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As someone who enjoys Digimon, it is a great day to see that it has garnered attention once again, thanks to Digimon: Time Stranger. The game has certainly done well, bringing back longtime fans, and roping in many new ones, ensuring the franchise remains alive in the video game industry.
With Digimon back in the spotlight, I hope fans check out previous titles in the series. Among them, there is one that I believe everyone should try, as what it did has yet to be replicated by any of its successors: Digimon World.
The game was released on the original PlayStation in 1999, and despite being two decades old, it remains enjoyable today due to the simplicity of its plot and the complexity of its monster-raising gameplay and combat.
The story of Digimon World isn't much to write home about, but it's very easy to follow. All you need to remember is that you are a kid who's sucked into a digital world full of digital monsters, and it's your job to save them from losing their memories and going on a rampage. And how do you do that? By beating them with your partner Digimon and bringing them to a safe place named File City.
The simple plot is a good thing for the game, as it allows you to enjoy the exchanges between your character and the world's inhabitants without things getting too serious, meaning a more relaxed and entertaining vibe throughout the majority of the journey. Also, the plot had to be on the lighter side, since raising your partner Digimon is the main mechanic of the game.
This gimmick is why I think Digimon World is a masterpiece, as it's as if you're taking care of something truly alive. Right from the start, you're given a Digimon in its baby stage, and you must carefully raise it so that it turns into a powerful partner that can protect you from danger. This means spending time in the gym to increase its stats, feeding it food to replenish hunger, and even finding areas to poop to keep it from getting sick.
However, the creature you're in charge of has a lifespan, meaning it will die eventually. While there's a guaranteed replacement once its fire runs out, the point is to quickly raise the current Digimon so that it's strong enough to help travel the world before having to repeat the process. To ensure that the creatures get to that point, the game forces them to evolve after enough time has passed, guaranteeing they receive additional stat bonuses and abilities.
What it turns into depends on how it's trained and how happy and healthy it is. So it could evolve into something as cool as the dinosaur-looking Greymon, or perhaps the ferocious phoenix-like Bidramon, and so on. Even neglecting your Digimon to an extent has benefits, as it can result in certain powerful evolutions, as long as it wasn't mistreated too much.
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The many evolution possibilities really help incentivize players to spend countless hours in the game, as they'll likely want to see all of the forms that can be achieved. It also means they'll be putting effort into the game's creature-raising aspect, ensuring they're engaged every second.
After preparing the Digimon partner for combat, the next step is to finally take on enemies. The game's combat is similar to that of Pokemon Z-A's, wherein you see it happen in real-time, but I believe the former does it much better. This is because, instead of having full control over your partner at all times, Digimon World allows you to make commands that may or may not be followed, depending on how well it's raised.
Now, while this would normally be seen as a bad thing, Digimon World uses it in a way to create a lot of tension during fights, making every encounter meaningful. Also, having the Digimon either disobey orders if not properly trained or follow them to the T if they are trained makes them feel like an actual partner, which goes a long way in establishing a connection between them and the player.
With all that said, Digimon World is a game that deserves attention, as it's one of the best the franchise has ever put out. It is a masterpiece with aspects that have yet to be matched by its modern peers, and hopefully, people will consider giving it a try.
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