Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: the preview of the spiritual heir of Jet Set Radio
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
2021 will be remembered as the year of postponements, but for this reason 2022 could become a memorable year for video games. On the other hand it will be chock full of titles of all kinds, including, barring further delays, a product that is clearly inspired by Jet Set Radio both in mechanics and and even more in style: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk.The cel-shaded graphics do not try to hide it, despite having a wider and more modern palette, adapting perfectly to a funky / hip-hop imagery made up of baggy trousers, stylized models, bright colors and populous streets to be conquered by graffiti. All set to music by the author of the soundtrack of the two Jet Set Radio, Hideki Naganuma, to strengthen the bond of the title with the SEGA and Smilebit series unfortunately interrupted 19 years ago.
It is no coincidence that his fans are eagerly awaiting this spiritual heir who, however, changes gears, from skates to a richer movement system. The characters can in fact walk carefree around the map, but on their backs they have a jetpack that allows them to perform tricks, grinding (even upside down), wall-running on running trains and assorted maneuvers. Having said that, the game system also includes a skateboard, with all the related moves and, apparently, also the breakdance or in any case the dance. The specific details, unfortunately, are still few, but for this we have enough material in our hands for our preview of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk.
A new trailer
In Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, dives from great heights do not seem to be a problem The postponement of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk to 2022, made official in February, left those who hoped to be baffled to play a new Jet Set Radio as soon as possible, but the developers, the same as the excellent Lethal League, have not forgotten the fans. In fact, they did their utmost to make the wait less heavy with a new trailer which, in addition to increasing our desire to play, shows us something more than the gameplay and possible game activities. Most of the images feature city glimpses and various acrobatics, but you can also see group dances, one of the protagonists sleeping in a dumpster and a smartphone with the possibility of accessing voices such as e-mails, music players, graffiti and outfits .Nothing surprising, mind you, but an internal menu that allows you to access the various items without leaving the game, including tons of graffiti and clothes to unlock, is always a welcome thing. This like a music player that brings us to Hideki Naganuma's soundtrack, another strong connection with Jet Set Radio. In fact, we are talking about the author of the music of the two titles in the series, they return to the field to take care of a fundamental piece for an experience of this kind. And it is already possible to measure its importance in the trailer that between funk, techno and a pinch of anime pleasantly tickles the eardrums, further increasing the desire to get your hands on the pad. Unfortunately, it will take several months to do so, but if this translates into refined gameplay, important in a title that revolves almost exclusively around gameplay, it will be worth it.
Gameplay
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: railings, lots of railings on which to grind However, what is shown gives a glimpse of an intuitive game system oriented towards pleasantness, but not simplistic for this. The basic structure of the game is that of the past SEGA title, and revolves around performing stunts and graffiti where it hurts the opposing gangs the most, all while obviously running away from the police thanks to stunts, grinding and extreme parkour.To make the whole thing wider and more complex there is the jetpack that amplifies the vertical dimension of the game, as well as allowing the protagonists to glide at great speed on the air a few centimeters from the ground and to levitate for a certain time. same that we are granted to make graffiti in mid-air. In addition, the arsenal of characters includes the ability to jump on a skateboard, shown in the trailer and dedicated to lovers of wheels, with a whole world of specific tricks and stunts that distinguish it.
In Bomb Rush Cyberfunk graffiti have a very important role Also in this case we do not see any revolutionary dynamics, but what we perceive is a mix that promises a great rhythm, starting from the possibility of increasing the speed of movement by ringing longer and longer combos. In short, there is a constant flow of the game that keeps the pace of gameplay high, a vital element of the titles of this genre and which marked the success of the predecessors of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. In fact, by making chains of moves longer and longer, the Bomb Rush Mode will be activated, a boost that increases the performance of the character, and the possibility of maximizing score. In addition, the player is called upon to show skill even in the case of graffiti. By activating the relative mode, in fact, some nodes will appear on the screen, in a variable number depending on the size of the graffiti: these must be joined together within a maximum time to compose the graffiti. The order and timing with which they are hit determines both the resulting drawing and the score.
The game world
In Bomb Rush Cyberfunk everything is stylish, even sleeping in a dumpster The world of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk relies on cel shading, however effective in outlining a precise graphic style despite the decidedly reduced polygon count and the extreme stylization of vehicles, buildings and models. The details are almost non-existent, but the glance effectively deceives the senses thanks to a rich color palette that alternates the pastel tones of a welcoming Japanese urban setting, with the fluorescent colors of characters and graffiti, designed to stand out from the scenario . This without giving up an overall coherence that permeates everything, including the vehicles and citizens that populate the streets, going to define what Dion Koster, co-founder of the team and game director of Bomb Rush Cyberpunk, called a "symphony of street culture ".At the moment the dimensions of the map are not clear and any restrictions on exploration are not known, considering that we speak in a generic way of free exploration of three-dimensional roads, but it is clear that we are talking about of a single player experience that relies on tried and tested mechanisms. In short, we talk about exploring, placing graffiti to gain reputation up to having enough to challenge an opposing gang to conquer the territory, removing the classic odd enemies that often make up the narrative backbone of this type of experience. Nothing particularly original, then, but undoubtedly functional, as long as the gameplay works and that the characterization of the enemies does not disappoint.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is confirmed as a very interesting title, especially for those who have appreciated the series Jet Set Radio which finally has a potential heir. The challenge is demanding but what has been shown so far touches the right keys and we are talking about a team that has already shown that it knows how to deal with Lethal League.
