Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - Watchyaback!

[bork]

Team Reptile, developers of Lethal League (which looks and sounds heavily like JSR) are developing a very familiar-looking 3D platformer for PC.  Hideki Naganuma will also be doing the music!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1353230/Bomb_Rush_Cyberfunk/

Team Reptile brings you Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, one second per second of highly advanced funkstyle. In a world from the mind of Dion Koster, where self-styled crews are equipped with personal boostpacks, new heights of graffiti are reached. Start your own cypher and dance, paint, trick, face off with the cops, and stake your claim to the extrusions and cavities of a sprawling metropolis in an alternate future set to the musical brainwaves of Hideki Naganuma.

In the game you can choose a character from your crew and explore the three-dimensional streets freely.
Each stage is a neighborhood that represents one time of day.
You can grind, slide, jump, trick and airdash to move around
The goal is to get your name up, your name up on the wall. Every stage has many spots to find where you can paint graffiti.
You will encounter a lot of weirdos.

[thisismyusername]

Own Lethal League and LL:Blaze. Both are good. Team Reptile has a good track record, but their products are very niche.

[bork]

It already looks 100 times better than Hover, which was such a let down.

[thisismyusername]

I have Hover on my wishlist and have for years, but the price never reached "$10 to check it out."

[bork]

I have Hover on my wishlist and have for years, but the price never reached "$10 to check it out."

Wouldn't bother.  It just doesn't play that well and the game world is kind of a mess.  I was excited to try it and stopped playing after like 20 minutes.  Just felt off.

[bork]

Oh shit, he's doing ALL of the music for it?

Yes, that was all in the OP.  :'(

[Akala]

is there a chance SEGA issues a C&D? 

it's close enough in style it could be a Sonic Mania situation, although no idea if this is actually any good.

[bork]

is there a chance SEGA issues a C&D? 

it's close enough in style it could be a Sonic Mania situation, although no idea if this is actually any good.

I would hope they got clearance for it before doing all this!

[Don Rumata]

Why not, keep trying and eventually one of these copycats will get it.
It's not like we're ever getting another real JSR from SEGA/smilebit anyway.

[chronovore]

I suck at JSR but it never stops me from trying to play it. I always get to the 3rd ground and realize I'm just miserable at the game. I wonder if this new reinvention of the setting will have controls I can grasp?

[Himu]

DAY ONE!!!!

Chrono: play Future. BC on Xbox 360. Less tight controls.

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

is there a chance SEGA issues a C&D? 

it's close enough in style it could be a Sonic Mania situation, although no idea if this is actually any good.

Yeah, they've absolutely nailed the ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ to the point it borders on 'look and feel' infringement, and not just in character design, in very specific elements of the world shown.

It'll be interesting to see what becomes of this, because there's two traps indies making 'spiritual sequels' tend to fall into, which is either slavish devotion to the source material to the extent the final product feels anachronistic, or going too far the other direction and having their own pet systems that sort of just don't fit with the template that they lean into, and getting something that at a cursory glance is similar, but just feels off in every respect.

the JSR series in particular is weird, because the DC OG is like a trick attack arcade game but with - c'mon now, let's be honest - slightly clunky stiff feeling controls that you have to work at to get used to (as opposed to, say, a Tony Hawks), and JSRF has slightly looser and more intuitive controls, but is basically a different genre and plays more like a 3D platformer, and even people who like both games prefer one over the other, so it will be interesting to see which way they lean on that choice (or if they try and reconcile the two).

[Himu]

JSR1 is already a 3d platformer. It's just more limited and specific with more arcade sensibilities. It's also not about tricks. It's the Dark Souls to Future's Bloodborne. The main difference is that Future is more of an open world game where you have all the time in the world.

Gameplay will be the deciding factor with this game. The teaser shows not a single second of it so we have little idea on the direction. Given the aesthetic I'd wager a guess that they're going more in Future's direction but given their previous game was a quasi fighting game, itself an arcade genre, they might merge the arcade gameplay of JSR with the exploration focus of Future.

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

JSR1 your velocity is pretty much the same thing as your trick multiplier, and with its lack of air control you have to play it almost like a racing game - you have to find the right racing lines and hit the tag spots in specific orders or you won't have enough time to beat the level, especially when the game opens up and you're traversing multiple sections of a map in a run.

It really doesn't play like a 3D platformer at all

[Himu]

This incredibly poor take on JSR's design and its tightness doesn't take away from its implicit platformer design.

Me playing JSR:



Seen here where your goal is to ride the ad signs to get cans at the beginning. JSR is very much a platformer.

The existence of infinite grinds makes this even more apparent.

