Unquestionably Bandai Namco experienced a profound emotional shock and on top of that, unexpectedly released a small anime clip for Digimon Story Time Stranger, which led players to really lose it. The opening of the anime gives out a plot not told in the case of Inori and her little brother, thus, introducing the infamous background for the recent RPG hit’s events. However, this is not just the case of a casual throwaway bonus content, it rather concerns a short that has impressive animation doing together with fight scenes, heart-wrenching moments, and that classic Digimon spirit which the fans have been waiting and hoping for years.
It was the official Digimon games Twitter account that shared the “Digimon Story Time Stranger – Anime Short | Prelude”, together with the question that has been preoccupying the players since the launch of the game: “What happened in the past to Inori and her younger brother?” In fact, we know this now and the story is, apparently, so strong that it can even make adults cry before breakfast, or at least this is what one player claimed who stated they “was not expecting to cry so early in the morning” while another one simply said “That wrecked my soul” – all these reactions and more likely come from players who have already experienced the very emotional story arc of the game.
The most amazing thing to notice is the community’s turn to the unexpected release. Some gamers are coordinating their gameplay perfectly so that they can finish the game before getting to the prelude, like KulopSiri who said “Glad im watch this after i finish the game today 🥹one of best digimon story from digimon fan ever ask 😭” – the very excitement of this typo-laden comment is a great example of the very raw emotion that people are going through. At the same time, other players are trying very hard not to come across any spoilers, with GeargiaX yelling “IM NOT FINISH THE GAME YETTT ;^;” in capital letters as if to say everyone can guess that no one wants their gaming experience to be ruined.
Apart from that, the talks about quality of animation have also been in the air. The short has incredibly polished fighting sequences, some of which seem to involve a “rider kick” finisher that has become the talk of the town among the comments. One user ScatterBrainUK appeared to be even asking whether this was the whole version of the clip or there will be a longer cut adding, “That fight scene was sick! Loved that final move as well, gotta end with a rider kick.” And of course, where there’s Digimon, there is also Machinedramon, who is always up to no good – StriderCaptain observed “Those machinedramon always causing trouble in any timeline in any game” because there are just some baddies that keep haunting the heroes.
But the music along with the emotional weight really does push the people’s emotions up. Noodleramenshop said, “Goddamn, that music makes me well up any time I hear it, my heart..!!” this indicates that this is not just any low-quality produced bonus feature. In fact, the developers have really put their hearts into making the prelude feel like a cornerstone of the Time Stranger experience, not just a marketing tool.
The release timing is not only tricky but also very clever. As the game is still a fresh memory for players (and apparently a lot of them are still in the process of playing it), the anime short will serve as a reward for the current players and a possible bait for the newcomers at the same time. But not all the gamers are able to enjoy it – zarc4d grieved “PC’s too weak for time stranger, waiting for switch/switch 2 versions” which is definitely a mood that people stuck with older hardware can relate to.
There are diverse community reactions from pure joy to desperate pleas for more content. Twelveolympus surrenders it all and shouts “Omg this is too damn good, thank you for putting so much love and effort on the game, this prelude and the marketing overall 😭” while l3AnKieWoNG simply stated “We need more stories please!!!!” The love for this game is undeniably, iL0veRpgs even went so far as to declare “I LOVE THIS GAME!!! 😭😭😭” in capital letters, with crying emojis because sometimes mere words just are not sufficient.
By the way, there is even a comparison of this to the previous Digimon Story treatments that are already being discussed. Huss41542281 stated “So the cyber sleuth games got a 1 of manga. While Time stranger gets a short anime. The animation was great.” It was not trivial in terms of content supply and thus, players are savoring every single bit of it.
Nevertheless, there were some negative reactions too – Teclatete stated “This plot gives me nothing. Next time let’s have a game with a great plot,”? just wait a minute though; every time there is someone that has to be that guy. Nonetheless, the majority of the responses have been very emotional and appreciative with Fernando494949 very aptly saying it “Soooooo beautiful 😍 Thank you for the amazing game!!! Hope we see more in the future 🙏”
The short has also sparked dreams of future expansions and many players have mentioned the possible DLC that could tell the story of Inori and Aegio. And, of course, the requests for anime adaptation have started to flood in already, as Fairi_digimon92 has beseeched “Please give us an anime adaptation of Time Stranger 😍🙏🏻” because when something is so good, people just naturally want more.
The most intriguing part about this prelude is that it can augment the game’s experience without the impression that it is an essential content that should have been included in the first place. It is a perfect example of well-done supplemental material – it adds depth and emotional resonance for the players that want it, while it is still optional for those who prefer to experience the story through the game only.
The Digimon franchise has been fairly consistent and on a roll, quality-wise, and this anime short is just another proof that Bandai Namco can create hysteria and keep their player base’s interest for a long time. The game itself and this unexpected animation drop are clear indicators of their genuine commitment to providing immersive experiences that go beyond just the initial purchase.
And with the comments still pouring in and players learning more about this emotional prelude, one thing is certain: Digimon Story Time Stranger has made a significant impact on the JRPG community and this anime short is just the cherry on top of an already loved cake. It does not matter if you are a long-time Digimon fan or a newbie who just got acquainted with the series through this latest release, the fact is that Bandai Namco has indeed created something exceptional here, and players are certainly very eager to welcome whatever comes next.
