It’s impossible to look at Denshattack and not be reminded of one of the most underrated and underappreciated gems of the ’90s, Sega’s Jet Set Radio. That game revolutionized cel shaded visuals and stood as one of the defining titles of the extreme sports craze that dominated the late ’90s and early 2000s, even if Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater ended up getting most of the credit. So what happens when you take the style, attitude, and visual flair of Jet Set Radio, then build a completely bonkers game about leaping across moving train wagons? Better yet, what if you set the whole thing in a post apocalyptic Japan? You end up with something unlike anything else out there: Denshattack.

For a post-apocalyptic setting, Japan’s railroad network is still shockingly competent and well-developed.

Denshattack is set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, where almost everyone lives in self-sustained domes… though the entirety of its levels are played in ruined (though beautiful) recreations of other towns in the country, all still being somewhat well-populated. For reasons beyond my comprehension, transportation is limited to trains. Train conductors are basically this game’s version of Death Stranding‘s porters. That being said, despite a premise, this just feels like an overall sugarcoating that felt unnecessary to the setting. All you need to know is that you are a former ramen delivery girl, you own a train, and you decide to partake in the Denshattack Tournament, because a guy told you so.

Despite its extreme sport sources of inspiration being somewhat open-ended, you can’t do that same with a game where you literally play as a train wagon. You gotta stick to railroad tracks, even though you can (and will constantly) hop between them by jumping and then performing a flip. Don’t ask. There is a set beginning and end to a level; it’s up to you to read the objective list, do whatever you’re told to, and ensure you reach the final goal as quickly as possible. That doesn’t mean that you will just stay on tracks passively. You might be a train, but you tend to constantly get off the tracks due to the insane speed you are waltzing through.

Perform tricks to improve your score. Improve your score to earn a shinier medal.

It almost turns this into, at least partially, a rhythm game. When there’s a slight curve, you gotta brake accordingly, and attempt for a drift boost. When there’s an obstacle, you gotta either hop onto a parallel track, or jump over. If there’s another obstacle when you’re in the air, you gotta press another button combination in order to halt your air time and just stomp the ground as quickly as possible. While you’re doing all of that crap, you gotta think of finding literal time and space for you to perform additional jumps and air tricks, a-la Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Sure, tricks are merely performed with different flicks of the right analog stick, but they follow the same premise. And are usually named just like skate tricks.

Your train can jump. Somehow. You’ll do it a lot. You kinda have to.

It is a bit overwhelming at times. There’s a lot to do and think of at any given time, with very little margin for a mistake, and with everything just being blasted onscreen at blinding speeds. Denshattack does feel like an assault to the senses at times, but thankfully, it does so by being fun and visually impressive. A bit frustrating at times, no doubt about it, but it still manages to be fun.

I have to say that I appreciated the fact I played the game on a Switch 2, as its level-based structure allowed me to better enjoy it in small chunks at a time. I would play the game for, say, two or three levels at a time, grab some collectibles, retry a level once or twice to improve my score, and turn it off before I’d get bothered (and/or bored) with it. For as unique and absurdist that Denshattack is, its gameplay loop would get a bit repetitive after a while, even though most of its levels would always feature a set piece or visual spectacle to distract me from some of its shortcomings.

Just when Denshattack starts feeling a bit too derivative, it knows how to pull you back with a visually impressive setpiece.

All in all, Denshattack is a wacky, over the top experience that demands your full attention and offers plenty of replay value. I will say, though, that for as absurd and fast paced as it is (and believe me, I love my games when they’re completely ridiculous), it throws a few too many mechanics and reflex checks at you all at once, all while expecting you to squeeze in trick combos during a run. It can be a bit overwhelming and frustrating at times, but the game is just so damn charming that it’s somewhat easy to overlook most of its flaws.

Denshattack is available now on PS5, Xbox Series S/X, PC and Switch 2.

Reviewed on Switch 2.

A copy of Denshattack was provided by the publisher.