Handheld gems a joy for gamers

By LOU KESTEN | The Associated Press • Published May 09, 2008

In the late 1990s, Japanese publisher Square could do no wrong. Back in the era of the original PlayStation, Square released one gem after another: blockbusters such as "Final Fantasy VII" and "Chrono Cross," lesser-known masterpieces such as "Vagrant Story" and "Brave Fencer Musashi," and one of my all-time favorites, the mind-blowing "Xenogears."

Square hasn't been quite as infallible this decade, thanks largely to the 2001 departure of "Final Fantasy" mastermind Hironobu Sakaguchi. The company never releases a bad game, but since its merger with Enix Corp. in 2003, it's become too dependent on spinoffs and remakes of its core franchises, "Final Fantasy" and "Dragon Quest." So when Square Enix releases something entirely original, it's an event that brings joy to the hearts of old Square fanboys like me.

n "The World Ends With You" (Square Enix, for the Nintendo DS, $39.99): One look at this game, starting with the title, should tell you you're not in a typical fantasyland. With highly stylized, modern graphics, "The World" drops you in the middle of Tokyo's bustling Shibuya district. "Noise" monsters are wreaking havoc, but most citizens can't see them.

A punk named Neku has been chosen by a shadowy organization called the Reapers to play a game: Accomplish a series of missions within seven days or he'll be "erased." Because only Neku and his fellow players can see the Noise, fighting them seems like a logical place to start.

Battles use both screens of the DS: You use the stylus to control Neku on the bottom and the directional pad to control a partner on the top. It's confusing at first, but you quickly learn when to switch between characters. It's an ingenious use of the DS technology, and a new skill (such as controlling other people's thoughts) seems to pop up in every mission.

"The World Ends With You" is one of the freshest games in a long time. Most of its innovations work beautifully. Rating: ***1/2

n "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII" (Square Enix, for the PlayStation Portable, $39.99): Like 2006's "Dirge of Cerberus," "Crisis Core" fills out the back story of one of the supporting characters in the classic "Final Fantasy VII." This time, it's Zack Fair, an old pal of "FFVII" hero Cloud Strife, though other memorable figures from that game also return.