Intro
Way back in 1999, the Sega Dreamcast was at its prime. The Japana-converted Jet Set Radio hit the US market under the name Jet Grind Radio. Sega has always been known to produce some "alternative" styled games, and this was no different. Spraying graffiti all over the place on roller blades, seemed like a hit-or-miss effort. Thankfully for us gamers, it was a dead on hit.
Not only did JGR allow us to experience a new type of gameplay, it also introduced us to a new style of graphics. JGR was the first to fully use cell shading. Cell shading is a cross between 2D and 3D with contrasting colors. It is very similar to your Saturday morning cartoons (well when I was a kid cartoons only came on Saturday... never mind). The style is a nice change of pace, and other new games are taking advantage of the process. While Cell Damage is the only game to totally use cell shading; other games on the market use it in conjunction with standard 3D graphics.
With the 2002 release of Jet Set Radio, I couldn't hide my excitement. Those who remember the old game, much is the same but with some improved eye candy. The storyline is basically the same: Cyber city, Tokyo is overrun by a crazed corporation who wants to take over the city. The corporation owns the law enforcement, and want to take out all of the graffiti spreading youths. Our rasta-man DJ Professor K spins some tunes in the underground and gives vital information on the streets. To overcome the levels, you not only have to deal with the Gouji police, but also other rival gangs; competing for the same strips of land.
Jet Grind Radio v.2.0
Much is the same when it comes to the gameplay, and it mixes most of the old with some new twists. Your basic control is the same: collect spray paint cans, spray graffiti and dodge the bad guys. The biggest change is the ability to grind. Previously, grinding took a great deal of skill to keep it going; but now it is as easy as jumping. Grind sessions are long and complex, and the coolest way to get from point A to point B.
Since the XBOX controller is somewhat similar to the Dreamcast controller, much of the control was nicely ported. The left analog stick controls your skater's speed and direction and the right analog stick changes your first person perspective view. The left trigger centers the camera (thank heavens) and the right trigger allows you to spray graffiti. If you have played JGR you will notice spraying graffiti is much simpler. Before to spray a large graffiti it required you to use a combination of movements (half circle's and button combinations). Now, it will automatically do what is needed. This is a good thing and a bad thing. The positive is that it keeps the game fast and furious, but negatively it detracts a bit from the skill involved. It's a toss up, but overall I like the concept.
The dash was also replaced with the spray boost. This takes collected cans of spray paint and uses them as compressed force giving you some serious speed. The downside is that it really sucks your supply of paint up, but in return you can really motor. Not only can you go super-fast, you can also charge into opposing police, knocking them silly. Much of the game deals with coping with the onslaught of Rokkaku forces, so bullying them around takes skill and patience. One nice advantage of Jet Set Radio Future is the fact you can spray anywhere at anytime. This lets you spray (offensively) rival gangs and annoying police. As mentioned your only other attack methods are either jumping on them or using the spray boost.
Tony Hawk and the magical spray can
This time around you can actually perform tricks. While it's not as complex as a Tony Hawk game, it is a nice change of pace from the previous version. Using combinations of your controller and the "X" and "Y" buttons, allow you to pull off some nice moves. These moves aren't only nice to look at, many times it will allow you to reach new heights and areas unreachable by normal jumps.
As nice as some of the tricks are, the real meat-and-potatoes behind the game is still the unmatched gameplay. Much of the game deals with "tagging" rival gangs and law enforcement to complete areas. At other times, you simply have to "mark" your territory by following locations on the map. The staple of the gameplay follows the same principles as the first, but with some nicely added bonuses that really makes this game unique and with substance. Sega and Smilebit took out the frustrating time limits, which freed up the linear gameplay and allowed you to roam at your free will.
The game is much bigger than I imagined, easily out shadowing JGR. In the middle of the city lies your "base", and new and old characters (12 in all) meet up there. Surrounding your base is the entire city, which different sections are unlockable; depending on where you are. There are eight different "levels", each with rich gameplay and complexity. In these levels you are given certain tasks (as mentioned before), but there are also a fair deal of mini-games. These include collecting items (a la Tony Hawk) and finding secret areas and missions.
To be truthful, becoming fully accustomed to the controls there is a slight learning curve. For those familiar with the first game, this should come second nature. But, for the most part getting used to grinding and spraying at high speeds can be somewhat taxing. However, once into the meat of the game, you should start warming up to the controls. The only real negative I've found (which could be translated into a positive) is the enormously of the levels. Sometimes levels become confusing and knowing where to go becomes frustrating. Since the game is not limited to one plane of play, there are different areas to explore. This can be anything from the ground to 20 stories in the air. Finding these points is challenging, but in the same breath incredibly frustrating.
The other issue that seems to plague games such as this is the dizzying camera angles. For the most part, most of these issues were ironed out, but still seem to be an anathema at times. At certain points, the camera will flicker and spin, leaving you all but helpless. Still, the improvement made in JSRF are head and shoulders above the original in the series. With the help of the centering button, most of this should not effect average gameplay, and since the speed is much greater in JSRF you won't have time to breathe aside from thinking about camera angles.
One last addition is the introduction of a multiplayer. The multiplayer consists of a variety of mini-games and allows you to have up to four players going at one time. The concept is nice, and the performance is right on, but much of the flavor of the game is lost. The real lure of the single player mode, is the sense of freedom and exploration. Most of this is lost, and you are forced to rely on chance and random events to produce an outcome. Overall, it is a nice addition to the game, but nothing strong enough to make it a great party game.
The music will set you free
I usually start this section with descriptions of the visuals, but in this case the music supercedes everything else. While I was more than impressed with the original musical score, JSRF is leaps and bounds better than the original. Hard to believe I know, but the background music was simply unbelievable. This is the best audio track released on any console... EVER! I really can't say enough about the futuristic, Japana-techno, rave, industrial, rap score... The music is so good, that I know I will be snaking a copy of the soundtrack. It really sets the tone for a great game, and will keep your head bobbing from start to finish.
Sound effects are also solid, but nothing comparable to the BGM. Most of the voice-overs are comparable to JGR with some nice added vocal effects. Sound effects are also on the same level as the first, just with added sounds. The sound effects are average, and keep pace with the action. The bottom line is that you will be so hooked on the music (give it an hour or so) everything else will become secondary.
Visually, Smilebit opened the floodgates of cell shading. Even more impressive than the Dreamcast version with dynamically changing shadows and environments. The backgrounds are beautiful. Once you get past the sweet character animations, the backgrounds are immense and gorgeous. Other small details have been addressed, such as; people and birds scattering as you fly by them and ambient fog and lighting effects as you whiz by venders. For most people who played the first in the series, you might think on how someone can improve cell shading. Well, it looks better than ever, and really shows the power of the XBOX. Graphically, the game is nothing but eye candy for the soul and blazes at a whopping 60FPS... hang freakin' on my friends.
66 Says:
I know I compared Jet Set Radio Future to its predecessor, Jet Grind Radio. For that I apologize, simply because its not fair for those who never played the first. It was difficult to do by not comparing it to the original. Nevertheless, this is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone. For those who have played and loved the first, will still get a kick out of the XBOX version, and will get a buzz from the fumes you leave. And for those who never were lucky enough to play the first, I envy you, for you will have an experience all your own.
JSRF is the combination of great control, unique gameplay, killer graphics and a soundtrack to die for. This justifies a full-fledged purchase. A rental would not nearly give you enough time to complete. In fact, it took me about 20 hours to beat the game the first time around. The multiplayer was decent, but lost its luster a few hours into it. I hope you have the chance to pick this game up, and experience what a real game is like.
