Customer Reviews
TWEWY, a suprise masterpiece! 
2008-10-05
After logging over a hundred hours of play time in The World Ends With You, it sometimes seems like the DS was designed for this game rather than the other way around. Some developers have a hard time utilizing the unique capabilities of the DS, the dual screen and touch pad are unusual tools and too often, are awkwardly implemented in a manner that makes the game more difficult to use.
TWEWY uses every feature of the DS that I'm aware of with the exception of the WiFi internet connection. The dual screens are used to show two halves of a single combat and each are controlled with their own methods. The top screen is controlled with the direction keys (but can go on autopilot if you're having trouble keeping up) and the bottom screen uses the stylus in a wide variety of patterns.
The plot and characters are great as well. The protagonist seems like an unlikeable jerk at first but it soon becomes clear that his personality is intentional, the title of the game actually is a reference to his view of the world at the beginning of the game.
New franchises are becoming rarer and rarer these days, Square took a huge gamble by publishing a game with unusual mechanics and an unfamiliar setting. TWEWY is one game that I look forward to having a sequel.
Wow! A DS Home Run 2008-10-04
I admit it--it's taken me several months to finish this game. Not because it's particularly difficult, but as one reviewer before me referred to it, it's a complete "grind" game. The battle system is incredibly repetitive, despite its nifty "pin" concept which allows for different types of attacks. And you do a ton of tapping at the screen during these battles. So much so, I'd imagine the people on the bus probably thought I was a little weird being a professional-looking woman tapping ceaselessly at my little DS trying to slash at the evil kangaroos.
Ok, back to the game, though. I think this is a *great* game, considering its platform hasn't really been too shaken up by a lot of other high-caliber titles. It's a game that Square Enix definitely put the work in and for this reason, it stands out among other DS games currently on the market.
I'm a story-player, in the sense that I play RPGs chiefly for their story value. TWEWY's story is innovative and unique, appropriate for almost all ages about friendship and loyalty, which is definitely the reason I'm giving it five stars. I found the story very thought-provoking, which is a rarity today in RPGS.
But if you are considering buying this for your children, I have two mild warnings you might want to consider: First, there are a few mild bad words used throughout the game. And second, the story is based in the afterlife and thus, discusses at length the death of quite a few very young characters. It's not a "light" game in any sense as death is the central theme of the story.
great game 2008-09-30
One of the most original DS games to come along in a while. Great fun, this is the kind of game the DS was designed for.
Excellent out of box and unique idea... 2008-09-15
I don't normally take the time to review products but this is one great game. The design, music, storyline, use of the touch screen, and tutorial are all excellent and I love this gem. Sometimes with the DS you get weird or awkward controls (Call of Duty 4) or kinda boring and run of the mill RPG experiences (Pokemon Blue) but this is different and better and I will play this one over and over. Easy recommend for anyone worried about dropping $30 on a new RPG storyline/world.
Incredibly good game 2008-09-09
Wow, I was not expecting too much, but this is hands down one of the best games ever made, and probably the best I've encountered on the DS. I've never seen a game with such attention to detail. Not only is the gameplay engaging and innovative, and the story engrossing, but this game was designed from the beginning to take full advantage of the DS. Both screens are used, and the amount of ways you can use the touchscreen is unmatched in any other game out there.
One example of the attention to detail is the sounds. Not only are the sound effects great, but the background music is a whole new experience. While most games have the same annoying electronic music you quickly want to turn off, this game has actual high-energy songs playing in the background. Not just a few either, and not a bad song among them. Every time you leave an area or start a battle, a new song starts, so you never get sick of the same tune.
The battle system is simply incredible as well: I promise you've never seen anything like it. I won't get into the details of it here, but ... wow. Absolutely amazing.
Without giving anything about the game away, I will say to those just starting the game, don't worry about approaching Day 7 too quickly.
The best Japanese RPG in years 2008-09-08
Imagine waking up one morning and finding out that you will soon cease to exist. That's the message that Neku found on his phone in The World Ends With You. He has only 7 days until then to restore hope to the city's population by using the coolest fashions, friends and fighting skills. This game was previously known as Subarashiki Kono Sekai on its release in Japan. It fully utilizes the capabilities of the Nintendo DS, and takes major influence from Japan's modern day culture including its people, music, clothes, food and design.
