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While the idea of keeping up with fashion trends in a videogame sounds laughable, it becomes a serious deal as soon as you start earning Pins that are branded. Fight Noise with branded Pins in an area where those brands are hot and they'll do more damage.

Fight Noise with branded Pins in an area where those brands are unpopular and you'll be penalized with a much weaker attack. This requires you to switch Pins often and pay close attention to the popular styles of the area, as brands can go from hot to not and back again in an instant. Wearing several Pins and clothes of the same brand for an extended period of time can often tilt the fashion meter in your characters' favor.

There are a million and one reasons why it should've failed, yet The World Ends With You takes some of the most irritating Square-Enix cliches and actually makes them work for the game. Thanks in no small part to the amazingly-realistic portrayal of modern-day Shibuya, a district whose citizens really do enjoy dressing in expensive, outlandish clothing.

There's also the stylish graphics, the catchy soundtrack and characters that, despite being a tad irritating at times, you'll gradually grow to care about. The Pin system is highly addicting and easily manageable thanks to several in-game/out-of-game ways for you to earn PP. You can even use Pins you've earned to play a local wi-fi minigame.

Be warned, however, this game is hardcore. People not immediately turned off by the cyber punk anime sights and sounds may get frustrated over the roughly three or four hours it takes to master the title's battle system and stats.

If you're willing to wing it and ignore most of the game's overly-complicated instructions, though, you'll discover an amazingly immersive RPG that you'd never expect on the DS, yet could only be pulled off on the system. The World Ends With You is a potentially trend-setting videogame that has a very real message regarding consumerism and friendship. If you're a DS RPG fan, put this one on the top of your most-wanted list.