Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory brings back the series’ city-building and monster-raising formula for a new generation of players. The game runs on PS4, PC, Vita and Switch, and it splits its time between battling and building a home base for your Digimon team. That split is the whole game.
Trailer, via PlayStation.
Battle and Base
The battle system is familiar to anyone who played the earlier games in the series. You move a small party across a grid, attack enemies, and trigger skill chains for extra damage. The system is simple to learn and deep enough to reward careful play. Skill chains can change the course of a fight, and mastering them takes real practice.
The base-building side is where the game gets interesting. You build rooms, connect them with paths, and assign Digimon to guard them. Each room gives a bonus to your stats or your Digimon’s abilities. The design encourages you to plan ahead, since changing the layout later costs time and resources.
“The camera gap is real but the battery is what will decide this.”
Progression
Leveling up in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory mostly happens through battles and the occasional side quest. You earn experience points, gain levels, and unlock new skills. The game also lets you evolve your Digimon into stronger forms, though some players will find the process slow.
Side quests add some variety to the main story. They give out items, experience, and occasionally a new Digimon to recruit. The quests are short and mostly optional, but they break up the grind of leveling.
Performance Across Platforms
| Platform | Key Detail |
|---|---|
| PS4 | Full version, runs at full speed |
| PC | Full version, runs at full speed |
| Vita | Limited version, fewer Digimon available |
| Switch | Limited version, fewer Digimon available |
The PS4 and PC versions are complete. Vita and Switch players get a reduced version with fewer Digimon to choose from. Anyone buying on Vita or Switch should know what they’re getting before they start.
Where It Falls Short
The game isn’t perfect. Some Digimon feel overpowered early on, while others feel weak even at high levels. The pacing drags in the middle of the story, where the plot slows down and the battles start to feel similar.
The camera during battles can also be a problem. It sometimes cuts off parts of the battlefield, making it hard to see where your Digimon are moving. This is a known issue across the series, not a flaw unique to this entry.
Final Word
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory succeeds because it balances two systems that rarely work together this well. The battle combat stays sharp, and the base-building gives it a reason to keep playing. The Vita and Switch versions are worth considering for players who want a portable version, but they miss out on some content.
The game’s strengths outweigh its flaws. Anyone who enjoyed the earlier games in the series will find plenty to love here, even if the pacing stumbles in the middle.
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