The Digital World is by no means a safe place for any teenager to explore. However, this is exactly where players picking up Digimon World: Next Order will find themselves. Thankfully, players will not be alone, as they will have two Digimon partners to accompany and protect them from any threat. These Digimon also rely on the player, so the player will need to care for, feed, and train their partners. Out of all these responsibilities, training is arguably one of the most important, and it takes several different forms.
However, before getting into the main methods of training, it's important to explain how the game works. Digimon World: Next Order is a semi-open-world RPG that allows the player to explore several different areas. These areas are filled with enemy Digimon that will attack the player, and the player's only method of defense is the two Digimon partners that follow them. These Digimon have several stats that can be affected by training in both the training hall and during combat. There is a lot to go over regarding these stats as they affect both the normal battles and Digivolution.
Understanding Digimon Stats & Digivolution
There are, in total, six different trainable stats in Digimon World. These stats are HP, MP, Strength, Stamina, Wisdom, and Speed. For the most part, these are all pretty straightforward, but there are a few things to note. When it comes to battles, the main stats to consider are HP, MP, Strength, Speed, and Stamina. It is ideal to raise these stats as high as possible to survive. However, Wisdom also should be explored, as it essentially measures how quickly Digimon can learn new moves in battle and how much MP is used in attacks, which is very important in the early game.
All of these stats affect more than just fighting -- they are also one of the major components of Digivolving the partner Digimon. Throughout their life, they can change into many different forms, from baby to mega level. What creature the player's partner will change into depends on several different factors. One of the main factors is the stats mentioned previously, though not always all of them. Essentially, each Digivolution requires a different mix of stats, weight, care, and victories. It also should be mentioned that Digivolving also improves the stats of Digimon.
Navigating the Training Hall and Battles
The Training hall is one of the most important buildings in the city and the one players will spend the most time in. The player can select an exercise and run their Digimon through it by playing a simple mini-game. However, several different factors can influence training gains. Essentially, there are several potential additions that, if landed on during the mini-game, will increase the amount gained from the training. Certain food selections improve the training of different programs. Finally, players can improve the effectiveness of the machines and the building itself to get better results. However, these improvements require a lot of money or materials that are very difficult to gather early in the game.
Players can also gain stat improvements in battle by defeating enemies, with the more powerful enemies giving much better stats. However, these are far less constant than just training in the gym. Something to keep in mind is that the tamer needs to keep an eye on their Digimon's exhaustion. It slowly rises as the player trains and fights, and if it becomes too high, it will exhaust the Digimon and even shorten their lives. This means there is only so much that the player can train in any one day, but a short rest can reset this.
The Importance of Player Upgrades
One important thing to note is that players improve just as much as their Digimon. This growth comes in the form of tamer points that players gain each time they level up. These points can be used to purchase a few different upgrades, such as increased backpack space or HP gains. However, the most important upgrades are the ones that improve both training and the parameters inherited and improved in both death and Digivolution. It is also worth improving how long the partner Digimon will live, as this will allow for greater stat improvements over time.
Training is one of the main constants in Digimon World, and it is easily the aspect that will take up most players' time. However, it is simple enough to understand, and with a little bit of work, it's easy to get the best results. Once players have this down, they will find that saving the Digital World from the Machinedramon attacks is considerably easier. In the end, it's up to the tamer and their partners, and training is the best way to improve the odds.