OK, tried the PS3 version. It's 30 fps and it's stable.
So, at least it isn't some weird uneven framerate, but it's still disappointing they didn't go for 60. At least they ironed out the slowdown from the Dreamcast version as it seems to hold a consistent 30 at least.
The visuals DO look a lot nicer, though, with the higher resolution. The largest improvement actually stems from the fact that they are using proper AF (rare for a console game). The DC version had that ugly, aggressive bilinear filtering that was common on the platform. I always thought it really hurt the textures in JSR but no more!
Aside from the framerate I'm disappointed that the audio wasn't mixed better. It's the EXACT same audio from the Dreamcast version. Like most DC games it's slightly scratchy stereo with minimal separation. I typically use stereo for stereo sources but some games DO benefit from DPLII or other similar audio modes. Unfortunately, like most DC titles, enabling those modes simply directs all sound to the center channel. :\ Professor K yelling in stereo sounds bad to me and should be firing from the center while the music plays in stereo. I'm annoyed that they couldn't even properly mix the game in 5.1 (stereo music + surround SFX + center channel for voice at minimum).
The gameplay, however, is MUCH improved. Two things have really enhanced the experience: a right stick camera and disabling the auto-center on the L-trigger. Simply being able to freely look around while skating makes a HUGE difference in navigation while removing the constant re-centering while trying to spray kills the slightly glitchy, annoying camera traits in the original. It just feels so much more natural now. Furthermore, the PS3 analog stick decimates the Dreamcast stick and allows for much more precision while adjusting your character in mid-air. Graffiti motions are also much easier on the PS3 stick. This is the best reason to play it, honestly!
