Next Generation Cels

The music/soundtracks are amazing, its so funky! The game gives you a unique experience due to the music, level design, and the cel shaded style of the world. Overral great game then and now. I would also like sequel: Jet Set Radio Future. New media: Jet Set Radio Future. The Xbox version will include a revamped trick system that will allow for multiplayer combos as well as both competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes.

Whether we hold cel-shading against the little blighter or not, it can't be denied that Smilebit is one of the few companies doing interesting things with the technique. One look at Jet Set Radio Future tells you that. Apart from cleaning and sharpening the whole game up for the Xbox, Smilebit have added some clever visual trickery including motion blur, which comes into play when you dart off in any direction at high speed. As you move faster and faster, a small trace sidles along an inch behind you. It's one of the neatest effects this writer has ever seen and makes JSRF even more anime-esque in its presentation. Thanks to the Xbox's sterling hardware setup, JSRF croons along without so much as a jolt. Unlike the Dreamcast, the Xbox can give us a fully cel-shaded JSR with motion blur and not a whiff of slowdown. Although the demo version we witnessed on the recent Microsoft Xperience tour was a little worse for wear, we were encouraged to learn that this was somewhat anomalous, with many other Xperience-goers in other parts of the country commenting on the sheer smoothness of the game. As the name suggests, Jet Set Radio Future is set after the original game in 2024. The setting is still Tokyoto - the demo version of the game featured an enhanced version of the original Tokyoto station level - and the various characters have all been given a futuristic tweak. Beat looks like something out of the Jetsons, and we can't wait to see what Smilebit have in store for the other crews. Obviously animation has been improved, and coupled with the new visual tweaks we were utterly floored by some of the JSRF footage we saw recently. This is going to be a very pretty game.

Old Dog, New Tricks

Far from a one-trick pony, Smilebit has plenty of ideas up its sleeve, but it's playing its cards close to its chest. We know for instance that the game will feature a much larger and more varied selection of levels, but we have no idea of their whereabouts or the game's eventual storyline. We can only guess it will be along the same lines, and of course we can't wait to hear it all from the smooth-talking DJ Professor K, Tokyoto's number one buccaneer. Something even we noticed with our battered terminal at Xperience was the speed increase. Beat and his chums move around the city at a rate of knots that makes JSR look positively pedestrian. As you can see from the screenshots, Smilebit has made the small addition of a speed bar in the bottom right. We're not sure of their reasoning, but presumably reaching your maximum speed has some bearing on the rest of the game. In terms of the control system, we've always been sceptical of the worth of Microsoft's fat-ass controller, and with JSRF tight control is crucial, so we'll be watching out for that especially. The Dreamcast controller was poorly suited to JSR at times, and the Microsoft beast has quite a lot in common with it, but infuriatingly we'll have to wait and see. The demo didn't even include spray elements, so it was difficult to establish how well the final result will control.

It's.. Tricky?

One thing the demo did convey was the increase in grinding. Now, there was a hell of a lot of grinding to be done in Jet Set Radio. Future, for its part, seems keen on having you slide every which-way the whole city over. The new station level allowed us to grind on everything from parked vehicles to what looked like electricity wires. Crazy. Another addition is the much-vaunted multiplayer functionality. Smilebit have yet to confirm exactly how this will work, but it won't be as blasé as the Dreamcast's 'online options', which amounted to zero gameplay and a few stats. Smilebit has plans for a multiplayer mode that will utilize the Xbox's full range of features, and I for one expect to be Jet Setting myself across the face of some hapless e-sproglet every night of the week for months after the game's release. Assuming the end result merits all this hyperbole… At the moment, we don't know much about the soundtrack, but broadly speaking we can expect more of the same with a few of the more exciting tracks brought forward from the original. 90% of Jet Set Radio's impact was the kicking soundtrack, and we fully expect the sequel to blow us away when it arrives with the Xbox on March 14th. In the meantime, I think I might just pop across the hall and see if the Dreamcast is, er, alright. Scram!

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Jet Set Radio Future,^[a] known in North America and Europe as JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future (stylized in all caps), is a video game developed by Smilebit and is the sequel to Jet Set Radio for the Dreamcast. It was published by Sega. It was released on February 22, 2002 in Japan, February 25, 2002 in North America and March 14, 2002 in Europe and Australia for Xbox. After the game's initial release, it was given away on a disk with Sega GT 2002 in specially-marked Xbox console packages.

Similar to the original, it depicts a future Tokyo where freedom of expression is outlawed. The user plays a character in the GG's, a gang of in-line skating graffiti artists who skate around Tokyo covering up rival gangs' graffiti, knocking over Rokkaku police, and dancing to the electric soundtrack. The game uses a cel-shaded style of animation, and has been widely acclaimed for its unique music style, detailed art, and gameplay.

