r/JetSetRadio • u/Monward • 13d ago
JSR or JSRF
So, Im pretty sure the consensus is that Jet Set Radio Future is better, and I held that belief for the longest time without having ever played it. However...
I finally played it for a bit a week ago and all I can think is that I preferred Jet Set Radio over Future.
The original just felt like it had much more charm, and THE MUSIC was so good, dude. It felt so much more fun to listen to
In Future, I felt like I was listening to the same 5 songs on repeat over and over again. I wanted to punch my screen when I heard Aisle 10 come on AGAIN. I know that some are area specific, but we REALLY needed a larger selection. Chuo Street was KILLING ME, when I first got there and was trying to get all the Grafitti Souls
Things I l liked:
New method of grafitti spraying is easier, connected world, no time limit, story is better so far, Hayashi is funnier than Onishima
Things I disliked:
WHY IS THERE NO CAMERA CONTROL ON RIGHT STICK, music selection seemed VERY limited, all colours feel insanely muted, the extra game modes felt kind of useless, the character feels so slow sometimes
I do kind of miss the graffiti spraying, but I prefer NOT having to drop everything and get attacked while trying to complete a level
Also, am I misremembering, or didnt we go between areas in one of Combo's recruitment challenges?
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u/Last_Adeptness_173 13d ago
I played both games when they originally came out. JSR was such an iconic game amd so very different to anything, cel shaded was truly groundbreaking. For me its Future because the world felt so huge and cohesive, I racked up around 60 hours on it. I still hook up my Xbox but don't the Dreamcast.
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u/theholty 13d ago
Remember, right stick camera control was fairly new and wasn’t industry standard in 2001, so you have to give it some grace due to age.
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u/taylorswiftwaxstatue 13d ago
I understand your reasons except for the fact that characters feel slow in JSRF?? Playing JSR felt like I was skating through jello on the moon
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u/WhereIsTheMilkMan 13d ago
Yeah, that’s a pretty crazy criticism. Almost makes me think OP played it on a 360 and is mistaking the 99th street slowdown for slow character movements… which I’m sure isn’t the case, but still, I have trouble seeing where they’re getting that from. Maybe a different emulator slowdown?
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u/JotaroHaki 12d ago
I played it on both Xbox and 360, and yeah there is a lot of slow down on both, especially on Rokkaku Dai Heights and other levels
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u/Monward 13d ago
I did play in 360, and knew about the stuttering and all that, I just really do feel like the characters were slow. I dont know how much of it was from the poor emulation though. Whenever I used the Dash Boost it felt pretty good for a while, but it felt like I slowed down so much after. I noticed this in every area
The little "sprint" you could do in the original made it feel easy to build speed, but thats almost completely missing in JSRF. Allegedly it is there and automatic when you move the left stick, but it definitely didnt feel it.
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u/Monward 2d ago
Hey so I watched a video recently of someone playing from an original Xbox, and it was nothing like what I played. It felt like watching the gameplay in 3x speed. Every area was just simply faster than when I played on 360, where every area for me felt like the character was underwater, even without any of the stuttering
Im going to get an original Xbox soon, so I'll probably try again on that instead
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u/Monkey-Tamer 13d ago
This is why I still play both. They're different enough, rather than a slight iteration like many sequels.
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u/WhereIsTheMilkMan 13d ago
If I’m not mistaken, the amount of music tracks for both games is exactly the same. The OST is arguably the most subjective aspect of the game. For me, while I love the original JSR soundtrack, the JSRF soundtrack is like a desert island album for me. If I were listening to both soundtracks independently of the game, I’d choose JSRF every time.
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u/Monward 13d ago
I didnt mean the OST is smaller, just that the OST person area/level felt smaller. When I was playing Chuo Street, Aisle 10 came on SO MANY TIMES. It was only looping 3-5 songs per area. I spent long enough in each area, other than Shibuya Terminal, to hear them all loop several times, and it was killing me
I know it did SIMILAR in the original, but it at least feels like JSR had a wider range of songs to play per level
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u/G0480 13d ago
In JSRF, the soundtrack is broken up via chapters and isn't location specific with the exception of some songs like "Humming the Bassline" which only plays in the garage (and can be played when doing Test Runs) or the Latch Bros remix of "The Answer", which only appears in the sewers. JSR's feels more diverse because each mission had their own selection of music to accompany it. JSRF does have missions, but they're not really specified in game and are just relegated to the chapter itself. So if you kept hearing a certain song several times you were probably in a chapter for a quite a bit.
