It’s time to get your ’mons straight, as Bandai-Namco’s Digimon franchise returns with the new Digimon World Data Squad for Playstation 2. While the similarities between this franchise and Nintendo’s are numerous, right down to their suffixes, the Digimon games have their own distinct style. Sure, you train a team of cute little creatures who square off against other little creatures and evolve them as they gain experience. You have many of the same RPG trappings: stats, levels, techniques, and random battles. There are some thinly veiled differences though, like how the creatures spring from a wallet card instead of a Pokeball.

On the other hand, your little guys do talk to you in complete sentences instead of reciting their names like a broken record. They not only talk differently than the other ’mons, but they also evolve differently. Here, you might be able to evolve within a level or two instead of ten, and each Digimon has several forms they can take. It’s involved enough to the point where they had to include a handy 3D map in-game of how they all evolve into each other and what you need to do to unlock the evolution move. You can also strategically evolve your critter mid-battle for tactical reasons.

Your Digimon are not emotionless automatons; they have feelings too. In fact, they can get downright sad or scared about battle. Each time you choose your next move in battle, your Digimon will have preferences on what they want to do. If it’s a bad idea, you can ignore them, but you’ll be risking a tantrum. If your Digimon feels over-matched or his health is low, chances are he’ll get scared and only suggest running. You’ll notice scores in touchy-feely categories like "sympathy" and "tension" displayed, detailing their complicated emotional state. This is where you need to pick the available emotion-related support commands to calm them down or rile them up.

The game is for last-gen hardware; so don’t expect anything earth-shattering in the graphics department. It does have a funky cel-shaded look going for it, though. The initial plot involves some bewildering techno-babble presented with some preposterous dialog. The main story details how digital baddies led by the nefariously named Creepymon have somehow leaked into the real world, and its up to you and your DATS team to digitally put them back in their digital place. RPG fans may feel a smile of familiarity creep over their face as they recognize the voice acting from Persona 3. You may have thought you lived before, but you have not truly lived until you hear the hero of the story mutter, "Creepymon!" under his breath, as a certain Jerry Seinfeld once muttered in regard to a certain Newman.

Hey, it’s for the kids, and the kids love them some Digimon. Digimon World Data Squad is out now for the Playstation 2.