Digimon Survive, the next big video game title for the Digimon franchise, looks to be bringing a fresh twist to the franchise’s life on gaming platforms. This next entry in the franchise is going to be a survival strategy RPG, though most of the finer details of the title have yet to come to light. Despite Digimon games often going largely unnoticed in the west, this title actually seems to be something fairly unique to the franchise.
Though the game was delayed earlier this year to an ambiguous 2020 release date indicating that the initial announcement of the game may have been a bit too early, fans have heard a few tidbits of what players can expect from the title. Now, thanks to translations from a scan from Weekly Famitsu, fans of the series in the West can get an idea of what the characters and story of Digimon Survive might look like.
Following the relatively positive reception of the last entry from the franchise, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, the franchise seems to be on the up and up. Digimon Survive was revealed with a sense of seriousness to it, that seemed to contrast with some of the franchise’s recent ventures lighthearted and playful nature and tone. One of the more interesting revelations was a focus on a choice-driven narrative, with multiple endings – some of which involve character deaths.
Now, it’s been revealed that Digimon Survive’s plot begins while the main protagonist Takuma Momotsuka (voiced by Kohei Amasaki) and his friends are on a history studies field trip to visit a shrine that represents the legend of the ‘Kemonogami.’ During the trip, hostile Digimon suddenly appear. With the help of Koromon, the group fends off the monsters only to realize they are now in another world.
Additional info about the supporting cast of characters has been revealed as well. The girl seen in trailers is Aoi Shibuya, voiced by Kaede Hondo. She’s a 3rd year middle schooler from another school who’s joining the protagonist’s school for the field trip. She’s described as a serious and earnest girl, who can be somewhat shy. In the other world, she’s tasked with managing detailed work like managing supplies and the camp.
The protagonist’s best friend, Minoru Hyuuga voiced by Abe Atsushi, is described as a talkative prankster and class clown. He has an easygoing and friendly personality, but he can also be a bit of a troublemaker. He dislikes fighting, preferring to make others laugh instead of inciting conflict.
Finally, Ryou Tominaga, who is the character dressed in the white tracksuit and purple headband, is voiced by Yohei Azakami. He’s described as a tough guy type who is actually a coward underneath his rough exterior. Additionally, Digimon like Agumon, Labramon, Falcomon, and Kunemon were given details and had their voice actors revealed.
Though Digimon is often compared to the Pokemon franchise due to the similar premise the two franchises focus on, hardcore fans of the franchises often claim that Digimon media is quite a bit different from Pokemon media. The Digimon franchise tends to skew a bit more to a more serious, story-focused nature, whereas Pokemon usually skews to more kid-friendly and gameplay-focused. Still, that doesn’t stop the rivalry from continuing, even into games like Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Though details are still scarce for Digimon Survive, the game is still slated to be released sometime in 2020. Fans can be sure to expect more details to surface throughout next year, though news will most likely originate from Japan. Until then, fans of the franchise might tide themselves over with the latest entry on Mobile, Digimon ReArise.
Digimon Survive is slated to release in 2020.
Source: WiththeWill Forums