Digimon World: Next Order is finally coming to PC and the Nintendo Switch after having only been available on PlayStation consoles since its initial release in 2016. The game will join a number of other Digimon games already available on the Switch, and while some may have doubts about repurchasing or waiting for a game that has already been available for nearly seven years, its arrival on the Switch can show why its actually perfect for the console.
Unlike the other Digimon games already available on the Switch, Next Order Digimon World subseries, which features an open world aspect and plays more like the franchise's main competitor Pokemon, due to the player character needing to battle with their Digimon in order to evolve them. This stands in contrast to DigimonStory: Cybersleuth, which has the character playing a much more linear story, and this year's Digimon Survive, which plays like a visual novel and takes place entirely in the real world as opposed to the digital one.
Digimon World Returns to Handheld Consoles
One of the main criticisms for Next Order in its early days was that the PlayStation 4 version was only a port of the portable Playstation Vita version. Additionally, the game was focused on somewhat repetitive elements that felt a bit like a grind. The game coming to the Switch, also a handheld console, means that players are getting the game in the format in which it has always performed best; the grind elements will be right at home on a handheld platform, since that where most of Digimon's best-selling games with grindy elements have succeeded. Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and the Switch's endless supply of farming sims all have prominent collecting elements that do well on the console with the opportunity for accessible handheld play.
In the Switch release trailer, Next Order shows the player's choices for the main character. The original game had only Takuto as an audience surrogate, while the upcoming version will give the option of playing as Shiki. This is far from the only upgrade; players will at last be able to run in the game, something sorely needed given current expectations for RPGs, and a new beginner mode will help to train players in a game that once took criticism for not being intuitive.
Digimon World: Next Order comes to the Switch at just the right time to build momentum for the franchise. The franchise's creators have been talking about having more Digimon games in development for some time now, which is has gotten fans excited, since Survive was the first game they had gotten from the franchise since Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's Memory in 2018. Since Survive was such a departure from series' games that came before it, fans are desperate for a proper return to the digital world.
While Next Order is hardly new, it will be new to players just coming into the franchise, and veteran fans will have a new and welcome way to enjoy a game they already love. Digimon is a series that already has a long and innovative history, its very premise all about take full advantage of the relatively new rise of online spaces. Fans will have to content themselves with an old favorite for a while longer, but with the change of platform, they will have the pleasure of experiencing it anew.
Digimon World: Next Order is available now for PS4 and PS Vita, and will release on February 22, 2023 for PC and Switch.
