Jak and Daxter was a great, if not particularly original, platformer. It stood out for having no loading times at all, which was a very impressive trick. But that is nothing compared to the mecca of Haven City in Jak II. A sprawling, bustling urban landscape of people going about their lives filled to the brim with activity. It’s impressive and there are no loading times - you’re always in the game, though it is quite obvious that when a door slowly opens that the loading occurs. We were a bit worried that going ‘Grand Theft Auto’ would be disastrous but it all seems very natural, as if it belongs rather than being tacked on. At times it pushes the PS2 to its limit - often the screen splices into two due to the sheer amount of stuff that is going on - but never does it really detract from the gameplay itself. Jak II throws a whole slew of genres into the blender - racing, shooting, platforming, even a variant of Whack-a-Mole! - and it all comes out as a fine smooth blend. It’s very GTA in how you can ‘jak’ any vehicle, interact with your environment (it’s the fuzz! Leg it!) and the mission structure involves talking to various contacts in your bid to get revenge on the evil Baron Praxis. You now get armed with a gun to blast away your foes, which seems a bit more sensible than slamming your lard arse on their head or spinning a comedic ottsel around your torso (though you can still do that if you want). As I’ve already said, the best thing about all of this is how natural it feels. Probably a large part of this is due to the story of the game, which is crammed with more twists and turns than The Big One at Blackpool. It pretty much explains everything you want to know and keeps you intrigued - there’s nothing like conflict to make a good story. Another plus point for the game is how it is actually funny. Most games that enter stage left often get booed off, with jokes that make Jim Davidson look like Oscar Wilde. But Daxter’s humour is sparkling in both its content and delivery that will appeal to both children and adults. It’s not a major thing but it helps - and it doesn’t have to resort to fart jokes which we stopped finding funny when we were three. Jak II is one hell of a challenge - sometimes we wonder whether people who whinge that games are easy are taking the mick. Often the slightest mistake can put your mission in jeopardy and while it will result in swearing, joypad lobbing or both, it has that X-factor that makes you want to play more. To its credit, it never feels like a chore, unlike the rather laborious competition (Sphinx!). While the learning curve sometimes feels like a ninety degree ascent, you will get the knack of it sooner than you think. Only those with a fuse as short as Latvia’s chances of winning Euro 2004 will stop playing. The variety often stops it getting frustrating and the size of the city means you can often go off exploring, hunting for Precursor orbs to unlock extras and take part in side missions. Not everything clicks but most of it is still excellent. The hoverboard is surprisingly sluggish. much to the disappointment of Marty McFly. Dark Jak, as integral as he appears to be to the story, you will barely need to use, as despite his strength he is still vulnerable to attack. But the rest of it comes off really well and it makes for such a refreshing difference compared to formulaic, collect 100-coins and save the princess platformers. It would be a shame if you didn’t know Jak.
If you liked the first jak and daxter game, you'll absolutely love the smash hit sequel and positively the best in the series! The gameplay is bit similar with the different styles of attacks and movement to the first... Read Full Review
The success of The Precursor Legacy was huge back then, and one of the reasons why I got into platformer games in the first place. Its light-hearted story and quirky characters were very amusing to interact with, making ... Read Full Review
