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NEO: The World Ends with You

Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4
Genre: RPG/Action
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Hokkaido Artists' Network and Development
Release Date: July 27, 2021

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'NEO: The World Ends with You' (ALL) Reveals New Characters, Locations, Game Mechanics And More - Screens

by Rainier on May 14, 2021 @ 10:22 a.m. PDT

NEO: The World Ends with You is an action RPG that transports players to the streets of the Shibuya, where they will take part in the “Reapers’ Game,” a life-or-death battle for survival.

Players will take on the role of Rindo as they explore the heart of Tokyo to uncover the mysteries behind the sinister Game in which they have been forced to take part.

NEO: The World Ends with You brings a re-creation of modern Shibuya to life in a unique and comic-inspired style. Players can explore and enjoy the sights, sounds, and culture of this bustling city, fight monsters alongside their ally companions in fast-paced action battles, and complete missions as they seek to change the fate they’ve been handed.

Neo: The World Ends with You is the long-awaited follow-up to the RPG classic The World Ends with You. The story takes place in Shibuya, Tokyo. You may recognize some of the landmarks, but the city itself is depicted with an anime-style artistic touch unlike anything you’ve seen before. It is there you must attempt to uncover the mysteries behind the sinister Reapers’ Game, a life-or-death battle for survival in which you are forced to take part.


The Reapers’ Game

The Reapers’ Game unfolds in the UG (Underground), a different dimension which bears a striking resemblance to the real world. The Players of the Game form teams and aim to complete missions set out by the Game Master, Shiba. The nature of these missions ranges from solving puzzles to defeating enemies known as Noise, and teams may even find themselves fighting their peers for control of the ‘Buya in citywide turf wars!

The Game lasts for seven days. It is said that the team who racks up the most points over the course of the week will have their wish granted—whatever it may be. The unlucky team who ends up in last, on the other hand, is forced to face erasure.

In the Reapers’ Game, it’s all for one and one for all. Will Rindo and the Wicked Twisters be able to band together and topple the other teams in this struggle for survival?

Team Battles - Turf Wars: Scramble Slams

One kind of mission assigned in the Reapers’ Game is the Scramble Slam, a citywide turf war that has teams vying for control of various areas around town. Erase all the orange Turf Noise or take down the rival team members in an area to claim that location as your own.

In Scramble Slams, the fun lies in not only gaining control of an area, but also in defeating swarms of enemies to earn even more Scramble Points and exchange them for even better rewards. Chain together battles with regular Noise to max out your point-earning potential!

Introducing ‘The Ruinbringers’

  • Susukichi (Voice: Max Udell): A Player in the Reapers’ Game, and a member of the Ruinbringers. While his impressive physique gives off an intimidating air, Susukichi is actually a bit of a chatterbox, rambling in his surprisingly high voice. Like the discs in beloved Reversi, he views the world in black and white.
  • Tsugumi (Voice: Ciara Riley Wilson): A Player in the Reapers’ Game. Although she is a member of the Ruinbringers, she barely interacts with others and does not talk to anyone. Contrary to her waify appearance, she possesses powerful psychic abilities and a perfect record against other Players. The stuffed animal she carries resembles the mascot of Gatto Nero, a new brand that’s all the rage in Shibuya—but her plush pal apparently predates the establishment of said brand
  • Fuya (Voice: Adam Gold): A Player in the Reapers’ Game who got sucked into the action while taking a stroll in search of Shibuya’s most exquisite culverts. Despite being the de facto leader of the Deep Rivers Society, he is quite cowardly and not one to normally take charge. However, his aversion to conflict is the reason he’s managed to avoid dropping out of the game so far, so his “flight-over-fight” approach has served him surprisingly well. He holds a store-bought map of the city in which he’s hand-marked his favorite culverts.
  • Kanon (Voice: Xanthe Huynh): A Player in the Reapers’ Game and the leader of the Variabeauties. Both kind and captivating, Kanon gives “Rindy” and his teammates a crash course in the rules of the Game. Her beauty also belies a cunning side that reveals itself when the situation warrants. What she lacks in impressive psychic powers, she more than makes up for in wisdom, which has helped her survive the Game thus far.
  • Motoi (Voice: Nick Thurston): A Player in the Reapers’ Game and the leader of the Purehearts. His winning smile and poetic platitudes give off good vibes only, even though his superficiality and frequent use of “fancy” words can rub some people the wrong way. Nevertheless, his magnetic personality has proven quite attractive, amassing him a large number of followers.

