Digimon Story: Time Stranger
Digimon Story: Time Stranger has the sauce. Its turn-based battle system is pretty rote, but what it lacks in tactical complexity it more than makes up for in its elaborate monster-taming mechanics, mind-bending time travel story, and its incredible electronic soundtrack from Masafumi Takada. The Digimon Story games are, as the name implies, story-driven RPGs that make the most of the series’ deep mythology in ways Pokémon has only recently started catching up to. Time Stranger’s stylish presentation and ambitious, melodramatic story elevate its grindy, experimental monster-taming beyond its less interesting battle system. If you grew up watching Digimon and haven’t taken a trip to the Digital World in a while, Time Stranger is a great place to start. — Kenneth Shepard
