PlayStation’s latest free game is one of the most underrated RPGs ever

It’s fair to say that March has been a very mixed bag for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Well, those subscribed to Essential tier haven’t been having a great time at all, actually - in no universe was Battlefield 2042 ever going to go down well, but the other offerings weren’t mind-blowing, either.

It’s been quite a different story for Extra and Premium tier subscribers, though. From the day-one release of Tchia to Tango Gameworks’ 2022 action-adventure Ghostwire: Tokyo, there've been some real gems to get stuck into, but today I come to you with a public service announcement: don’t sleep on NEO: The World Ends with You.

Take a look at the trailer for NEO: The World Ends with You below.

NEO: The World Ends with You was without a doubt one of the greatest games to release in 2021, but it was also one of the most underrated. Square Enix’s snazzy action-RPG is a sequel to The World Ends with You - a cult classic release on the Nintendo DS. Its predecessor had a relatively small but incredibly dedicated fanbase - I’d be shocked if you hadn’t seen a profile picture of at least one of the characters online in the last 16 years.

Like the 2007 instalment, NEO: TWEWY is a game that positively drips with style, from its distinctive comic-book-esque visuals with bold outlined characters, to its funky soundtrack, and even the general vibes of the world it’s set in. Although the sequel brought the gameplay into the 3D realm, the transition was seamless, and it perfectly maintained the striking look that TWEWY pioneered back on the DS.

The plot follows the adventures of Rindo Kanade and Fret Furesawa, two high schoolers who find themselves contending in the Reapers’ Game - a competition for the recently deceased. It’s no paltry prize on offer - the winners who survive the various tasks that they’re faced with can be awarded a second chance at life, while the losers will be erased from existence forever.

It’s difficult to discuss the story without giving too much away, but as you’d imagine, the Reaper’s Game goes way deeper than simply being a contest for the dead - there’s loads of lore to unlock and twists to uncover about the forces running it, and the characters you befriend along the way all have distinct personalities that make even the smallest interactions during the gameplay memorable and enjoyable.

Speaking of gameplay, NEO: TWEWY features a highly customisable battle system. By collecting and equipping Pins, your party members are able to unleash deadly ‘Psych’ abilities on their foes. From projectile attacks, melee moves, heals and buffs, you can configure the perfect setup for any fight, and as you’re frequently encouraged to shake things up since the variety of enemies and bosses are all weak to different attacks, things never feel stale. Refining your party to the point where they’re all so in sync that they’re constantly building combos and unleashing huge team attacks is incredibly satisfying, and makes even the smaller battles against random enemies super fun.

Square Enix.

Outside of battles, your party members also boast unique psychic abilities that they can use to interact with the world. I won’t detail these for the sake of spoilers, but learning how to utilise each of their powers to solve puzzles is awesome, and the world feels way more interactive than it did in The World Ends with You as a result.

While NEO is a sequel and connects to the events of its predecessor, it’s by no means a requirement to play the games in order, which is a good thing for PlayStation owners considering that the first instalment is only available on Nintendo Switch and older mobile devices (or the Nintendo DS, if you can find a copy of the game). Admittedly, if you can play the first game, it’s definitely recommended you do so that you recognise the returning characters, but if it’s not an option, don’t let it put you off from trying a thoroughly engaging RPG. There’s also an anime adaptation called The World Ends with You: The Animation that you can watch if you want to catch up with the plot without having to play it.

Sadly, even though the sequel released to high critical acclaim (on Metacritic, the PC version has a critic score of 85), it didn’t really manage to propel the series into the mainstream limelight. A few months after its release, Square Enix claimed that the title “underperformed our initial expectations” (thanks, VGC). It didn’t get nominated for a single accolade at The Game Awards either, despite its stellar soundtrack and excellent gameplay, which hurts my soul.

With that in mind, I beg of you - please give this game a shot. Given that it was my favourite release of 2021, I was gutted that it never really took off at release, but now it finally has the chance to gain some new fans. Am I a bit biased? Maybe. But if you want to dive into a unique RPG that’ll permanently influence the video game music you listen to while you’re working, don’t miss out.