We've started making our way through a preview version of Jak II, Naughty Dog's sequel to Jak and Daxter. As mentioned in our previous coverage of the game, Jak II is shaping up to offer a decidedly different experience from its predecessor. The game features a more complex story that is matched by richer gameplay. After spending some time with the preview version, we have to say we're pleased by the promising direction in which the game is headed.

Jak II's story evolves throughout the game into something more complicated and twisted than you'd expect.

When last we saw the dynamic duo of Jak and Daxter, the pair had done all right for themselves by the end of their first outing as platform heroes. However, there were still a few unanswered questions about the mysterious precursors, an ancient race that had vanished but had left some technology and other artifacts behind. When Jak II picks up, we find the pair exactly where we left them at the end of Jak and Daxter. The precursor mystery deepens as the two wind up getting sucked into a warp that drops them into a strange future. Before Jak can absorb everything that's happened, he's knocked out and captured by mysterious red-clad soldiers who cart him off to prison. During the commotion it becomes clear that Daxter's devotion to his pal doesn't extend to joining him in the big house, and the tiny critter runs like the wind while vowing to save Jak.

Two years later we find Jak being experimented on by scientists in the employ of Baron Praxis, the mysterious figure who currently rules things in this bizarre future. The bleak situation is remedied by the appearance of Daxter, who apparently took the scenic route to fulfilling his vow of securing Jak's freedom. Once liberated, Jak begins his quest to return home. While getting back to his own time period obviously remains a big priority, getting revenge on Praxis soon looms large, driving the young action hero on toward his sinister goal. As you play the game and guide Jak as he meets up with a variety of new faces, the story will evolve into something much more complicated and a bit twisted.

Jak II's gameplay builds solidly on that of its predecessor.

The gameplay in Jak II builds on the solid core mechanics of its predecessor and manages to add a lot more to the experience without breaking it. One of the nice touches is the way you're eased into everything. When you start the game you'll have access to all of the abilities Jak had at the end of the first game. As you make your way out of the jail where Jak has been held and experimented on for the last two years, Daxter will remind you how to perform those core moves. Once you're out and about exploring the strange new city, your move list will gradually grow to encompass the ability to use a hoverboard as well as a multifunctional rifle. Probably the most striking new element in Jak's repertoire, although it's not a "move" per se, is his ability to use dark ico to morph into Dark Jak, a pale, buff killing machine that kicks all butt for brief periods of time. You'll also be able to make use of just about any vehicle you find floating in the air by "borrowing" it, Grand Theft Auto style. In addition to looking cool, you can get around quicker and get a better look at Naughty Dog's impressively designed city.