DigimonandPokemonhave each explored dark moments in the past, butDigimon Survive’s focus on darkness will be a first for either franchise. The long-awaited title follows a group of teens fighting for their lives to escape the Digital World. Death and danger are prominent themes inDigimon Survive,which has touted its darker story as a major selling point.
TheDigimonanimated series was often seen as having more of an edge thanPokemon, but that hasn’t been true of its video games. LikePokemon,Digimongames have focused more heavily on their collectable monsters than on the humans doing the collecting. By putting humans and Digimon in equal peril,Digimon Survivewill be able to tell a story that avoids the persistent optimism of its previous titles.
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Two Games, Two Goals
Pokemongames rarely feature dark stories,but this might be because Nintendo has different goals for the franchise than Bandai Namco has forDigimon. ThoughPokemonwas first released more than 20 years ago, Nintendo is still trying to attract young fans. There is some darkness to be found in the periphery, but on the surfacePokemongames have the same general tone and art style that they always have.
In contrast, Bandai doesn’t seem overly concerned with attracting young fans toDigimon. The anime has become progressively darker over the years, andDigimon Story: Cyber Sleuthhad a Teen rating from the ESRB. High-level Digimon can be outright terrifying, whereas even the most powerfulPokemonretain an innocuous charm.
The art style inDigimon Surviveis also more mature than that of mostPokemongames, reflecting a seriousness reminiscent of a prestige anime. This shift in art style was also present in the anime seriesDigimon Adventure tri.,a more mature entry that follows the DigiDestined as they try to come to grips with the experiences they endured as children. The darker tone reflects the way thatDigimonhas evolved alongside its fansas they’ve grown older.
Dealing With Darkness
ThoughPokemongames rarely deal with mature themes outright, there have been a few exceptions. In the very firstPokemongames, Lavender Town contains a giant memorial tower where dead Pokemon are buried. There’s even a fan theory that suggests the main character is responsible for inadvertently killing their rival’s Raticate.
Pokemon XandYget more extreme. Lysandre, the leader of Team Flare, believes that humans are inherently evil and tries to exterminate millions of people. The plan is disturbingly similar to that of Thanos inInfinity War, indirectly referencing themes like eugenics, genocide, and population control. Considering that villains like Team Rocket used to be content with simply stealing Pokemon, it was a shockingly violent plot for aPokemongame.
Digimonhas also dealt with apocalyptic themes, but doesn’t typically delve into the motivations behind them.MostDigimonvillainswho try to take over or destroy the world do so because they lust for power. It has always been possible for Digimon to die, but they’re typically reborn as eggs and retain their memories.Digimonhas historically had a darker tone thanPokemon, but had fewer moments that felt wildly out of character.
Focusing on Flaws
TheDigimonanime dealt with human foiblesin a way thatPokemondidn’t. Most of the original DigiDestined had personal demons, such as depression, insecurity, trauma, or isolation. Matt had a lot of residual anger following his parents' divorce, and had to learn how to support his younger brother, TK. While these aren’t inherently dark themes, they were surprisingly mature concepts for a children’s show.
Though it’s very interesting to seeDigimon Surviveexplore death, it will be more interesting to see how the characters react. Ratcheting up the stakes will give rise to more complex character flaws, which will ultimately lead to a deeper narrative.Digimon Survive’sstory could be presented in a way that resonates with children and adults alike, even if it seems a bit extreme.
Digimon Surviveis currently in development for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
