Digimon World Next Order Review (Steam)

For our Digimon World Next Order Review, where The Digital World has run rampant with Machinedramon and is now in a state of utter chaos. As a Digidestined, it’s up to you to restore order to the world in Digimon World: Next Order, a monster-collecting RPG.

Digimon World Next Order Review Pros:

  • Anime graphics.
  • 6.88GB Download size.
  • Steam achievements.
  • Steam trading cards.
  • Graphics settings – resolution, screen mode, anti-aliasing, and depth of field.
  • Controller settings – Invert axis and sensitivity sliders.
  • Three save slots.
  • Can rebind controls for the keyboard.
  • Three difficulties – beginner, easy, and normal.
  • Full controller support.
  • Two protagonists – Takuto and Shiki.
  • Rename your character choice.
  • Anime-style cutscenes.
  • Full 3D camera control.
  • Good voicework.
  • Arena-based combat – Digimon attacks automatically and you can issue orders for more direct control.
  • Two Digimon are in battle, the left and right bumper is assigned to each one.
  • The opening tutorial section of combat with ongoing pop-ups.
  • ExE is the attack that has both Digimon combine into a powerful being and do immense damage.
  • Earn combat points by fighting to spend on orders and support items when Digimon is fighting.
  • Multiple choice questions.
  • Huge cutscenes when activating special attacks and abilities.
  • Choose your starting Digimon for both left and right. You can rename them.
  • Save when you want.
  • The field guide fills in with Digimon you interact with and show basic info and evolution.
  • As you fight the Digimon gain new moves, evolve, and get state increases.
  • Find material and items within the world.
  • Training is a fun little mini-game where you pick what part to train in (hp/mp/etc) and then you press the button to stop the marker in a reaction-based game. (you set training for each individual)
  • Digimon needs constant care like eating, sleeping, praise, scolding, etc so it’s like a Tamagotchi mechanic.
  • You see enemy Digimon walking around.
  • Not all Digimon in the world is evil and you can in fact make friends and have them joined the city.
  • Enemy’s power level show above their head before you engage in battle.
  • Simple controls.
  • Set battle options for your Digimon like using mp moves targeting a certain enemy, etc.
  • Day/night cycle.
  • End of combat breakdown of rewards and stats.
  • Vending machines allow you to spend your currency (bits) on items.
  • Getting Digimon into the city adds new shops and features.
  • Find and use fishing spots.
  • Zoom the camera in and out.
  • All Online battling is done via the dimensional box.
  • Earn network points to buy unique and rare items.
  • Level up and improve the town.
  • Central storage box.

Digimon World Next Order Review Cons:

  • The mouse cursor stays on the screen.
  • For new players, you don’t get a lot of info about Digimon when choosing your starters.
  • Slow starter.
  • Choices feel redundant as you still have to do what the story says regardless.
  • You cannot rebind controls for the controller but you can select and get locked into rebounding.
  • So much to take in, especially for new players.
  • The tutorial pop-ups feel a bit behind.
  • Combat takes some getting used to.
  • A lot of annoying little sound effects and callouts from Digimon.
  • Never sure what all the icons and needs of a Digimon are.
  • Combat is very drawn out.
  • You cannot buy multiple items in vending machines.
  • Healing and fixing up Digimon are so many steps.
  • Picking up items in the world is slow.
  • The story never really grabbed me.
  • Traversing the world is not always smooth sailing.
  • The reactions from the Digimon is so unpredictable and all over the place.

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Digimon World Next Order:

Official website.

Developer: HYDE, Inc.

Publisher: Bandai Namco

Store Links –

Steam

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 6/10
    Sound - 6/10
  • 8/10
    Accessibility - 8/10
  • 8/10
    Length - 8/10
  • 7/10
    Fun Factor - 7/10
7.2/10

Summary

This is my first foray into the world of Digimon so apologies. I found the game to be a lot deeper and varied than my previous notion that this was just a Pokemon ripoff, Whilst the core gameplay is very Pokemon like its the way the game actually does everything that differentiates it. Digimon fight in pairs and auto fight with you having basic command prompts and you can set attack strategies. Digiomn themselves are basically Tamagotchi and for the uninformed this means you need to feed them, find out their favourite food, get them to sleep, praise/scold them, and keep an eye on their life bars such as fatigue and stamina. The world is vast and you can see enemy Digiomn and touch them to start a fight! The town is a central part of the game and you are tasked with going out and finding friendly Digiomon, Doing their requests and then having them join the town which in turn unlocks new features, and levels up the town level unlocking more rewards. As far as levelling up Digimon go it s a case of going to the gym and playing the reflex based mini game, Find gear and specialised Digiomn to unlock another training option to increase gear. I found the game to be a lot at first as I took so much in, I put this down to being new to the whole series as its like Pokemon in that if you’ve played one you’ve played them all and can skip tutorial stuff but not for me here. I didn’t hate it and whilst I found myself losing hours just wandering around and getting frustrated with my Digimon I did have a lot of fun and the combat is a really cool idea, not always working well but its a novel twist. I can say that if you mixed elements from Pokemon and Digimon you would have one hell of a game. Playing the game has changed how I perceive and describe Digimon in the future and honestly has made me a fan albeit a casual one.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!