Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. 90
    Without going on for too long, I could talk about this game forever. This coming from someone who is a longtime fan of the Digimon franchise. Though for those who are new and want to try out a different style of a monster-taming game, I cannot recommend Digimon Story Time Stranger enough. Much of the discussion online of this game comes down to the comparison of this to Pokemon. It’s been over 25 years since these franchises began and there is still discourse about the two. A favorable comparison I would give to Time Stranger is the Shin Megami Tensei series solely based on the gameplay. Regardless, this is a solid monster-taming RPG with a diverse variety of Digimon to Digivolve and fight with.
  2. Oct 20, 2025
    90
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger is an excellent entry for the franchise and continues what made the prior Digimon Story games great. The story is fun and engaging with a lot of different choices to make in the narrative and Digimon to level up and digivolve. While some of the mechanics can be a bit complex and the difference in difficulty between normal and Titan battles can be a bit jarring for the unprepared, it won’t take long before you’re saving both the real and digital worlds like you’ve been a Digimon Tamer you’re entire life.
  3. Oct 17, 2025
    90
    For my first Digimon experience ever, Time Stranger was the right way to go. Not that I have an aversion to the cartoony stylings of the franchise's past – I am a regular Pokémon player, after all – but the turn-based RPG hook, coupled with the interesting party-building systems, made me realize the potential that Digimon holds. While I can't guarantee I'll become as big a fan of Digimon as I am of its competition, thanks to this Digimon Story, this former Stranger will certainly give future games the Time of day.
  4. Oct 6, 2025
    90
    A brilliant and inspired JRPG for a sharp reminder to some sleepy rivals that legacy alone isn’t enough.
  5. Oct 1, 2025
    90
    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.
  6. Oct 1, 2025
    90
    With a true-to-life Tokyo and a vibrant, color-saturated Digital World full of life to explore, this is the Digimon game I’ve desperately wanted for the last ten years, and it definitely doesn’t disappoint. Unless my perfect game shadow drops soon, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is shaping up to be my GOTY for 2025.
  7. Oct 1, 2025
    90
    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.
  8. Oct 1, 2025
    90
    Time Stranger doesn’t always hit the way I was hoping, because I foolishly expected More Cyber Sleuth. I had to get used to a slower, more somber kind of energy, and for all the systemic improvements I found parts I didn’t actually love to engage with. But Time Stranger impressed me with its own vision and ambition to be more than just a sequel to the cult classic a bunch of weirdos love. It’s about time such a long wait between games delivered so cleanly. I’d gladly wait another ten years for the next one if that’s what it takes.
  9. Oct 5, 2025
    85
    Digimon Story Time Stranger is a good game that can serve as a gateway to discovering this universe, offering an interesting story to follow, comprehensive gameplay with diverse and varied environments, and substantial content ranging from simple routine missions to card or creature collecting, as well as battles that sometimes require a certain amount of preparation. Not to mention fans who will find their favorite digital monsters from all generations, as well as the progression system that is the strength of this title. So, is it worth the price? If you're a fan of J-RPGs, yes, but if you're not, we recommend trying the demo first.
  10. Oct 1, 2025
    85
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger is probably one of the best Digimon games around. And while it might put off some casual players, hardcore JRPG fans and Digimon fans are in for the best Digimon game of the decade.
  11. Oct 14, 2025
    80
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a strong argument that it's high time to give the digital monsters their own space in the critter-catching genre. Strong voice acting and mature themes digivolve this time-traveling tale into an emotionally-rewarding journey of grief and self-acceptance, and a vast array of branching options keeps team-building and the turn-based combat exciting. If you're still ignoring Digimon for its more mainstream pocket monster cousin, you owe it to yourself to at least try Time Stranger. You won't regret it.
  12. Oct 1, 2025
    80
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger might be the best Digimon game yet. Its smooth performance, fun gameplay, and rich content delight fans while also attracting new players.
  13. Oct 1, 2025
    80
    I really, really like Digimon Story Time Stranger. While it's hardly upending the monster collection and battling genre, it's a really comfortable and enjoyable game that feels reminiscent of watching Saturday morning cartoons as a kid. It's an awful lot of fun, and is right up there as one of my favourite games of the year.
  14. Oct 1, 2025
    80
    Some minor hiccups aside, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is both a solid game in the series and the kind of JRPG that incentivizes experimentation due to the range of characters available. I loved playing around with Digivolution and the DigiFarm to create some exceptional allies. It was a shame that there are some minor pacing issues and notifications might not do as good of a job actually notifying me about things. There’s a strong foundation here with a lot of potential to build well-rounded armies of Digimon to help you face all of the game’s challenges.
  15. Oct 1, 2025
    80
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger is an excellent game that carries the spirit of a PS2-era JRPG in its heart. The sheer amount of care put into portraying the Digital World: Iliad and all the Digimon that inhabit it clearly shows the passion that the developers had when developing Time Stranger throughout the years. Its narrative has its fair share of ups and downs, but I think it goes into some wild places and finishes very strong with a finale that will have Digimon fans screaming in joy. There’s certainly a handful of unrefined aspects, such as how its fast travel is handled and the disjointed feeling brought about by its unvoiced protagonist, but it can’t be denied that this is not only one of the best Digimon games ever – it’s just a damn good game on its own.
  16. Nov 13, 2025
    75
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a great RPG adventure game, even when it's not entirely open and free to play leisurely, it's still one of the better Digimon games to be out now that could turn the tide on the competition with it's main rival from Nintendo.
  17. Oct 6, 2025
    70
    With its smooth and charming anime visuals, solid story, and deep monster battling and raising, Digimon Story: Time Stranger feels like an excellent evolution that stands alongside greats like Pokemon, Persona, and Final Fantasy. If the Digimon games keep going in this direction, the series may finally get its rightful recognition and a firm place on the monster-collecting genre map.
  18. Oct 1, 2025
    70
    Digimon Story Time Stranger is definitely one of the better Digimon games I've played, but it's lacking charm and just too slow going.
  19. Oct 1, 2025
    70
    Digimon Story: Time Stranger brings an interesting time-travel premise and a deep, strategic turn-based combat system. However, its weak storytelling, mute protagonist, bland supporting cast, outdated design, and underwhelming visuals drag the experience down. The Digimon themselves and the combat system are the true highlights, but the overall package feels dated for 2025.
  20. Oct 2, 2025
    60
    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.
  21. Oct 1, 2025
    50
    Ultimately, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a mixed bag. An excellent Digimon raising and customization system is held back by a shaky combat core, and the game’s interesting yet linear plotline is severely hampered by awkward voice acting and dialogue. There’s parts of the game that are enjoyable, but its flaws hold it back from being truly memorable.