- I hate this game for taking a killer innovation on the platformer standard, an equally killer revolution in game graphics, and a killer indi/punk theme and throwing them away into a generic, preachy premise: "Evil corporation seeks to conquer world, sucking away all coolness for fiscal profit". Yeah I enjoy sabotaging the establishment and bringing about the downfall of consumerist society, but that's what I do when I'm not playing video games. That's not to say I don't like JGR. I really do. The first thing I look for in a game is innovation. Are the developers taking me somewhere I've never been? Are they bringing new things to video gaming? In JGR they really are... in a lot of ways.

In terms of gameplay, you get around the levels on rollerblades. As a result, you're continuously moving and you can grind on just about everything, from the rounded tunnels of sewers to power lines high over the city. You can go anywhere and often there are different paths to get to a goal. At first, you miss a lot of grinds and jumps, which sucks. But after a while you move around gracefully, flowing between grinds and tricks. That feels great for a while until you realize the physics system is very simple, especially compared to extreme sports games like Tony Hawk. It works well for beginners, but leaves no room for higer levels. Still, this game is a must-buy. You'll love playing through the story, and you'll always have those cravings to come back and skate around these monster levels in one of the non-story play modes.

What I liked: Meeting my new best friend, cel shading - the dream of every simple, stylish, cartoony platform lover. The instant replay scenes of cool jumps. The funky music.

What I disliked: Falling on a car and then getting carried to the stage exit and having to restart

What to expect: a unique, funky experience, built in all aspects around the spray-painting, breakdancing underground culture

What not to expect: a traditional platformer, or a sophisticated x-sport sim

What sets it apart from the genre: what genre?

Ratings On:

Controls: 6 - Took a while to get the hang of it, but these are easy and responsive. There are a few notable flaws: you need to keep using the right trigger for speed, which is taxing on the thumb. Also, you use the same button to control the camera and spraypaint, so if your timing is off, you do the wrong thing. Bot.

Graphics: 10 - I gotta give props for ushering in a whole new style. This game is great to look at. It incorporates the system's technical limitations and the nature of cel shading into the game's style, which is blocky and angular like grafitti.

Sound: 10 - Great soundtrack. Lots of funky progressive house tunes add to the techno-culture tone of the game. Is the music being mixed in real time?

Style: 10 - This is hands down the most stylish game I've ever played. Innovative in both gameplay and aesthetics, this is a must-own that embodies the creativity and off-the-wall fun that was the Dreamcast

1st hour: 7 - Looks so neat. If only I could get through this training thing.

5th hour: 9 - Wow! You can go anywhere!

Day 2: 10 - Alright - enough running around doing tricks. Back to beating the game.

Week 2: 9 - Oh man! The levels have connected to form Voltron-style Uberlevels!

Month 2: 7 - All of a sudden you've got a sudden craving to find JGR and mess around a bit.

Why I hate this game: Because it slaps me in the face with the same tragedy as the death of Dreamcast, sitting in the bargain bin at $10 while any generic rehashed platformer traced over with Disney characters gets top shelf.

by Master Duck