Jet Set Radioooooooooooo (Jet Set Radio (DC))

Member Name: Chandler

Product:	Jet Set Radio (DC)
Date:	20/03/01 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast, gorgeous and fun

Disadvantages: Needed a few more moves ?

Jet Set Radio is a unique Dreamcast experience. It is yet another reason I am baffled by the long term shortcomings of the DC sales figures.

Skate around cities in glorious graphical excelence and attempt to graffiti everywhere and avoid the cops at the same time. The aim is to graffiti rival gangs areas by using button combinations, as well as pulling tricks to score points on the way. The best way to fdo this is to leap and "grind" along things like kerbs and barriers. Some awesome tricks can be pulled, although some of them feel a little random.

The game takes the look of a cartoon, with the graphics having a thick black outline to add that comic edge. The animation is super fluid and the in game graphics are fast and extremely detailed. The speed of the game is immense, you rocket along the tracks at a fair whack, and there is little slowdown.

The controls for the game are good, but some of the special tricks can be hard to pull off, but its rewarding when you do them. The use of the analog stick can be tricky for these games but it works well here.

The soundtrack to the game is very hip hop and while the style doesnt appeal to everyone, it does a great in game job. The high tempo and loud bass tunes keep the adrenalin pumping. Some of the voice acting is rubbish however, but this isnt a major shock to us as we are getting used to poor game actors.

Along with the likes of Crazy Taxi, Shenmue, Virtua Tennis et al this is another triple A title for the DC, a must buy. It makes you wonder why they say the DC is dying really.

There are loads of levels and characters, with secrets to unlock and challenges to complete. Levels range from finding the areas to graffiti without the cops grabbing you, to spraying gang members and racing rivals. The difficulty curve is excellent, there is a training mode to get you used to the game and a lot of time can be spent here perfecting moves. The levels revolve around
the city of Tokyo-to, where rival gangs fight for territory, each level is set in a different area and time (day or night) and there are loads of ways to see them.

Overall it's a great fun and will have you coming back for more over and over again. If you liked Crazy Taxi you'll love this, it has better longevity though as there is far more to see.

Summary: