Story Branches & Timeline Guide

Navigate the branching paths and unlock all endings

About Story Branches

Digimon Time Stranger features a branching narrative where your choices throughout the game affect character relationships, available Digimon, story events, and ultimately which ending you receive. The game has 5 different endings based on your decisions and actions.

5
Unique Endings
12
Major Decision Points
3
Timeline Branches

⚠️ Spoiler Warning

This guide contains major story spoilers, including plot points, character fates, and ending details. Only proceed if you've completed at least one playthrough or don't mind spoilers.

The Five Endings

True Ending: "Digital Harmony"

★ CANON

The best and canonical ending. Defeat Apocalymon while maintaining strong bonds with all partner Digimon. The Digital World is restored, and all Digimon partners can freely visit the human world.

Requirements:
  • Max Friendship (100) with all 3 starter partners
  • Collect all 9 Ancient Tablet Fragments
  • Choose "Hope" dialogue in Chapter 9 final choice
  • Complete all partner side quests (Chapters 5, 6, 7)

Good Ending: "Eternal Bonds"

GOOD

Defeat Apocalymon but the Digital World gateway closes. Partner Digimon must return permanently to the Digital World, but your bonds remain strong across worlds.

Requirements:
  • High Friendship (70+) with starter partners
  • Collect at least 6 Ancient Tablet Fragments
  • Choose "Courage" or "Friendship" in Chapter 9

Neutral Ending: "Uncertain Future"

NEUTRAL

Defeat Apocalymon with medium bonds. The Digital World is saved but unstable. Some partner Digimon stay, others leave. The future remains uncertain.

Requirements:
  • Medium Friendship (40-69) with partners
  • Collect 3-5 Ancient Tablet Fragments
  • Make mixed moral choices throughout

Bad Ending: "Fractured Worlds"

BAD

Defeat Apocalymon but with low bonds. Partner Digimon lose trust and refuse to maintain contact. Digital World and human world become permanently separated.

Requirements:
  • Low Friendship (below 40) with partners
  • Collect fewer than 3 Tablet Fragments
  • Choose selfish dialogue options

Dark Ending: "Apocalypse Victorious"

GAME OVER

Lose to Apocalymon in the final battle. Both Digital World and human world are consumed by darkness. Only available by intentionally losing the final fight.

Requirements:
  • Lose the final battle against Apocalymon
  • Special cutscene unlocks "Bad End" gallery

Major Decision Points

Chapter 1: Starter Choice

Your first major decision - affects team composition and ending requirements.

Choice: Which Digimon partner?
Agumon: Best for balanced gameplay. Strong offensive evolution line. Easiest route to True Ending.
Gabumon: Best for defensive gameplay. Ice attacks crucial for mid-game bosses. Adds unique friendship dialogue.
Terriermon: Best for speed-based gameplay. Hardest difficulty but unlocks exclusive Chapter 6 scene. Most challenging True Ending path.
Impact: Starter choice affects approximately 30% of dialogue, changes recommended team builds, and determines difficulty of certain boss fights. All three can reach True Ending.

Chapter 2: Devimon's Offer

Before the final fight, Devimon offers you power to "save" the Digital World his way.

Choice: Accept or Refuse Devimon's power?
Refuse (Recommended): +20 Friendship with all partners. Maintains trust. Required for True Ending.
Accept: Temporary stat boost for Devimon fight, but -30 Friendship. Partners question your judgment. Locks out True Ending.
Critical: Accepting locks you into Bad Ending path unless you complete redemption arc in Chapters 5-7.

Chapter 3: Save the Enslaved

After defeating Etemon, you can choose to immediately pursue the next threat or help rebuild.

Choice: Help rebuild or move forward?
Help Rebuild (+2 hours): Unlock 3 side quests, gain Desert Crown equipment, +15 Friendship. Unlock Tylomon recruit.
Move Forward: Faster progression, no friendship change, miss optional content.
Note: While not required for True Ending, helping rebuilds adds to ending quality and unlocks "Complete Guide" achievement.

Chapter 5: The Sacrifice Choice

Piedmon traps you in the Illusion Gardens and forces an impossible choice.

Choice: Who do you save?
Your Partner Digimon: +25 Friendship with saved partner, but lose trust of others temporarily. Emotional scene.
The Civilian Digimon: Partners are briefly hurt but respect your selflessness. +10 Friendship with all partners.
Refuse the Choice (Hidden Option): Break the illusion by attacking Piedmon directly. Very difficult skill check. If successful: +30 Friendship, unlock secret scene. Required for True Ending.
Secret Option: To unlock "Refuse the Choice", you must have found the "Mirror of Truth" collectible in the Spiral Mountain entrance. The option appears only if the item is in your inventory.

Chapter 6: Machine Ethics

Discover Machinedramon's forces include reprogrammed good Digimon.

Choice: How to handle reprogrammed Digimon?
Find a Way to Save Them: Unlock lengthy side quest to create "Debug Program". Saves all machine Digimon. +20 Friendship. Takes 1-2 extra hours.
Destroy Them (Mercy Kill): Faster progression. -10 Friendship. Partners understand but are saddened. More resources for final chapters.
Impact: Saving them is required for True Ending and adds 15 recruitable machine-type Digimon to post-game.

Chapter 9: The Final Question

After defeating Apocalymon's first form, he asks you a philosophical question.

Question: "What gives you the right to fight for this world?"
"Hope for the Future": Unlocks True Ending if all requirements met. Partners gain ultimate evolution forms for Phase 2.
"The Bonds We Share": Unlocks Good Ending if friendship is high. Powerful emotional scene.
"Courage to Act": Standard good ending. Straightforward battle continuation.
"Power to Defeat Evil": Neutral or Bad ending depending on friendship level. Shows you may not have learned the true lesson.
This is it: This choice, combined with your friendship levels and completed side quests, determines your final ending.

Friendship & Trust System

The hidden Friendship stat (0-100) with each partner Digimon is the most important factor for endings. You can check approximate levels in the Team menu (Hearts icon).

Increase Friendship:

  • Winning battles together (+1 per battle)
  • Choosing compassionate dialogue (+5 to +30)
  • Completing partner side quests (+15 to +25)
  • Camping and resting (+2 per rest)
  • Giving favorite food items (+3 each)
  • Evolving Digimon (+10 per evolution)

Decrease Friendship:

  • Letting partners faint (-5 per KO)
  • Choosing selfish dialogue (-10 to -30)
  • Accepting dark power offers (-20 to -50)
  • Skipping partner dialogue (-3 each)
  • Losing boss battles (-10 per loss)
  • Not using partners in battle (-2 per benched battle)
Pro Tip: For True Ending, aim for 100 Friendship with all three starter partners by end of Chapter 8. This gives you buffer room for Chapter 9.

Quick Reference: True Ending Checklist

Chapter 1: Choose any starter (Agumon recommended for ease)
Chapter 2: Refuse Devimon's power offer
Chapter 3: Help rebuild Oasis Village (optional but recommended)
Chapter 4: Find Myotismon's secret backstory in the castle library
Chapter 5: Get Mirror of Truth, then refuse Piedmon's choice (hidden option)
Chapter 6: Complete Debug Program side quest to save machine Digimon
Chapter 7: Complete all three partner side quests in underwater temple
Chapter 8: Collect final Ancient Tablet Fragments (should have all 9)
Chapter 9: Choose "Hope for the Future" at Apocalymon's question
Friendship: Maintain 100 Friendship with all three starter partners
Achievement: Getting the True Ending unlocks "Digital Harmony" achievement and New Game+ mode with additional features.

New Game Plus Features

After completing any ending, you unlock New Game+ which carries over certain progress and adds new content.

Carries Over:

  • • Digidex completion
  • • All unlocked Digimon
  • • Equipment and items
  • • Achievement progress
  • • Gallery unlocks

New Content:

  • • Secret "Omega" difficulty mode
  • • 20+ post-game recruitable Digimon
  • • Hidden superboss encounters
  • • Alternate character costumes
  • • Extended epilogue scenes
Story Branches & Timeline Guide - Multiple Endings | Digimon Time Stranger Guide