In the city of Shibuya, colorful buildings spar and
rise against each other, and traditional ramen chefs butt heads against the
newest trends and fashions. Young and old citizens fill the streets, plagued by
the "noise" of their private anxieties. But if you're a teenager stuck in the
underground version of Shibuya, you're practically invisible: You can read
people's thoughts, shape the trends, and run wild through the streets amid a
soundtrack of shockingly not-bad J-pop. The only catch is that you're trapped
in a deadly game, and you don't even know who's out to kill you.
With The World Ends With You, the team behind the Kingdom Hearts series has created a
role-playing game with an edgy, real-world aesthetic. To the usual grind of
raising stats and beating bosses, they added a fast-paced style, with
collectible pins providing your powers and combat that's executed with quick
slashes and stabs of the DS stylus. But the aesthetic would be empty without
the engrossing story and sympathetic characters—or if the game didn't so
deftly balance the fear of losing everything with the charm of the supporting
cast, local legends, and strange recurring landmarks like the infamous "phone
booth of love." It's the perfect setting for a story about coming out from
under your headphones and connecting with the world.
Beyond
the game: The
game's title in Japan, It's
A Wonderful World, was
changed in the States for copyright reasons. The new name ties more poignantly
into the script.
Worth playing for: Writing inspirational self-help
for teens seems totally tacky, thanks to all the anti-drug and up-with-people
films that have become fodder for satire. So it's surprising how well The World Ends With
You delivers
its messages on finding trust in a ruthless city.
Frustration
sets in when: The
"tin pin slammer" mini-game—which is like marbles played with
superpowered pins—could have been a frustrating obstacle for players who
don't have mad stylus skills. Luckily, the game manages to weave it into the
plot while offering a way through for the losers.
Final judgment: Addictive gameplay and
stylish content make this the perfect handheld complement to your all-night Grand Theft Auto sessions.