Jet Force Gemini

Overall: C+
Violence: C
Sexual Content: B
Language: A-
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Rareware
ESRB rating: T

Jet Force Gemini is a shoot-'em-up game that pushes the limits of the Nintendo 64 to the edge. Featuring near-cinema quality animation and a widescreen mode for 16 by 9 ratio televisions, it hooks up to your surround sound system, so you can listen for slimy beasts sneaking up behind you. Utilizing sounds as more than just ambience brings an incredible realism and opens yet another frontier in the gaming experience.

Jet Force Gemini's "backstory" involves twins, Juno and Vela, and their dog-like robotic sidekick Lupus. After their "roaming space trader" parents were killed by "murderous pirates", Juno and Vela joined the Jet Force Gemini Squadran, to protect their part of the universe. Juno is described as a respected member of the squadron while Vela was accepted because of her determination and anger toward the situation. The twins are convinced they must take the law into their own hands when the tyrant Mizar decides to capture the peace-loving "Tribals" for slaves.

Freeing them involves shooting a lot of insect-like creatures who spray body fluids all over their surroundings when hit (the goopy mess and residual body parts disappear quickly). Though the instructions suggest caution when using artillery because some of the creatures encountered may be neutral, we found anything that crossed our path immediately shot at us (except for the Tribals we were supposed to rescue). Our only alternative was to seek weapons (there's a huge selection) and blast down anything that moved. Fortunately, we were able to save a few Tribals in order to redeem ourselves for the mess we left behind.

Our testers/players worked with this game for a couple of hours, but parents won't need to look past the packaging to notice the difference in attire between the childish male and female characters. Juno's armor-like outfit covers head to toe, while Vela's tight outfit concentrates its protection on her ample chest, leaving all of her legs exposed. (Do you think males design most of these games?) We did not play to the higher levels, but unofficial websites constructed by game fans who have, report a book object. Although the contents are not visible, a character's reaction suggest it's a pornographic magazine.

Jet Force Gemini's technology may be cutting edge, but the story is all too familiar. Shoot the bad guys, collect the tokens, and defeat the tyrant. Young audiences involved in combatant experiences where violence is the only available solution may consider the same approach to their own frustrations and problems.

Rod Gustafson

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