The title The World Ends With You will surely be familiar to anyone who loves JRPGs and has owned a Nintendo DS.
Are you part of the category but you don't know what we are talking about?
Don't worry, we are here to freshen up your ideas.
The World Ends With You it is considered one of the flagship JRPG of the small two-screen console from Nintendo, if not the best in the large park dedicated to Japanese role-playing games (perhaps a risky hypothesis considering the quality standard of the titles of the time, such as urban chaos in the Tokyo of SMT: Devil’s Survivors or the more traditional Suikoden Zodiac).
Developed by Square Enix and born from the mind of a team headed by Tetsuya Nomura, The World Ends With You si presentava come un JRPG colorful and with original ideas, at the time a decidedly new product for the Square home.
The protagonist, neku sakuraba, he's a reserved and shy guy who can't stand crowded places. However, for no apparent reason, the boy wakes up in the middle of one of Tokyo's most chaotic neighborhoods, the very central Shibuya and will be involved - without knowing it - in the Game of the Reaper set in an alternative, metaphysical reality.
The boy, put simply, will then have to form a team with other young people trapped in the game and defeat the Demons. In reality, much more happens and the plot will deviate a lot from the premises.
This sequel, Neo: The World Ends With You arrives well 14 years later and masterfully follows the line left by its predecessor, expands and remodels it for new generation consoles, preserving the innovations carried out and creating, all in all, a pleasant and frenetic JRPG, just like a street in the very central Shibuya.
Welcome to Tokyo, welcome to Reaper's game!
The Reaper Game
Just like its predecessor, Neo: The World Ends With You was born right on the pedestrian crossing of the most crossed intersection in the world, the one that stands next to Shibuya Station.
Theater of countless anime and videogame works, the district dedicated to entertainment becomes co-protagonist of the events of Rindo Kanade and his group.
Rindo, unlike the old protagonist, is a teenager like many others, sociable and passionate about two things: social networks and the mobile game called FanGo.
Rindo strolls around Shibuya with his best friend Tosai “Fret” Furesawa with the aim of obtaining, from a shop in the mammoth skyscraper "Shibuya 104”(Actually 109), an exclusive brooch, the Reaper's Pin. Fret, once obtained, gives it to his friend. Meanwhile, Rindo texts another person, known as Swallow, whom he only virtually met via FanGo.
A few minutes after obtaining this pin, the two friends find themselves involved in the Reaper's Game, an alternate reality where only those who have died in the real world access. At first they don't realize they have entered an alternate world and attribute the chaos and explosions that took place on the street to special effects on a movie set.
However, Rindo begins to have visions of an apocalyptic Shibuya; recovering, he sees his friend Fret die crushed by a truck thrown by an enemy (a so-called Noise). After the initial dismay, Rindo learns a particular power, that of rewinding time. He thus returns to a moment before the accident and attracts Fret with him, saving his life.
The two boys are part, in spite of themselves, of this "giant" role-playing game that takes over the entire Shibuya area. They can only interact with other game participants, while they cannot talk to citizens; the only connection they can have with passers-by is only through reading their mind or thanks to the special powers that each of them has obtained by entering the game. The Reaper's Game is controlled and managed by the Moderators and each member must necessarily be part of a team: Rindo and Fret, to which are also added shĹŤka e Sho Minamimoto will go to form the Wicked Twisters.
Shibuya under my feet
If many critics had pointed to the first The World Ends With You as too linear, NEO instead expands the story-driven title (in which the story always remains its core) with alternative side-quests and many things to do, including forging bonds. virtual with others present, "awaken" people's hearts or buy new clothes, pins and accessories to gradually become stronger in battle.
The exploration of the various areas of the neighborhood will take place in tandem with the progress of history; for example, after seven days in game it will be possible to visit just over half of the areas available on the map.
The various areas will be populated by clubs, including restaurants and shops where you can buy products from the vast catalog within the game. Each urban area has a different style that reflects reality, the comic and urban graphics reminded us right away Jet Set Radio, Sega's famous title set in Tokyo.
Among the powers of each party character it is therefore right to mention a few that we will use during the story and in the side-quests: through Fret we can help people remember something by simply putting together a small puzzle with the help of the analog sticks, with Rindo instead , we can go back in time or use "imprinting"On a character through the use of keywords heard around among passers-by, or" instill "an idea in a person's mind.
Finally, through Shoka (another character who will join our team) it will be possible to enter people's minds if this is invaded by Noises, or the enemies of the game. Eliminating them from people's unconscious will allow us to solve secondary missions and expand the "social links" between us and the rest of the people with whom we will relate, thus unlocking decisive powers to use in battle.
Finally, what about the battles?
The random encounters will be available by swapping the normal exploration mode, in which we are free to roam the city without "hassle", to that of scanning. In this mode, the various types of enemies present will be visible in red; we are free to eliminate the enemies in a single battle or in chained battles (from 2 up to 5).
Is it worth having five battles in a row?
If your goal is to get as many pin drops as possible in order to get hold of the rarer ones, the answer is "obviously yes".
