The World Ends With You

Neku and several other kids in the neighbourhood have been chosen as the latest participants in The Reaper's Game: they must survive on the streets of Tokyo for seven days and complete demanding tasks or face being erased. It's a cracking storyline that teases you along with snippets of info here and there.

Each day progresses as you complete tasks. The streets are full of monsters but there are no random battles. During day one of the game, Neku forges a pact with the quirky Shiki, a streetwise girl whom you also control during battles.

Neku appears on the bottom screen and is controlled by the stylus, while Shiki is controlled by the D-pad or face buttons. Controlling two characters is tricky at first but the game's tutorial even tells you to take your time with the system. IF you don't like it, there is even the option to let the competent AI control Shiki if you prefer.

Throughout the course of the game you collect several pin badges containing special powers. There are hundreds of these from telekinesis, fire spells, shock waves and many more. Each is controlled by different motions with the stylus. For example, slashing through a parked car or construction barrier will send it flying into enemies via telekinesis. It's a fluid system that feels more responsive than most turn-based RPGs.

Everything about this game works perfectly, from the ingenious combat to the odd leveling up system which lets you choose your own level. Fight at low levels, get more loot and get killed a lot, or fight at a high level, get fewer bonuses, but cruise through battles. The choice is entirely up to you. This is an essential DS title and a must-buy RPG for fans of the genre - its reliance on style in no way covering up for a lack of substance.