First Gameplay Impressions of Digimon World -next 0rder-

Demo play site, uploaded by @digimon_info

Over December 19th and 20th fans could demo Digimon World -next 0rder- at Jump Festa 2016. The simulation RPG drew a crowd soon after opening its doors, with waiting lines for the game being around 20 minutes; each player was allotted 5 minutes of time with the game, and given a pair of Agumon and Gabumon stickers for playing. Here's a collection of first impressions from various players that posted on Twitter and other blog sites about their experiences.



From Digimon Headline

Rough impression of gameplay. First of all, even though I had two partners, the hunger and toilet timing was the same. This time it was Agumon and Gabumon, but what happens when the partners' ages are different is unknown... Also, after battle both partners run over to below the protagonist, and their Happiness  stat can be adjusted by praising or scolding them.

(The Happiness (なつき度 natsuki-do "emotional degree") they're referring to is probably the same Happiness from the original Digimon World and Re:Digitize/Decode that reflects a Digimon's attachment to its tamer. Ordinarily both Happiness and Discipline act as regulating factors that affect a Digimon's natural evolution, with Discipline increasing as Happiness decreases, and vice-versa. Interestingly, none of the first play impressions have mentioned Discipline as being in -next 0rder-; the stat may be absent from the game.)

From Digimon Headline

The after-battle fanfare and menu selection sounds were similar to the original Digimon World. It feels a little nostalgic.

From Sasakani (3rd & in 2nd place in the previous DIGIMADO tournament)

Thoughts after playing the NekuOda demo:

• Enemy Digimon are very fast on their feet.
• When giving a Digimon meat, or praising them, you can see their evolution conditions? I was able to evolve to Seadramon, Tyrannomon, and Garurumon.
• The Digimon's response time for each command is short.

From DigiKz

I could play for 5 minutes. You could choose between playing as either the male protagonist Takuto or the female protagonist Shiki. This time, I thought that the male protagonist seemed like the #1 candidate for main character, but because Shiki-chan seemed pretty nice, I selected her. If I buy the game, I think I'll probably begin as her.

In the demo you were thrown into an unknown grassland without explanation. Your partners [as Shiki] were Piyomon and Palmon (this time they apparently train simultaneously). If you chose Takuto it seems your partners were Agumon and Gabumon (I went with Keichi-san and saw him play as Takuto). For the time being, I walked around and encountered Goblimon. We rushed right into battle.

The battle system was autobattle, I didn't understand it well but it seems you told the Digimon what techs to use with the L & R buttons. You cheered with the O button, I don't know what kind of numerical value it increases. Anyway, we somehow won (because it's a demo). Beating Goblimon took a while because of how slow they go down. After winning a battle, it seems you could praise the Digimon (but I was able to battle without a relationship to them). When in the menu screen, Shiki-chan called over Piyo and Pal to the menu display. It felt like it took a little while. While the menu screen was up, the 5-minute timer stopped. However, in going through the menu you could only use items, you couldn't see the Digimon's individual status. I wonder if this feature was restricted for trial play? Even so, it really wasn't for the best, just battling Goblimon running through the grasslands. The trial version was honestly not that fun...

You also couldn't advance to other zones. Digitama were omitted, and before I could approach another Goblimon, time was up. I think it would have been a little more fun if I had more time with the demo. At the end, I received Dot Agumon and Gabumon stickers.

Dot Agumon & Gabumon stickers. Original image uploaded by @sasakani_cool

Poster for -next 0rder-, original image uploaded by DigiKz

Digimon World -next 0rder- will launch in Japan on March 17th, 2016, on the PlayStation Vita for 6,800 yen.

