PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a must-play video game for fans of the series and newcomers alike. It has extreme complexity in the Digivolution and Personality system, but it is also super easy to get your hands on and play.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a must-play game for anyone who has ever wanted to be a DigiDestin. From deep and engaging combat to a Digivolving system that I became addicted to again, like I did with Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and Hacker's Memory. Time Stanger took every system, element, and pixel from the first games and built something truly amazing. Running around Japan, the Digital World, or just a sewer, you feel a rush of excitement. Every new encounter, skill upgrade, Digivolution, and new area feels right and bursting with fun. I cannot recommend this game highly enough to anyone, and if you have never experienced Digimon before, this is the perfect time to jump in. The Digiwater is fine.

Digimon Story Time Stranger combines nostalgia for fans of the anime series with fun combat and an emotional rollercoaster of a storyline. It’s the perfect entry point for new fans, and one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Do I recommend Time Stranger? Yes, but that’s a qualified yes, if largely considering how things are as of the time of this writing. I fully recommend it if you’re a Digimon fan, like RPGs, and are open to wild, emotional rides. At full price? That’s also a qualified yes, but that’s solely because of how strong a year it’s been for games in general. I’m not going to go on at length, you’ve lived through 2025, just the same as I have — congratulations on making it this far, incidentally — it’s really just a matter of money and tastes, and the year still isn’t over. I don’t love Time Stranger as much as I do a few other games I’ve played this year, that list will come at the end of the year, God willing, but I do still love it. You might want to wait for it’s first sale if you have other concerns, it is a Bamco title and they tend to do those on a fairly common basis, but do give it a shot, at the very least.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a perfect entry point for newcomers to the Digimon world, without alienating long-time fans.

Digimon Story Time Stranger is a standout entry in the Digimon franchise, blending rich storytelling with an expansive Digivolution system that rewards strategy and patience. Set across dual timelines, the game introduces emotionally engaging characters, deep combat mechanics, and a highly customizable team-building experience that longtime fans and newcomers alike can appreciate.

There’s even a seemingly Persona-inspired Velvet Room-type setting in this game – a go-between dimension where you can spend time raising Digimon on a farm, or spelunking into new virtual dungeons...It all adds up to a game that feels incredibly ambitious, wild, and free. Media.Vision has created an adaptation of Digimon that grasps the core of the franchise, and stretches it in every direction. Any idea the team had, it was absorbed into Time Stranger – and the game is all the better for it. It’s constantly surprising, and incredibly creative.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane—it's a JRPG that knows exactly what it wants to be: grand, addictive, and exciting. With a story that blends mystery and epic, a brilliant digivolution system, and a vibrant Digiworld, it not only honors the franchise's legacy, but establishes itself as one of the best games of the year. An irresistible invitation for veterans and a magical gateway for those who have never experienced the universe of digital monsters.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is easily the strongest Digimon game we’ve had so far. It works just as well as an entry point for newcomers as it does for long-time fans, thanks to how much care it puts into building a digital world that doesn’t feel soulless. Between experimenting with digivolutions and min-maxing stats, or just chasing after your favorite partners while diving into a combat system with depth, there’s always something engaging to do. The story leans a bit too hard into familiar anime tropes, but it never drags down what is otherwise the most complete vision of Digimon we’ve seen since Digimon Survive.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is one of those rare games that should appeal to both veterans of the franchise and absolute newcomers. A decent story, great music and appealing visuals are icing on the Digimon cake, a delicious and satisfying take on the turn-based JRPG battle formula. With a little more edge and deeper mechanics than its Poké-cousin, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is addictive, fun and definitely the best game in the Digimon Story series.