Square Enix just announced that they’re turning their oddball action-RPG The World Ends With You into a full-fledged anime.
Legendary developer and publisher Square Enix recently revealed that their peculiar RPG The World Ends With You (TWEWY)—also known as Subarashiki Kono Sekai in Japan—is getting the anime treatment and is currently in development.
A new Twitter account was even created just for the occasion, which has done nothing so far but provide its followers with a day to day countdown till July 4. The date signifies the kick-off of this year’s Anime Expo Lite, where Square Enix will be showing off a full reveal of their upcoming animation project.
The TWEWY account also includes a link to the anime’s website showing a live countdown against the backdrop of the 104 building, an iconic landmark that fans of the game are sure to recognize.
5DAYShttps://t.co/n6wDYuZhLg#TWEWY #すばらしきこのせかい #すばせか
— すばらしきこのせかい The Animation 公式アカウント (@TWEWY_PR) June 28, 2020
What is The World Ends With You?
With Square Enix’s remarkable repertoire of successful role-playing games, it’s easy to overlook a one-off title like TWEWY. The action-RPG made its debut on the Nintendo DS and was released in Japan in July 2007, hitting the shelves in the west nearly a year later.
The World Ends With You was subsequently ported to mobile devices in 2012, and was later resurrected via a superior “Final Remix” version on the Nintendo Switch in 2018.
As far as the plot goes, the narrative revolves around antisocial protagonist Neku Sakuraba and his allies, as they are forced to participate in a cruel game that takes place in an alternate version of the Shibuya District in Japan’s capital.
The “Reaper’s Game” involves a select few departed souls and is held in a different plane of existence known as the Underground. Here the dead have the opportunity to beat the game and win back their life or choose to attain a higher level of spirituality.
The world ends with you!
It was a game originally on the 3ds and got a remaster on the switch! pic.twitter.com/9Gq1vKXOLf— Kasoha (@Kasoha4) June 25, 2020
TWEWY’s reception
The World Ends With You’s initial release on the Nintendo DS was met with glowing reviews from fans and critics, as they praised the game’s socially relevant narrative and stellar art-style and soundtrack.
The combat system, albeit overly complex to some, was gimmicky in a great way, utilizing some of the best features that the DS had to offer. Unfortunately, the handheld’s control scheme sometimes suffered from stylus imprecision, leading to several frustrating encounters.
Meanwhile, the reception of the Switch port was a bit more divided, as the two modes of play provided by the hybrid console complicated matters more than it should have.
Gamers enjoyed the experience in handheld mode thanks to the touchscreen controls reminiscent of the original release. Docked mode, however, introduced motion controls that turned out to be a lot less fun than it sounds.
The World Ends With You is a great game, but the Switch's Final Remix of isn't as great. Our review: https://t.co/3ONZDpjGS4 pic.twitter.com/0ENg7Bc76L
— Game Informer (@gameinformer) October 20, 2018
Whether Square Enix plans on turning The World Ends With You into a full-on anime series or just an animated film remains a mystery, which will hopefully be revealed in a few more days.
featured image courtesy of Nintendo