I am having a blast rediscovering the NDS system as a whole, and TWEWY is one of the games that makes fantastic use of the DS's capabilities as a hardware, making it stand out as more than just another handheld console.

it achieves this with the dual screen gameplay that isn't too distracting or demanding, and the creative usage of skills with different applications of your stylus. it's mechanically challenging but rewarding, and the gameplay is satisyfing even if it gets grindy. the real flaw here is that some skills don't mesh well and sometimes are even prejudicial as they clash with the usage of better-created and stronger skills.

in a non-deprecating way, this story has a quite pretentious/edgy beat that would've resonated with my 15 year old past self, but it takes that and spins it into something heartwarming and meaningful. we have our cynical misanthrope main character who closes himself off and erects barriers that do not allow others entry, but throw his trials and tribulations learns that The World Ends with Him, as in that it's only by interacting with others that your world can expand, as they allow you to be and find new versions of yourself.

shibuya is initially a fun city to explore, however as you keep playing the repetition of going through the same unmoving overworld turns it incredibly dull.

the ending feels like a bit inconclusive, like it could've developed more or delivered a stronger punch. all in all, it's a solid game, and some might say a must-play for the system.

While it manages to avoid some of the prequel's biggest mistakes (repetition, fruitfulness in investigation, and bad humor) and there's good gameplay improvements, it does not manage to scale up to the original game. It keeps ruining serious moments with silliness or idol song performances, it's hard to get attached to any of the protagonists, not as much as Date.

The game tries to be epic at the end with some hard to swallow "EPIC TWIST" asspull, and yet, once again, fails to reach the impact levels of the original game.

Nonetheless, there's the usual heartfelt moments that do feel genuine, and a message that we are only complete when we meet our better half.

Zero turned out to be quite mid. SSS squad feels like budget bracers. Lloyd is a hetare Gary Stu protagonist who has the other squad members orbit around him. People will say this game had the advantage of a small group to focus on, but Sky's party members aside from the main duo had ambitions, goals and lives of their own. You can't really say that of Elie, Randy and Tio. Speaking of them, Elie really got shafted, being tacked on as a love interest as if that'd make her a more interesting character.

On the topic of characters, lots of them feel like carbon copies of beloved Trails in the Sky characters, like KeA and Renne, Tita and Tio, Cassius and Arios, Lechter/Randy and Olivier, and so on. With Arios, his backstory is even copied from Cassius's, but not as developed. He certainly does win worst dad of the year award, tho.

Certain tropes get repeated, like dramatically being saved last second when you're about to get owned (happens about 4 or 5 times during the game). At the end, the main questions aren't resolved and you're basically told "lol play the sequel."

Getting on spoiler territory, I didn't vibe at all with the last chapter throwing nothing but brainwashed, mind controlled enemies at you. It's a silly plot device that removes their agency, and is not fun to interact with. It feels low effort. The same plot device is thrown at main antagonist at the last second, as if to absolve their guilt. Where have I seen this before, hmm?

Joshua and Estelle show up again but as supporting characters. It feels pretty odd considering their power level by the end of Sky 3 would be nearly godlike. However, here they're almost like rookie bracers, fading to the backstage. Having them act as small-time helpers by the end of the game cheapens them and your efforts growing them across the first trilogy.

I have to admit, the scenes with Renne and getting to the root of her backstory was fantastic. I just wish they existed in a different scenario.


I completed this on Nightmare and did the "finish the game under level 40" challenge. It was quite fun to challenge myself and try different strats, even ones not even mentioned on top guides (for xp conservation). At the same time, it forced me to not interact with a big portion of the game by not allowing me to engage in optional battles, which is a bit lame.

I'll probably play the sequel. I'm sure there will be good payoff from having played Zero. I just won't jump into it so soon.