NOTE: I originally posted this in issue 6 of 2.5D

     Some strange happenings have been going on in Tokyo as of late. A shady organization known as the Rokkaku Group headed by Rokkaku Gouji is spreading it's influence all across the city. They own the police department, and have been getting their laws passed throughout the city. It's even suspected that they have their eyes set on city hall. It's time for you to join a local street gang, don a pair of rocket skates, and rebel against the man via using spray paint to tag your symbols throughout the city.

     JSRF is a truly unique game that really has no comparable game aside from the original Jet Grind Radio on the Dreamcast. I guess it'd be kinda like a Tony Hawk adventure game that instead of an emphasis on doing tricks, the emphasis is on using your skills to search out and tag the various graffiti markers placed throughout each expansive city with spray paint cans you also collect throughout the city area while occasionally taking on rival street gangs (who themselves are about as hardcore as the gangs in West Side Story) for their turf. Your rocket skates let you grind rails for a relatively long time, and the game in general has a huge emphasis on grinding rails.

     It's suffice to say that JSRF is a very unique game. It's pure Japanese quirk, but beyond the quirk packs a huge addictive gameplay punch that will keep you addicted for a long time. Another thing that makes it unique is it's cell shaded visuals. Though the cell shaded craze has come and gone, it was the original Jet Grind/Set Radio that started the craze, and JSRF carries on the tradition nicely. Due to the greater processing power of the Xbox, the city areas are now much larger, and much more populated than it's DC predecessor. The game also ads a few new abilities, like the ability to grind straight up poles, and also brings back the graffiti editor where gamers can use their creative sides to create their own custom tags for use in the game.

     If I had any complaints about the game it's that they changed the graffiti system from the original. Now instead of completing the larger graffiti via using different motions on the analog stick, it's all now simply a one button affair. I guess it makes it easier, but I enjoyed the original's better. Also, the controls are a little more sensitive than the DC version making precision movement a little harder that it was in the first one. I also enjoyed the music in the original better, and it's not always clear where to go next which can sometimes lead to aimless wandering.

     Despite these small complaints, JSRF still manages to be one of the best games on the original Xbox for those looking for a fresh experience.

Bottom Line: Though it pales a little in comparison to the original, Jet Set Radio Future is still an awesome game. If you're tired of conventional games, and are looking for one of the most unique gaming experiences ever created, then set your sights on Jet Set Radio Future.

Note: The Jet Set Radio Future/ Sega GT double pack that came packaged in with countless original Xbox consoles is not 360 compatible, so if you buy that version, then you'll need an original Xbox in order to play it. If you buy the game buy itself though I do believe that is backwards compatible.