Digimon Story: Time Stranger is out now, serving up yet another flashy, narrative-driven adventure through the Digital World. Like its predecessors, Digimon Story: Time Stranger blends turn-based combat with a lengthy, epic science-fantasy RPG narrative, though it's defined by its sprawling selection of collectible creatures, which totals over 450 in this latest entry.
This dizzying armada of Pokemon-esque creatures is as charming as ever, featuring a number of classics carrying a lot of franchise history. One Digimon Story: Time Stranger cast member in particular, Merukimon, has garnered a lot of attention throughout the years, sparking a great deal of confusion about his name: he's actually supposed to be called Mercurymon, a moniker that has great significance to his personality, backstory, and abilities. It's worth asking, then, why this incredibly powerful and iconic Digimon is instead called Merukimon, which comes across more like a jumbled assortment of random syllables, rather than an homage to a major Roman god.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger: Why Isn't Merukimon Called Mercurymon?
Mercurymon Is Named After the Roman God of Communication, Intellect, and Commerce
Digimon is replete with references to various real-world mythological frameworks, but one of the franchise's most overt parallels to ancient spiritual lore is the group Olympos XII, or the 12 Gods of Olympus. These dozen Shaman Digimon are incredibly powerful, so it's fitting that they correlate to the noble, revered gods of Ancient Rome. Some examples of these parallels include:
- Apollomon: inspired by Apollo, God of Music
- Dianamon: inspired by Diana, Goddess of the Hunt
- Marsmon: inspired by Mars, God of War
These inspirations often go deeper than the etymological level. In the case of Mercurymon, this manifests in a penchant for speed, travel, and communication. Mercurymon is known as the fastest Digimon in the Digital World, and his weapon of choice, Aztec, can cut holes in spacetime. He's notoriously difficult to pin down, as he never stays in one place for long. He's also exhibited strong leadership characteristics, making clever decisions for the sake of long-term peace between Digimon and humanity, like when he saves the heroes of Digimon Data Squad.
These traits are clear extrapolations of Mercury's, especially speed, communication, travel, and cunning. Mercury is often considered one of the more peaceful and level-headed Roman gods as well, though he does have a penchant for trickery and mischief. Merukimon is one of the more intelligent members of Olympos XII, and his leadership and locomotion prowess is clear. Why, then, is his name not Mercurymon in games like Digimon Story: Time Stranger?
Mercury is commonly accepted to be a Romanization of the Greek god Hermes, which is why the above description might sound familiar to Hades and God of War fans.
Merukimon Wasn't Translated Incorrectly—Mercuremon Was
It's generally believed that "Merukimon" is the result of a translation error, and this is true, but in a roundabout way. Before Merukimon was introduced in 2007's Digimon Data Squad, a Digimon called Mercuremon made its debut in 2002, in the show Digimon Frontier. This Digimon, which is characterized by its power over steel, was translated to "Mercurymon" by the English localization team, either by mistake or because it simply sounded similar to Mercuremon. Thus, when it came time to localize Mercurymon for English versions of Digimon Data Squad (his debut), the name was already taken.
It's unclear why exactly Merukimon was chosen in lieu of something else (even Mercuremon would have been better, though that may have been a bit too confusing). It's a shame, since this discrepancy sets Merukimon apart from the other members of Olympos XII, and leads to less poetic synergy between his character and his name. But after so many years, it's unlikely that this naming fiasco will be reversed.
- Released
- October 3, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Media.Vision
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
Digimon Story Time Stranger is an RPG with monster-taming elements that explores the deep bond between humans and Digimon in an epic story that unravels the mystery of the world’s collapse.
Embark on an adventure that spans across the human world and Digital World, collecting and raising a diverse array of Digimon to fight in turn-based battles.
An Epic Story of Connection
Take on a mission to uncover the mystery of the world’s collapse, where chance encounters with unique characters will shape your journey across time and parallel worlds – and change fate itself.
Adventure Between Worlds and Time
Journey between the parallel human world and the Digital World: Iliad where Digimon reside. See the Digital World and its intricately detailed realms like never before, with interactive elements and special quests to explore.
Strategic Turn-Based Battles
Enjoy dynamic turn-based combat that combines strategic elements with evolved battle components. An incredible variety of Digimon and deep customization options provide limitless ways to approach the challenges of battle and reveal the strength of the bonds formed with your Digimon.
- Franchise
- Digimon
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- October 3, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 3, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- October 3, 2025
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, RPG, Creature Collector
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 25 GB
