Digimon Story: Time Stranger Reviews
Digimon Story: Time Stranger isn’t perfect. The side quests are forgettable, and the slow pacing early on might turn off some players. But once it hits its stride, it’s one of the best Digimon RPGs to date. The expanded roster, deep customization, and improved world design make it a joy to play, and the emotional story beats land harder than I expected.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger is good. It's just that the story takes too long to get going, the fast travel is archaic, and there are too many menus to scroll through. You would think a game about time travel would do better getting with the times.
Bursting with creativity, charm, and depth, Digimon Story: Time Stranger will remind players why Digimon still remains so beloved after all these years. Its combination of deep monster-raising, satisfyingly strategic turn-based combat, and the endearing time-twisting narrative helps makes it a joy to play from start to finish, whilst the sheer freedom in how you raise and shape your Digimon ensures that experimentation is endlessly rewarding. It does have some imperfections, with its somewhat slow pace and uninspired dungeon designs being the worst offenders, but these are small complaints in what is otherwise a fantastic RPG that delivers an experience that will keep long-time Digimon fans and newcomers to the series very, very happy.
This game is utterly fantastic. I went into it thinking that if it was even half as good as Cyber Sleuth, it would be amazing, but aside from my distaste for launch-DLC locking quests behind it, and the fact that I like the characters a bit better in Cyber Sleuth, this game exceeds it in every way. The story is great, the world feels alive, the visuals are vastly improved, and it has a lot of quality-of-life improvements that previous entries in the series lack. It's extremely approachable whether you're a longtime Digimon fan, or entirely new to the franchise, and it manages to be challenging at times throughout(unless you go overboard on grinding, which you definitely can if you want an easier experience). This is the definitive Digimon game, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Digimon Story Time Stranger is a standout entry in the Digimon franchise, blending rich storytelling with an expansive Digivolution system that rewards strategy and patience. Set across dual timelines, the game introduces emotionally engaging characters, deep combat mechanics, and a highly customizable team-building experience that longtime fans and newcomers alike can appreciate.
The best Digimon title released to date
Review in Italian | Read full review
Digimon Story Time Stranger is a major milestone in the series. The game’s story, strategic gameplay, and detailed world-building all come together to make it a fun and comprehensive experience. Some of the game’s weaknesses, such as combat that becomes boring or puzzles that need a lot of trial and error, are made up for by its good points.
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" captivated me more than I expected. As a newcomer to the series, I quickly got to grips with the system – even though it is complex. What's particularly great is how all the gameplay mechanics interlock, so that even the smallest interaction affects the big picture. It's addictive! My main criticism is of the presentation. The graphics are mediocre and the linear dungeons can feel repetitive. But these are minor issues that have little impact on my excellent overall impression.
Review in German | Read full review
Without inventing anything new, but rather drawing on some great examples of the JRPG genre, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is probably the best game ever conceived about Toei's digital monsters. It is a title capable of reviving and improving a tried and tested formula, with excellent technical features and passionate artistic direction, capable of exploiting its full potential and delivering a wealth of content. It is difficult to find any significant flaws in Media Vision's excellent work: Digimon fans have finally got their revenge.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A stellar JRPG that finally challenges genre conventions, offering an addictive monster-collecting loop and a surprisingly mature, engaging story. While the opening is slow and tutorial-heavy, and the aging engine and excessive DLC slightly diminish the experience, Time Stranger is a triumphant, must-play entry for the franchise.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a story that takes place in the Digimon Universum. For the fans it is a fantastic game, although it is with a number of negatives.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Digimon Story Time Stranger is a journey of epic proportions within the franchise's universe. Besides being an easy recommendation for fans of Digimon, especially due to its story, it's also a really good RPG and worth exploring at length.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is the best Digimon game we’ve had. The graphics and nuance are absolutely stunning, and the game offers a solid turn-based JRPG experience. But with its pricetag, it feels like it’s missing just a bit of polish. For Digimon fans, though, Time Stranger is a must-play that will truly take you into the Digital World.
The Digimon, however, are extremely well-crafted , and their attacks and movements have been recreated with great care. What matters, at the end of the day, is that Digimon Story Time Stranger is an excellent game, both for fans of the franchise and for JRPG enthusiasts.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Digimon Story Time Stranger is a game that can be a lot of fun and engaging with its battles and everything related to Digimon evolution. However, the overall graphic quality, side quests, bosses, and linear design approach detract from the experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Digimon Story Time Stranger is both a success and a letdown. It captures the essence of what makes Digimon games fun—the joy of raising, evolving, and battling with a group of digital monsters—but struggles with aspects like pacing, exploration, and world design.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger represents a massive leap forward for the series, offering the most comprehensive Digimon collection experience ever created in a beautiful Digital World. The evolution system is addictive, boss battles are challenging and memorable, and the story ultimately delivers. For longtime Digimon fans who've been waiting, this game will surely scratch that itch.
Being a long-time Digimon fan (I think I like it even more than Pokémon), I might (probably) be a little biased when it comes to anything Digimon. But in the case of Digimon Story Time Stranger, I truly do believe that it’s one of the best RPGs in the series. Mind, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect, as it does have its faults, but as far as delivering on a solid, turn-based RPG experience set within the Digimon universe. I think it’s the best one so far in the Story franchise, and for Digimon fans out there, that’s a massive recommendation right there. Of course, if you aren’t a fan or are someone looking to get into the franchise for the first time, this wouldn’t be a bad start, as it does everything to introduce players to the world of Digimon without over-reliying on past stories. Either way, it’s a fun RPG, and I think anyone who’s looking for a good time will get a kick out of this one. It’s a great return to the Digimon Story series, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next.
What could have been an excellent entry in the creature-collection genre is spoiled by a bizarre focus on story padding and content that feels like filler. While the fun of collecting, battling, and evolving the Digimon cast is there, it’s executed in a way that demands players really dig to get to it, with odd design choices that undercut the progression system and the overall fun that could have been.