Gameplay[edit]

Jet Set Radio Future plays similarly to the original game in which the player controls a member of a gang of inline skaters called the GGs to gain control of a futuristic Tokyo. Players are able to skate, grind on rails and even up poles, ride on walls, perform midair tricks and use boosts to move faster. Most of the game requires the player to search for graffiti tags left by other gangs and spray over them with their own. To do this, players will need to collect spray cans littered across each stage. Spraying is more streamlined from the last game, with manual spraying over large tags replaced by multiple spray targets depending on the tag's size. Unlike the original game, there is no time limit and spray targets can be completed at any time.

Stages in the level are now interconnected, with time limits removed, and often feature multiple objectives. These range from mimicking a rival's trick line or beating other skaters in a race. The police, who previously chased after the player in the last game, now appear in specific areas, with the player tasked with stopping them by charging into them and spraying them to defeat them. Each area has hidden items to collect, including Graffiti Souls, which unlock new graffiti designs, and Hidden Tapes which unlock additional missions where more Graffiti Souls can be earned. The game also features several multiplayer modes and the option to design one's own tags.

The game is entirely about aggressive inline skating. Players can grind through rails and skate backwards. When a player is skating fast, they can come to a quick stop by performing an advanced inline-skating move called the powerslide. Several characters also appear to have removed the middle two wheels from their skates, a slight modification usually done to make grinding easier.

Plot[edit]

In futuristic Tokyo, referred to in the game as 'Tokyo-to', a group of teenage skaters called the GG's vie for control of the many districts of Tokyo against many rival groups. The Rokkaku Group, a megacorporation, has taken over the many districts of the city and their leader is the mayor of Tokyo. It is oppressing the people, taking away freedom of speech and expression, and is forcing other gang members to give up their territory using the corrupt police force of Tokyo.

The game begins with the player in control of a character called Yoyo, who has to complete a set of basic training exercise to prove himself worthy of joining the GGs.^[1] After these challenges are completed, the game is interrupted by a pirate radio broadcast by 'DJ Professor K' who fills the player in on the turmoil within Tokyo. After this cutscene, the player is released into Tokyo itself, where they pursue their mission to 'bury Tokyo in graffiti' and fight the authoritarian Rokkaku Group, and their own police force, the Rokkaku Police.

The game begins with the GG's fighting the Poison Jam gang after they steal a statue referred to as 'the Goddess of the Street'. To do this, the GG's cover up Poison Jam's graffiti in their turf, and then question Poison Jam's rivals, Rapid 99, for the location of their hideout. There, in the Tokyo Underground Sewage Facility, they fight Poison Jam and their boss, Cube, for control of the statue.

After the GG's win the battle against Poison Jam, a new gang springs up, the robotic Noise Tanks, who have taken Tokyo by storm and is already in control of three gangs. At the same time, one of the GGs, Yoyo, disappears without a trace. The GGs decide to question one of the Noise Tanks' gangs, the mummified Immortals, wondering if the Noise Tanks sudden appearance had anything to do with Yoyo. They reveal they had supposedly kidnapped Yoyo; however, when he is freed, he turns on the GGs and enslaves them under the Noise Tanks' control.

The Noise Tanks then have the gangs under their control battle in the game 'Death Ball'. Those who lose are brainwashed and controlled by the Noise Tanks for life. The GGs succeed in all three games, but then the Rokkaku Police suddenly appear and crack down on the whole game. When the GGs win this battle again, the Noise Tanks become furious, releasing hundreds of Noise Tank androids to terrorize the street. When the GGs clear out all of the androids, they discover a wounded Poison Jam, who reveals that Yoyo had beaten him and ran off to the nearby amusement park. There, it is revealed that 'Yoyo' was actually a Noise Tank in disguise, and the real Yoyo had been missing the whole time. After the GGs defeat them, a mysterious man destroys the Noise Tanks and runs off. They soon discover the Noise Tanks were built by the Rokkaku Group to take over the gangs of Tokyo.

After the Noise Tanks are destroyed, two new threats appear: a Yakuza-style gang called the Golden Rhinos who are bent on eliminating all graffiti in the city, along with executing all Rudies; and an insane demon like creature who sprays odd graffiti and looks strangely like one of the GGs, Beat. In the midst of all this heat, the GGs are approached by Clutch, a Rudie who knows where Yoyo is; the player needs to find a certain number of Graffiti Souls for the info. However, when the GGs give him his payment, he runs off without telling any information. They chase after him and interrogate him, where he apologizes, says he was 'just having a little fun', then reveals Yoyo was taken to the Fortified Residential Zone. When they arrive, they discovered the place rigged with bombs. They disable them all and finally save Yoyo.

Yoyo then tells the GGs what happened: he had heard of the Golden Rhinos and went searching for more information, and he had gotten caught. After the rescue, the Golden Rhinos begun tearing up the streets, which required the GGs to intervene. As soon as they clean the streets of all the Golden Rhinos, DJ Professor K is kidnapped and taken away. The owner of the Rokkaku Group, Gouji Rokkaku, uses this time to broadcast an announcement to the city to gather at the Shibuya bus terminal. Here, he blares odd, creepy music from a strange tower. Nancy drew computer games free. He absorbs all the people into the tower, telling them to 'wipe the pitiful smiles off your face' and to 'let the evil show, baby'.

