The World Ends With You (DS)

My new favorite DS game of all time!
5/7/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 3

Neku fights on the bottom screen using various swipes, taps and drags of the stylus to activate powers that come from pins that he either finds or is given. The pins offer him the power to set stuff on fire, shoot things, etc. He can eventually have up to six pins active at any time.

Top-screen battle is keyed to the directional pad -- or the face buttons for left-handed stylus-wielders. The idea on the top screen is to follow the directional cues the way you would in any rhythm-based game. Your various top-screen partners all have similar, though different to each, ways of powering up their attacks and activating a fusion attack pin that lets both fighters join forces to mete out extreme teen angst aggression. Fighting both screens at once can get hectic, but helping you out is a green "puck" that gets passed from screen to screen. It illuminates the fighter on whom you should be concentrating and can help you get back on track if you find you've been concentrating too much on one of the screens.

To its credit, the game is amazingly customizable and will let you simplify things to help you get the feel for the action when you're starting out. In addition to an "easy" fight mode that you can unlock early into things, there's also the option to put your top-screen partner on auto-play, so all you have to do is worry about Neku. I found the auto-play option too dumbing-down. It turned one of the more complex and captivating games on the system into a stylish -- but very generic -- action title.

You can also tweak various elements to make things more difficult for you when you finally have nailed down the idea of dual-screen combat. If you're feeling greedy -- and very confident of your fighting skills -- you can use a slider to lower the level of your character. Fighting at a lower level is obviously more of a challenge -- since you're going up against nasties appropriate for your maximal level -- but the trade-off is a greater drop rate. It's a cool option, but one that you may hold off on unless you have some kick-ass button-and-stylus skills.

The game uses the Shibuya setting for more than just a novelty. The game's armor system is based on clothing versus the traditional chain mail and plate mail -- and because you're running around one of the trendiest and most style-conscious places on the planet, you have to be wearing the right stuff. Depending where you are on the area map, different clothing brands will have different strengths and weaknesses. It's a neat twist on traditional armor system and just another of the billion oddball things that just "work" in the game.

The only think that doesn't "work" for me is the lack of additional game save slots. I wanted to lend the game to a friend to let him check out how cool it was, but when I realized he'd be screwing with my saved game, I pulled the offer off the table. There should be more than one slot for saved games.

The World Ends With You flew under a lot of gamers' radar in its pre-release days -- and that's actually a good thing. For a lot of gamers, this one will fall into the "best game that you've never heard of" category. It's a stylish game that delivers an intriguing and kookball story and a combat system that's as fun and challenging as anything you've ever wrapped your thumbs around. Square Enix has another stellar RPG in its lineup.