Goodbye Jump Festa, Hello New Year

Original image uploaded by @Digi_advntr15th

December 20th, 2015. With this year's Jump Festa over, the annual festivities have finally come to a close. The expo held a number of surprises for Digimon fans, chiefly at the Bandai Namco Entertainment booth, where a demo and trailer for Digimon World -next 0rder- leaked the formal debut of Xros Wars in a World game, as well as the first voice acted scenes in -next 0rder-. Fans were also able to hear Aoi Eir's upcoming single Accentia in the trailer. Near the end of JF2016, Aoi herself uploaded a pair of post-recording photos of her with her songwriter Yasuda Takahiro, asking fans to look forward to both the new Digimon World and Accentia.

Original image uploaded by @m0m0ichi

Although not quite visible from space, the line for Jump Festa was certainly significant this year, starting as early as 6:30 AM. Guests at neighboring hotels could see the line wrapping around the side of the building. Every year Jump Festa attracts thousands of fans from across Japan, upwards of one hundred thousand across both days. The event originally started in 1999 as a coordinated expo between Jump magazine publisher Shueisha and a number of media companies, and Digimon was with the festival from the very beginning.

At JF2016, figure production studio MegaHouse had the most to announce, introducing their product lineup for the coming year featuring G.E.M. Series Ishida Yamato & Garurumon, Beelzebumon Blast Mode & Impmon, and the Koro Collection figure set with Yagami Hikari and five different versions of Koromon.

Original image uploaded by @toeianimgoods

Digimon Adventure tri. was featured prominently as part of Toei's lineup at the Toei Animation Booth, alongside Dragon Ball Z and One Piece. Agumon and Taichi were both featured wearing New Year's hakama featuring the Crest of Courage. Digimon fans could play a Digimon-themed karuta variant, and hanetsuki (Japanese Badminton). Both of these are traditional New Year's games in Japan. In a special photography-prohibited session at the Digimon stage, Yagami Taichi's seiyuu Hanae Natsuki painted Digimoji calligraphy, in the spirit of another New Year's practice, kakizome. The Toei Animation booth had a message board fans could leave messages on, and a special screening of Digimon Adventure tri. was held a few hours after Jump Festa's doors opened on the first day. Many fans shared photos of their tickets on Twitter as a type of communal social practice. (A similar phenomenon had previously emerged during Reunion's first few weeks in theater.)

As at Jump Festa 2015, Bandai had their Agumon mascot character present, at both the tri. and -next- 0rder- sections of the festival grounds. A video of the mascot caught dancing briefly took off on Twitter and other social media platforms.

Original image uploaded by @zetumetugirl

At the trial play area for -next 0rder-, fans waited in line to demo the game. While waiting they could view the Jump Festa trailer on a nearby monitor. The same trailer was also shown on a larger screen at the Bandai Namco Entertainment booth. Fans could only play the game for five minutes at a time, having their choice of either Takuto or Shiki, each with their own set of partners; Agumon & Gabumon for Takuto, and Piyomon & Palmon for Shiki.

The demo of the game didn't reveal any story content, but had players navigate through a grasslands area fighting Goblimon with their partners. Those that played were given a set of jumbo Agumon and Gabumon LCD stickers to promote the game.

Original image uploaded by @sasakani_cool

Original image uploaded by @DigiKz

This year's Jump Festa was a relieving sight for Digimon fans. The franchise was absent from Jump Festa 2014, and at last year's JF2015 its future was uncertain; little was known about Adventure tri. at that point, and sixteen months had passed since Digimon had released a video game on a handheld or home console. With Cyber Sleuth having been playable for the first time, there was hope, but not the kind of concrete faith that Bandai could deliver that fans have now.

Digimon is alive and in the black; "popular" might not be accurate given the small scale of tri., but Jump Festa will seeing Digimon again next year. At Jump Festa 2017, tri. will likely be near or on its fourth chapter, and -next 0rder- will be nine months old. What will we have said about the game by then? Where will the brand be globally?

The world is waiting. Are you?

