Introduction

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a tactical RPG set in a fractured Digital World where time itself has collapsed. Players must travel through the past, present, and future to repair the timelines, save their Digimon partners, and uncover the truth behind the mysterious Chrono Code. This game blends emotional storytelling with deep combat mechanics, offering both strategy and heart. In this complete “How to” guide, we’ll walk through everything from your first steps to unlocking the True Ending — perfect for both newcomers and veteran Tamers.

1. How to Begin Your Adventure

At the start of the game, you’ll take a short personality test that determines your first partner Digimon. Your result decides whether you begin with Agumon, Gabumon, or Patamon — each representing a different elemental affinity and growth route.

Before you rush into combat, spend time exploring the DigiBase, the central hub for team management, missions, and item storage. Learning the menus, camera control, and navigation tools early will make later sections far easier to handle.

Tips for Beginners:

  • Use multiple save slots. The game’s branching timelines mean choices can drastically alter outcomes.
  • Explore early areas thoroughly; many hidden items are essential later.

2. How to Form the Perfect Digimon Team

Building a balanced team is key to surviving battles. Each Digimon has a role: Attack, Defense, or Support. Combining these effectively allows you to handle all enemy types.

For example, a well-rounded early team might include Agumon as a damage dealer, Gomamon as a tank, and Tentomon as a support unit. The goal is not raw power, but synergy — creating combos where each Digimon complements the others’ strengths.

Team Composition Basics:

  • Attackers: Deal high burst damage. Best for quick eliminations.
  • Defenders: Absorb hits and protect allies during boss fights.
  • Supporters: Heal and buff your team for long engagements.

3. How to Train and Grow Your Digimons

Training determines how strong your team becomes. The DigiFarm system lets you assign Digimon to different facilities that increase stats, friendship, or experience over time.

Each building specializes in certain attributes. The Gym boosts Attack and Defense, the Library enhances Intelligence and Speed, and the Laboratory increases skill efficiency. Rotate training sessions frequently to avoid over-focusing one stat.

Efficient Training Tips:

  • Focus on Stamina early — it keeps your Digimon in battles longer.
  • Train Digimon with high evolution potential first.
  • Combine training with side quests for faster EXP gain.

4. How to Master the Digivolution System

Digivolution is the soul of every Digimon game. In Time Stranger, the evolution system is nonlinear — your Digimon’s growth depends on both stats and timeline actions. Chrono Energy, earned by fixing time distortions, fuels these evolutions.

There are also Temporal Evolutions — unique forms available only in certain eras or alternate histories. This mechanic rewards replaying timelines and exploring “what if” scenarios.

Example Evolution Paths:

  • Agumon → Greymon → MetalGreymon → WarGreymon (standard)
  • Agumon → DarkTyrannomon → SkullGreymon (if corrupted in past timeline)

5. How to Battle with Strategy

Combat in Time Stranger uses a turn-based system with a new Time Sync mechanic. When your attacks align perfectly, allies can chain their skills together to freeze enemies and deal combo damage.

Elemental strategy also plays a huge role: Fire beats Nature, Nature beats Water, and Water beats Fire. However, Light and Dark elements exist outside this triangle, adding unpredictable twists to boss battles.

Battle Tips:

  • Start each fight by lowering the enemy’s speed.
  • Heal proactively; don’t wait until HP is critical.
  • Use Chrono Burst when Time Sync reaches 100% for devastating combos.

6. How to Complete Time Missions

Time Missions are the core of the story. Each mission sends you to a specific point in time to repair history or prevent a future disaster. These choices impact your allies, evolution routes, and eventual ending.

There are three mission tiers: Minor Rift (side tasks), Major Rift (important story events), and Temporal Rift (timeline-altering missions). Completing or ignoring them can change who survives in later chapters.

Mission Strategy:

  • Prioritize Temporal Rift missions before advancing chapters.
  • Use Chrono Scanners to locate hidden portals and rare items.
  • Save before each major decision to explore different outcomes.

7. How to Strengthen Bonds with Your Digimon

Bonding is essential to both story progression and combat performance. Each Digimon has an Affinity level that increases through conversation choices, shared battles, and gifts. High Affinity improves skill synergy and unlocks certain evolutions.

Spend time talking to your Digimon in the DigiBase or completing Memory Shard quests that reveal their personal backstories. These side missions not only deepen your connection but also provide stat boosts.

Daily Bonding Activities:

  • Train together in DigiFarm sessions.
  • Battle side by side in Chrono Arena.
  • Give items your Digimon likes to increase Affinity faster.

8. How to Gather Rare Items and Chrono Energy

Chrono Energy is the most important resource in Time Stranger. It powers evolutions, activates special abilities, and determines your influence over time. You can collect it from anomaly Digimons, mission rewards, or hidden distortions.

Rare items also enhance your progression. Chrono Cores unlock higher-tier evolutions, Data Fragments restore corrupted Digimon memory, and Quantum Seeds improve skill timing.

Item Farming Tips:

  • Bring a Digimon with Treasure Sense ability.
  • Revisit earlier maps once stronger — new areas unlock over time.
  • Participate in weekly Chrono Rift events for limited rewards.

9. How to Unlock the True Ending

The True Ending can only be unlocked by maintaining balance across all three timelines: Past, Present, and Future. Neglecting missions or letting allies fall will lead to alternate endings.

To reach the True Ending, complete the Chrono Heart questline, reach 100% Affinity with your partner Digimon, and defeat the final boss within ten turns. This triggers the secret ending cutscene revealing the full truth behind Time Stranger.

Endgame Advice:

  • Dialogue choices matter — choose carefully to preserve relationships.
  • After completing the main story, replay missions with New Game+ to explore other timelines.

10. How to Continue in Post-Game Mode

After the main story, the Chrono Rift opens — a challenging dungeon that merges all timelines into one infinite loop. Here you’ll face remix bosses, earn legendary loot, and encounter powerful Digimon from alternate worlds.

You can also engage in online co-op, teaming up with other Tamers in Chrono Co-Quests or PvP-style Chrono Battles. This mode tests your strategic depth beyond the campaign.

Post-Game Goals:

  • Complete all Chrono Rift trials to unlock Omnimon Chronos.
  • Fill your Chrono Codex by collecting every Digimon form.
  • Explore the secret Zero Loop timeline for hidden story lore.

Conclusion

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is more than an RPG — it’s a journey through time, choice, and connection. To truly master it, you must understand every mechanic: build a strong team, nurture bonds, plan evolutions, and manage timelines wisely. Each decision shapes not just your story but your Digimon’s destiny. With patience, strategy, and heart, you can restore balance to time and become the legendary Tamer who unites all eras of the Digital World.