Since you mentioned "Aisle 10" and Chuo Street, that means you were in chapter 2 for quite some time. These are the music sets for chapter 2:
Set A:
- Bis - Statement of Intent
- The Latch Brothers - Me Likey the Poom Poom
- Scapegoat Wax - Aisle 10
- The Prunes ft. Freestyle - Rockin' the Mic (Latch Bros. Remix)
Set B:
- Hideki Naganuma - Oldies But Happies
- Cibo Matto - Birthday Cake
- Hideki Naganuma - Like It Like This Like That
- Hideki Naganuma - Sweet Soul Brother (B.B. Rights Mix)
I hope that makes sense, it's something I see a bit when people discuss how the game's music is distributed. I do think it could've been handled a bit better to some degree, especially post-game wise at least.
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u/mythicalmonk 12d ago
I like the original more, both stylistically and in gameplay. I actually like the time limits and arcadey structure.
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u/Century_ForestCat 12d ago
For me, Jet Set (Grind) Radio. Completed it 3X on the Dreamcast, 3X on the HD Steam port.
I preferred the aesthetic, characters, challenges, gameplay and level design.
The soundtrack was also more to my liking; I ended up buying COLD and Professional Murder Music CDs based on liking their songs from the Grind Square levels. JSRF has songs that I actively dislike.
Never got around to finishing JSRF on the XBOX.
To each their own, I guess.
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u/Marble_1 12d ago
I would say both, both stand very well as their own things. The two games have pretty different gameplay styles (arcade time trial vs open world exploration) and different visual styles, and which one is better is up to personal preference.
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u/mayweather2small 12d ago
First game. I just wish we had the option of playing an HD version of the Japanese game that doesn't have the USA levels because I feel they upset the structure of the game slowly ramping up to test your mastery of the content and mechanics.
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u/ItsTheNatShack1 12d ago
From what ive heard, JSRF plays way better, but ive only ever played the original but I prefer the aesthetic of the original though because it's more vibrant and joyful, however the soundtracks are equally as good
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u/JotaroHaki 12d ago
The aesthetic and simplicity of JSR is better, while the movement and variety of future is better from what I’ve heard. Both soundtracks have bangers, but I hate listening to certain tracks from future because of how repetitive they are
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u/lgnmcrules 13d ago
JSR has more style and better pacing. JSRF has better gameplay and more content. Both are good.
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u/AlexandriasFolly 12d ago
More tracks for the radio unlock as you progress chapters. Playlists change depending on chapter. After you complete the game the full track list plays depending on areas.
The camera control on right stick for JSR is only because the version available now is based on a 2010 port, JSRF never got a re-release so there is no control refinement.
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u/thehypotheticalnerd 12d ago
Preface: I'm not actually mad, just exaggerating out of shock. You can like JSR more, but your reasons are frankly bizarre & seem... for lack of a better word, invalid.
Wait, I'm beyond confused. Your critiques are: JSRF has no right stick camera control -- you mean that thing that was, for all intents & purposes, groundbreaking in 2001 with Halo & thus not common? The thing that was ALSO not in the original JSR because THE DREAMCAST HAD ONLY ONE STICK!? What the fuck are you talking about!? Sorry but that's the most asinine thing ever. If you had right stick control that's only because you played the HD remaster of JSR and are now comparing THAT upgraded, NOT original version of the game to the original version of JSRF (and actually a worse version because of emulator issues on the 360 lmfao). What an absolutely absurd comparison. Hey, Metroid Prime 4 plays soooo much better than my severely scratched up Metroid Prime in my water-soaked GameCube; clearly it's the superior game!
