Jet Set Radio HD

[ratsoalbion]

Already out for PSN+ customers for around £5, this is undoubtedly the best that a Dreamcast port has been treated yet (I'm not counting Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram as that was an arcade conversion). The game still looks cool and sounds great and doesn't have the air of a lazy port a la Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi - I guess because there was never a PC version to knock it off from.

However, having recently played the DC original and now this update I have to report that the game itself has aged poorly, with awkward, unresponsive controls, dreadful rail transitions and some aggravating level design and enemies. Still an essential from the point of view of a collection, and mercifully the camera has been hugely improved via full control on the right analogue stick.

Out this week on XBLA (800MSP/£6.80) and non-Plus PSN (£6.99?) I believe.

[JaySevenZero]

Whilst I still have my DC version and have a lot of love for this game, I think I prefer the sequel on pretty much every level from its visuals to the gameplay and even the soundtrack (I own both - some great music in these games).

[ratsoalbion]

The sequel was a more player-friendly experience, although I think some people missed the graffiti QTE element. I'm confident that this will do well enough to justify the relatively low cost of doing a similar job on Future.

[DomsBeard]

I've still got my DC and a copy of this but I'll be purchasing day one. So many fond memories of this game and hopefully it'll do so well they'll get their asses in gear and do Shenmue....

Never played Future so I'd welcome it

[AndyKurosaki]

Never played this, sounds like if it's aged I may not see what the fuss is about. Like when I played Project Dark on Live for the first time and thought it was utterly awful.

[DomsBeard]

Never played this, sounds like if it's aged I may not see what the fuss is about. Like when I played Project Dark on Live for the first time and thought it was utterly awful.

It's all about the music, there are some fantastic tunes in it. Sure some levels are frustrating but if you get used to the levels/camera there is so much fun to be had.

[ratsoalbion]

Never played this, sounds like if it's aged I may not see what the fuss is about. Like when I played Project Dark on Live for the first time and thought it was utterly awful.

Assuming you mean Perfect Dark, I think it's a very different case for a number of reasons. PD is part of a genre that has developed massively in the time since its release, whereas there aren't many games out there like JSR - although it is fair to say it doesn't play as well as, say, the good entries in the Tony Hawk series.
Also, The DC version of JSR still looks good whereas the N64 version of PD does not.

[AndyKurosaki]

Yeah Perfect Dark, shows how much of an effect it had where I couldn't get the name right.

Maybe I'll give the trial a go someday, I'm assuming it's a hefty sized download though...

[TomFum]

I look forward to getting this, i dont care how badly its aged, i just want to support Sega to do more of these.

But i can appreciate how it may not play well. I think maybe the DC analogue stick didnt work as well as say the xbox one does. i dunno but im hoping they may port JSRFuture at some point as well.

[ratsoalbion]

Apparently this HD version is only missing one of the original tunes from the OST.
I'm not sure which one mind.

[DomsBeard]

Apparently this HD version is only missing one of the original tunes from the OST.
I'm not sure which one mind.

Probably one of my favourites knowing my luck!

[MAp]

I'm going to have to get hold of this just to relive some amazing moments from my younger days of DC heaven

Although sadly all my excitement is a little dampened as I don't know whether to get it on PS3 or Vita and there is no sign of a cross platform feature to solve my dilemma

[Alex79]

I also still have this on the Dreamcast but haven't played it for ages. I downloaded the demo on PS3 and thought it was awful, though. Real nostalgia shatterer! Controls were terribly twitchy, camera made my head dizzy! I deleted it after ten minutes.

[Craymen Edge]

Whilst I still have my DC version and have a lot of love for this game, I think I prefer the sequel on pretty much every level from its visuals to the gameplay and even the soundtrack (I own both - some great music in these games).

Yeah, removing the timer and opening up the environments for exploration made JSRF a more enjoyable game in my opinion.

I also found being able to tag on the move more fun than having to stop moving and copy the prompts.

I'll still probably download the trial to see how this has aged.

[dezm0nd]

Never played a jet set game properly but I am very curious about playing this HD remake. Seems very polarising in the reviews.

[JaySevenZero]

Bought both Jet Set games on launch and as I said before I have a lot of love for what they created with those games. In fact, I was so taken with the rollerskating characters I went and bought these shortly afterwards.



I've used them exactly twice - they made it look so easy in that bloody game!