8.1 out of 10

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If you own a Nintendo 64, chances are you've heard of Jet Force Gemini. The game, more than two years in the making, is a 3D third-person action-shooter developed by British software house Rare, a company that is undeniably one of Nintendo 64's best contributors. Created by Rare's Blast Corps team, Jet Force Gemini follows the quest of intergalactic policing agents Juno, Vela and Lupus the Dog, as they battle to restore peace to the universe. The original shooter is absolutely epic, incorporating huge, stretching worlds, a seemingly endless amount of enemies and a virtual scroll of tasks that need to be accomplished. As if this weren't enough, the title also features a two-player cooperative mode of sorts, a four-player battle mode and enough secrets to enhance replay value through next year. Jet Force Gemini is easily one of Rare's most ambitious endeavors to date.

Too ambitious, perhaps, for its own.

Rare aficionados may be discouraged to learn that Jet Force Gemini has more than a few dents in its shiny armor. The game's visuals, while grand, are often hampered by an irritating framerate that jerks and hitches at every turn and wide-open area. Meanwhile, game design issues that serve to extend replay value also double as a tedious annoyance. Additionally, control mechanics feel clumsy at times, often transforming what should be a relatively simple task into a lesson in frustration.

If you're expecting a perfect game, you're in for a disappointment. With that said, Jet Force Gemini still comes highly recommended. Considering all of the aforementioned shortcomings you might be wondering how this can be. Simple, really. It's a matter of the good outweighing the bad, and this is exactly the case with Rare's unique shooter.

The Facts


•Third-person 3D action-shooter.
•Epic quest promising 30+ hours of gameplay for first-time explorers.
•Play as multiple different characters throughout the adventure.
•15 gargantuan worlds to explore with multiple sub-levels each.
•Two-player cooperative mode.
•Four-player battle mode.
•Multiple seemingly indestructible bosses.
•More than 15 available weapons and items.
•Real-time cut-scenes highlight the action.
•Cute style combined with grotesque death animations and bloody leftovers.
•Dolby Surround Sound enhanced.
•Wide-screen mode available.
•Save games to cartridge (multiple save slots available).
•Rumble Pak support. (Note: Despite what the box indicates, JFG does not support the 4MB Expansion Pak.)


[INFO PROVIDED BY IGN64.COM or wherever you got it from xD]

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Internet Reviews:

Having played through every inch of Jet Force Gemini, I can honestly say that I enjoyed the experience very much. I never thought I'd complain that a game is too big, but this is exactly the case for Rare's 3D action-shooter. The developer has created huge levels that stretch forever, implemented an epic quest that also stretches forever, and topped it all off by forcing players to rescue every Tribal in the game -- a task that is far too tedious to truly be enjoyed. The graphics are beautiful and wonderfully stylized, but it seems Rare has tried to push the Nintendo 64 too far and as a result the title has suffered. A smooth framerate is something Jet Force Gemini simply does not possess, which is really a shame considering how much better the title might have played with one. And while the two-player cooperative quest is definitely worth checking out, the four-player deathmatch mode is too slow and too clunky to bother with.
With everything said and done, though, this is still one of Nintendo 64's most original games and it has much more good going for it than it does bad. Never-ending action, tons of enemies, loads of worlds to explore and Rare's unique brand of humor work to make this a good title that could have been a classic with a little more polish.
~IGN64.COM

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