Against all odds, theDigimonfranchise has managed to remain relevant, even two decades after it first debuted. While this wouldn’t be overly impressive for most franchises,Digimonoriginally aired just one year afterPokemon, and has somehow managed to survive right alongside it for the last 25 years. A lot ofDigimon’s successeshave revolved around the series' range of video games, withDigimon Survivebeing the most recent title in a surprisingly long history.
Released just a few weeks ago,Digimon Surviveis the most recentDigimonvideo game, though it’s far from being the series' first. With the franchise first debuting in 1997, it didn’t take too long before video game adaptations would start hitting store shelves, withDigimon Worldbeing the first big tie-in title. Since then, there have been severalDigimonvideo game series, each forming their own subfranchise to fill a certain niche, and the case forDigimon Surviveto form a new subfranchise is strong.
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Digimon World and Story Offer Distinct Experiences
When it comes toDigimon’s long 20-year history in the video game industry, there are two main series that stick out in fans' minds:Digimon WorldandDigimon Story. While bothDigimon WorldandDigimon Storyshare some similar mechanics, most of which take direct inspiration fromPokemon, both have their fair share of unique elements and mechanics that make each worthwhile in their own right.
Digimon World, as a series, has often fallen into the open-world RPG category, where players take on the role of a Digimon Tamer as they explore the Digital World and face off against a variety of threats. TheDigimon Worldseriestends to put an emphasis on training over anything else. Players will often be raising their Digimon partner through six stages of development, feeding them, and caring for them at every turn. While the player can still use their Digimon partner to battle, the focus of the game is on training the monster.
Digimon Story, on the other hand, takes a few more direct cues fromPokemon. As opposed toDigimon World’s real-time battles,Digimon Storyopts to use a turn-based combat system, and rather than having just one Digimon partner, players can use a party of multiple Digimon at once. TheDigimon Storysubfranchisealso tends to be a little more story-driven thanDigimon World. So, while bothDigimonseries do share some similarities, they each fill out their own niche and provide differing experiences that appeal to different fans.
Digimon Survive Fits Another Niche
The recently releasedDigimon Survivefits an entirely new niche for theDigimonfranchise. AlthoughDigimon Survivedoes have turn-based battles, that makes up a small percentage of the game’s runtime. Instead,Digimon Surviveis actually primarilya visual novel. While this approach was a risky one, for someDigimonfans, it seems to have paid off.
WhileDigimon Storyis certainly a more narrative-focused series,Digimon Survive’s visual novel approach allows the story to take the spotlight and remain in it. Character relationships, world-building, and the intertwining plot threads are all kept at the heart ofDigimon Survive, and for die-hard fans of the series, this approach feels like a rewarding one, with a story payoff that feels genuinely satisfying. Thevisual novel approach may not be for everyone, butDigimon Survive’s tight storytelling is reason enough for the game to become the start of a brand-newDigimonsubfranchise.
Digimon Surviveis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
