The World Ends With You !!! 1/2
Square Enix/DS/$39.99
With highly stylized, thoroughly modern graphics, The World drops you in the middle of Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya district. Monsters called “Noise” are wreaking havoc throughout the area, even though most citizens can’t see them. Neku has been chosen by a shadowy organization called the Reapers to play a game: Accomplish a series of missions within seven days or he’ll be “erased.” Since only Neku and his fellow players can see the Noise, fighting them seems like a logical place to start. Battles use both screens of the DS: You use the stylus to control Neku on the bottom and the directional pad to control a partner on the top. It’s an ingenious use of the DS technology. The World Ends With You is one of the freshest games in a long time.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII !!!
Square Enix/PSP/$39.99
Zack Fair is part of an elite corporate army called SOLDIER, so he gets into plenty of fights. You press the X button on the PSP to attack and use the triggers to switch between other options. Occasionally, the Digital Mind Wave pops up; it can give you more powerful attacks, but it’s far too random to rely on. Zack and his partners, Angeal and Sephiroth, are sent on a mission to find out why a number of other SOLDIER operatives have deserted. Indeed, Crisis Core turns out to have a compelling story all its own, and it’s presented with all the visual and aural flair we’ve come to expect from Square Enix.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates !!!
Square Enix/NDS/$39.99
Ring of Fates has a more familiar FF plot, with two kids fighting the spread of an ancient evil across a quasi-medieval kingdom. At its core, it’s a dungeon crawl, which means exploring mazes and killing lots of monsters. The protagonists fight mainly with swords, while supporting characters excel at long-range combat, magic and, um, summoning urns. (It’s more useful than it sounds.) Most of the time, you use the buttons on the DS to control the action on the top screen — but if you switch to the bottom screen, you can unleash more powerful attacks. Ring of Fates is more challenging than you’d expect, but that makes it all the more satisfying.
COMING SOON
In stores next week:
– We Ski, Wii
– Deca Sports, Wii
– Myst, DS
– Supreme Commander, Xbox 360
– Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, PS2
– Castle of Shikigami III, Wii
– The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Wii, DS, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2
– Drone Tactics, DS
– Rygar: The Battle Of Argus, Wii
