Digimon World: Next Order Requires Quite A Bit Of Patience

After receiving Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and Digimon All-Star Rumble, people might not recall what it’s like to play a Digimon World game. After all, the last one in this line to be released outside of Japan was Digimon World 4, and that was back in 2005. A lot of work goes into caring for and training these needy virtual babies, and people need to exhibit quite a bit of patience. Especially since your critters are only going to live for about 10 to 20 days before “dying” and regenerating. You need to make the most of each lifetime. While the game isn’t very good about preparing you for the circle of life, it fortunately isn’t too difficult to find a good groove.

The first thing you should do is consider whether or not you should be playing Digimon World: Next Order on Rookie. I know, resorting to the easy mode before even trying may feel like showing a sign of weakness. If you’ve never played a Digimon World game before, it might not be a bad idea. People accustomed to the progression pattern and series will be more than fine on Normal, but taking your time on a lesser difficulty level, with more generous evolution requirements and gains, isn’t a bad idea when finding your footing. After all, you can always go through one lifetime on Rookie, see how well you do or don’t fair, then go ahead and restart if you’re finding things too easy.

Once you’ve decided on a difficulty level, you need to always be thinking about the characters you want and their stats. Each of the starting babies will all turn into one specific in-training Digimon. Botamon will always become Koromon. Poyomon becomes Tokomon. Jyarimon turns into Gigimon. Conomo becomes Kokomon. If you absolutely have to have Agumon, you need to choose Botamon, then start grinding his HP and strength stats in training to be assured of the Digimon you want. To eventually get Gatomon, you need to pick Yukimibotamon, then train the Nyaromon it turns into into Salamon. That means focusing on wisdom and speed, then MP, wisdom, and your general relationship. Since Digimon World: Next Order’s characters’ lives are rather brief, it may be best to go ahead and experiment with your first few generations. Build stats and plant the seeds for better starting positions, then try for your favorites for later in the game.

Your first two generations probably won’t be super exciting in Digimon World: Next Order. And that’s fine. This is a game that can be quite massive, thanks to a robust main storyline and post-game. Instead, it’s about growing. You want to get yourself in a good place to tackle each chapter’s boss. The important thing to remember is that battling is the best way to improve your partners’ stats, but you need to spend time time in the gym until your characters hit their rookie forms.

It’s wise to equally divide your time in the gym and field with a new Digimon. Give the character some time to develop into a rookie around the safety of Floatia, before beginning to explore further as a champion. Numemons are a good way to earn some bits in the first chapter. In the second chapter, Bony Drive has Black Weregarurumon and Wizardmon are good for bits, stat boosts, and tamer experience. Mod Cape has Saberdramons and Black Agumons you can fight. Of course, getting the Builder after Floatia passes 15 prosperity and you’re out of the first chapter will get you upgrade the dojo “force” your Digimon to evolve into the Digivolutions you’d prefer, making it much easier to get the characters you want.

Getting your trainer in a good place is critical too. Exploring, gathering, and fighting increases your Tamer level, giving you access to skills that can help you build up your Digimon. (Especially gathering.) The life type skills can help your Digimon live longer. Extra orders are important, since you can direct your characters to defend. The teacher skills are fantastic and should be grabbed, since they help you with building your partners’ stats. Also, regen will allow you to restore your characters’ health automatically while walking.

When you play Digimon World: Next Order, taking your time is the best gift you can give to yourself. This is an adventure with so many opportunities to collect, grind, and grow. Once you’ve completed the first chapter and are in a good place to really find yourself and the right path to take, you really have every opportunity to enjoy yourself and expand your world. There are so many ways to build stats, digivolve your partners, and improve yourself, and you can take as long as you’d like to get into a good place.

Digimon World: Next Order is available for the PlayStation 4.