One of my favorite video games of all time is a game that few people know about. At its release, it did poorly in sales. Over time, the game would get more and more of a cult following from dedicated fans. It would later become known as the gaming classic that fans like myself can’t get enough of. The game in question is Jet Set Radio Future, released for the Orignal Xbox in 2002. Many would think this is a sequel to the already popular Jet Grind Radio released in 2000 on the Sega Dreamcast. Jet Set Radio Future is less of a sequel and more of a reboot of the Sega classic. Even though characters and locations may seem familiar as they harken back to the first game, the story, music, and visuals take a different approach and create an experience that is unique and hard not to remember after playing through the entire story.
Told through the perspective of DJ Professor K, the new team, the GGs, set out to spray graffiti and claim turf from Rival gang members. The current mayor of Tokyo, Rokkaku Goji, sends out his police force, headed by Captain Hayashi, to end the skaters' reign of free expression through graffiti by any means necessary. Soon enough, the GGs come into many precarious situations with both the police and rival gang members, which leads to many unfortunate twists that come to them around every corner.
The Story follows a similar idea to how the original Jet Set Radio game started. The game still keeps its Japanese-inspired cultural tone in check. Keeping in the spirit of the previous entry, most of the story is very whacked out and weird but in a way that is passionate and full of life. The almighty DJ Professor K introduces every level and cutscene in the in-between chapter, giving you a lowdown on the things happening in the streets of Toyko. What separates this game from its prequel is the story is actually more involved. The stuff that happens to the GGs goes into exciting and sometimes unpredictable plot twists that make the storyline feel more engaging and memorable than ever before. I’m not gonna act like the storyline is deep. Still, it is a lot of fun, and every moment perfectly transitions from one story thread to another in very engaging ways.
The Characters you encounter have tons of personalities, from the skaters who join your group to the opposing gang members trying to take you down. The GGs Group starts with Just Three GGs Yoyo Gum and their leader, Corn. As you play the game, you’ll encounter many more memorable faces, such as Beat Combo and Garam, who eventually join the GGs. Rival skater gangs like Poison Jam, Rapid 99, The Immortals, and The Noise Tanks also make memorable impressions and have exciting personalities and motives, just like the GGs. The main antagonist, Rokkaku Goji, shows his evil demeanor near the end of the game and is even voiced by Super Mario’s American voice actor, Charles Martinet. Even the psychotic Captain Hayashi, who leads the Roukaku Police, has an over-the-top evil demeanor that is fun to watch and laugh at even if things go wrong for him. All characters have so much personality and charm. They are fun to be around and offer many unique quirks.
The Gameplay is where the game really shines. It is still played like before; you skate around town spraying graffiti on walls and surfaces or other rival gangs' tags and avoiding the police. Players can pick any available character from the GGs and skate around open-world areas such as Dogenzaka Hill, Shibuya Terminal, Chou Street, 99th Street, The Skyscraper District, etc. Every one of the levels is interconnected with each other, making for easy access. The player must collect enough spray cans to tag areas on a map. They will also need spray cans to defeat hoards of police or bigger enemies and rival gangs in battles. Graffiti Souls found in any area will allow you to unlock new graffiti art, which can be used in tagging areas and enemies, given the piece’s size. Collecting ten spray cans will enable the player to do a boost dash, which can help defeat stronger enemies or boost ahead to be first in one-lap races among specific maps. Grinding on rails and fences is crucial to get to areas in the game that can’t be accessed just by skating alone. Thankfully, unlike the first game, the control scheme is much tighter and more fluid. Hence, unlike the last game, jumping and landing from one grinding area to another is easier to manage. Gaining enough momentum is no longer a problem, thanks to the player going at a consistent and smooth speed, which makes for a stress-free experience. New skills can be learned at the GGs Garage with the help of the GGs robot, Roboy, who is a funny narcissist and can also give you tips to help the player get through certain areas in the many regions of Tokyo. New characters for the GGs can be unlocked by finding them in their designated area and completing a challenge, whether following or racing them. After beating the entire game, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in extra challenges once all graffiti souls in a given area have been collected. Getting a jet ranking on those challenges will earn you new characters, such as ones from rival gangs. There is even a mode where up to four players can participate in multiplayer games such as Racing and Death Ball, I personally never found these extras much amusing as they aren’t really that engaging, but it is nice the developers thought of incorporating something extra for those who have an additional person to join in the fun. It is admittedly less challenging than its predecessor, but the tightness of the gameplay and the many things to do in the game more than makeup for the lack of difficulty.
The Graphics keeps the franchise tradition going by delivering a timeless cell-shaded environment that looks just as great now as it did back then. Thanks to the power of the original Xbox, this game can become even more significant with its visual style. Every environment is large and brimming with personality and color, with unique additions to each area. Every area has plenty of nooks and cranes that beg for exploration. Sometimes, when you explore further, collectibles will come when you least expect them to. The character designs have also gotten an upgrade from the Dreamcast, with both old and new faces showing their stuff with their unique costuming and easily identifiable personalities based on looks alone. The characters look much taller than their Dreamcast counterparts, and more minor design choice elements help them stand out, such as Beat’s sharp and pointy headphones. The first Jet Set Radio’s visuals were revolutionary; these visuals follow suit in making a game have a timeless art direction that pays off when these visuals hold up to this very day.
The Music was created mainly created by artists such as Hideki Naganuma and Richard Jacques. Almost every song is memorable and has a very edgy pop-culture vibe that perfectly fits the game's style. It may be one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard in any video game. Who could ever forget such memorable tunes as Funky Dealer or The Concept of Love? Every song is crafted with passion, making the player feel over the moon while listening to modern but well-put-together songs that are fun to listen to when playing the game’s story. Sure, maybe there are a few songs like Birthday Cake that might not hold up as much as the others, but most of the songs here are outstanding and full of the funky beats Jet Set Radio fans have all come to love.
I love this game so much, and I know a lot of others feel the same way. It's a game that creates an unforgettable experience with a fun story, likable characters, both old and new, smooth and tight gameplay, beautiful visuals that still hold up to this day, and outstandingly crafted music that feels modern and fresh. Whether you find an old copy of JSRF for your original Xbox or emulate the game on your PC, the experience will all be the same. Even if you have never played a Jet Set Radio game, this game is still excellent for any gamer of any skill level. I’ve said it before in my original Jet set radio review, and I’ll repeat it. Jet Set Radio Future is a fantastic sequel that surpasses the first game in a long shot. It's one of my favorite video games of all time for a reason. I never get tired of it, even after playing this game’s story over and over again.
(Final Grade: A)