Summary
Digimonhas long been branded as an offshoot ofNintendo’s juggernaut franchisePokemon, but aside from the obvious suffix the similarities between the two series are threadbare.Digimonis more focused on the actual raising of the titular creatures true to itsTamagotchiroots, and in video game form at least, has much more in commonwith traditional JRPG serieslikeMegami Tensei.
TheDigimongames have consistently reinvented themselves, producing a variety of rich worlds, complex characters, and in-depth leveling-up systems. They haven’t often achieved widespread critical success but many of the Digital Worlds represented in games have endeared themselves to fans and are still worth exploring.
10Digimon World 3
An Inspirational Story
Digimon World 3 has the largest disparity between critics and fans. It suffered fromtrying to do a lot with a relatively small budget. While it’s guilty of some bloat and chasing trends by reverting to a 1v1 style of turn-based combat, the game would go on to be very influential for the series.
The sprites and world design are charming and the retro aesthetic andchiptune-inspired musicmake it a delight to return to. The meta-narrative, the layered leveling, and the streamlined battle system provided the blueprint for the more popularDigimon Storyseries.Digimon World 3has become more appreciated over time, with its popularity still growing among new fans.
9Digimon World DS (Digimon Story)
Start Of A New Journey
BrandedDigimon Storyoutside of US markets,Digimon World DSmarked an important shift into a new series that runs counter toDigimon World. The first two entries on the DS are as close toPokemonas the series ever got, with players primarily aspiring to be a topDigimontamer. The game offers new gameplay elements that help make up for a lack of a compelling narrative.
Acquiring the most powerfulDigimonrequires evolving and devolving the player’s team in order to unlock new evolution paths, which is a satisfyingly deep system for fans to sink their teeth into. The introduction of theDigimonfarm also provides a welcome break from dungeon crawling and allows players to make a personal connection team outside of battle.
8Digimon World Dusk And Digimon World Dawn
New Levels Of Evolution
Following on directly fromDigimon World DS, Digimon World Dusk and Dawnwere released in tandem, featuring narrative and roster tweaks of the same game. Improving on its predecessor, the games add new depth to the leveling system with the inclusion of DNA and Armor Digivolving.
That makes for a stacked roster of branching evolution lines players could put dozens of hours into maxing. The sprites are also gorgeous, the animations are emotive, and the story remains engaging throughout its runtime. It’s one of the most compact and pleasant games in the series, although grinding is prevalent to achieve the aforementioned powerfulDigimon.
7Digimon World Re:Digitize
Go East For A New Adventure
Digimonhas always been more popular in its native Japan, meaning a number of its properties never get official Western versions. There is a fan translation available ofDigimon World Re:Digitizeand it’s worth seeking out for fans that have never experienced it.
Digimon World Re:Digitizefocuses on the relationship with partnerDigimonand the automated battle mechanics help flesh them out as individual beings separate from the player. The character design is some of the best in the series, ensuring the game tugs just a little harder at those heartstrings after a partnerDigimon’seventual death.
6Digimon World
The Original Monster
Digimon World’saesthetic holds up surprisingly well for a 25-year-old game, with quaint character models and vibrant battle animations. What really makes it worth revisiting though is the sheer scope of the game, built around the hub world of File City.
As players complete story moments, newDigimonarrive in town adding features like shops and arenas.Digimon Worldalso features an internal calendar complete with day and night cycles and date-specific events. It’s a charming world that players can kick back and spend hours in.
5Digimon World: Next Order
The Latest In The Evolutionary Line
Digimon World: Next Ordermarked the most recent attempt forBandai Namcoto deliver the coreTamogtchi-like experience and benefits from those that came before it. The game’s central focus is on raising and caring for partnerDigimonbut theexpansive roster provides a more unique character experiencethan in previous games.
How aDigimon’s personal needs are met and how a player chooses to communicate with them drastically changes the evolutionary path they will take. Players probably can’t get their favoriteDigimonwithout an expansive guidebut allowing theDigimonto grow organically and become who they are makes them feel more like virtual pets than ever before.
4Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker’s Memory
A Worthy Imitation
Hacker’s Memoryhas the smallest disparity between critical and fan reception of any game in the series. LikeDigimon World: Next Orderit largely succeeds by combining and developing the games that came before it, borrowing a lot asset-wise from the previous entryDigimon Story: Cyber Sleuth.
That familiarity will provide comfort to fans but it does take the shine off a little.Hacker’s Memorydeserves its place among the best Digital Worlds for an all-around balance of world-building, colorful characters, and deeply satisfying JRPG gameplay, even if it doesn’t exactly stand out with its own identity.
3Digimon Adventure
Return Of The DigiDestined
Another Japan exclusive release unfortunatelyDigimon Adventurewas released to coincide with the anniversary of the original anime series of the same name and follows along the same plot.Digimon Adventuredealt with some mature themes that subsequent seasons of the anime would gradually do away with in favor of appealing to a younger audience.
That’s why for many fans,Digimon Adventureremains the seminal story within theDigimonuniverse andDigimon Adventurepresents the chance to relive those defining moments first-hand.
2Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
An Intriguing Digital Mystery
Theepitome of theDigimon Storyseriesand to many fans the very bestDigimongame. The narrative focus keeps the player engaged in a weaving mystery that delivers a satisfying payoff. This adds a layer beyond the usualDigimontraining but still, it’s the Digivolution mechanics that elevateDigimon Story: Cyber Sleuthabove the other games in the series.
It sacrifices the personality of specific partnerDigimonin favor of a huge roster of routes to explorein search of powerful Mega-levelDigimon. Players can spend hundreds of hours refining their perfectDigimonteam, in a world to truly get lost in.
1Digimon Survive
A Heart-Wrenching Interactive Novel
Digimon Surviveis the most narrative-focused game in the series, closer to an interactive novel butBandai Namcotook full advantage, crafting a truly hard-hitting story. It begins with familiar trappings but takes a much more mature route as it’s the human members of the party that are susceptible to perma-death.
Player choices determine who lives or diesand some death scenes are genuinely shocking. The remaining characters are forced to confront the loss of a childhood friend or sibling, finding it increasingly difficult to muster the grit to fight their way out of the Digital World. It’s a pretty harrowing world but it’s one worth exploring nonetheless.
