When The World Ends With You was originally released on the Nintendo DS it was an instant hit and has gained cult status over the years.
Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for a sequel of some kind and after a long year wait their prayers have been answered with NEO: The World Ends With You.
It's been fourteen years since The World Ends With You first launched for the Nintendo DS. Designed by Tetsuya Nomura who is also famous for the Kingdom Hearts series, TWEWY was a breath of fresh air that brought a whole new style of gameplay and storytelling to the JRPGs.
The game was so popular that it has two ports and even an animation adaptation, so it's safe to say the bar has been raised high for NEO: The World Ends With You. NEO: The World Ends With You story takes place a few years after the events of TWEWY.
Much like the first game NEO: TWEWY is set in a parallel version of Shibuya and revolves around another high school student called Rindo Kanade.
Who after an innocent meeting with his friend Tosai Furesawa or Fret for short, find themselves participants in the revived Reapers' Game.
This is the same Reapers' Game that Neku and his allies were part of, but with a few changes. Plus the Reapers have divided into two fractions, the Shibuya Reapers and the Shinjuku Reapers who are out to cause all kinds of havoc.
Much like before, Rindo and his team Wicked Twisters will have seven days to win this new version of the Reapers' Game while facing off against the two different groups and battling creatures called Noise.
NEO: The World Ends With You overall story may not be that original but it's the writing that stands tall here.
There’s a lot of dialogue, pretty much 60% of the game is text, however, the stellar writing does an amazing job at creating an engaging story full of emotive scenes and hard-hitting themes.
Each of the characters is really well fleshed out with almost every skit being a joy to watch. It's hard not to feel somewhat invested in this bunch of misfits that will really grow on you during this adventure.
Newcomers may find it a little hard to get to grips with some of the story, as NEO feels like it's trying to answer several questions from the first game which is great for fans who have waited fourteen years.
Visually NEO looks amazing with its slick punchy colours kept in order with thick black lines. The cel-shaded anime heroes look as stylish as ever with fancy hair cuts and brazen fashion choices.
Enemies start off pretty bland but as you progress the intricate detail paid to each design improves.
The animated cutscenes are one of the best parts of the game, really bringing each character to life.
The majority of storytelling is done through hand-drawn talking heads that feel like a visual novel.
These cutscenes may not be as bold or vibrant as the animated ones, but they feel more intimate and allow the gamer to really take in the different emotions being conveyed.
Shibuya is once again a joy to explore with many iconic locations from the previous game returning. The only downside is the city can get bland over time.
There's a lot to do and discover, however, the overall design can feel like it's repeating itself after a good 20 hours into the game. But saying that this does help in battles as it's easier to see the bright chaos and really bland backdrop.
NEO’s music is once again composed by Takeharu Ishimoto. Like before the soundtracks are a mix of many genres including rock, hip hop and electronic to name a few. Each track works well to fit the various moods of Shibuya.
There are loads of returning tracks from the first game that have been remixed or re-scored which will delight fans.
Voice acting is top-notch with each actor working hard to give performances that will summon up all kinds of emotions.
The voice acting was always going to be an integral part of NEO’s overall experience, so it's great to see it really shine.
Gameplay in NEO is largely made up of combat and a few clever puzzles here and there to mix things up.
The games are split into different days where Rindo and the rest of Wicked Twisters will have to complete the mission set by the Games Master Shiba and rival teams.
These missions come in a few forms, which could be a series of puzzles, an instruction to complete some task or even the Scramble Slam.
Each character comes with a special ability called a Psych which can be used in and out of battle. The members of Team Wicked Twisters each have their own unique Psych that can be used to complete missions.
Rindo can manipulate time, Fret can implant ideas into the minds of Shibuya’s inhabitants and Nagi and dive into characters' minds that are infested with Noise. These abilities are needed to solve some intriguing puzzles throughout the games.
When players aren’t engaging with a heartfelt cutscene, the remainder of their playtime will be spent in combat. The battle system in NEO works pretty straightforward from the outset.
Players will have access to Pins which provide competitors of the Reapers' Game with combat abilities. Each character can use one Pin and its Psych at a time to dish damage in battle.
Since each team has up to four members it’s important to pick the right combination of Pins for maximum effect. There are over 300 Pins to find in the game which opens up countless strategic options.
In battles players will have to string together character’s attacks to increase their overall Groove meter, which once filled will allow them to release a special attack.
Battles can seem pretty basic from the get-go, but once players progress they will be forced to take a more strategic approach as the levels and tactics of the enemies improve.
Pins can be levelled up and some even evolve to upgraded versions of themselves. The way characters gain experience is slightly different to what most gamers would be used to. Each character will only gain a HP boost from the experience gained from battle.
Players will have to feed their characters food to gain a permanent stat boost, finding out their favourite food will lead to a better experience.
There are a few other aspects of the game that help you improve characters such as maintaining your social network of other characters you meet throughout the game or even buying the right clothes for a stat boost. NEO is filled with nice additions to keep improving the overall experience.
VERDICT
NEO: The World Ends With You is a great sequel that builds on the successful foundations of its predecessor.
Fans of the original will relish this title, as it’s really worth the wait and helps to finally answer many questions left over for the last game.
There is a great mix of combat and puzzles that will keep players on their toes. Saying that the overworld is very limited with next to no chances to explore Shibuya in its entirety.
Also, this game is dialogue-heavy, like 60% of the game is talking, but with strong writing and great characters that can be overlooked.
NEO: The World Ends With You is certainly a unique experience that shouldn’t be missed.
NEO: The World Ends With You is out now Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 and Microsoft Windows
