$10 Bargain Bin: Jet Set Radio Future (Xbox)

In the future, advances in science will bring us an obnoxious amount of style. And rocket skates. In Jet Set Radio Future, you lead the rebellious youth of the Japan of tomorrow against the corporate-controlled state by applying rollerblading and graffiti to the cityscape. Following in the footsteps of Dreamcast-era Sega, JSFR was loved by critics, yet shunned by the public. But the game's failure is now your opportunity, as it can be found used for under $10 quite easily, thanks to an Xbox bundle sneaking it into many homes. The Xbox 360 emulation isn't quite pefect, despite patches; there is pretty heavy slowdown in the huge open areas, but the majority of the game plays just fine.

The player explores the town by rollerblading, looking for designated spots to tag. However, if you're doing all your zipping around on the street, you're doing it all wrong. The joy of getting around comes from grinding on the many rails found just about everywhere. The levels are set up so the player can make it from start to finish without touching the ground if they're clever enough, giving the game a rollercoaster feel.

The most effective aspect of JSFR is its unique and abundant style. Levels pop with brilliant color; billboards and neon are slathered everywhere. Each environment is given a very true identity -- a back alley is never just a way to get from point A to point B; it's filled with garbage, stray cats, hidden citizens, and untold stories. The soundtrack is a "love it or hate it" collection of madness, filled with lovelorn grocery cashiers Cibo Matto shouting about birthday cakes, and many, many samples repeated over and over until they're ingrained into your soul. And of course, the cel shading art style is used fittingly enough to make it more than just a graphical gimmick.

While this may sound like a case of style over content, I assure you the gameplay is very much there. Level design is varied enough to keep the concept of "go grind on a rail" fresh. Secret graffiti to add to your arsenal are sprinkled throughout, with even more to be unlocked by reaching certain level goals, giving completionists plenty to chew on. The game gives you the freedom to explore, with enemies and forced goals few and far between, letting you take your time and peek around every corner or perfect a line.