Closely following the airing of The World Ends with You’s first anime episode in Japan, Square Enix has come out to announce that the sequel to the cult classic Nintendo DS game will launch internationally on 27 July 2021. Titled NEO: The World Ends With You, this chapter follows the events of the first game’s events, involving a cast of both new and returning characters to deliver a brand new experience.
NEO: The World Ends With You follows new protagonist Rindo, as he explores the heart of Tokyo to uncover the mysteries behind the sinister “Reapers’ Game,” a life-or-death battle for survival in which he has been forced to take part.
As highlighted in the ‘release date announcement trailer’ below, players were enter battles in parties of up to four characters, using mechanics reminiscent of the previous ‘pins’ system but better suited to a non-dual screen environment as was the case with the Nintendo DS.
NEO: The World Ends With You will be released on the PlayStation 4 (Physical / Digital), Nintendo Switch (Physical / Digital) and Windows PC (Digital) from 27 July 2021. This will be the first time that any game in the franchise has been available on a PlayStation or PC platform.
The Story of NEO: The World Ends With You
It was just another seemingly ordinary day in Shibuya, but not for Rindo. He could tell something about the city felt different.
A girl with an ominous aura appears before him, identifying herself as a so-called Reaper. With some trepidation, Rindo decides to play along with this Reapers’ Game, but something is weird…
Battles with monsters called “the Noise”, pins that grant mysterious powers, and a place called Shibuya UG (Underground) to set the stage for the Game— it isn’t long until Rindo starts to have second thoughts on his decision
Meet ‘The Wicked Twisters’
1Rindo (English VA: Paul Castro Jr.)
One of the newest Players in the Reapers’ Game, Rindo is a high schooler to whom searching for info on his phone is second nature. He prefers to go with the flow, and although he doesn’t go out of his way to interact with others, he won’t turn them away if they come to him first.
Thrust into the Game without even realizing it, he now serves as the de facto leader of the Wicked Twisters.
2Fret (English VA: Griffin Burns)
Rindo’s happy-go-lucky classmate and fellow Player in the Reapers’ Game, Fret boasts the ability to get along with just about anyone. While he styles himself as a natural conversationalist, he prefers to keep things light, subconsciously avoiding subjects that are too serious. He enjoys walking around town with his buddy “Rindude.”
3Nagi (English VA: Miranda Parkin)
Another Player in the Reapers’ Game, Nagi is a college student whose youthful appearance leads others to mistake her for a middle schooler. She is deeply passionate about her pastimes, devoting all of her time and energy to her favorite games. Highly
perceptive, she is acutely aware of others’ emotions, and shows disdain toward those she deems superficial and disingenuous.
4Minamimoto (English VA: Andy Hirsch)
A fellow Player in the Reapers’ Game, Minamimoto puts his impressive psychic powers to use when he saves Rindo and the gang from a tight spot early on, then forces himself onto their team.
He calculates every possible future using his own unique formulas and acts in accordance with the values he discovers, but he remains a mystery to all around him. He seems to have his sights set on something greater than Rindo and the gang.