System: Threads

Rindo and his teammates can increase their HP (Health Points), ATK (Attack) and DEF (Defence) by wearing threads. There are five categories of fashion items you can equip: headwear, tops, bottoms, footwear, and accessories.

In addition, threads have abilities that are useful in battle. If the character equipping an item has enough Style, its ability will be activated and its effect unleashed. Spruce up your fashion sense and unlock the true power of the threads!

There are no restrictions when it comes to equipping threads, so you can make whichever character you like wear any fashion item. However, some abilities will only activate when the corresponding item is equipped by a specific character.

Shops

The city of Shibuya is dotted with a wide variety of shops. There are over 40 establishments to visit, with some selling threads and pins, some providing delicious food and drink, and some offering collectibles like CDs and books. Each shop attendant is unique, and they reveal a little more of their personality with each visit. Stop by a shop often enough and you might even earn yourself some VIP perks!

Look for SHOP icons to find places where you can shop and eat! You can also enjoy shopping at stores which exist in the real world such as Taiseido and Tower Records.

Pay with the contactless payment system “ShibuPay.” Sell the pins you gain during battle to top up your balance

Shops & Brands

The style of clothes and accessories in fashion shops changes with each brand. The number of products will increase as you progress through the story and meet various conditions, so be sure to pop into your favorite shops every now and then.

There are over 270 types of fashion items. Assemble ensembles around your favorite brands!

Restaurants

Another great thing about Shibuya is its wide selection of restaurants! Choose from a variety of dining options like guilty fast food pleasures, succulent meat dishes, healthy veggie soups, and parfaits packed with cream and fruit. Eating improves your basic stats and is essential for Rindo and his teammates’ growth. If you want to survive the Reapers’ Game, watch what you eat!

There are over 90 types of food. Savor all the fine dishes Shibuya has to offer!

Rindo and his teammates’ reactions during food scenes in the restaurants are also a treat. Their moods are different when they eat something they like versus when they eat something they don’t.

System: Remind

Fret’s unique psych, Remind, jogs people’s memories and helps them to remember things they have forgotten.

A minigame will start when Remind is activated. Tilt the left and right sticks in the correct positions to reassemble the scattered memory. Put all the pieces in the right place to complete the reminder!

Setting

Rindo and his teammates travel to all corners of the Shibuya area over the course of the Reapers’ Game. Revisit familiar spots from the previous game such as Tipsy Tose Hall, and discover new locations like Shibuya Stream and the iconic Takeshita Street.


As you and your band of allies explore Shibuya and compete in the Reaper’s Game, you’ll be fighting against the Noise in battle. Rindo can visualize these enemies through scanning, one of the fundamental psych abilities available in the game. Scanning also reveals what the people of Shibuya have on their minds. You might stumble upon some important pieces of information, so be sure to scan often.

In combat, you can control multiple party members as you fight foes in flashy action battles. Each teammate can equip one pin at a time—press the corresponding button to unleash the psych contained therein. 

Simple controls keep combat moving, but with over 300 pins that let you attack the Noise, heal your team, or boost your allies’ abilities, you can create a nearly limitless combination of psychs to fit your gameplay style.

The composer for The World Ends with You, Takeharu Ishimoto, is back to bring you even more amped-up tracks. Not only has he written a slew of new songs, but he has also rearranged familiar tracks from The World Ends with You, including Twister and Calling!

NEO: The World Ends with You is coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch on July 27, 2021, followed by PC (Epic Games Store) in Summer 2021.


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