Digimon Survive

I love visual novels, and I love strategy games. For a subsection of gamers, Digimon Survive will hit the perfect sweet spot between both of those. It’s got everything you’d expect from a digestible entry with a focus on presentation. However, I couldn’t help but feel that the game is just shy of greatness. Make no mistake, Digimon Survive is good. However, despite its best efforts, I found that the pacing drags and the combat mechanics are unremarkable. If you have enough patience to engage with its story and gameplay, the positives will far outweigh the negatives. It’s flawed, but the heart shines through and it goes down easy thanks to being one of the best-looking anime-style games released in years. Are there better SRPGs to play right now? Sure, but none offer Digimon’s unique brand of SRPG and I think it hits more than it misses.

Digimon Survive is an great visual novel that sprinkles in tactical RPG encounters, but it needs some optimization work on Nintendo Switch and to address the localization issues. Digimon Survive also makes good use of the Switch's features with touchscreen support and even HD Rumble adding to the experience. Hopefully Bandai Namco Entertainment can build on this for a sequel or new entry in the future.

Digimon Survive takes a slightly different approach from previous installments in the franchise by combining a visual novel with combat and other fun Digimon elements. The story is dark, grim and very engaging to follow, making the game worthwhile in its own right. However, the combat system is superficial and the frame rate is not too stable either. Added to that is a shoddy localization, but all these criticisms aside, Digimon Survive manages to provide an enjoyable experience. Thanks in part to the audio-visual presentation.

While Digimon Survive is certainly not the Digimon game that the fans have eagerly been awaiting, it is a strong contender on its own merits. The evolution of the horror to the isekai experience is well overdue and a welcome change in the monster battle RPG genre. Those who prefer the more mainstream, battle-heavy JRPG experience should give it a pass, while players who genuinely enjoy the Digimon franchise and are willing to try a new, more mature game should definitely give it a go. While it is lacking in gameplay and could use a rework in terms of explaining some of the more intricate elements, on the whole, Digimon Survive is an interesting and unique addition to the franchise that won’t soon be forgotten.