Sure, RPGs have always been there, but so far, they don't have the same depth as they used to. Then this game came along; what a breath of fresh air!
The main character, Neku Sakuraba, awakes to find himself a unwilling participant in a mysterious Reaper's Game. Neku and his partner must complete one mission everyday for the next seven days in order prevent them from being erased from existence. Of course, like any good RPG, this one has many twists and turns and as more and more questions arise as each secret is revealed.PINS
The game features Psych Pins (or simply Pins) which are used mostly for combat and a mini-game called Tin-Pin Slammer. After each successful combat, the player will gain Pin Points (PP) which will be distributed among the active pins used in battle. Accumulating enough PP will "level up" the pin becoming much more powerful and, in some cases, evolve into a much more powerful pin (think of a pokemon, say, a Pikachu which after gaining enough levels evolves into the much more powerful Raichu).
Some pins evolve requiring specific types of PP. There are three kinds: Battle PP, which is the usual PP gained from combat; Shutdown PP, which is PP gained after shutting down your Nintendo DS (yep, even if your not playing, your pins can level up!); and Mingle PP, which is PP gained in "Mingle Mode" using the wireless features of the NDS (when your NDS picks up signals from other NDS, no matter what game they are playing, you get PP!)
Psych pin abilities are activated by touching, pressing, slashing, dragging, drawing circles, or scratching using the stylus or shouting through the microphone.
STRIDE CROSS BATTLE
Another unique feature is the stride cross battle -- you control both of your characters during combat, using the stylus and microphone to use Neku's psych pin abilities, and the control pad (left direction pad or right XYAB pad, depending on which is your stylus hand) to use your partner's attacks and abilities.
90% of the time, though, you need to only control Neku on the bottom screen; you can set the option to have the AI take control of your partner on the top screen. You only need to glance every now and then to help your partner do some quick dodges to avoid getting hit, or to hit combos to fill up the fusion meter quicker.
Furthermore, once your partner has racked up points to fill up the fusion meter, you can activate the Fusion attack, a powerful combo attack executed by both of your characters that delivers a massive amount of damage to all remaining enemies in battle.
Another important thing to note is that your two characters share the same Hit Points. Which means you can lose the battle if one of your characters is taking a serious ton of beating even if the other one aint.
The World Ends with You Shibuya and the Real Shibuya
The game's setting, the city of Shibuya, is based from the real city of Shibuya in Japan. The game's starting location, Scramble Crossing is based from the same iconic busy Scramble Crossing in Shibuya, Japan. Most commerical places have been renamed such as the actual 109 Building being renamed into 104 Building.
Other places of interest with legendary and/or historical significance such as the Statue of Hachiko has remained more or less the same in the game itself.
People who are inclined to the modern Japanese culture would appreciate the fact that actual places and landmarks are found in this game as well as some historical information presented about these places at certain points in the game. I'm not really into modern Japanese culture but even I like the story behind these places. It tells alot about the people and the game introduces these fine points in Japanese culture to the world.
Something about games being based from real-world places is very appealing -- at least for me. You have this new sense of "reality" about the game. One day, I'll go to Japan and visit Scramble Crossing and I'll say hey, I've been on the spot where Neku first found himself in the Reaper's Game! Hehehe... Hmmm... I think I'll include that in my long-term to-do list. :)
Commerical Success
To say that the game is a success is a huge understatement. It is hailed by most game reviewers as one of the best games ever released. It won't be surprising to see this game as the Game of the Year for the console/handheld games category.
It owes its success to the combination of the above; unique and easy-to-learn gameplay utilizing all features of the NDS (stylus, keypads, even the microphone), fun and excellent anime-style storytelling, and the culture that it colorfully and masterfully depicts. I can't remember a game that was given this much love and dedication. As I frequently say to Che about a great job, "Masterfully done!"
Almost makes me jealous of these Japanese guys; when would Filipinos create a similar game? When would we see a game in which you will see the Banaue Rice Terraces, the Taal and Mayon Volcanoes, even the Makati Cetral Business Disctrict? Oh well....
Game Information:
Title: The World Ends with You
Developer: Square Enix
Platform: Nintendo Dual Screen
Genre: Action Role-Playing Game
Modes: Single-player (main game) and multiplayer (minigame)
Release Dates: June 27, 2007 (Japan), April 18, 2008 (PAL), April 22, 2008 (North America)
Websites:
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/subarashiki/
http://www.theworldendswithyou.eu.com/
http://www.theworldendswithyou.com/
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