Digimon Story Time Stranger might just be one of the best games in the franchise, and arguably one of the strongest JRPGs released this year. It takes a simple formula, draws inspiration from other pioneers in the genre, and delivers an adventure packed with deep, addictive gameplay and a story that is both fun and emotionally engaging. The narrative focuses on events in the Digital World while also introducing time travel as a major element.
The game features two playable characters—a male and female version of the protagonist. While the main character is mostly silent, players can choose from different dialogue options during conversations. These choices not only help shape interactions but also expand the lore of the world, making the story feel more dynamic and personal.
The story begins with the protagonist, an agent of an organization called ADAMAS, who is sent to investigate a strange phenomenon. During the mission, they encounter a mysterious girl and soon become entangled in a potential world-ending crisis. It is now up to them to travel back in time to uncover the origins of the incident and find a way to prevent it. Most of the story unfolds in the Digital World of Iliad, which is ruled by the Olympos XII—a group of powerful Digimon whose designs and names draw inspiration from Greek mythology.
One aspect of the game that really stood out to me is how clearly the developers drew inspiration from the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series. The story feels far more mature this time around, even though Digimon has long been seen as a rival to Pokémon, a series that appeals to both kids and adults. While these new changes are noticeable to players familiar with those other games, longtime Digimon fans will still feel right at home. The core themes of raising and taming monsters remain intact, but with a more personal touch that helps build stronger connections between characters and delivers some genuinely meaningful character development arcs.
That said, while the story is engaging, it does take some time to pick up momentum. The opening hours can feel a bit slow, which is why I would not recommend judging the game solely based on its demo. The introduction feels longer than it needs to be, and the constant tutorials can start to drag things down. However, players who enjoyed Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth will likely appreciate the subtle narrative ties between that game and Time Stranger. Even though the two are connected, Digimon Story Time Stranger works perfectly fine as a standalone experience. It rewards returning fans with clever callbacks and story links, but newcomers can easily jump in without feeling lost.
Gameplay is where Digimon Story Time Stranger truly shines and easily earns its place among the best JRPGs of the year. The combat system is engaging and satisfying, but the monster-collecting side of the game is just as addictive. Unlike Pokémon, there is no need to throw capture balls. Instead, recruiting monsters to your team involves battling them multiple times to increase your chances of “capturing” them. Since these are Digital Monsters, or Digimon, the game explains that they are made of source code that can be copied once certain conditions are met. After defeating a monster a few times, you gain the ability to create it and add it to your team.
The combat system is turn-based, featuring a grid that shows the turn order of both your Digimon and enemy units—somewhat similar to the system in Final Fantasy X. Battles are built around strategy and exploiting enemy weaknesses. Each Digimon has its own elemental affinities and special skills, which means planning your team composition carefully is key. The game also includes a dynamic difficulty option that adjusts to your playstyle, allowing for a more balanced experience. One of the best quality-of-life improvements is the ability to speed up battles, and I was surprised by how smoothly this feature fits into the interface.
Speaking of the interface, the UI deserves special praise for its stylish and immersive design. The developers have made it feel like a natural extension of the Digimon world rather than a typical RPG menu. Every Digimon feels distinct, with careful attention paid to their animations and personalities. Each one even has its own unique attack animation instead of relying on generic ones. The game also boasts one of the largest Digimon rosters to date, ensuring that both longtime fans and newcomers will find plenty to enjoy.
Collecting Digimon is only one part of the experience, but the evolution system is just as impressive. Unlike Pokémon, every Digimon you have discovered earns experience points after battle, so there is no need to constantly rotate your team or worry about certain Digimon falling behind in levels. Evolving them is also stress-free, as each Digimon has multiple evolution paths with no major restrictions. Everything is presented clearly in the menus, so players are never left confused about what to do next. Evolution is also influenced by traits that are sometimes tied to narrative choices. This adds a small element of randomness to the process, requiring close attention if you want to obtain a Digimon with specific attributes.
Although this is not an open-world game, the segmented world map works well, even if a few loading screens can make exploration feel slightly less seamless. The environments are nicely designed and cover a surprisingly large area. Battles occur when the player runs into another Digimon, but it is also possible to perform a preemptive strike that can even defeat weaker enemies instantly—making level progression much smoother. Standing still allows your party to gradually heal, which is a convenient touch. You can also ride certain Digimon, which adds a fun sense of immersion, and the fast travel system makes moving between areas quick and efficient, helping to minimize unnecessary backtracking.
One of the main complaints about the game is the sheer abundance of DLC, which can throw off the overall balance. While none of it is essential to enjoy the full experience, its presence still feels somewhat disingenuous. The visuals are decent, carried mostly by strong art direction, but it is clear that the engine is starting to show its age. Performance can also be inconsistent, especially on PS5, where I noticed minor stuttering when moving between areas. The PC version, however, seems to run much smoother. This is odd considering the game’s segmented maps and small environments—it is not exactly an ambitious title from a technical standpoint.
All that said, Digimon Story Time Stranger is easily the most fun I have had with a Digimon game. Just as Cyber Sleuth once breathed new life into the series, this entry feels like the next step forward. Its debut week numbers on Steam are already encouraging. Still, I hope the developers move away from their aging engine in the future and adopt something more efficient that allows for better performance and greater technical ambition. If they can expand on the gameplay in a sequel, it could push the franchise to new heights. Just please tone down the DLC, because at this point, it feels a bit excessive.
Digimon Story Time Stranger Game Information
- Price: $69.99
- Publisher: Bandai Namco
- Developer: Media Vision
- Platform: PS5, PC (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
