Skate, Tag + Perform Tricks With Style! (Jet Set Radio (DC))

Member Name: Dave Robinson

Product:	Jet Set Radio (DC)
Date:	06/07/01 (385 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great fun - very playable, Highly original + unique, Stunning cel-shaded graphics

Disadvantages: Quite short, No multiplayer modes, No online play

Jet Set Radio was released in November 2000 for the Dreamcast, and came very highly recommended by everyone in the games industry.

The basic premise of the game is that you, the player, are a teenager living in the city of Tokyo-to, who is 'naffed off' with the rules and regulations forced upon you. You decide to rebel, and as a member of the GG's gang, your gang has its own unique graffiti 'tag,' and it is your aim to spray this in as many places as possible to mark your territory, or 'turf.' The other two gangs in the game live in different districts of the city and you want to spray in their turf, which of course they do not like. The police are also involved, trying to stop the 'kids' from ruining the city.

Jet Set Radio is possibly the most original, unique and innovative game ever made. It has something which very few video games can claim to have: style. Every part of it is extremely stylish, from the unique 'cel-shaded' graphics that make the game look like a 2-dimensional cartoon within a 3-dimensional game world, to the superb menus, loading screens, and even the in game 'pause' menu; all these usually mundane, functional aspects of a video game have been heavily stylised to fit in with the graffiti theme, and are a joy to behold for the player. This game is certainly packed with plenty of the most luscious eye-candy.

This game must also have one of the best in-game soundtracks of all time. The music is very diverse, and changes from Japanese 'bubble gum' pop to punk, to rock, to jazz, to funk and everything else in between. It really is an aural delight.

The game is, at heart, an arcade game, as it is easy to pick up and play even for gaming novices. However, the levels get increasingly tricky with tougher challenges as the player progresses. It is also hard when the police turn up, as they have shotguns, and chase you, and will often jump on your bac
k bringing you to a halt.

There are two main ways in which to collect points in the game. Firstly, when you spray graffiti, you are awarded points, particularly if you get the complex moves right (you are shown on screen the direction in which to turn the analogue thumb-pad in order to spray the paint in the right places). You are also awarded differing amounts of points for pulling off tricks, depending on their complexity. You can do these after 'grinding' along rails and other edges, as well as after picking up speed by skating downhill, etc. The tricks range from somersaults to 1080º turns, all of which are performed in the air, and are simple and great fun to pull of and watch (your skater even makes comments when you pull off tricks)!

Sega have really utilised the online capabilities of the Dreamcast in this game. Players are able to visit the official Jet Set Radio web site and download other players' graffiti creations to their VMUs, as well as upload their own creations for other players to download. They can also download any image from any web site, to use as graffiti in the game, giving an infinite choice of designs. One of the game's star features is its built-in graffiti editor, which allows players to design their own graffiti 'tags' for use in the game. This facility has many features, such as hundreds of different styles of lettering, and basically the player can create any sort of tag they wish.

Overall, Jet Set Radio is a classic. It is one of the best video/computer games ever made, and further shows that Sega are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to making original, innovative, and highly playable games. The replayability value is high, and with its incredible combination of platform, action, skating, racing, dancing, grinding, art and tricks, there is certainly no other game like it. I think this game is also one that anyone would enjoy, regardless of the genre(s) of games yo
u usually play, as it is just so extremely playable, and such a great, fun game, which is after all the reason the majority of gamers play games.

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