hacker's Memory. It's on track for release in Japan this year and should also be localized, based on this European trademark listing.

Hacker's Memory has upwards of 320 Digimon and stars an unlucky guy "who had to jump into the hacker world after he was made the criminal in a case he knows nothing about," reports Gematsu. A few scans have surfaced -- it looks Cyber Sleuth-y all ??right! -- and the p??rior game is said to be a pack-in.

Digimon Story: Cyber? Sleuth Hacker’s Memory? announced for PS4, PS Vita [Gematsu]

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Practically a whole new world

This might be the most upbeat graphical comparison video I've ever seen. Alongside the happy-go-lucky tune, we're shown how next year's PlayStation 4 version of Digimon World: Next Order sizes up against the original PlayStation Vita release. In the si??de-by-sides, t?he differences are staggering.

Rainbows are wider. Smoke exists. Scenes that had hazy or otherwise ill-defined backgrounds on PS Vita are now far more detailed. In some cases, like the fortified bridge area shown above or the spooky church with a?? gargantuan moon shown in the video (at 1:06), the world feels more fleshed out across the board. While there are new textures and other minor but appreciated visual upgrades as well, these sweeping environmental changes are what really help s?ell the sense of place and atmosphere.

Next Order is out for PS4 on January 27 in Europe and January ?31 in?? North America.

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Valentine's day is un-ruined

A good Digimon game needs to have just the right mix of cringeworthy cheese and skill-based combat, and it looks like Digimon World: Next Order is right on track.

The story trailer released today runs down the plot for the game, which is unsurprisingly similar to other Digimon adventures: a big robo-dinosaur is being a jerk, and your teenaged anime self and talking animal/plant/garbage friends are the only one??s who can stop it.  

The bits of gameplay crammed into the video between action shots are what really has me excited though. Unlike last year's Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, Next Order is embracing real-time combat and bringing back the kind of per-skill training exercises players might remember from the original Digimon World way back on PS1. 

If you're also borderline obsessed with the Digimon World, you're probably going to want to pay attention to the DLC extras that come with the game if you pre-order. Namely, you can nab both the soundtrack for Digimon World: Next Order and the soundtrack for the original Digimon World PS1 game for pre-ordering. You'll also get an item that lets you digivolve a partner Digimon into Omegamon, and an in-game set of consumable items.? 

And the absolute best news: Digimon World: Next Order is coming to Europe on January 27, and North America on January 31, which is perfect timing if you need to fill that Persona 5-sized hole the JRPG's recent de??lay left in your he?art.

The post It’s okay that Persona was delayed because Digimon World: Next Order releases soon appeared first on Destructoid.

Look for it next year on PS4 (and only on PS4)

[Update: Bandai Namco is now saying that Digimon World: Next Order will be available digitally on PlayStation 4 and P?layStation Vita next ye?ar. There will also be a physical PS4 version at retail.]

[Update #2: The situation grows weirder! Now, with another correction, Bandai Namco says the game will only be available for PlayStation 4, not Vita, and it will see a digital and? phy??sical release.]

Just yesterday, we were talkin' Digimon, poop, and poop Digimon as a ratings-board listing for Digimon World: Next Order suggested an? upcoming localized PlayStation 4 port of the Japan-only PS ??Vita game.

With the Tokyo Game Show heating up, Bandai Namco has wasted no time in confirming the news -- Next Order will see a digital-only PS4 release in North America and Europe in early 2017. Enough of you bought Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, it would seem, so?? thanks for that. You're th?e real champions.

This game has 200-plus Digimon, all told, and you'll be able to have two of 'em at your side while you're out and about in the Digital World on a quest to stop the bad (and also badass) Machinedramons and return home. Next year, particularly early next year, is?? looking absolutely p??acked for games.

