Current Events > which Digimon games are actually good

(+) Yeah! (+)

afaik:

Digimon World 3 is a mediocre PS1-era JRPG with an absurd encounter rate, a 6/10 at best. Still one of the better Digimon games >_>

Digimon Cyber Sleuth is supposed to be like a dollar-store Persona and has a huge cast of recruitable monsters I guess? idk I've seen it get some praise

I don't think Cyber Sleuth is anything like Persona

Apparently none of them. There was a really tragic video from a while back where the person was trying to get into any of them and how all of them were just massive list of issues, and even the "solid" ones had problems.

They're all mediocre because the IP is mostly just a money-maker.

Cyber Sleuth : is basically kind of FFX although way less good. Fun story. But as the person above says. It has issues

Next Order: is a Virtual Pet simulator and plays akin to the original Digimon World. It has less atmosphere as the original but very improved QoL. But yeah has issues

Survive: Ive not played but its basically a visual novel game with a bit of combat

these are the main 3 if you want to dive in. But good to remember the IP gets no budget or interest so all the games will have issues

DMW3, Dawn/Dusk, and Cybersleuth are probably the three big ones I would call "Good". No game is without it's flaws but these three at least are only mild annoyances. Also....Cybersleuth isn't Persona. It has the artist from the SMT games working on it, but the scripting is nothing like Persona/SMT lol.

Data Squad on the PS2 is another one I would have to give a shoutout too.

The biggest issue that all Digimon games share though, at least compared against Pokemon or other RPG series like DQ and the Trails games is that there is no coherent "Formula". Every last title is experimental.

If the next DM Story game which is in the works is closer to Cybersleuth systemically but with better combat balance and a less redundant side quest system it might easily be the most consistent non-experimental title they've had.

Dawn/Dusk is the only one since Rumble Arena I've played

It has fun ideas, but every enemy is a damage sponge and bosses take forever as a result

comicfire posted...

Dawn/Dusk is the only one since Rumble Arena I've played

It has fun ideas, but every enemy is a damage sponge and bosses take forever as a result

Yeah.

It's because of the stat system the DS era titles use. They also leaned less into the RPG elements and more into the monster raiser elements and expected you to willingly stop between quests to grind out as many stat increases as you could.

And even then the games' hardest challenge is still spongy as hell lol.

I love World 3 so maybe our opinions won't align. I also love Digimon and the games in general, way more than Pokemon, even as a kid, so I guess take my love with a raised eyebrow:

Cyber Sleuth: Not like Persona, but it is a fun JRPG with a really fun/addicting monster mechanic. Then again, "fun/addicting monster mechanic" is basically their whole thing.

Re:Digitize Decode and/or Next Order: Pet raising style. Decode is JP only but has an English patch that's easily found. Games also feature little mini requests that serve to recruit mons to your hub city and unlock more things/features. Next Order you raise two at once instead of one, for that reason I imagine it could be kind of a headache if it's your first one? idk

Survive: Mainly a visual novel that has simple tactical combat. Unlike other games, I find the story and cast strong in this, especially when you can do the true route on a replay. Loved it a lot.

Rumble Arena 2: If you can find a friend it's just a fun Smash-like one

all of them are good

ellis123 posted...

Apparently none of them. There was a really tragic video from a while back where the person was trying to get into any of them and how all of them were just massive list of issues, and even the "solid" ones had problems.

This is the short answer. There are opportunities aplenty from decades ago to today if you want to scratch the itch, but compromises must be made at virtually every junction. You're probably better off watching Ghost Game (which I haven't seen, admittedly).

Leanaunfurled posted...

Survive: Mainly a visual novel that has simple tactical combat. Unlike other games, I find the story and cast strong in this, especially when you can do the true route on a replay. Loved it a lot.

This one I don't think to recommend around here much but I have recommended it a lot to friends. Precisely BECAUSE it's more of a visual novel. The combat isn't super bad but it's definitely basic.

Cast and the setting are miraculous though and the writing team was super on point for this one.

Leanaunfurled posted...

