Review of Digimon World: Next Order Switch: Tamagotchi simulator

Our Verdict

Digimon World: Next Order is very much a Marmite game, you’re either going to love it or hate it. In my case, I had a wonderful time, love digivolving my cute lil crew, and will definitely replay it for a third or fourth time at some point.

It's important to note that Digimon World: Next Order is undoubtedly not a game for everyone from the outset. I'll be the first to say that my passion for Digimon is tinged with nostalgia, since I also like playing around with Tamagotchi and Digivices in real life. However, I did play the original game on the PlayStation 4 when it originally came out in 2016 and I loved it.

Now that you are familiar with my past, let me to tell you what to anticipate from this charming small port. The main character of Next Order is drawn by an enigmatic force into the digital realm, where they are confronted by a Machinedramon and ultimately arrive at Floatia, a charming village ruled by Jijimon, a bearded Digimon.

You learn that Floatia was once a vibrant place from this scruffy guy, who also gives you the mission of rearing two cute little'mons as you explore the area and figure out why the Machinedramon are attacking all of a sudden. An excellent method to captivate readers who like mysteries, despite its straightforward foundation.

I'll let you figure out the plot beats and not bother to remark much more, but I must address the intermittent nature of the narrative. Raising your virtual friends is a feature of the game that will occupy a lot of your time. To do this, you must sit in a gym for hours on end and repeatedly press the A button. I'll be honest—this seems tiresome, and I'm not sure whether I should do it or not. It reminds me a lot of a real-life Digivice or Tamagotchi, which I really like. However, because this is a video game, Bandai Namco could probably improve how interesting the gameplay is.

I was supposed to be telling you about the tale, so why did I suddenly go off on a tangent about raising Digimon? There are often significant difficulty spikes in the game, therefore you won't be able to advance and solve the mystery if your Digimon are underleveled or not at the proper developmental stage. This is a reoccurring problem as well since you have to start again at the gym and grind some more if your Digimon dies.

The recruiting of villagers is the second element that periodically deviates from the plot. But I'm willing to be a bit more understanding since this is much more exciting than training. You have to go throughout the globe and fulfill missions for Digimon in the wild in order to persuade them to return to town if you want to restore Floatia to its former splendor. This causes the tale to halt repeatedly since, until your village's prosperity level is over a certain threshold, Jijimon simply won't tell you what has to happen next.

I apologize for making training and hiring appear laborious, but like I said at the beginning of this article, I adore Digimon and Digivices. My hobbies include polishing up my stats in the gym, recruiting new members and seeing Floatia grow and expand—both of which I find very fulfilling. I also really like unlocking new Digimon from the roster of over 200 and building a more formidable squad. But still! This really seems like an acquired taste to me.

Additionally, I believe that if you're a fan of another huge "mon series," you should set reasonable expectations. Next Order combat is also somewhat different in that your Digimon essentially do as they want as you watch from the sidelines, so don't anticipate turn-based fights there either. Once you have sufficient assistance, you may level up and choose techniques, various in-battle digivolution kinds, and passive boosts.

Once you get the hang of it, the gameplay cycle of leveling up your Digimon, obtaining items, meeting new villagers, and discovering the plot is quite fulfilling, and it feels fantastic to be able to easily go through a region that was previously inaccessible.

So, "how does Nintendo Switch support Digimon World: Next Order?" I hear everyone yelling. That has a flawless response! Portability is the biggest selling feature for me, along with quick load times and minimal latency. When I finished Next Order on the PS4, I was sorely missing a portable method to play (the PSVita version was only ever available in Japan), and the Switch is ideal for this. I could play while also watching some television in the background.

Now that everyone is aware of the Switch performance, the cries have inevitably evolved into ones that ask, "Should I buy Next Order?!" and, perhaps, maybe? Feel free to indulge your intense nostalgia for Digimon, your fondness for adorable animals, and your desire to effectively play an open-world Tamagotchi simulator. Although I like this game, I recognize that it has certain shortcomings. A more polished and less tedious installment in the series would be much appreciated.

If you like your monsters in your pocket, check out our Pokédex, our Digimon Survive review, and our list of the greatest Digimon games for more stuff similar to this.