The World Ends with You
2007
- role-playing (rpg)
- arcade
- action
- drama
- single player
- multiplayer
The story
In the game, Neku Sakuraba and his allies are forced to participate in a game that will determine their fate. The battle system uses many of the unique features of the Nintendo DS, including combat that takes place on both screens, and attacks performed by certain motions on the touchscreen or by shouting into the microphone. Elements of Japanese youth culture, such as fashion, food, and cell phones, are key aspects of the missions.
What it’s like
Crisp, graphic Shibuya streetscapes built from hard-edged pop illustration: saturated neon signage, rain-slick asphalt, and a crowd of stylised teens in bold fashion, all rendered in a hand-drawn look with comic-panel framing and jittery stylised transitions. The soundtrack leans on pulsing J-pop and electro-rock, shifting into tense synth beats when the streets turn dangerous. Combat happens across both DS screens, with touchscreen slashes, stylus flicks, and the occasional shout into the microphone, so the hands stay busy and the pace stays brisk. The vibe is restless, city-bright and quietly anxious, a sugary surface over a cold undertow. It suits a late-night session, a commute on a handheld, or a stretch of focused play when you want something stylish and energetic. Its tone runs from playful banter to real grief and paranoia, and the story follows a guarded young man slowly learning to trust the people around him. Violence is stylised and frequent in battle, with bloodless fights and no gore, though the drama turns dark and some scenes carry real menace. It suits players who want a stylish, urban, idiosyncratic RPG with a strong sense of place.
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