Now Playing: Jet Set Radio Future

With no sign of a HD update on the horizon, I decided it was finally time to dust off my old X-Box and play through my original copy of Jet Set Radio Future. I was somewhat concerned that after enjoying the updated JSR, playing an original version JSRF just wouldn’t look very good by comparison. But thanks to a fantastic art style, it’s amazing how incredible JSRF still looks today, even without the HD sheen.

The environments of JSRF are much larger than in JSR. You’ll recognise many of the same locations from JSR, but they are now expanded with additional areas, grind/trick routes and far more verticality. There are also several new areas, offering a nice variety of locations and challenges. The way the areas are connected is also new in JSRF, as your Garage acts as a central hub from which you can access and travel to the various sections of the city.

JSRF isn’t exactly a sequel to JSR, more a remake. You’ll encounter a lot of the same characters you did in JSR, updated in one way or another, and there are parallels between the stories of both games, but things play out a little differently. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other in terms of characters and story, they’re about on par.

One thing I do think JSRF beats JSR at though is the soundtrack. It’s a fantastic mix, and this is certainly one area where JSRF has the edge over its predecessor. So it looks great and sounds great, but how does it play? And how does it compare to JSR?

There are two major differences in the way these two games play. The first thing is the graffiti mechanics. In JSR, you’d have to perform a series of control stick motions to spray graffiti. This gave it a more ‘hands-on’ feeling, but it could also slow the pace of the game, causing it to be a little stop-start. In JSRF, you spray automatically simply by holding down a trigger. This means you have a far more fluid experience of movement through the environment, as you never really need to stop as you pass by graffiti marks.

Personally, I’m a little torn between the two systems, as they both have their positives and negatives, and I have the same problem with the other major change – time limits. In JSR, each level has a set time. This puts you under a degree of pressure and leaves you with little time to simply explore and enjoy the level. In JSRF, there are no time limits, meaning you can explore for as long as you see fit. Once again, I’m torn between the two systems. Although I appreciate the freedom of JSRF (especially given the larger environments) it does make it all a little easy, and the pressure of the time limit in JSR made completing each level (with a rating) a little more satisfying.

Speaking of difficulty, JSRF does feel quite a bit easier and more forgiving than JSR, and it does lack the various additional challenges of JSR, such as the races and tag battles. Well, that’s not exactly true, as these elements are in the game, they are simply not incorporated in the same manner. Personally, I prefer the way JSR had the option to select the various modes for each level.

Aside from the time limits and the graffiti mechanics though, JSRF plays much the same as JSR, although the controls feel a little tighter, making it easier to navigate the environments. And those environments are wonderful, colourful and full of detail. Just like JSR, JSRF is a joy to play, look at and listen to.

When I reviewed JSR HD I mentioned how I thought JSRF was a better overall game, but now I’m not so sure. I find myself torn between the two, as both offer slightly different styles of play. I’m actually leaning more towards JSR now as the superior game, but it’s a very, very close one to call. JSR I feel has more replay value in terms of the score attack aspect, but JSRF is a bigger, longer game with more to see and do. What really matters though is that both of these games are bloody fantastic. I really hope we see a HD update of JSRF, because it damn well deserves one.

8/10