RPGs for Gamer Moms: The World Ends with You
Square Enix Role-Playing Game for the Nintendo DS
Dec 1, 2008
Nintendo has promoted their handheld DS to mostly casual gamers with the gimmick that the touchscreen allows for easy pick up and play. Square Enix ran with this gimmick and developed quite a unique role-playing game that pits the emo-oriented and misanthropic protagonist, Neku, in an unusual game of life or death in the middle of the trendy Shibuya ward in Tokyo, Japan.
The end result has an enriching role-playing experience for RPG fans, the appeal of a pick up and play scheme for casual gamers, and all of the conveniences the Nintendo DS offers. This combination makes The World Ends with You exceptionally pleasing to the gaming mom who needs her RPG fix but also needs it to fit into her life and not the other way around.
Quick Overview of Gameplay in Shibuya
The player controls both Neku and his partner during combat: Neku on the touchscreen and his partner on the other. Neku fights with pin-embodied psychs, and these psychs are activating by scrawling with the stylus in a particular fashion.
For example, to activate a pyrokinetic pysch, the player must draw a line in an empty space on the battle field. To activate an energy-based psych, the player will either slash Neku in the direction of the bullet or rapidly tap on an empty space or enemy.
Neku's partner has a variety of cards lying face down that need to be uncovered in a certain order to activate his partner's fusion attack. The player uses the d-pad to choose the cards from the character's combo map. When the correct cards are selected, a fusion pin appears in Neku's touchscreen, and Neku can activate the fusion attack.
Fortunately for those not as dexterous, the game has an auto-pilot feature for Neku's partner, and each partner usually does quite well when left to their own card-flipping devices.
While not in combat, Neku's controls are one hundred percent controlled by the touchscreen, including moving, scanning for Noise or others' thoughts, imprinting memes, shopping and talking to other Players or Reapers.
Never Forget How to Erase the Noise
Neku's Phone Menu has answers to any question about gameplay. By touching any pin in the Pins Sub-Menu, a player can learn everything about the pin including how to activate its psych, how long it takes to reboot, its abilities in the Tin Pin Slammer mini-game, and if the pin will evolve.
The Items Sub-Menu has all of the information on the clothing and their abilities, regional trends, stickers collected, food (eaten or about to be), and CD tracks purchased. The Phone Menu even has a Noise Sub-Menu, so a player never has to remember which Noises are which and what pins each Noise drops.
In addition to all this information readily available during gameplay, the Phone Menu has on-hand tutorials for every Sub-Menu. Players never have to fear about forgetting about any aspect of the game, no matter how long their DS sits closed.
Players don't have to fear about forgetting what to do next in the game either. If it has been awhile since a gaming mother has touched the game, she can simply wait until a "..." word bubble pops up over Neku's partner's head, touch the word bubble with the stylus, and Neku's partner will tell Neku what they need to do next.
Quick Saving and Nintendo DS Handheld Convenience
The Phone Menu also allows access to saving the game, and this can be accessed at practically any time during the game, excluding battles and cut-scenes. However, if a gaming mom has to stop and save her game even during battle, she can escape from the fight and then save after a little tongue-lashing from Neku's partner.
If she isn't allowed to run away -- as will be the case with Black Noise or boss fights -- she can use one of the DS' most appealing features: close the lid and keep the game at stand-by for as long as she needs.
As an added bonus, Neku's pins gain pin points towards leveling up and evolving while the game is turned off. So if a gamer mom is only able to play the game once a week, her pins will do some extensive leveling up all on their own.
Is It Worth a Gamer Mom's Time?
Without a doubt, The World Ends with You is worth every role-playing gamer's time. This RPG has everything a fan of role-playing games could want: a unique battle system, intriguing story, immersive gameplay, and well developed characters. Since it also has everything a gamer mom could want to help her fit the game into her busy life, gaming moms will not be disappointed in picking up this title for their handhelds.
