Headshot Radio 2.0

July 4, 2008 ... Review by Derek

The World Ends With You (TWEWY), the quirky new IP from RPG master's Square Enix, is yet another delightful, that is right; delightful, edition to the quirky DS library. I have to admit that I am very happy with Nintendo's decision to bring games like this, Elite Beat Agents, Proffessor Layton, and Cooking Mama over to US shores. Without these oddball titles, the DS would be a bit of a wasteland of kiddie games, which was the fate of its predecessor, the Game Boy Advance.

TWEWY puts you in the rather large, Sora-like shoes of Neku, a hip loner in Japan's fashionable (and real) Shibuya district. Neku gets the double whammy of both of those old J-RPG hero standbys: he is both a surly loner AND he has lost his memory. Throughout the game he comes across other character that join him in battle and help him come out of his shell and...sigh...love again.

But beyond that aspect, TWEWY is actually very creative. The story is engrossing, and defies description. I sat here and tried, but it kept sounding silly on paper. In fact I was trying to describe this game to some non-gamer friends, and when I started throwing out "Japanese fashion game" and "Reapers and Noise" I looked at their faces and just kind of trailed off.

Let's just say it involves a high stakes game, kind of a tamer, PG-13 version of "Battle Royale" or "The Running Man," that has mysterious origins.

The game features many standard RPG elements with a modern veneer. Fashion is the system by which power ups, weapons, and upgrades are given, and fast food and cell phones are part of the fun too. Fashion, music, and street art are at the forefront of the story and the overall art design, but ironically the game is largely about how that kind of shallow lifestyle is bad.

Where the game really shines is combat. It is smooth, responsive, and fun. Its everything games like Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword fell just short of. I would put the game at about 15-20 hours if you sprinted through it, but I found the fighting (and subsequent, Diablo-esque, looting) so enjoyable that I ended up clocking well over 30 by fighting when I didn't "have to."

The game is packed with features. There is online mini game, bonus missions, weird leveling up stuff for doing things like not playing or leaving it connected to wifi, and so much item hunting that you can't possibly get evertything on a single playthrough. It is easily the most "complete" full-game experience I have had with a hand held, and a must have for any J-RPG and Action RPG fan.


7.5	The Good	Creative, engrossing, game really shines during the combat.
7.5	The Bad	Typical JRPG story, Not a game that is easy to get into for casual gamers
Good	The Verdict	It is easily the most "complete" full-game experience I have had with a hand held, and a must have for any J-RPG and Action RPG fan.

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