| spray-painting on their backs to disable them. Sometimes you face larger enemies such as police helicopters, harrier jets or even a huge, 4-legged mechanical monstrosity. Oddly enough, these battles seem to be the easiest part of the game. It just seems that after tackling the tough environments these battles don't prove to be terribly challenging. Many of them are quite cool though. The graphics in JSRF are gorgeous. The cell shading gives the game a cool, stylish look that adds to the anime-style atmosphere. The characters are rendered extremely well, complete with little details such as long hair blowing in the wind and a blur effect when traveling at high speeds. The environments are just as impressive as the characters. It's amazing that the levels can be so enormous, yet there is nary a sign of slow-down or draw-in. It really is something to be at the very top of the observation telescope in The Skyscraper District and look around at the entire level sprawled out around you. The only slow-down I have ever witnessed in the game was in the Garage area. This is where the GGs all hang out, and after you acquire a large number of members the game chugs a bit when they are all on screen at once. Luckily, this the only time slow-down ever rears it's ugly head, so gameplay is unaffected. One of the highlights of the original Jet Set Radio was its awesome soundtrack and JSRF is no different. I've played the game for hours upon hours and have yet to tire of the 30 songs included in the game. The only questionable track is the infamous "Birthday Cake" song by Cibo Matto, but even that has grown on me. The voice acting in the game is also top quality. DJ Professor K adds his own special touch to the periodic storyline updates during the game ("I'm so excited, I forgot to wear my underwear today baby!"). The voice of the crazed police inspector Hayashi is a bit psycho, but then again, the character is a bit psycho so it all works out in the end I suppose. The main story of JSRF will take you about 15-18 hours to beat, but believe me, you'll be playing for much longer than that if you plan on completing 100% of the game. I would guess that a total of 40-50 hours or so would be needed to completely finish the game. There are tons of things to do in the game such as: complete all the street and graffiti challenges, collect every Graffiti Soul and unlock every area and character. When I first beat the game I had unlocked less than half of the characters! On top of all this, there is a robust graffiti editor that you can use to create your own tag art. It is surprisingly fun and satisfying to create your own graffiti and see it splattered on the walls of the game's environments (my favorite creation is an XL tag of my name spelled in Japanese Katakana). Jet Set Radio for the Dreamcast was one of the most original and engaging games ever and Jet Set Radio Future fur the Xbox is no different. There is just something incredibly cool about riding around Tokyo on roller blades while spraying graffiti everywhere and avoiding the police. As expected on the Xbox the visuals are outstanding. The cell shading truly makes the game look like interactive manga and the environments expand into the distance with absolutely no draw-in. A fabulous soundtrack (that will keep your foot tapping hours after the game has been put away) makes up for the fact that you cannot use your own music. Many mistake the games as a Tony Hawk wannabe, but JSRF has more in common with old school platformers than it does with extreme sports games. Overall, JSRF ranks as one of the most polished, playable and entertaining games on the Xbox and nobody should pass it up. |
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| On November 15, 2001 Microsoft launched the Xbox Video Game System in North America. Many dismissed the system as the next 3DO, but they could not have been more wrong. The Xbox has taken the world by storm, offering game experiences that often blur the line between fantasy and reality. The true successor to the DreamCast is finally here. And it is the Xbox. |
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| REVIEW: Many people just don't get Jet Set Radio Future. They become frustrated with accessing hard to reach areas or complain that the trick system is too simple when compared to games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. It saddens me to see gamers give up too quickly on this game, because it is such a masterfully developed title that I feel is one of the sparkling jewels in the Xbox's crown. Jet Set Radio Future (JSRF) is a difficult game to categorize. It combines multiple genres including: action, platform, extreme sports and racing. It really doesn't matter that JSRF doesn't fit nicely in any one category, all you need to know is that it is a unique game that is incredibly fun and rewarding to play. Essentially, you are part of a gang called the GGs that goes around "tagging" (spraying graffiti) all over Tokyo in defiance of the rules and regulations of orderly society. You get around by using rocket-powered roller blades that can propel you at incredible speeds. These super powered roller blades allow you to grind on almost anything, even vertical objects such as telephone poles. Other "special moves" include a boost dash (used in attacking enemies or as a speed burst) and a wall ride. The beauty of the gameplay is combining all of the techniques available to you to explore every nook and cranny of the HUGE environments for places to tag, Graffiti Souls (new graffiti art to use in your tags) or other goodies. Once you get to places like The Skyscraper District and Sky Dinosaurian Square you'll be performing all sorts of ridiculous grinds and jumps that will leave you smiling with satisfaction after having reached your objective. |
The level design in JSRF complements the gameplay perfectly. Many areas are very hard to reach, but with the right combination of maneuvers they can be accessed. Smilebit seems to have a penchant for making games that are very difficult, but extremely rewarding. You never quite reach that breaking point (like in so many other games) where you feel the urge to launch the controller across the room. There are other enemies besides the levels themselves. These include rival gang members and the disgruntled Tokyo police who don't appreciate your "artwork." Battles generally consist of knocking down opponents and |
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| Straight up wreckin' shop at Shibuya Terminal |
| Screenshot courtesy of GameSpot (c) |
| - Joshua Kramer (3/28/02) |
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| Jet Set Radio Future |
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| Publisher: Sega Developer: Smilebit Genre: Platform/Graffiti Action Players: 1-4 U.S. Release: 2/26/02 |
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| SUMMARY: The setting is Tokyo; the year is 2024. Freedom is a valuable commodity, and freedom of expression is even more so. The thumping beats and mean streets are back in JSRF - Jet Set Radio Future on the Xbox. Featuring unique comic-style graphics, new tricks, and hot tunes, Jet Set Radio Future brings the hippest game ever into a brave new world. |
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