One of the brightest and briefest stars of Sega was the Dreamcast. A fantastic system that came out at the wrong time and struggled to stay relevant, it is still praised today. Many of its games have been remade and re-released, while otherDreamcast games still lack a remake, to the lament of many players.
One of those games isJet Set Radio, a unique experience to say the least. The entire game is in a gorgeous comic book style that very few other games have matched. The stylish gameplay saw players skating around a city while tagging every surface they could find. The grafitti spreading simulator is often cited as one of the Dreamcast’s best experiences, but despite a sequel, never became a series and has been considered dead for years.
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Fortunately,Jet Set Radiohas been released on Steam, sparing it frombeing trapped on the Dreamcast. It seems that a remake or new sequel is not forthcoming, but that has not stopped some from making their own. Developer Team Reptile recently released a short trailer for its next project:Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. From its look and description, it is very clear thatCyberfunkis the spiritual successor toJet Set.
Of all theDreamcast games that deserve a second chance, it seems obvious whyJet Setwas at the top of Team Reptile’s list. The team is responsible forLethal Leagueand its sequel, two games that share a similar aesthetic withJet Set Radio. Much likeJet Set,Lethal LeagueandLethal League Blazefocus on urban competition and put an emphasis on style, both in the art and in the gameplay. The comic book inspired artstyle is right on the nose, and the multiplayer action ofLethal Leagueis frenetic to say the least. Anyone would be hard pressed to find a better team to handleJet Set’s spiritual successor.
That doesn’t mean other teams haven’t tried to imitateJet Set’s style before.No Straight Roadssought to take the stylish rebellion type gameplay, give it more action, and use rock and roll instead ofJet Set’s tunes. While that’s fine on its own, it looks likeCyberfunkis sticking closer to the aesthetic ofJet Set. Gameplaywise is more vague, and only time will tell how close it sticks toJet Setand what it improves on (if anything).
At this point it is almost certain Sega will not produce anotherJet Set Radiogame. Instead,Sega has stated it is committed to making better Sonic games, something everyone can get behind. Hopefully while Sega focuses on its star, Team Reptile can put all its focus into the spiritual successor many have wanted for years.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunkcurrently has no release date, but it does have a Steam page. Other console releases are currently unknown.
