Review for Digimon World Next Order. Game for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 17/03/2016 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 26/02/2017
It has been many years now since Bandai released Digimon World, an open world title dedicated to the animated series. The boys of BB Studio with Digimon World: Next Order they want to bring back a game that has gone down in history: the expectations related to the title are high, in fact every mistake will indelibly affect the affection of fans for the series.
Welcome back to Digital World
Digimon World: Next Order is a title with great prospects. In fact, the game is not just a simple oriental-style RPG with very elaborate management mechanics; the developers wanted to go big by bringing fans of the series to relive magical adventures in the company of their digital friends.
Back in the lands of Floatia you will find yourself in the most classic of the battle between good and evil: the protagonist, aided by his inseparable Digimon, will have to put an end to the conflict that has raged on these lands for years.
Make your adventure friends unbeatable
The success of any battle is given by the power of our allies. In Digimon World: Next Order we will have to raising our dear digital friends, feeding them, training them and pampering them. The growth of our allies is essential for the success of each fight, in fact, being a game with a strong management component, we should never underestimate the training of our monsters. In this the title comes to meet you in an almost too simplistic way, explaining how to make the Digimon practically unbeatable.
After this short tutorial the mechanics will start to be much clearer. Digimon World: Next Order allows the player to raise their allies with specific needs, unlike the first chapter where you spent entire hours in gyms to avoid incurring severe punishment on the gameplay side. In this new title, things have been lightened, thanks to a more balanced level of the clashes, which avoids the player those long and tedious training sessions.
Points earned through hard work in the gym can be spent on classic skill branches of the genre, such as intelligence, strength and dexterity.
Not the classic JRPG
As said several times, Digimon World: Next Order it should not be mistaken for a simple JRPG, as it features an elaborate battle system. In the struggles that will see us involved to restore peace in the lands of Floatia we will be able to rely on real-time combat with the possibility of pausing, thus allowing us to plan a quick and accurate strategy to get the better of the enemies.
During the clashes we will also have to give very specific orders for the positive outcome of the duel, but the title meets the player by facilitating the fight in an almost too ridiculous way. This facilitation makes fighting more of a "order and incite" rather than a fight to the end of one's strength.
Digivolutionary DNA
In addition to the various role-playing and management mechanics of the monsters, in Digimon World: Next Order there is a new mechanic implemented in a masterly way. We are talking about the possibility of merge two Digimon, thus giving life to a single creature with astounding potential. Our friends, once some specific requirements are met, will be able to merge for the duration of the fight, thus giving rise to very adrenaline-fueled fights.
The basis for a very powerful fusion is your character's trust in his allies, in fact a greater affinity towards your Digimon will make it easier to join them in combat. While the ability to merge your own monsters benefits the gameplay, on the other hand this further simplification can make purists of the genre turn up their noses, who do not see Digimon World as a challenge worthy of being savored to the sound of swearing.
A masterful open world
Floatia's digital lands have been thought big, boasting the title a not indifferent open world expanse: crossing vast plateaus in the company of our little monsters has never been so beautiful. Digimon World: Next Order cannot be compared in map size to triple A titles such as The Witcher 3 o Final Fantasy XV.
The game, however, focuses heavily on very consolidated ideas, such as the management of each individual resource or the entire city. This total freedom placed in the hands of the player makes Digimon World: Next Order a real gem in the gaming landscape, establishing a new starting point for future titles in the series.
Not everything that glitters is gold
The BB Studio guys worked hard on the title trying to come up with a less rough stone than expected, this painstaking work can be found in the frame rate always anchored to 60 frames per second even in the most agitated situations. The only negative thing is the camera, the latter in fact in the clashes will tend to go crazy thus making your life difficult in studying an adequate strategy.
Developers they had to compromise to come up with a very enjoyable title: the open world structure in fact limits the graphic rendering of the title by a lot, which in 2017 certainly cannot boast a screaming technical realization. The nostalgia effect is assured and raised to maximum power, which will help many to overcome some technical and qualitative smears of the title, thus leading the player to see the glass half full.
In conclusion, Digimon World: Next Order brings back a great animated series perhaps forgotten for too long, so the purchase is almost a must for fans of the series. The excessive and desired simplification of the title also opens the doors to newbies to the genre, who, even without being used to the JRPG mechanics, will have no problems whatsoever in enjoying the latest effort of Bandai Namco.
The latest born in the Bandai Namco house fully satisfies the palates of gamers who have been waiting for years: the painstaking care placed in the management of the clashes, combined with the complete organization of the allies, makes the title a fairly intriguing challenge for lovers of the series. The extreme facilitation made to the title makes Digimon World: Next Order usable to the mass, making veterans of the genre turn up their noses. The technical realization not of the first order (with some bugs) and the bad management of the camera do not seriously undermine the title. In practice, the only regret is the lack of malice of the developers, who, with greater technical quality, would have established a new standard for the genre.
► Digimon World Next Order is a game for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 17/03/2016 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 26/02/2017