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

I don't know what to say if you can't see the literal racing lines to follow and the way pickups and objectives are placed along them even in your own video, or that the existence of infinite grinds and jet graffiti stages which are literally tag in 10 mins with no police interference further emphasise the 'speedrun' aspect of following lines of efficiency

[Himu]

This is a very bad take on platformers. Sonic games are also about speed runs. Some people are all about clearing Sonic stages as fast as all possible. As said, JSR is more of an arcade take on the genre with timers. However, its mechanisms are all platformer. There's momentum to be mastered. Like in Sonic, you can't just go up a hill at normal speed, you have to learn to gain momentum and use it. Its physics and game design make it squarely defined as a platformer. Speedrunning and efficacy and arcade sensibilities means nothing, otherwise Mega Man is also not a platformer.

There are no "guiding lines". Things are there as a mere suggestion. It is up to you to craft your own route.

The only biggest difference between JSR and Future is the lack of timer, allowing a more exploratory feel. That's it. But to say JSR isn't a platformer is bananas.

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

Would you say the Tony Hawks subgenre are platform games at heart then?
Because they follow most of the same design principles, right down to pickups and score being the success criteria for levels, not getting to 'the end'.

[Himu]

Would you say the Tony Hawks subgenre are platform games at heart then?
Because they follow most of the same design principles, right down to pickups and score being the success criteria for levels, not getting to 'the end'.

Yes.

Tony Hawk games employ a "how do I get there?" approach that is endemic to the 3d platformer beyond the tricks and grabs.

Making your goal to beat the level as fast as possible doesn't take away from the core mechanics.



2D platformers are "how do I jump over this?"

3D platformers are "how do I get there?"

Two different questions. You have to use your arsenal of moves and the games physics to reach a destination to problem solve. Much like in Mario 64.

We see there's a pyramid, but how the fuck do we get over that fucking sandtrap?

Same principle.



JSRF also employs "how do I get there?" approach. You'll have a tag all the way up somewhere and have to look on the map just to find it and find a way to get to it. JSR is no different especially in the mega levels like Fight or Flight or Explosion.

Also the idea that JSR isn't a platformer because there's goals and objectives makes no sense given the most popular and influential platformers of its era, Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie are all about achieving goals and objectives within a single level. Using Mario 64 as an example, we know we want a star. But where is it? How do I get there?

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

Okay, well if you think saying the THPS / Dave Mirra et al games aren't platformers is a "bad take", then you do you. I'm not sure most people would agree.

Both types of games might involve learning the level, both might reward moving through a level quickly an flawlessly, and both might have pickups, but there isn't an "end of level" to get to in a trick attack type game, unlike a 3D platformer.

[Himu]

The main contention here is saying JSR isn't a platformer. That's the bad take I've disagreed with. You brought up THPS as a straw man when JSR plays nothing like THPS.

JSR is not a trick attack game. There aren't even any real tricks. You have an air jump and can reverse yourself for swag and grind on rails. That's it.

Since you think it's a trick game, I'll just think you have no idea what you're talking about in reference to JSR and will pretend you haven't played it or are very bad at it.

[Himu]

Imagine thinking JSR isn't a platformer and that this is worth fighting about.



This is precisely why games have to appeal to everyone now when not everyone knows what they're talking about. I have no idea how anyone who has played and beaten JSR can come away with these statements.

[thisismyusername]

Disturbing lack of mention Leathal League/Blaze in here. Ya'll should buy LL:Blaze.

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

You brought up THPS as a straw man when JSR plays nothing like THPS.

The gameplay loop, game progression, and player skill mastery progression are extremely similar, and the things you explicitly claimed are "platformer mechanisms" are also core elements of a THPS game. There aren't any tags that are difficult to get to in JSR, its getting to all of them within the time limit that is the challenge.
That is vastly different to any 3D platformer I can think of, outside of a speedrunning environment, which is an extrinsic gameplay form, not part of the game itself.

THPS player skill progression:
beginner: Oh, I can do all of these objectives individually across multiple runs.
Intermediate: Oh, I can string these objectives together and do multiple within a run now that I know the map.
Advanced: Oh, I can achieve all of these objectives in a single run now that I know the map and can plan out an optimal route, and hey, I never noticed but the way the maps designed means that they actually all flow together.

That's literally the way you learn to play JSR, to the point that by the time you are doing Jet Graffiti stages its expected that you're doing that to hit the time limits for completion.

[bork]

[Himu]

Get in

[bork]

Delayed to 2022

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

Maybe sega will see the buzz and greenlight that JSRF HD remake they canned when the JSR HD remake didn't sell so well?

[Himu]

Maybe sega will see the buzz and greenlight that JSRF HD remake they canned when the JSR HD remake didn't sell so well?

