At a first glance, the premise of Digimon Survive sounds quite similar to the plot of the original animated series: A group of teenagers get lost in the Digital World and must find a way to escape. However, Digimon Survive promises to take its plot in a much darker direction, following the teens and their Digimon as they fight for their lives.
Since players will be scrounging for supplies and making difficult decisions throughout, it seems as though Digimon Survive is meant to be a smaller-scale story focusing on nature and mortality. The main characters might never get strong enough to face off against the likes of the Mega-level Digimon. Instead, the best villains for Survive will be Digimon that embody the terror of the wilderness.
SaberLeomon
SaberLeomon is an incredibly powerful, Mega-level Digimon who poses a considerable threat to anyone who trespasses on his territory. Though the character was originally portrayed as an ally in the Digimon Adventure series, he returned as a villain in Digimon Data Squad.
As one of the most powerful Digimon on this list, SaberLeomon would be an excellent recurring villain who can harry the party throughout Digimon Survive. His sheer size and power would make a chase scene in the woods absolutely terrifying.
MegaSeadramon
Though MegaSeadramon is admittedly a weaker form of MetalSeadramon, his scaly body better encapsulates the power of the sea. He would be a formidable monster for the protagonists of Digimon Survive to contend with, especially in a scenario where they're forced to cross a body of water in a tiny raft. While he'd be a difficult enemy on his own, he could also lead an army of other water-based Digimon like Pukumon and Shellmon.
RareRaremon
RareRaremon is the digivolved version of Raremon, and one of the newest villains added to the Digital World. The undead Digimon is a pile of decaying ooze, resembling a Lovecraftian assortment of teeth, claws, and random body parts. It's one of the most grotesque Digimon ever designed, and would be an absolute horror to fight against. RareRaremon's ability to rapidly digest friends and enemies alike could easily make it a lethal threat.
Meicoomon
Meicoomon originally appeared in Digimon Adventure tri. as an ally who quickly became a villain. The cat-like Digimon could easily pull the same trick in Digimon Survive, corrupting the player's Digimon partners so that they attack each other. Her final form is Ordinemon, an evil Digimon resembling a fallen angel with humongous black wings. Her turn towards evil could be an excellent late-game reveal, and her digivolution would make for a great final battle.
Diaboromon
Diaboromon first made an appearance as the main villain in Digimon: The Movie. The evil Digimon is capable of corrupting data and causing massive disruptions in the real world. Since the Digital World is entirely made of data, Diaboromon could make life very difficult for Digimon Survive players. He would be capable of changing the environment on a whim, creating a sense of impending doom that would be nearly impossible to escape. He'd probably appear near the end of the game, just as the player feels like they're getting the hang of the whole survival thing.
WereGarurumon
WereGarurumon isn't normally an evil Digimon, but that could make him incredibly compelling as an enemy. Most of Digimon Survive's horror relies on subverting players' memories of the animated series, so turning an unquestionably good Digimon into an enemy would be quite effective. WereGarurumon's design has always had an edge to it, putting him somewhere between a hunter and a mercenary. His inclusion as an antagonist would underline the Digital World's transformation into a bleak, dangerous place.
Digimon has a rich history of incredible character designs, and any of them could be compelling villains if handled properly. Digimon Survive is poised to offer an exciting blend of shock and fan service, and could ultimately redefine what a Digimon story can be.
Digimon Survive is currently in development for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