(English Subbed) Digimon World -next 0rder- Jump Festa 2016 Trailer

December 19th, 2015. Above is Tamer Union's subtitle of the Digimon World -next 0rder- Jump Festa trailer, originally published by Bandai Namco Entertainment at Jump Festa 2016. The trailer shows Digimon from every past series as partners in the game, including Xros Wars' Shoutmon and Tamers' Dukemon. The game will feature a host of first print bonuses for those that preorder the game, including a copy of the original Digimon World soundtrack, several Vita themes, and exclusive DLC Digimon voiced by Chika Sakamoto & Yamaguchi Mayumi.

Digimon World -next 0rder- will launch in Japan on March 17th, 2016, for 6,800 yen on the PlayStation Vita.

(Update: Reuploaded in better quality with corrected subs.)

Digimon World -next 0rder- Jump Festa 2016 Trailer, Box Art & Price

December 19th, 2015. The Digimon World -next 0rder- title site updated with the game's Jump Festa 2016 trailer, showing off the game's voice acting and its opening theme performed by Aoi Eir, Accentia. In the trailer, protagonists Takuto & Shiki are shown being transported by their Digimon Mini virtual pet into the Digital World. The trailer features several new locations that resemble classic Digimon World locales, like Factorial Town, the Dark Lord Mansion, and Great Canyon. Training gyms, the dual partner system, and ExE-volution all are shown in the trailer, as is the enigmatic Omegamon variant Executor and the new character Tsuzuki Shouma. The trailer's slogan is "Our world is evolving," and it prominently features the phrase "Was the World waiting for you? Or were you waiting for the World?"

Accentia will launch on March 2nd, fifteen days before the game. Digimon World -next 0rder- will launch in Japan on March 17th, 2015, on the PlayStation Vita for 6,800 yen. (Approximately $56 at the current exchange rate.) More translations are forthcoming.

Koromon Collection Figure Set Shown at Jump Festa 2016

December 19th, 2015. Japanese Digimon news publication Digimon Headline leaked this photograph from the first day of Jump Festa 2016, of an upcoming official Koro Collection! figure set (ジモンアドベンチャー コロコレ！セット lit. Dejimon Adobenchaa Koro Kore! Setto) designed by studio MegaHouse. Based on the original Digimon Adventure 1999 pilot film directed by Hosoda Mamoru, the figure collection features a four-year-old Yagami Hikari with five different versions of the film's Koromon, in various eating, sleeping, and pooping poses. No release date or price has been set as of yet.

MegaHouse also announced an upcoming Beelzebumon Blast Mode figure, as well as a G.E.M. Series Ishida Yamato & Garurumon figure at JF2016.

Beelzebumon Blast Mode Figure Teased at Jump Festa 2016

Original image uploaded by @mega_girlshobby

December 19th, 2015. At the first day of Jump Festa 2016, figure studio MegaHouse has debuted an unpainted prototype of an upcoming Beelzebumon Blast Mode figure, featured alongside his Child form Impmon. Labeled as the "Digimon Tamers Beelzebumon Blast Mode" figure, no concrete release date nor expected price has been set on it as of yet. MegaHouse also showed a Digimon Adventure Ishida Yamato & Garurumon figure as part of their G.E.M. Series at the event.

Blast Mode has been a breakout character in the Digimon franchise since his introduction in Tamers; most recently he will be featured as one of two exclusive downloadable evolutions in the international localization of Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth.

Full Color Ishida Yamato & Garurumon G.E.M. Figure Leaked at Jump Festa 2016

Original image uploaded by @mega_girlshobby

December 19th, 2015. Representatives of figure news outlet Mega Hobby have leaked photographs of the upcoming G.E.M. Series Digimon Adventure Ishida Yamato & Garurumon figure, revealing that the figure will go out in July 2016, priced at 9,800 yen (approximately $81 at the current exchange rate). Reservations for the figure will open up on December 25th. An unpainted sculpt of the figure had previously been leaked late last November at the Mega Hobby 2015 Expo.

