Summary: This is the first thing I have to say about this game. If you don't like flashy cell shaded graphics and a underground hip-hop culture atmosphere then you won't like this game. The whole graffiti game idea is pretty unique, this game is probably by far the best of them.
Graphics: In my opinion the Cell shaded graphics are beautiful and look great on the Dreamcast. The bright colors and flashy effects compliment the game and fit well. The graphics are so good they resemble a game from a next gen. video game console.
Sound: The music in the game is cool. There are even some tracks from Rob Zombie and other well known artists/Djs along with a lot of Japanese artists/djs that I haven't heard of. The noises from the skates seem realistic. The jingles you get from completing various things such as spraying graffiti on a wall are neat sounding. The main playable characters don't have voices except for the Tokyo Underground Radio guy and the police. Every playable character has a little saying such as, Hey! or whats up? etc. Everything works out good, they have sub-titles.
Controls: The controls aren't bad. Controlling the characters movements with the Joystick does get a little bit frustrating and stopping the character in motion is a bit tough. Everything else is pretty straightforward. Spraying graffiti uses the analog stick by moving it in different directions such as up or down and a full rotation or half rotation of the joystick.
Gameplay: The objective of the game is to beat rival gangs in their territories and occasionally recruit new playable characters. You can also design your own graffiti. You could trade custom graffiti online but, that feature is no longer available becuase the website is gone.
Features:
-Unlock and Choose 10 different Playable Characters
-5 fully interactive cities with 16 challenging missions
-In-game graffiti design screen
-"Cartoon-Dimension art style" Graphics (Cell shaded)
Availability: This game is pretty common in most used game stores. It should be easy to find becuase the game was and still is popular. In Japan, a Drekore series was recently released. You may be able to get a new copy from an import game site such as http://play-asia.com A Drekore series release is a game that is re-released by popular demand in Japan.
THE Verdict
All and all this is a good, solid game that has replay value. I would buy it if you're looking for some fun gameplay and an interesting storyline. A bit crazy, but fun.
Rating:
9/10
9/10