Ahahahaha

Well Shenmue I and II were re-released so it's not impossible.

[remy]

Very JSRF. Very good

[bork]

[Himu]

[chronovore]

It's not them, I think, but the content seems to fit this thread:
http://twitter.com/EthanRedd/status/1480933827514183686

[bork]

https://twitter.com/ReptileGames/status/1684598406025498624

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[Himu]

Looking forward to it. Will it be physical?

[Bebpo]

The closer a clone is to the game it's cloning, the less interested I am since it feels like it's selling more on just being a clone than being its own good game.

But hopefully this turns out well. Eventually one day we'll have indie version followups to all our favorite old school series that got discontinued.

It just takes a while.

There were so many Wipeout clones and most were mid for years and it wasn't until BallisticNG that we actually got a true Wipeout successor. There's been a bunch of Final Fantasy Tactics clones lately of various quality, but maybe one of them will finally get there. There's been some RE/SH knock offs, and I'd argue Signalis was the first one that lived up to that era of survival horror.

Bomb Rush feels like the 2nd or 3rd JSR/JGR clone, maybe it'll be the one that gets there, who knows. It's definitely the highest budget one, but $$$ budget and graphics usually don't correlate at all to nailing the gameplay which is why all the nice gfx Wipeout clones kinda suck but the PS1 aesthetic one turned out the best. Sometimes it just takes years of clones until one hits the mark.

[GreatSageEqualOfHeaven]

The trailer has some bmx and skateboarding characters, so if its a JSRF-a-like but incorporating some dave mirras / tony hawksing trickstyles that a-okay with me

There's been a bunch of Final Fantasy Tactics clones lately of various quality, but maybe one of them will finally get there.

In case you missed it, Fell Seal is legit as fuck

[Bebpo]

There's been a bunch of Final Fantasy Tactics clones lately of various quality, but maybe one of them will finally get there.

In case you missed it, Fell Seal is legit as fuck

Yeah, I played a little of it. I just don't like the non-SD sprites and the camera is zoomed in too close even on the furthest zooming out. But it does seem pretty legit and I'll play it eventually.

Fae Tactics also seems pretty good from the few stages I tried. Less serious medieval like Fell Seal, but nails the SD look more.

[Himu]

The closer a clone is to the game it's cloning, the less interested I am since it feels like it's selling more on just being a clone than being its own good game.

But hopefully this turns out well. Eventually one day we'll have indie version followups to all our favorite old school series that got discontinued.

It just takes a while.

There were so many Wipeout clones and most were mid for years and it wasn't until BallisticNG that we actually got a true Wipeout successor. There's been a bunch of Final Fantasy Tactics clones lately of various quality, but maybe one of them will finally get there. There's been some RE/SH knock offs, and I'd argue Signalis was the first one that lived up to that era of survival horror.

Bomb Rush feels like the 2nd or 3rd JSR/JGR clone, maybe it'll be the one that gets there, who knows. It's definitely the highest budget one, but $$$ budget and graphics usually don't correlate at all to nailing the gameplay which is why all the nice gfx Wipeout clones kinda suck but the PS1 aesthetic one turned out the best. Sometimes it just takes years of clones until one hits the mark.

disagree heavily. This is the closest a game has gotten to tone and aesthetic to JSR since JSRF. Sometimes games that are clones end up usurping the original if the original devs/publisher doesn't give a crap about it anymore. See City Skylines versus Sim City for a perfect example. JSRF was 20 years ago. Who cares if it's a clone. How many JSR-like games are there really? It's a really silly thing to complain about imo.

[Bebpo]

I'm just saying that if you're whole selling point is being a clone, people are gonna buy your game for that and you don't actually have to be a good game. It's a crutch imo.

But sometimes you can pull off both.

[Himu]

I'm just saying that if you're whole selling point is being a clone, people are gonna buy your game for that and you don't actually have to be a good game. It's a crutch imo.

But sometimes you can pull off both.

You say clone, I say successor. I also disagree. Clones have to be good games, often they have to be better or they don't get recognized. See Daytona USA -> Ridge Racer or Virtua Cop -> Time Crisis, Virtua Fighter -> Tekken, or Dragon Quest -> Earthbound. Clone isn't inherently bad and some of the best games ever are clones that take a template and just improve some things and it's different enough that it stands on its own.

[Himu]

Anyways, I'm super excited for this.

I want to articulate a few things. I want this better than JSRF. I don't expect it to be better than JSR but being better than JSRF would be really good for me. I love JSRF  don't get me wrong but there's some serious flaws in it which put it decidedly beneath the original game.