The battles, at least in the first week, do not have a steep difficulty curve, this is because it allows all gamers to get carried away with an action-rpg system at first a bit chaotic. From a certain point in the plot, things begin to escalate and - if in the first part the lever was moved to the exploration and resolution of side-quests and puzzles - it will be necessary to devote to some healthy grinding.
Fundamental importance is the grind delle play, which can be doubled and resold in order to get more money to buy food (which temporarily increases the Strength points, Attack, Defense e Style) and clothes.
Certainly a welcome thing could have been the one dedicated to suggestions within the battles, because many times we have encountered enemies who used devastating moves without having the possibility to block them or defend us, a bit like the information that Futaba in Persona 5.
In the menu it will be possible to see the amount of badges obtained, of enemies defeated and scanned, of clothes or CDs (of the soundtrack) bought in music stores and so on. A godsend for collectible lovers!
Making noise is not enough
The gameplay of Neo: The World Ends With You is simply fun.
We tried the title in normal mode and the battles are chaotic enough, on the other hand an apparently simple but not obvious attack management; in fact, to win the battles - especially against the most difficult enemies - the chained attacks between party characters will be decisive, in order to create a sort of "flow", called rhythm, between fast and ranged attacks to ground the enemy. At the top of the screen we can find the percentage of rhythm obtained, once you reach 100% it will be possible to perform a devastating attack.
But what does it take to attack?
Our protagonists do not have attack weapons or defense shields, their powers are enclosed in pins. Every brooch will have a special power and action, and can be close or ranged attacks. Some brooches will contain magical attacks, others have healing effects. The pins are released as rewards in battle or bought from the many shops in the area.
There is no right or wrong pin; the fighting style becomes very personal and above all, customizable. Even clothes take the place of armor: it will be possible to equip the characters of our party with unique clothes or, if we want, with suits of the same brand. Buying clothes and accessories from a brand will increase ours "VIP" degree with the shop and consequently increase the affinity with the seller.
There are looks of all kinds, from haute couture to gothic lolita, ending up with urbanware and punk, all seasoned with a truly commendable attention to detail, both for objects and for the designs of the brooches, up to settings and a refined and particular character design which, knowing Nomura's style well by now, is full of pointed hair, hinges and buttons.
Chaotic GOOD
The graphics of NEO: The World Ends With You are treated in detail and the cartoon style is very refined and attractive for an urban-fantasy title. In clashes with a large number of enemies, the title does not suffer a drop in framerate, the graphics are clean, at least in the PS4 version we tested.
But the "flagship" of the title is undoubtedly the sound department that captivates from the first minutes of the game: the soundtrack looks like a mix between nu-metal and j-pop, a really pleasant mash-up to feel, it is no coincidence that you will find yourself humming the tunes heard during the game phases, the best in our opinion are Storm and Owari Hajimari. Throughout history it is possible to buy CDs of the songs of the soundtrack at record shops around the city, such as Tower records, one of the landmarks of Shibuya.
In short, Neo: The World Ends With You confirms itself as one of Square Enix's innovative titles which - back in 2007 - raised the bar to create a new product. Much has changed in the JRPG landscape since then and, to date, competition is fiercer than ever considering the progress - especially in the Western market - made by titles such as Person, Tokyo Mirage Session #FE and many others.
Yet this sequel is a good starting point for a brand that Square Enix has never totally forgotten, considering the remaster version and the animated series of the chapter dedicated to Neku, without forgetting the cameo of the characters in another Nomura title, Kingdom Hearts, where the boys from Shibuya made an appearance in Middle City. Will we also find Rindo in the next Kingdom Hearts?
Considering Nomura's mind behind this title, surely yes, we will see these characters again. As much as we liked this title, we also want a sequel, maybe not in 15 years.
final Thoughts
Neo: The World Ends With You is a welcome and eagerly awaited return to a franchise that Square has never quite forgotten. The target chosen by Square is certainly there new lever of teenagers, also considering the constant references to the world of social networks and mobile video games. The chat conversations between the protagonist and the other characters mimic the youthful slang that maybe was in vogue in the 2000s (which is a bit cringe, "Do I have cpt dv 6?" maybe used to not finish the SMS with the Summer Card) but, apart from this choice of the localization team, the dialogues are pleasant to follow. The plot is addictive and never banal, even the customizable battle system, thanks to the different pins, is every time a breath of fresh air as regards decisive styles and actions.
We recommend Neo: The World Ends With You to both those who know the brand and newbies, who can also replace the videogame experience of a now rare title to be found with the anime version of the story of Neku Sakuraba and companions. This is crucial because, being a sequel, Neo: The World Ends With You at least initially takes some things - about the Reaper's Game - for granted.
All in all, Neo: TWEWY is a good JRPG from Square Enix that will have to recover some ground lost in recent years, the qualities are all there: it is undoubtedly one of the coolest titles in the world of role-playing video games between direction art, gameplay and storytelling. Let's hope it makes its grip on the public, in short, who doesn't like to collect badges?
