Due to the short life span of the Dreamcast, the mainstream audience overlooked many great games. This tendency was perhaps most heartbreaking in the case of "Jet Set Radio" ("Jet Grind Radio" in the United States, due to legal reasons). Eminently playable, high on challenge, dripping in style, boasting a phenomenal soundtrack, and pioneering an edgy new graphics technique called cel-shading, "Jet Set Radio" was arguably the Dreamcast's best game, and its most underrated. Although critically acclaimed, the game sold dismally and languished in clearance bins. Now, "Extended Play" reviews its sequel, "Jet Set Radio Future" for the Xbox.

Storyline: Over the top but fitting and fun
Thankfully, Sega was not unaware of the game's brilliance. Despite the poor sales performance of "Jet Set Radio," Smilebit has seen fit to grace the Xbox with "Jet Set Radio Future." "Jet Set Radio Future" is neither a sequel nor a port but a remake of the original game in a larger and more futuristic setting. All the characters return from the first game, many with a new look and some with a complete visual redesign. Thus, newcomers to the series don't miss anything vital, and fans are guaranteed to see their favorite skaters.

"Jet Set Radio Future" is set in the somewhat rabidly policed streets of an alternate-universe Tokyo. Here, the most viable means of free expression among the city's youth is graffiti, which is perpetrated by perpetually hip kids wearing rocket-powered inline skates. Key to this subculture is a pirate radio station called Jet Set Radio, which broadcasts the latest and coolest tunes 24 hours a day to the skaters' headset radios. Professor K is the DJ and your guide through the game's story line as you spearhead a crusade against citywide injustices catalyzed by Gouji, the tyrannical CEO of a major downtown corporation.

Yes, it's over the top and a bit silly in print, but it's all part of the fun. Your tasks will take you all over the city, establishing territory with graffiti tags, besting other gangs in races and tag competitions, foiling the police sent to neutralize you, and finding hidden Graffiti Souls to expand your graffiti selections. The city is big and split into numerous districts, most of which are easily accessible from your home base garage, which is conveniently located in the center of town. Each stage is roughly the size of an entire district from the first game, providing much more in the way of exploratory challenge.

Graphics: Easily one of the best-looking Xbox games
"Jet Set Radio Future" is easily one of the best-looking games on the Xbox, and certainly the most effective use of cel-shading to date, but one would expect no less of the team that pioneered the technique. The visual style remains stunningly crisp and clean, showcasing beautiful cel-shaded characters and environments. City streets are crisscrossed by traffic and pedestrians, creating the illusion of a bustling urban world. Little details abound in the form of benches, streetside cafes, store signs, and other objects, most of which can be knocked around or skated upon.

Sound: A variety of catchy tunes
Just as key to "Jet Set Radio Future's" presentation is its soundtrack, which consists of a variety of upbeat and catchy tunes. Hideki Naganuma and WaveMaster provide great new tracks as well as some remixes of the best songs from the first game. Also featured are some harder-edged hip-hop artists and even a track from quirky Japanese duo Cibo Matto. All of this is presided over by the charismatic Professor K's narration, and complimented by sound effects that do their job without overpowering the soundtrack.

Gameplay: Balanced with simplified controls but challenging levels
One of the most prominent characteristics of the modern-day gamer is a distinct aversion to challenge. As such, the intricate "platformer-on-wheels" gameplay and innovative tagging system of "Jet Set Radio" drew a multitude of complaints from many who played it. Perhaps because of this, the control of "Jet Set Radio Future" is far simpler than its predecessor. For good or ill, the graffiti has been simplified to single button presses. To counterbalance the newly dumbed-down tagging, the tag spots are now in more remote places, requiring precise grinding and jumping skill to reach. Hence, the emphasis of the game is divided between graffiti and exploration. While this may be disappointing to some fans, it does result in more balanced (if somewhat less distinctive) gameplay.

The challenge level is still high, much of it stemming from navigating the large and complex levels. The difficulty ramps rather suddenly, and some gamers may be unprepared for how demanding some of the later stages become. The first encounter with the Skyscraper District can become a brick wall for many, but it's just a matter of finding the paths that allow you to access far-flung parts of each stage. Thankfully, the camera is responsive, snapping instantly behind the player at the touch of a button, and a new first-person look mode is invaluable for finding hard-to-spot areas within a stage.

Replay value increases with minigoals and multiplayer option
When you're done tagging up the place, there's still more to do. Finding a bonus audiocassette will open stage-specific goals such as achieving a high score or a certain grind or trick combo. Each completed goal will produce a new Graffiti Soul somewhere in the stage for you to hunt down. Of course, the easy-to-use Graffiti Editor allows enough freedom that some players may prefer to use their own custom tags to the exclusion of the existing ones. A multiplayer option that supports up to four players in a variety of competitive modes rounds out the package and provides further replay value.

Summary: Worth a purchase
"Jet Set Radio Future" is an undoubtedly good game, but it's certainly not for everyone. Those expecting a cel-shaded "Tony Hawk" will be disappointed, as JSRF is far more platformer than extreme sport sim. The simplification of the gameplay also tends to make the game feel a bit repetitive, and it can be frustrating to repeatedly try to make the same jump to that last graffiti spot only to fall and be forced to climb all the way back up and try again. Still, "Jet Set Radio Future" has not only old-fashioned challenge but the style to back it up. Even though it's not quite the stellar masterpiece that was "Jet Grind Radio," it's one of the best games on the Xbox and well worth a purchase.