Going into this, you wouldn't be out of pocket to expect Bomb Rush Cyberpunk to be a valiant attempt at re-capturing the magic of Jet Set Radio's style, gameplay, and general vibe, only to fall short of what really made that game special to begin with.
At least, that's what I was expecting going into this.
Thankfully, however, I was very much wrong, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a near-flawless recreation of everyone's treasured vandalism-on-wheels simulator that also manages to bring its own flavor, style, design language, and soundtrack that all feel like natural evolutions of the original and, in some instances, I dare say even surpasses it.
The classic breakneck-speed inline skating of Jet Set is very much intact here, with the addition of skateboarding, BMXing, and parkouring to help spice up the gameplay even further. It all feels incredibly seamless and fun to play around with, and there are subtle nuances between each traversal style that make them stand out enough to have a preference, but not so much that you feel like you're missing out on anything by sticking to one particular style. It's clear that it was all fine-tuned, tweaked, and tested to a meticulous degree so that it feels fresh, yet familiar to veterans of Jet Set Radio.
The boroughs of New Amsterdam each have their own unique vibe and presentation, even if some areas are a little derivative of JSR at times. There are countless hidden spots and areas to uncover, with some inspired traversal puzzles along the way to keep you on your toes. All of this is paired with a fantastic soundtrack by a slew of electronic artists from around the world, including Jet Set's original composer, Hideki Naganuma, who contributes three of his best tracks in years. Not all songs are available at the start and are instead scattered across the boroughs as collectible CDs and in continuously looping mixtapes for each new area you visit. It's a novel idea, but each mix is only 3 or 4 songs long, which can get a little grating depending on the tracks themselves and how long each level takes.
Perhaps the most welcome surprises Bomb Rush Cyberfunk has to offer are its story and cast of characters, both of which are unexpectedly compelling and fun, providing a solid narrative rooted in themes of identity, individuality, and legacy with the defiant attitude of the original game and a weirdness akin to Suda51's works.
However, there are points where the BRC falters. For one, the addition of combat is exemplary of a concept that's great in theory but lacking in execution. There's no real combat system in place, and crucially, there's no lock-on feature, resulting in a lot of the battles pitting you against a fast-moving enemy and the camera at the same time. That being said, mandatory combat encounters are pretty few and far between, and a handful of the boss battles are actually fun and integrate some of the traversal mechanics you're used to by that point.
Collectibles are also a hassle. Not the act of collecting them or what you're collecting, but rather the lack of any kind of tracking of how many there are in total and, most importantly, how many are left in any one area. Instead, you kind of just have to go over the same area several times and refer to a guide in some cases. Again, it's not a total dealbreaker, as it can be fun to collect the CDs, outfits, and ride color palettes, but it can get frustrating keeping track of your progress with them.
Still, this doesn't stop Bomb Rush Cyberfunk from being both an excellent homage and spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio and a fresh, exciting take on the same formula in its own right. While I can't compare it directly to JSR and its sequel, as I haven't played them all the way through in years, Team Reptile should be proud to know that they've understood the concept of love with this one.
9/10
At least, that's what I was expecting going into this.
Thankfully, however, I was very much wrong, and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a near-flawless recreation of everyone's treasured vandalism-on-wheels simulator that also manages to bring its own flavor, style, design language, and soundtrack that all feel like natural evolutions of the original and, in some instances, I dare say even surpasses it.
The classic breakneck-speed inline skating of Jet Set is very much intact here, with the addition of skateboarding, BMXing, and parkouring to help spice up the gameplay even further. It all feels incredibly seamless and fun to play around with, and there are subtle nuances between each traversal style that make them stand out enough to have a preference, but not so much that you feel like you're missing out on anything by sticking to one particular style. It's clear that it was all fine-tuned, tweaked, and tested to a meticulous degree so that it feels fresh, yet familiar to veterans of Jet Set Radio.
The boroughs of New Amsterdam each have their own unique vibe and presentation, even if some areas are a little derivative of JSR at times. There are countless hidden spots and areas to uncover, with some inspired traversal puzzles along the way to keep you on your toes. All of this is paired with a fantastic soundtrack by a slew of electronic artists from around the world, including Jet Set's original composer, Hideki Naganuma, who contributes three of his best tracks in years. Not all songs are available at the start and are instead scattered across the boroughs as collectible CDs and in continuously looping mixtapes for each new area you visit. It's a novel idea, but each mix is only 3 or 4 songs long, which can get a little grating depending on the tracks themselves and how long each level takes.
Perhaps the most welcome surprises Bomb Rush Cyberfunk has to offer are its story and cast of characters, both of which are unexpectedly compelling and fun, providing a solid narrative rooted in themes of identity, individuality, and legacy with the defiant attitude of the original game and a weirdness akin to Suda51's works.
However, there are points where the BRC falters. For one, the addition of combat is exemplary of a concept that's great in theory but lacking in execution. There's no real combat system in place, and crucially, there's no lock-on feature, resulting in a lot of the battles pitting you against a fast-moving enemy and the camera at the same time. That being said, mandatory combat encounters are pretty few and far between, and a handful of the boss battles are actually fun and integrate some of the traversal mechanics you're used to by that point.
Collectibles are also a hassle. Not the act of collecting them or what you're collecting, but rather the lack of any kind of tracking of how many there are in total and, most importantly, how many are left in any one area. Instead, you kind of just have to go over the same area several times and refer to a guide in some cases. Again, it's not a total dealbreaker, as it can be fun to collect the CDs, outfits, and ride color palettes, but it can get frustrating keeping track of your progress with them.
Still, this doesn't stop Bomb Rush Cyberfunk from being both an excellent homage and spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio and a fresh, exciting take on the same formula in its own right. While I can't compare it directly to JSR and its sequel, as I haven't played them all the way through in years, Team Reptile should be proud to know that they've understood the concept of love with this one.
9/10