‘The World Ends With You’

‘The World Ends With You’

(Square Enix) for DS

Genre: Role-playing; Rating: T

Grade: A

Thriving on its “Kingdom Hearts,” “Final Fantasy” and “XXXX” franchises, it’s always refreshing to see Square Enix give a go at something new and unfamiliar. To have it succeed as well as it does with “The World Ends With You” is nothing short of spectacular.

There are some who have never gotten into Square Enix’s brand of gaming, and perhaps “The World” will remind those gamers not to discount it so quickly. The game departs from the fantasy realms the company normally occupies and, instead, creates a new battleground in modern-day Tokyo. A lot of the mechanics from other “Square Enix” properties are present, but, in a more realistic setting, the game takes on a fresher, more natural feel.

You play primarily as Neku, who must band together with other teens to combat a race of monsters called The Noise. The story is more complex than I let on here, but rest assured it’s compelling and you’ll want to see it through to the end.

What makes “The World” stand out so much is its deft use of the DS and all its technological prowess. Both screens are used in ways other games have barely attempted, and the fluidity is amazing. The other controls (stylus, etc.) are also used to solid effect and little seems thrown in just for kicks.

The visuals and soundtrack are probably among the best of any DS game. Combined with the excellent story and control scheme, make this an easy must-own title.

‘NBA Ballers: Chosen One’

(Midway) for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Genre: Sports; Rating: E

Grade: D

From a purely artistic standpoint, “Chosen One” has all the bells and whistles of a solid arcade-style basketball game: diverse court locations, sick-looking dunks, outrageously physical play and a fast pace. But when you drill down to even the most basic of gameplay functions, “Chosen One” starts chucking up bricks.

The story mode is where all the action happens, as you create a baller and set off for greatness. You have almost zero skills handling a basketball at first, but you’ll upgrade your attributes and be throwing down in no time. The mode is solid in that creating a baller is fun because of all the options available, and also because as you progress you’ll discover an excellent roundup of current and classic NBA stars.

But the gameplay will make you feel like your brain is quickly being sucked away. The controls are tedious and overly complex for an arcade game. Furthermore, the act-a-fool combos are brainless yet required, so it drains whatever life and excitement the game had.

When playing “Chosen One,” you get the impression that Midway completely overlooked its base and released a title geared for a totally different audience. Who makes up that audience remains a mystery.

‘Target: Terror’

(Konami) for Wii

Genre: Shooter; Rating: M

Grade: F

If you’re a fan of the movie “Rushmore” and its faux-serious acting, you may find yourself giddily laughing at “Target: Terror.” But you’ll be laughing because of how insanely stupid and awful the game is, and how much it reminds you of something, say, a middle-school student could produce.

“Target: Terror” has its history as a light-gun arcade game from the 1990s. This is still no excuse for the putrid effect given off while playing the “updated” Wii version. The controls are horrible, the visuals akin to the first “Doom” game and its only saving grace is the “Not Even B-Movie Level” acting by the characters. It’s so bad you’ll laugh out loud throughout.

What’s most alarming is that this is a full-price Wii game. This is the most glaring insult because it’s clear that it took only about $40 to make this game in the first place. Rent it for the cheap laughs, but you’d be better off burning your money than buying this game.

—Chris Campbell, Scripps Howard