JSRF has a few problems I'd like fixed in BRC:

1. All tags just take one can of paint to paint. In the original there's tension between painting a tag and being chased by enemies. You have to finish tags fast while being chased and it makes your palms sweat some times. JSRF is more cozy and lacks the tension of the original JSR. In JSR, an XL sized tag might require 12 cans of paint to tag so you always had to be prepared, know level layouts, have extra paint. JSR is a knowledge game and it's you and your knowledge versus time (of the level). In JSRF an XL tag is one can of paint.  They all use the same amount of paint regardless of size. Therefore a massive part of strategy goes out the window and JSRF is more boring to play and master than JSR.

2. Fights with enemies are isolated to small arena rooms. Combat in JSRF sucks.

I look at gameplay for Bombrush and I notice that unlike JSR it doesn't even have cans of paint. I see no counter so I have no idea how painting works. Looking at gameplay trailer there's a dramatic bigger emphasis on platforming and tricks rather than tagging than even JSRF. This could work to Bombrush's advantage. I have seen that like the original JSR tags are more complex. In JSRF it's just a simple tag button and you've tagged it but in JSR you have to use set motions for different sized tags to complete the tag. This adds to the tension.

In this gameplay demo video of Bombrush this guy has to complete some complex (relatively) thing to complete a tag. If there were enemies chasing him even without a paint counter it would be superior to JSRF if the level design is on par.





edit: Just noticed there's a bar that goes down as you do tags so you're timed for tags yesssss

Looking at the gameplay demo and it looks like the perfect blend of JSR and JSRF which is exactly what I want: JSR's strategy and tension with JSR's super fun trick system, platforming, and smooth controls.

[bork]

I'm just saying that if you're whole selling point is being a clone, people are gonna buy your game for that and you don't actually have to be a good game. It's a crutch imo.

But sometimes you can pull off both.

If that were the case, they would have shat this game out several years ago.  They're taking their time with it.  They also have already made a good game with Lethal League.

[bork]

[Bebpo]

I'm just saying that if you're whole selling point is being a clone, people are gonna buy your game for that and you don't actually have to be a good game. It's a crutch imo.

But sometimes you can pull off both.

If that were the case, they would have shat this game out several years ago.  They're taking their time with it.  They also have already made a good game with Lethal League.

Oh, I forgot they did Lethal League. Yeah, that was pretty good.

[bork]

I'm just saying that if you're whole selling point is being a clone, people are gonna buy your game for that and you don't actually have to be a good game. It's a crutch imo.

But sometimes you can pull off both.

If that were the case, they would have shat this game out several years ago.  They're taking their time with it.  They also have already made a good game with Lethal League.

Oh, I forgot they did Lethal League. Yeah, that was pretty good.

It also had an aesthetic that was pretty reminscent of JSRF too.  And a good music selection!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

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...Including JSR music alum Hideki Naganuma!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

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[Himu]

Looks great.

[Svejk]

Sooooo, is this ever going to come out? Wtf

Funny how much I played the shit outta JSR and JSRF and practically mastered them, yet I couldn't pull off one trick in THPS.  Man I sucked so bad in those games for some reason. 

[Himu]

Sooooo, is this ever going to come out? Wtf

Literally next month dude. 8-18. Check the release date switch trailer I posted.

[Svejk]

Forgot about that.  Got so much shit coming out soon, hard to keep up... 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Of course, now I'm broke as shit so I can't afford anything right now.    Gonna embrace some backlog for a bit. 

[close]

[bork]

https://twitter.com/ReptileGames/status/1691117476526899200

[bork]

It's up on the Japanese eShop- looks like we're looking at a $40-$50 price.

[Svejk]

So the PS/XB versions don't release till Sept 1st?
 

[bork]

So the PS/XB versions don't release till Sept 1st?
 

GET IT ON PC

[bork]

[Himu]

Today is release day. No Xbox until September is wack though.

[Svejk]

Read the switch version runs sub 30fps half the time.
Thought this should be an easy 60fps around the board, even on that handheld potato.

[Svejk]

Music I've heard so far slaps just right though.  Kinda weird they never put out review copies.  Guess those will come in throughout the next week.
There is a 60fps performance mode for PC, right?

[Himu]

Is the game 60fps on other platforms? If it's 30 across the board I'll get it on switch today. If it's 60 on other platforms I will wait for Xbox. Is the switch version stable?

[bork]

Is the game 60fps on other platforms? If it's 30 across the board I'll get it on switch today. If it's 60 on other platforms I will wait for Xbox. Is the switch version stable?

I got it on PC- it was 100+ fps when I tried it on the Ally on highest settings.

The game plays great btw.  So hyped to get back to it!