It’s been 14 years since the JRPG cult classic The World Ends With You released for the Nintendo DS. Since then, we’ve received ports for both mobile and the Nintendo Switch, as well as an upcoming anime adaptation, but the one thing that the fans have been asking for has always been true sequel. The wait is now over, Square Enix has made their dreams a reality. The company has, at long last, announced a full sequel to classic JRPG, Neo: The World Ends With You, and it’s coming next Summer 2021 for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
On top of that, Square Enix also released a brand new trailer, which showcases a new crop of players being caught up in the Reapers Game. The majority of these characters are brand new ones, while there are a few that make a return from the original title, including the popular Sho Minamimoto. Sho looks to be a player in the Reapers Game this time, as opposed to the previous one where he was an actual Reaper and was a major antagonist. The new protagonist’s name is Rindo, who takes the place of the last game’s hero, Neku, although we don’t have any information on him as of yet.
The trailer also shows us gameplay aspects of both the open-world of Shibuya and the combat, both of which are very different from the original. From what we can see, players will still be using those signature pins to attack, defend, and heal themselves while engaged in battle. The main change is that the combat and the exploration is in full 3D, whereas all iterations of The World Ends With You kept the 2D aesthetics. Even though this is most likely an early build, it’s a most welcome look as Neo: The World Ends With You looks to have kept the art style, as well as the charm of the first one intact.
While the title was announced for the PlayStation 4, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Square Enix make this available for the PlayStation 5 at some point, leading up to or at the release as a backwards compatible title. As for the Nintendo Switch, it only makes sense as the first game has been available for that system since 2018. The company hasn’t mentioned if Neo: The World Ends With You will be coming to any other system or PC, but as we make our way through the first half of 2021, we’re sure to hear more information in regards to this.
Neo: The World Ends With You will officially launch in Summer 2021 for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.