"Glued to my GameCube lately, my beloved Dreamcast
lie dormant and almost heard it weeping... I wiped the dust off the 'ole girl,
and fired up my favorite game for the now antiquated system."
Intro
As most know by now the Sega Dreamcast is selling new for a measly and
embarrassing $50. Before I continue the review, if you have a passion for gaming
and don't own a DC, I highly recommend you picking one of these up.
Better yet, grab a used one off of Ebay for $30. With games under $20,
you really can't lose.
Sega has always been known to produce "alternative" games, and Jet
Grind Radio is no different. A peculiar breed of game, that not only
introduced us to a new gaming style but also a new type of graphics type.
What good would an off-the-wall Sega game be without a wacky story? The
story takes place in "Tokyo-to", where different gangs have divided
the city. Now, these aren't the kind of gangs who shoot newcomers, but they are
a "vandal" gang. Jet Grind Radio's meat-and-potatoes is
graffiti. Each rival gang in order to make their presence known spray-paints
their "sign" on enemy turfs.
You enter the game as a "newbie" and try to earn the respect of
another skater. Skater? Did I mention the game takes place solely on roller
blades? To prove yourself, you must accomplish basic task testing your
skating and graffiti ability. Thus starts the "tutorial", and
eventually the game. Along the way you have a chance to "earn" new
players by beating them at an event; and they join your gang.
Don't think you can just skate into an area and paint it up; Captain Onimusho
is always two steps behind you. His chanting of his policemen will haunt you
even after you turn the game off. Stay too long in one place, and expect to be
fired on and gang tackled. Shake them off or better yet... run. If the
pesky law wasn't enough, rival gang members will come at you full force without
hesitation.
Each player has unique abilities that range from speed and stamina to graffiti.
Levels consist of a given task and in order to advance it must be completed.
These tasks are interesting and sometimes insanely difficult. For example: The
Noise Tanks have entered your turf. You must "tag" each of them
with paint in 13 minutes. Easier said than done. Chasing after three or four
gang members in huge levels, at breakneck speeds is a challenge for any gamer.
Some taks aren't as difficult, but still highly addictive and incredibly fun.
For example: You have 10 minutes to mark up 25 locations in the level.
To many (myself included) the game is frustrating at first, and the
camera angles seem to make the game impossible to play. Within two hours of
gameplay, the quirky camera angles will become non-existent, and the gameplay
ungodly fun. As mentioned, JGR can be brilliantly challenging or
elementary school easy. The game will give you roughly 12-hours of initial game
time. I can assure you that this is a well earned 12-hours and numbingly
intense.
In order to "paint the town", you need spray paint. This can be
obtained by grabbing "floating and spinning" paint cans scattered
throughout the levels. Each graffiti you try to produce requires a certain
number of cans, if you run out of paint it will leave the "art" half
complete and you will have to come back to finish your work.
A year and a half ago when JGR was released; a "new" form of
graphics entered consoling. The term "cell shading" was a new buzzword
back then; and today when reviewing new games you can't help but mention the
word. Cell shading is a technique that gives the appearance of a
"hand drawn sketch" type animation. Many current games incorporate
this style, but rarely use it as their primary graphical "polygon"
style imaging. Games such as Super Smash Bros. Melee on the GameCube
use this from time to time, and Cell Damage on the XBOX uses it
completely. The effect is many times "cartooney", yet always
impressive and fun to watch.
Simply put; the graphics in Jet Grind Radio are amazing... even by
today’s standards. For a game nearly two years old, JGR was way ahead
of the curve. Aside from the questionable camera angles, the game is quite
flawless from a visual standpoint. The graphic engine is solid as a rock and
never once experienced any hesitation, slowdown or framerate loss. Even with the
screen filled with brightly colored skaters, a vast background and a dozen
coppers speeding after me; I never noiced any clipping.
If you are wondering where the name "Jet Grind Radio" came
from; it is an underground radio station run by our wacky Rasta-lookin' DJ.
Music for the good guys (your gang), Professor K spins up some
amazingly great tunes. Matching and surpassing the great soundtrack from Crazy
Taxi, JGR has the most diverse and catchy soundtrack to grace a
console to date. Ranging from perky Japana-techno to hardcore Rob
Zombie, DJ Professor will keep your foot tapping and your head
nodding.
Sound effects are equally impressive. From the grumpy Captain, to the
military-style marching of his men to the spray of the paint can. At times some
of the voice acting is bad and just plain annoying. Your crews’ slogans and
clichés will at times drive you to the point of using the GD-ROM for skeet.
Do you know what the best part of the game is? The cost is a whopping 10
clams. For ten bucks you can own one of the best console games to date, and a
piece of Sega history. Rumors of another JGR will possibly be
released fourth-quarter of this year for the "next gen" consoles. I
get giddy like a child on Christmas morning just thinking about the
possibilities of playing a new JGR. Although, I have the import (Jet
Set Radio), in all honesty it is one of the few instances where the American
version is better than the import.
With prices on the Dreamcast as low as they are now; I implore you to
grab yourself a console and this game. There are easily a dozen games that are must
haves', and their cost is under $20. Jet Grind Radio tops my list for
one of the best Dreamcast games to ever; and possibly of all time.
9.6
