The Jak and Daxter Trilogy
Reviewed By Luke Watson
The Jak
and Daxter titles were labeled as
some of the best games on the Playstation 2. The Jak and Daxter
Collection includes Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001), Jak II
(2003) and Jak III (2004).
Sitting
in-between the iconic Crash
Bandicoot and the epic Uncharted series, you can immediately see that
Naughty Dog have been consistently on the cusp of video game
innovation. For many this will be a stroll down memory lane, for others
it will be a reminder of how far video games have progressed over the
past decade.
In the
first game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy we see Jak and his
confidant Daxter getting caught in an explosion on a forbidden island.
Daxter is thrown into a pool of Dark Eco and is transferred into an
Otsel. (A hybrid of an otter and a weasel.) The rest of the game sees
you trying to transform Daxter back to his original self whilst a
diabolical plot to destroy the world unfolds.
Jak I eases you into the series as a traditional and more lighthearted
platformer that doesn’t stray too far from games like Banjo-Kazooie and
Donkey Kong 64. Quests range from simply gathering items to longer form
platforming missions which were cutting edge at the time yet now feel
quite dated.
Jak II begins with the protagonists being
flung through a portal into
the dystopian Haven City. The two are separated on arrival with Jak
being captured by Praxis’ Krimson Guard. Jak is imprisoned and becomes
the subject of Dark Eco experiments.
When exposed to Dark Eco, Jak becomes a
seemingly mindless beast whose
strength is fueled by the Eco. After an arduous two years of
imprisonment he’s saved by Daxter. The two join a rebel movement in
Haven City which now acts as the game’s main hub.
Jak II
has a more open world feel and sees
Jak equipped with a variety of weaponry. The use of vehicles is also a
welcome addition. Jak now has a jet-board which allows him to hover
over water and grind on rails. Jak can also take advantage of more
powerful melee moves when transformed into “Dark Jak”.
Jak 3
opens with Jak and Daxter being banished from Haven City and hurled
into the harsh heat of the desert. The two are on the brink of
exhaustion and near death when Damas saves them and grants them refuge
within Spargus city. Jak III introduces a lot more vehicle missions
along with further weaponry and “Light Jak” which focuses on defensive
abilities. The progression between the three games is very apparent
with noticeable improvements being made throughout the series.
The HD conversion (Remastered in 1080p High Def) looks good for the
most part. Huge improvements over the original games can be seen for
Jak 2 and 3. However the original hasn’t aged too well. The textures
are flat and rigid compared to the second and third games. The
collection also includes 3D support which is a nice touch. The effects
aren’t overly impressive however as there is no 3D specific work.
There
are no new features or content with the games staying very true to the
original. This is actually in many ways a no frills HD collection. The
menu is also very basic with users having to reset the game in order to
return to the menu and change title.
It’s also worth noting that a number of Jak
and Daxter titles are
omitted from this collection such as Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier,
Jak X: Combat Racing and Daxter. The collection includes full trophy
support. There are over 100 to collect throughout the three games.
If you are a Jak and Daxter fan and want to
take a stroll down memory
lane, or haven’t played these games and feel like you have missed a big
part of video game history then this collection is for you. However, if
you are looking for something that feels cutting edge and new then look
elsewhere.
These were some of the best games of their
time, but they just don’t
stack up against the newer titles.
Rating:
70%
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Game: The Jak and
Daxter Trilogy
System: PS3
Developer/Co-Developer: Naughty
Dog / Mass Media
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
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