Are you a fan of tactics games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, or Triangle Strategy? Digimon Survive is a must pick up if you’re a fan of the tactics genre; this game looks to have a ton of elements from a variety of tactics games.

Let’s start off with the origin of this game. Digimon Survive has been delayed multiple times since 2018 due to a change in the development team that caused a lot of the game to be reworked. Four years later, Digimon Survive is finally set for release on July 28, 2022. Let’s hype up five reasons to play Digimon Survive!

A New Experience:

Digimon Survive will have an outside story to entice new audiences to the franchise and not leave them feeling out of place. There will be elements for core fans as well, but the beauty in this will be bringing a bigger fan base to the Digimon franchise and provide a unique experience for everyone. I myself am excited to have a new take on Digimon.

Unlike some previous Digimon games, the are life forms from another world that can be contacted from the human world via digital device instead of being digital monsters. The director Hiroyuki Kakudō of the TV series Digimon Adventures said “ Digimon are ethereal beings that have been with us since ancient times, but their perception has changed overtime, and they are fragments of souls that have been transformed into digital monsters by being recognized through digital gadgets in modern society. This is the first time monsters who are supposed to have an ethereal existence are interacting with people in the modern world.”

For this reason Digimon are now referred to as monsters, beasts, and creatures. The targeted audience for this game is adult players, so the story itself is much darker than your typical Digimon game or series. Digimon are described as half of one’s inner self. There are dark expressions, which is not common in Digimon. I believe this spin will be a great addition to this franchise.

The Tactics:

The battle system has my full interest. At the beginning of a battle, you can select up to ten units to deploy on the battlefield. Battles are turned based and determined by the speed of the units. When it’s one of your units’ turn to move, defend, buff, de-buff or attack, you’ll be able to use a list of commands from whatever strategy you chose for your party. Each monster will have different lengths or heights they can move on a grid based system. Also position can give you the upper hand in a battle, so if you’re at a higher point in a battle and your enemy is at a lower point, you’ll get a damage bonus. There will also be bonus damage for side attacks and attacks from behind. Monsters will still have their elemental weaknesses and strengths that can add on to your strategy and how you approach certain enemies on the battlefield.

One quality of the battle system I’d love to learn more about is SP management, which Producer Kazumasa Hanu says is very important. This is what Digimon consume to attack. You can grow your SP in a number of ways like affinity with friends, items, and other Digimon techniques and help.

The Friendships:

Engaging in conversation with human characters can increase your intimacy and allow you to receive items from them. It’s also portrayed that there will be mock battles for practice and leveling up purposes. Digimon evolution progress is determined by factors like items, story decisions, karma points, and affinity. You will not be able to unlock all of the evolutions in one playthrough, so a new game+ will be required if you’re wanting them all. Increasing affinity with friends could end up having them aid you in battles, which could come in handy later on.

Replay Value:

The game will be twelve chapters long, and from chapter eight onward, the story can branch into three routes: morality, harmony, and rage. There is not much speculation on these branches, but I have high hopes that this will impact more than just the story paths. This game is said to be around forty hours per route and possibly more depending on the difficulty chosen, time spent on text adventures, and mock battles. There will be over a hundred trainable monsters that are obtained in a multitude of ways. 

Players gain partnerships with Digimon through “free play mode.” You’ll encounter Digimon and have menu command choices to attack, to run, or to engage in dialogue and start a conversation to persuade them to join your party. You’ll have to answer the Digimon questions and if you succeed in picking the right choices, this could persuade Digimon to join your party or give you an item. If players fail, the Digimon could run or initiate the battle phase. New game plus Carries over your obtained party, character affinity, and Digimon progressions. New game plus will also have dungeons with enhanced enemies, providing a more difficult experience.

Nostalgia:

Something about playing Digimon games really takes me back to the animated series Digimon Adventures, which I grew up watching as a child. Although these games don’t have the cast from the series, you’ll notice a lot of familiar Digimon and hopefully some familiar landscapes.

This game could also lure audiences into re-watching the Digimon Adventure series, which is available on Hulu. I know I went on a Digimon binge watch when this game was first announced, and I’m currently watching through again. The Digimon fan base is there, but I feel it’s undervalued as a franchise and would love to see the fan base grow, so old and new fans can share the Digimon love!

Potential Disappointments:

The game is only partly voiced, and the way it was worded at the Q&A at Digicon leads me to believe it’s voiced sparingly at best, which would be a shame. Another answer we got at Digicon was there will be no online multiplayer battles, which really is upsetting because that would have really helped Digimon Survive stand out compared to other tactics games. This game has all the formulas it needs, but multiplayer would have gone a long way.

Final Thoughts

Do any of these qualities give you a desire to pick up Digimon Survive this July? These battle mechanics sound like an interesting mix of the tactics genre and feel very welcoming. I can say I’m beyond hyped, and for the sake of the slap of JRPGs we’re getting that same week, I wouldn’t be disappointed to see another delay. At the same time, bring on the JRPG Armageddon to my library of games!

Be sure to comment below with your thoughts on Digimon Survive or join the conversation on Boss Rush Discord!