The GGs go to the bus terminal to stop him. They destroy Gouji's Beat creatures and supposedly save the city. However, soon they are absorbed inside the tower. Inside the tower, Gouji transforms into a giant monster, but is defeated by the GGs again. The game ends as the tower is destroyed and Gouji apparently dies. An epilogue plays as DJ Professor K relates to the players how the hearts of men are easily corrupted by greed.

Music[edit]

The music is played in a premixed format consisting of certain playlists directed to certain levels, although there is a jukebox and the end of the game features a song only available through the jukebox. Alongside returning video game composers from the first game Hideki Naganuma and Richard Jacques, the soundtrack features artists such as Guitar Vader, BS 2000 (the side project of Adrock of the Beastie Boys), Scapegoat Wax, The Latch Brothers (including Mike D of the Beastie Boys, Chris 'Wag' Wagner and Kenny Tick Salcido), Cibo Matto, and The Prunes.

Reception[edit]

Jet Set Radio Future received 'favorable' reviews according to video game review aggregatorMetacritic.^[3] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 32 out of 40.^[8]

IGN called it 'one of the coolest titles around' but said that it also fails to reach classic status because it was 'not enough of a challenge.'^[15]GameSpot described it as 'one of the better Xbox games to date' and disagreed with IGN, claiming the game 'offered a serious challenge.'^[12] Despite positive reviews, this was not followed by high sales, landing it the title of the most unfairly ignored game in the OXM UK Awards the year of its release.^{[citation needed]}

Edge ranked the game #44 on its list of 'The 100 Best Games To Play Today', stating 'The sound track is peerless, and whether grinding vertically down a 200-foot dragon, leaping across Shibuya's handrails, or just cruising the wrong way down a one-way street, there's nowhere else that's so exhilarating to simply travel through.'^[19]

Sequel[edit]

At the end of Jet Set Radio Future, there is an in-game mention of a possible sequel: during the final cutscene, DJ Professor K says 'The streets are in trouble again? Who's gonna rise to the call? Remember, the streets don't wait for no one!'^[20] During the early stage of the NintendoWii, Kuju Entertainment made a concept for a Jet Set Radio game for the Wii. But, when Kuju presented the idea for a Jet Set Radio Wii, Sega said they were not interested in making a new Jet Set Radio for any console.^[21]

In 2017, Dinosaur Games created a visual proof of concept after Sony expressed interest in their work at GDC 2017. This project, Jet Set Radio Evolution, was ultimately turned down by Sega for largely unstated reasons.^[22]

Notes[edit]

1. ^Japanese: JSRF ジェットセットラジオフューチャーHepburn: Jetto Setto Rajio Fyūchā

References[edit]

1. ^Kidzworld staff (December 27, 2006). 'Jet Set Radio Future :: Xbox Game Review'. Kidzworld. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
2. ^'JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future for Xbox'. GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
3. ^ ^ab'JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future for Xbox Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
4. ^Marriott, Scott Alan. 'JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future - Review'. AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
5. ^Edge staff (March 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future'. Edge. No. 108. Future plc.
6. ^EGM staff (April 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 153. Ziff Davis. p. 142.
7. ^Bramwell, Tom (April 25, 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
8. ^ ^ab'Xbox - JSRFジェットセットラジオフューチャー'. Famitsu (in Japanese). Vol. 915. Enterbrain. 30 June 2006. p. 104.
9. ^'Jet Set Radio Future'. Game Informer. No. 107. GameStop. March 2002. p. 83.
10. ^Pong Sifu (February 24, 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future Review for Xbox on GamePro.com'. GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
11. ^Gee, Brian (March 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future Review'. Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
12. ^ ^abTorres, Ricardo (February 25, 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future Review'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
13. ^Bub, Andrew S. (February 15, 2002). 'GameSpy: Jet Set Radio Future'. GameSpy. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
14. ^McElfish, Carlos (April 14, 2002). 'JSRF - Jet Set Radio Future Review'. GameZone. Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
15. ^ ^abGoldstein, Hilary (February 22, 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
16. ^'Jet Set Radio Future'. Official Xbox Magazine. Future plc. April 2002. p. 66.
17. ^Robischon, Noah (April 19, 2002). 'JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future [mislabeled as 'We Got Game']'. Entertainment Weekly. No. 649. Time Inc. p. 75. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
18. ^Steinberg, Scott (March 1, 2002). 'Jet Set Radio Future'. Maxim. Biglari Holdings. Archived from the original on June 6, 2002. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
19. ^Edge staff (March 9, 2009). 'The 100 Best Games To Play Today (Page 6)'. Edge. Future plc. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
20. ^FunkyDeodorant (July 4, 2009). 'Jet Set Radio Future: Ending, Part 2 (Xbox)'. YouTube.
21. ^monokoma (February 18, 2009). 'Jet Set Radio [Wii – Cancelled Concept]'. Unseen 64.
22. ^'Dinosaur Games shares Jet Set Radio Evolution visual proof of concept turned down by Sega - Gematsu'. Gematsu. 2017-12-17. Retrieved 2018-07-28.

External links[edit]

• Jet Set Radio Future at MobyGames