The G.E.M. Series is a line of high quality figures aimed at young adult women, featuring characters from popular anime and manga series. The G.E.M. Series has most recently featured Wizarmon and Tailmon from Digimon Adventure, which has been one of MegaHouse's most popular G.E.M. Series franchises since it became a part of the line in January 2014. Past Adventure G.E.M. figures include multiple versions of Takaishi Takeru and Yagami Hikari with the various forms of their Digimon partners, repeated reissues of Yamato and Taichi, and other members of the Chosen Children.

Jumbo Agumon & Gabumon Stickers Being Given Away at Jump Festa

A staff member at the -next 0rder- booth.

December 18th, 2015. The official Digimon Games Twitter updated with several announcements about Digimon World -next 0rder-'s inclusion at Jump Festa 2016, to be held in Japan over December 19th and 20th, in just eight hours. The -next 0rder- booth will feature a giveaway for a limited number of paired jumbo-sized Agumon and Gabumon LCD sprite stickers, using the toilet and meal icons from the original Digital Monster virtual pets. Aoi Eir's new opening theme for the game will be on display at Jump Festa, and the game will have a playable demo on-site. Although several developers have official streams of Jump Festa 2016 configured, Bandai does not seem to be among them.

Digimon World -next 0rder- will launch in Japan on March 17th, 2016, on the PlayStation Vita.

Digimon World -next 0rder- Will Be Playable at Jump Festa 2016

December 11th, 2015. Bandai has updated their page for Jump Festa 2016. Among the games they will be showing on the 19th and 20th is Digimon World -next 0rder-. Listed as a "Raising RPG," the price and release date for -next 0rder- are still undecided, but it is labeled as being available for trial play (試遊 shiyuu).

-next 0rder- is the next successor in the Digimon World series of games, descended through Re:Digitize Decode on the 3DS, Re:Digitize on the PSP, and Digimon World on the original PlayStation. In Japan it will launch exclusively on the PlayStation Vita in 2016.

Bandai Namco EU to Interview Cyber Sleuth Producer at Jump Festa

December 3rd, 2015. Bandai Namco EU announced over Twitter today that they will be interviewing Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth producer Habu Kazumasa at Jump Festa 2016, and the company is asking fans to submit their own questions. This year's Jump Fetsa will be held over December 19th and 20th at the Makuhari Messe expo center.

Jump Festa 2016 is currently set to host Digimon World -next 0rder-, which Habu will likely be presiding over as producer. Habu has been the producer for all Digimon games since Sunburst & Moonlight in 2008. This will be his fifth interview on Cyber Sleuth; Habu has been very open to questions in the past, doing interviews with Anime News Network, DualShockers, The Koalition, and Gematsu.

Digimon World -next 0rder- Will Be at Jump Festa 2016

Makuhari Messe, the site of Jump Festa.

November 24th, 2015. The Digimon World -next 0rder- title site updated today with an announcement that the 2016 game will be featured at this year's Jump Festa, held on December 19th and 20th at Makuhari Messe. The official Digimon games Twitter account confirmed this, asking readers to come play at JF2016. -next 0rder- will likely be hosted at Exhibition Zone 2 at the Bandai Namco Entertainment/Banpresto booth.

Some Japanese fans have responded to the announcement negatively on Twitter, demanding instead to know if the smartphone game Digimon Linkz will be present at JF2016. Very little information about the mobile game has been given since its TGS trailer. While past issues of V Jump have featured small splash sections encouraging users to preregister for Linkz to receive a V-mon in-game, the lack of information has been frustrating for some.

Jump Festa is an annual media expo first formed in 1999, and promoted through a collaboration of several Jump brand magazines, including Weekly Jump, Shounen Jump+, V Jump magazine, and Jump SQ. Formed through a coalition of Shueisha and associated companies, Bandai's Digimon was a foundational work for the expo, having its own booth at the first event, Jump Festa 2000. Although in the past Jump Festa was held at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center in Tokyo Bay, beginning with JF2004 the event was relocated to Makuhari Messe, where it has stayed ever since.