Immerse yourself in an amazing audio soundtrack featuring a diverse fusion of bleeding-edge hip-hop, rock, and techno A tale of friendship, hope and overcoming your challenges, creatively told with a modern edge Shop till you drop! Keep abreast of the latest Trends to stay one step ahead of the fashion scene and your enemies Trade items with friends using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Action-packed minigame fun that can be enjoyed by up to four players via DS Wireless Play Engage the Chance Encounter mode via DS Wireless Play to share data with fellow game users you bump into in the real world
This is one of the best DS games ever!!! 2008-08-31
I've played this game for a while now. And I'll say it is one of the best story driven and rpg in the game for the DS. With a manga themed way for the characters to comunicate through the story is truly a good decision. An the music is some of the best I have ever heard in any hand held. You'll probibley get at least 30 to 40+ hours. The story stars a 15 year old teenager named Neku that loses his memory. As you go through the story he understands what happend and how he end up in a game to save his life.The only gripe i have for it is the one memory block game storage.But you can replay the parts you like and skip the one's you hate. To put it all down the game is great with a colerful cast and a great stylus driven controls.
The World Ends with you 2008-08-30
This game is amazing, after you finish the levels they have bonus missions and you can collect as many pins as you can buy or win. The fighting style is truly unique and trying to balance both top and bottom screen action is entertaining as well as challanging.
Amazing! 2008-08-25
I freaked out when I first got wind about this amazing game. I told myself that when it comes out I'll buy it, but then I remembered it would take awhile to be translated from Japan to English.
It came out in Japan and I heard so many great things about it. It made me wish I knew Japanese, so I could play it. Now I don't have to worry about it. It just came out and it's everything that I wanted and more!
Amazing storyline, great graphics, and the audio is good. The character development is also top notch. The controls at first are a little tricky since you are using the D-pad and the touch screen, but you get the hang of it pretty quickly.
I don't have any bad things to say about this game. It's fun, addictive, and leaves you wanting more. If you are a gamer like me, and want to try a new RPG try this out. Even if you are not a fan of RPG you'll love this one.
This is definitely one of my favourite games this year for the DS.
half fun, half grind 
2008-08-25
I'm a big fan of dungeon crawls and RPGs in general. Some of my recent favorites are Rune Factory, Shiren the Wanderer, and the Zelda series. I love games with lots of secrets and long "checklists" of difficult goals to accomplish. I review from this perspective.
TWEWY is quite different than the usual fantasy RPG dungeon crawl I enjoy. The action takes place entirely within an alternate reality version of downtown Tokyo (Shibuya). Despite that fact, I've played over 30 hours now and there are several things about the game that I like. My favorite aspect is the intriguing plot. It reminds me of The Matrix: completely arbitrary, inconsistent, and absurd, and yet somehow the story works so well that you ignore how ridiculous it is. The combat system is innovative, making excellent use of the DS hardware (touch screen, wireless features, etc.). Left-handers will appreciate that fact that TWEWY controls are (nearly) perfectly symmetrical. You are rarely forced into battle without warning -- combat is avoidable, optional, and you can see it coming in most cases. The game has a wide variety of "pins" (weapons) and monsters, both of which break up the monotony of combat somewhat. Also, there's a decent wireless minigame for 1-4 players. Some players will enjoy the "street punk anime" design ethic; I'm neutral on this particular aspect.
But on the downside, the game is highly, highly repetitive, the epitome of a "grind". In many checklist-type games where you "have to have them all", I enjoy finding all the secrets and mastering all the possibilities. Not so in TWEWY. In order to get all the secrets, you would need to grind and grind and grind the same basic combat approximately 5,000 times (no exaggeration) -- and that's if you're good at the combat and know how to maximize the experience you get from it. Yes, the weapons and enemies do change over time, but I'm well past sick of the combat system after 1,000 battles and have given up any notion of "getting them all" and am just focusing on finishing the plot. Moreover, it is simply inconceivable that anyone could find most secrets on their own. For example, "pin evolution" (e.g. creating rare and hidden weapons by evolving them from lower forms) is so convoluted you'd have to be insanely dedicated to explore the evolutionary possibilities on your own, or, do the only sane thing and "cheat" with a hint book or online guide. I looked at an online guide and was glad I did, because it completely disabused me of the notion that I'd enjoy mastering all pins. Many secrets cannot be obtained unless you play via the DS wireless system. Even more secrets cannot be obtained except by *not* playing the game for days or even months on end. (Dozens of secrets only unlock if you leave the game shut down in specific states, and you have to leave it shut down for a *long* time. See my comment on this review below for a spoiler secret which can greatly help ease this frustration.) In short, 99.99% of all gamers simply aren't hard-core enough to enjoy getting all the secrets, and I say this as someone who enjoyed spending 300+ hours unlocking all the arcane secrets from the very difficult Shiren the Wanderer.
My biggest complaint is harder to quantify, which is that I just don't enjoy TWEWY as much as other RPGs. In another RPG, I might enjoy teasing open a long chain of puzzles to unlock a final mystery; but in TWEWY, the inter-twined pins/brands/items system feels very flat and arbitrary. I imagine this is what a good RPG must seem like to someone who doesn't like RPGs. Maybe it's the weird setting, or maybe its the unabashedly massive grind, but for whatever the reason, I plan to finish this game for the plot but don't plan to recommend it to any of my friends.
