E3 2000: Jet Grind Radio Impressions
SegaWeb posted some info on the title at the Expo. From what they gather, this game will be very good. Keep in mind that Sonic Square will be using the celshading technique in the game:
Of the two people surveyed, 100% agree that Jet Grind Radio is actually a better title than the previous “Jet Set Radio.” Having never seen this game in person before, we settled in at the controls for a solid 30 minutes – a lifetime when you have five trillion booths to visit in only a few hours. This game was just that good.
Of course, the most noticeable feature is the recently developed “celshading” technique. Many developers we spoke with agree that it’s the most unique look to come down the pipeline in quite some time. Though the characters, and in fact every other item in the game, is comprised of typical polygons, it is completely hidden from the user in an anime-cartoon sort of fashion. Playing Jet Grind Radio is akin to an interactive Saturday morning cartoon… only better. You’ve really got to see it to believe it.
The game itself starts out with two training missions, which are easily completed. They ease you into the gameplay, which is actually fairly difficult as the Sega stage gals are more than happy to point out. “This game is difficult!” they scream at anyone who can hear. Jumping, turning, tagging (spraying), and more are easily accomplished. The difficulty lies in fending off both enemy gangs and the cops, who are more than happy to make Rodney King look as though he got off easy.
The total presentation is tightly woven. Music is a strong mix of hip-hop and techno/industrial. Cinemas advance the storyline without interfering, and extras such as your radio keep you apprised of the situation more so than a voice announcer ever could. This game draws you in quickly and keeps you firm in its grasp. If this game doesn’t sell a few million units in the US alone, then something is seriously wrong with each and every American.
Hopefully some more JGR info will be released soon.