I find it impossible to write about Digimon without also mindlessly wandering Google for random Digimon "stuff." As luck would have it, I ended seeing this horrible creature??, Nanimon, for the?? first time in years. Now that you've seen it too, I think we could all use a palate cleanser. This'll do:

The post Yep, we’re getting Digimon World: Next Order here in the West (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

More Persona than Pokemon

For the past week or so, people have been asking me non-stop if we're going to review Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth. I wasn't actually s?ure if Bandai Namco was going to send a copy (it sent everything else), so for the game's launch last week, I decided to pick it up and start cracking away. The publisher sent it a few days after I bought it.

But you know what? I actua??lly had a good time,? so it's cool.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (PS4 [reviewed], PS Vita)
Developer: Media Vision
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Released: February 2, 2016
MSRP: $59.99

Cyber Sleuth stands tall as a cute, vibrant adventure full of interesting setpieces. For those of you who scared of hearing "Arurururu-mon" over and over like previous iterations, the tone is amusing without being too cutesy and annoying, and the option to turn off monster voices in battle helps (I'm sure people would love that for Pokemon). In other words, Media Vision? found a good balance between the series' mature and childish elements.

The developer has also gone full Internet again. In this edition, your avatar is at the epicenter of a cyber world, complete with Digimon battles and a personified world wide web. The setting is EDEN, a virtual consumer-oriented network run by Kamishiro Enterp??rises, that prides itself on shopping first and foremost, which the game has mild commentary on to boot. Over the years, viruses and hacking have started to run rampant as a fringe movement, however, and that's where said monsters come in.

EDEN is beautiful, to put it bluntly. The blank skies are actually an endearing quality that help differentiate it from many other renditions of the Internet, and the upbeat soundtrack is reminiscent of the Persona series in all the best ways. Avatars also chat about real locations like Roppongi and Shinjuku, and it's generally fun to hang around the world even without a purpose, just like in the .hack games. This is partially because the world is believable. ?The team put a lot of work in?to building up its lore and foundation.

Cyber Sleuth doesn't exactly look like a current-generation RPG (mostly because it was originally released on the Vita in Japan), but the brief anime cutscenes help breathe some life into it. As a note, the entire cast is comprised of Japanese voices, and the avatar (male or female, your choice) is mostly a silent partner, only speaking to him or herself. The rest of the characters pr??obably talk half of the time. This halfheartedness spills over to the story somewhat, because while the universe itself is compelling, the "hacker" angle doesn't really go anywhere, and suffers from an overly long intro/tuto??rial section.

The Persona comparisons don't stop at the presentation. The world map is also a menu, with larger hub worlds to explore after making a selection. It's deceptively large, because while it's not truly open world (or even open map like Final Fantasy games),? you'll unlock so many areas over the course of your adventure that it will take quite a while to explore them all fully. Since you can save nearly anywhere (Cross-Save is also in), the segmented zones don't become anything more than a minor nuisance.

The battle system is basically everything you've seen before from the past few decades of JRPGs. There's an easy-to-read timeline on the side showing turn order, and your 'mon can attack, use a skill, guard, or change out. Yes, random battles are in, which is either deliciously or inexcusably old-school, depending on your tastes. At this point in my life, I'm kind of at a middle-ground mindset. I still love JRPGs dearly, especially those with great world-building and infectious casts, but I can do without the random battles. At the very least, it would be nice to see enemies on-screen -- or, as several games have done lately (such as Bravely Default or the modern Final Fantasy re-releases), allow the option t?o eliminate them at will, though you can reduce the frequency at some point.

As expected, 'mon can level up to gain new skills, and since each one can house up to 20, it can get very deep very quickly, especially when you consider that there's over 240 in all. Party members also follow you, which is a nice touch as you're wading through all of the random battles. Feeding, a DigiFarm meta-game, a lab that levels up non-active 'mons, and evolution are also in,?? so there's plenty to mess around with if you aren't feeling up to a dungeon crawl at any moment. Said dungeons, however, are mostly linear.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth ??plays it safe in a lot of ways, but for many of you out there, that's going to be perfectly fine. Just don't expect it to con??vert you if you're sworn off the formula.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the game purchased by the reviewer.]}

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