I love World 3 so maybe our opinions won't align.

I loved it as a kid and I still think it's aesthetically gorgeous, but revisiting it as an adult left a sour taste in my mouth >_>

The encounter rate and the amount of backtracking is just inexcusable imo

It's crazy how good the soundtracks were for even the most mediocre PS1 rpgs though

I really liked both Cyber Sleuth games, but they're each flawed in pretty serious ways. The first one has an atrocious localization and the option to play as a girl was clearly a complete afterthought that or the developers were super based and wanted the FeMC to be a complete chad with the ladies and get into fist fights. The story in the sequel is super weak and, for a game that plays like a complete retread of the original, expects you to have just played it to keep up with most of the story beats. It also has one of the most mean-spirited moments of queerbaiting I've ever seen in any narrative.

zinformant posted...

This is the short answer. There are opportunities aplenty from decades ago to today if you want to scratch the itch, but compromises must be made at virtually every junction. You're probably better off watching Ghost Game (which I haven't seen, admittedly).

For the love of Agumon don't watch GG. Starts off strong, great cast, but they sprinkle in important plot points then proceed to ignore the hell out of them in favor of making a Scooby-Doo format. Then 70 episodes later or whatever they're like "shit, we have a story" then rush that hilariously for 2 episodes, then they end the anime.

Just rewatch Tamers

What if digimon only felt good because the apocalyptic y2k incoming-digital-future vibes were very topical and prescient at the time

kinda like serial experiments lain but without kids on tiktok reviving it 20 years later while missing the entire point

There was one for the PSP that followed the first season of the anime and it was a by the books standard RPG with none of the weird quirks that make Digimon different. It never got an official English release.
World 3 and Cyber Sleuth are the only ones passable that actually uses Digimon mechanics and not just a regular game with Digimon flavor.

KhlavicLanguage posted...

What if digimon only felt good because the apocalyptic y2k incoming-digital-future vibes were very topical and prescient at the time

kinda like serial experiments lain but without kids on tiktok reviving it 20 years later while missing the entire point

It's more about being a child. It's why you liked the Digimon Movie as a kid but if you watched it now you would just be confused.

KhlavicLanguage posted...

I loved it as a kid and I still think it's aesthetically gorgeous, but revisiting it as an adult left a sour taste in my mouth >_>

The encounter rate and the amount of backtracking is just inexcusable imo

It's crazy how good the soundtracks were for even the most mediocre PS1 rpgs though

It has been a long time since I've played 3, admittedly. I also intend to try 2 again. As a kid I hated it, but recently as an adult I've started to get into dungeon crawlers. So I wonder if I can find a new appreciation for it

I liked survive, but it's definitely a "hate it or love it" sort of game. I found I really enjoyed the story, but if you find that bit a slog in games you're gonna hate it. Especially since it's a VN. Combat is OK. Passable but repeatable and incredibly basic tactics style, and the VN aspect makes up the majority of the game.

Cyber Sleuth has the opposite problem. Gameplay and the collecting aspect is good, but the story is so anime.

Leanaunfurled posted...

It has been a long time since I've played 3, admittedly. I also intend to try 2 again. As a kid I hated it, but recently as an adult I've started to get into dungeon crawlers. So I wonder if I can find a new appreciation for it

I tried getting into 2 again a little while ago. I remember loving it as a kid, but it's just so incredibly slow now.

ellis123 posted...

It's more about being a child. It's why you liked the Digimon Movie as a kid but if you watched it now you would just be confused.

well yeah nostalgia matters too but that's a very banal point to make imo

Leanaunfurled posted...

It has been a long time since I've played 3, admittedly. I also intend to try 2 again. As a kid I hated it, but recently as an adult I've started to get into dungeon crawlers. So I wonder if I can find a new appreciation for it

Same, I always hated dungeon stuff or looting games but now that I work an 8-6 it's really hard to muster the willpower to queue for a 75 minute match of getting screamed at in Dota. Bring on the number-treadmill experiences >_>

Cyber Sleuth's combat mechanics are terrible but I still put 200+ hours into it lol