The World Ends With You (DS)
This game is a pretty innovative and thoughtful RPG that is set in the streets of a Tokyo city. Instead of the usual heroic RPG figure, the main character in the story seems to be a modern teenager that deals with the angst and rebellion that normal teenagers experience on a daily basis. However, when we first meet the main character, he has forgotten his memories. He is thrown into a game of sorts in an "underground" version of the real world where he has to survive 7 days to win the game and get a chance to get back to the real world. This sets up a very interesting and engaging storyline.
Gameplay: 9
I must say that I am pretty impressed with the gameplay. There is a lot of depth to the story and the plot twists are very interesting. Gameplay is smooth for the most part, though the battling takes a bit of getting used to fully enjoy. Sometimes I find that a few of the pins I use in battle don't work like I want them to. Other than that, this game is full of impressive gameplay.
Innovation: 10
This game is the epitome of innovation. I've never seen such a game before that was set in modern times and has modern themes. Couple that with a very interesting dual screen battle system along with many, many pins to collect, upgrade and evolve and you have a very unique game that no other game has yet to show.
Music: 9
The music is pretty good though sometimes it can get repetitive. At least when you walk through the different sections of Shibuya, there are a lot of different tracks that play throughout. Some of the chat sounds are funny and sound effects are good as well.
Replay Value: 9
Just for the sheer number of pins you can collect and the ability to chain battles together, strangely keeps you coming back for more. I haven't finished the game in its entirety and I want to go back so that I can do things that I missed from each game.
Overall: 9.25
This is easily one of the most innovative modern RPG's out there. This game packs a lot of creativity and keeps you coming back for more.
