"Digital Paradise!"

Just recently, the game Pokemon Diamond and Pearl have been released. We can all remember fondly the different way Digimon and Pokemon got their audiences. I could always remember the fun I had raising small cute digital monsters on my Playstation. Now, comes Digimon World DS Dusk and Dawn.

Gameplay: 8/10

The game basically revolves around you as a Tamer solving a mystery. Throughout the way you will encounter new and exotic Digimon and train your own to become stronger. The thing about this is that there is a limit to the maximum level you can train to. There is no way for you to really use "brute force" to complete the game. Instead, you must take time to train them to a certain degree, Digivolve them and Degenerate them (de-digivolve) to have them get stronger. This takes time and it makes the work so much more rewarding when you have your strong Digimon kill the opponent in a few hits. Moreover, sometimes, in order to Digivolve to the next stage, you must Degenerate to get enough Amptitude to continue to get the right level to evolve. You'll understand once you play the game.

The battle system is not exceptionally original and lacking massively in graphics. Nonetheless, the way the battle system is played out on technical terms (the battlefield and concept) is excellent. You may be fighting a group of 5 Digimon with only 3, adding challenge and definitely a new edge to the game. There is now a bit of a strategy to how to use your Mana properly. Wasting it all on weak Digimon is really bad while conserving it on strong ones is just as daft.


Storyline: 9/10

The game has 2 factions who are accusing each other of destroying the Digital City. Soon, the attention shifts not to the factions but the one controlling the opposing faction. Along the way you must complete side quests to unlock main storyline ones. The plot has a lot of twists and turns and proves how important the bond between people are, a key point in the world of Digimon.


Difficulty: 9/10

When has a Digimon game never been hard? Indeed, the time spent Digivolving and Degenerating Digimon take forever, but the results are worth it. For those who are familier with Pokemon competitive battling, Digimon's rival, you will know the difficult bit is getting the right moveset and high enough Individual Values. In this game, you must constantly evolve and devolve to get good stats. This really puts the emphasis on some of the main key points of the Digimon franchise, like the need to really spend time with Digimon for them to grow.


Replay Value: 8/10

I would say this game would keep me occupied for a long time to come. Even after the game there are quests to accomplish which would normally not been able to be done during the storyline play through. Moreover, there is still a lot of training even after the game to perfect a strong team for the upcoming challenges.


Wi-Fi Connectivity: 6/10

This was really depressing, unfortunately. I had some minor problems connecting with friends over Wi-Fi. Nonetheless, the usage of the Wi-Fi to trade, battle and make Digi-eggs is an interesting prospect and still merits a 6.


Indeed, the Digimon franchise has attracted many children and teens alike. Digimon never fails to emphasize the need of a bond between tamer and Digimon in both the anime and games. Pokemon lacks in the games. These two rivals have a long war to pit out over, but still, both franchises are deserving of their titles.

For those who love Digimon, get it. For those who hate Digimon, you are missing a lot. I can honestly say, never rent this game. Purchase it if its your first copy, cause it is really more fun than you may believe.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/16/07

Game Release: Digimon World: Dusk (US, 09/18/07)