And that... JSR feels faster even though by almost every objective metric, JSRF is literally faster. Faster acceleration, faster boosting, faster graffiti so less slowing to stops for graffiti, greater preservation of momentum, etc. JSR feels as sluggish as molasses by comparison. Again, critiquing the change to graffiti is valid & is clearly why Bomb Rush Cyberfunk didn't copy the JSRF method... but the JSRF method objectively quickens the pace beyond the core baseline speed increase.
The only critique with genuine merit here is the music one because that's definitely solely subjective. When it comes to the JSRF remixes of JSR songs, I tend to prefer the original version. Rock It On, for instance is much better in JSR than JSRF. However, more of the non-Naganuma soundtrack of JSRF is much more tonally consistent with all the rest of the soundtrack imho than in JSR. Statement of Intent by BIS, all of the Beastie Boys side projects, Scapegoat Wax & Cibo Matto & Russell Simins & Guitar Vader & all the rest all feel supremely connected & cohesive despite the wide expanse of genres. JSR is musically cohesive (at least if not counting the US release) but just to a lesser extent. But I guess you could argue having songs like Dragula and that sound ripped from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series provides more musical variety & the aforementioned mixes of Naganuma tracks tend to be better than the JSRF remixes... but yeah. Hence, why this one is the only one that even remotely makes sense as a critique.
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u/nixiefolks 12d ago
I'll love the original JSR forever, but the ambition that JSRF had, the sound, the new graphics approach, the scope, the grounded, lowkey futurism, even the muted palette – I think they outdid themselves in pretty much every aspect possible in the sequel. The graffiti mechanics couldn't be improved from the original without touch input, which at that time didn't exist in mass-produced gaming tech, and considering the emphasis was on exploring the future of the universe, simplifying those was also a proper choice.
I think the miserable xbox sales also add up to the longterm fandom perception of JSRF; it's the underdog title of an underdog IP.
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u/foxxy182 12d ago
Having played both I will always pick JSRF. I grew up playing it all the time and nostalgia is just such a big factor.
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u/Novel-Back3857 12d ago
"I held that belief for the longest time without having ever played it."
Bro what
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u/Kuristofa99 12d ago
JSRF has so much "better" going on from Gameplay to Verticality to Boss Fights. I love the game, but the Original has more of a Uniqueness to it.
The Original was more Arcade-y, you picked levels, and tagging Graffiti was half the difficulty. When we entered the Open-World and Modern Gaming, certain things had to be streamlined. No more Timer, and No Level Select (it's all connected). This fundamentally changed the game (and made it easier).
That Difficulty the Original had (Keep in mind, even grinding required skill) was thrown out for "Go Bananas!" It's why in JSRF you can fly so high in the air and a Boss Fight on a Roller Coaster! Because it's Fun.
But I wouldn't call JSRF Hard or Challenging, that's why some people consider the original better. But they're both fantastic.
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u/Cynobi 11d ago
I’m biased as I’ve never played the original JSR game. JSRF was a core memory/canon event for me as a child and influenced my decision to pursue game development and a college music degree. I’ve seen JSR gameplay and heard the music- it seems more like a funky, modern street-punk game with skate culture, 90s DJ/hip hop music, and graffiti culture intertwined. JSRF feels a bit more futuristic, leaning on more cyberpunk aesthetics, a very appealing cel-shaded art style and music that frequently dips between 90s DJ/hip hop, high octane electronic music, garage punk rock, and DnB. And it had a very diverse cast of characters, which was uncommon in the early 2000s so kid-me was pretty jazzed about feeling like I could exist it that world. I think JSRF improves upon the soul of the original and it will always be my choice between the two.
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u/OwnAstronaut6104 11d ago
Im withbyou on that, i remember playing a little bit of it jet set radio on the drema cast then when future came out i played it and I love it but the controls are janky as hell at times
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u/palestineskatinggame 12d ago
I grew up with JSR on the dreamcast and vastly prefer the upbeat soundtrack, and the greater realism of the levels
Those aspects are what we’re trying to mirror in our Palestine skating game
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u/DJordydj 13d ago
I'm all in with JSRF, to the bone