Why? Because You Can't. Deal.

[rionaleonhart]

I think I'm almost at the end of The World Ends With You! The opening screen said 'THE LAST DAY' in big capital letters, at least, which was a bit of a hint. I'll miss it when I've finished playing, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it ends.

The World Ends With You is definitely the first game to make me sentimental over partially-digested noodles. I'd go into more detail, but I'm trying to be vague to avoid spoiling anyone - I went into The World Ends With You completely unspoiled, and I'm glad I did - so I'll just have to leave you with that cryptic and slightly unpleasant statement.

Also, the story of how Beat and Rhyme entered the Game was the most awful, tragic thing. STOP MAKING ME SAD, THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU.


I actually quite like the bravery system in The World Ends With You. It's annoying when you're not brave enough to wear the threads you want, of course, but I feel it makes a lot of sense. In most videogames, you're simply not given the option to equip a male character with a dress. In The World Ends With You, you can dress your male characters in traditionally female clothing, but only if they're bold enough to wear it. There's nothing to stop you cranking up Joshua's bravery to the point where he doesn't care what anyone thinks of him and then putting him in a miniskirt (and very fetching he'd look in one, too).

Not that I've actually done this, but, you know, it's nice to know it's an option. Plus I can easily envision Joshua strutting around in a miniskirt just to weird Neku out.

Neku: Gyaah! What are you wearing? Take it off!
Joshua: Oh? Neku, I didn't know you felt that way.
Neku: I mean - put something else on! Get changed!
Joshua: Well, if you want my defence to be at rock bottom...
Neku: (scarlet) That's why you spent so long building up your bravery? If you were worried about your defence, you could have worked on that instead!
Joshua: Hee hee. But this way is much more fun, don't you think?

Sadly, this scenario relies too heavily on game mechanics to really work as a fic.

I did come to like Joshua eventually, around the end of Week Two. He's such an unashamed little shit. I think the 'little shit' aspect turned me away at first and then the 'unashamed' part gradually won me over. Damn you, Joshua.

Comments

[tabimendou.livejournal.com]

Haha yes, I did like how the bravery system is basically "willingness to crossdress" ♥. Only thing that could improve it for me would be if the costume changes were represented in the sprites...

I love everyone in the game, but Joshua probably is my favourite, I'm glad you came to like him ♥ I also like his battle system the most. I could not get the hang of week three's partner though, even now;;

[rionaleonhart]

I completed the game last night, so today I went through all the entries on your The World Ends With You tag and they were an absolute delight. I think I laughed out loud when you said you were 'shipping Beat/Rhyme. But oh, dear, you attracted some terrible anonymous commenters.

Joshua might be my favourite as well. How things change! (STUPID WEEK THREE CARD SYSTEM. Shiki and Joshua were much more reliable at bringing up the fusion attack by random chance; week three actually requires you to pay attention to the top screen, which is impossible.)

[tabimendou.livejournal.com]

Ahaha I forgot I'd even posted about it that much! I'll have to go through myself and see what I said XD. But yeah, I don't know if my LJ was showing up on some google searches or something but a while after I completed the game I suddenly got all those "GOD YOU'RE SO STUPID FOR NOT KNOWING ENDGAME STUFF BEFORE YOU'VE COMPLETED IT, HERE ARE SOME SPOILERS" and I was just like, wow, dick move much? Good thing I had completed the game by the time those comments came along o_O

After I completed it I was trying to max everyone's bravery - I think I got as far as maxing out Joshua and about halfway on Shiki then I forgot what I had to be farming to make the stuff to raise bravery and that was that XD; I totally want to replay though, what with all the rumours about a possible sequel and everything :x

[wolfy-writing.livejournal.com]

That's adorable!

[rionaleonhart]

Joshua is basically a massive troll to Neku all the time. Every single line Joshua says to him feels simultaneously condescending and possibly a bit flirtatious. (There's a script over here, if you'd like to file this alongside Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days in your catalogue of Games You Know Far Too Much About Despite Never Having Played, but of course there's no obligation!)

[wolfy-writing.livejournal.com]

I might check it out. It sounds very cute!