![Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Review - Screenshot 1 of 5](https://images.nintendolife.com/screenshots/138724/900x.jpg)
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is an immensely conflicting outing that capitalizes on nostalgia by drawing water from the identical punk-as-hell metropolis faucet as Jet Set Radio. Generally the cup runs over. Others, rusted pipes bleed into the water, poisoning the expertise.
Jet Set Radio casts a low-poly shadow over any sport about road tradition or graffiti—cel-shaded or not—and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk deserves higher than getting labeled as an imitator and getting hocked in some again alley vacationer entice with knockoff Gucci baggage and Rolex watches. However regardless of its effort to tag its personal turf, Bomb Rush finally ends up retreading previous floor and portray over tags left by the Dreamcast basic and reigning king of the microgenre.
For these unaware, Jet Set Radio is a cult basic from Sega’s ill-fated however fondly-remembered Dreamcast console, which launched in 1999. US-based readers might comprehend it as Jet Grind Radio, although later variations (just like the one discovered on Steam immediately) go by its authentic Japanese title. The cult basic has gone on to affect counterculture and gaming alike due to its distinct sense of fashion and singular understanding of Japanese road tradition within the late ’90s and early 2000s.
![Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Review - Screenshot 2 of 5](https://images.nintendolife.com/screenshots/1387111/900x.jpg)
Its affect is so pervasive that even Nintendo took just a few cues from its immutable model in creating Splatoon. Other than PC, it is out there to play on fashionable platforms solely through the soon-to-close Xbox 360 market, and it is by no means graced a Nintendo platform earlier than (minus the GBA de-make), so the mere existence of a sport like Bomb Rush on Change is actually thrilling as a result of, except for just a few minor variations, Jet Set Radio and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk share near-identical gameplay loops.
You’re a part of a crew of graffiti artists (or writers) whose purpose is to tag town’s varied boroughs along with your crew’s graffiti and in doing so, turn out to be the ruler of the streets. Spraying your tag includes a sequence of directional prompts and efficiently tagging one thing may alert the police to your presence. Coping with the cops is hard; they’re corrupt and trigger-happy. Desperate to take down you and your crew of vandals, they’ll use deadly drive, so that you’ll must outrun them.
Bomb Rush introduces just a few improvements to the system, although nothing that re-invents the urethane wheel. You’re now not locked to skates; as a substitute you’re given the selection between BMX bikes, skateboards, and basic skates. And, except for just a few story moments, you possibly can play as any of the characters within the Bomb Rush Crew.
![Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Review - Screenshot 3 of 5](https://images.nintendolife.com/screenshots/138707/900x.jpg)
The opposite main innovation right here is tagging; as a substitute of following the sport’s directional prompts, you’re capable of resolve from just a few instructions to press that may lead to totally different photos to throw up on the partitions of New Amsterdam. Completely different combos will lead to totally different work, although as a substitute of discovering them by yourself, you’ll be tasked with unlocking them after defeating rival crew members in varied sorts of competitions designed to indicate off your expertise, road smarts, and velocity.
In between tagging partitions, you may encounter a lot of diversions all through the sport’s 5 sprawling ranges. Mini-challenges that encourage you to high-five a set variety of little statues round every stage scatter New Amsterdam and offer you alternatives to unlock secret songs and new outfits for the playable characters. That’s the place one other innovation is available in: when the cops get good to your paint-spraying antics, you possibly can head to a rest room to vary your outfit and lose the warmth.
Ranges are additionally completely filled with miles upon miles of rails to grind on, making certain that even one thing so simple as going to the alternative facet of a stage to finish an goal turns into a sport inside itself as you get the prospect to attempt to construct up the most important combo you probably can by leaping from rail to rail, using on billboards and pulling off manuals to increase your string of fancy strikes. Pulling off a sick combo faucets into an unbeatable sense of momentum that deserves reward, however combos hardly ever really feel conclusive or significant except you’re within the midst of competing in opposition to a CPU to get probably the most factors. It’s completely baffling that the scoring system doesn’t monitor your factors in particular person sorties into Bomb Rush’s bustling boroughs. Even a score after finishing a stage or chapter could be good, however gamers are awarded no such factor on finishing a stage.
Simply as troublesome as it’s to debate Bomb Rush Cyberfunk with out additionally mentioning Jet Set Radio, it’s unattainable to deliver up Bomb Rush with out additionally paying respect to its completely stellar soundtrack. Hideki Naganuma, the notoriously Household Man-obsessed composer whose work on Jet Set Radio performed a significant half in cementing its cult standing makes his triumphant return to creating lo-fi beats to skate to alongside a cypher of different newcomers, together with 2 Mello and GRRL. It’s exhausting to speak simply how spectacular this soundtrack is, however suffice it to say, it’s simply top-of-the-line of the 12 months and a worthy contender for top-of-the-line soundtracks of the Change period. We’re certain to be listening to it for some time to return.
Half-in-parcel with its audio design, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is an absolute deal with to have a look at. Even on a day one, launch-edition Change that’s seen scratches, falls, and dozens of strikes, Bomb Rush’s environments and colours pop off the display in handheld mode. From the pink mild district in Mataan to the intense yellow energy plant, every setting boasts its personal distinct model and vibe and set of environmental challenges. We spent hours in every stage simply attempting to discover each nook and cranny within the sport’s sprawling ranges. It’s a disgrace it’s so exhausting to take screenshots whereas racking up a 90-trick combo. One standout side past the stainless vibes seen in BRC’s environments is its graffiti. Every particular person piece oozes character with loads of totally different kinds on show. Artists are even credited individually for his or her work inside the sport, which is a uncommon, refreshing contact.
![Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Review - Screenshot 4 of 5](https://images.nintendolife.com/screenshots/138712/900x.jpg)
After all, with such excessive biog, busy environments, and the power to fly by the sport’s ranges comes just a few drawbacks and efficiency points. For probably the most half, the sport simply drops a body or two, however going from space to space prompts painfully lengthy loading screens, even in comparison with the lengthy load screens you may discover in Tears of the Kingdom. Lengthy load instances are removed from Bomb Rush’s biggest tech subject, although. We encountered a number of full-on crashes that misplaced some progress and required us to re-open the sport, which exacerbated the lengthy load instances.
Conclusion
Irrespective of how glorious its soundtrack or sense of momentum could also be, there’s no shaking the sense that Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is in a race in opposition to its personal sense of nostalgia. The sport rips, however as a rule it seems like that is as a result of Jet Set Radio ran earlier than it. That’s to not say it’s dangerous, however a part of what makes Jet Set Radio so enjoyable and distinctive is its uncooked originality. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk seems like a sequel in every little thing however title—for higher and for worse. For each banger in its soundtrack, there’s a second of jank or a sense that this sport hasn’t left 2000. Once more, it’s nonetheless a good time, nevertheless it’s missing that lightning-in-a-bottle really feel that JSR had. That’s completely high quality, and for individuals who missed out on it, this may really feel a lot more energizing.