Jak X: Combat Racing Preview

Ah, the good old days of Jak and Daxter games, when you had to take part in a lot of adventures in order to finish the game. It seems as long as there have been Jak games, racing has been part of the scenario.

Naughty Dog is taking that one step further. Jak X is all about the racing, and it is about racing online against a host of other players. After all, this is Jak X: Combat Racing, and that means SCEA is availing use of servers for some rip-roaring free-wheelin’ smackdown. And yes, voice is supported so you can even talk the trash while you are racing.

The beta came with several ways to play – quick play, create or find a game, a game room, a buddies’ list, clans, stats, and a garage. You can also change your password and run through some screen options, if you so desire. Four race styles were available – circuit race, death race, deathmatch, and artifact race. There were only a total of four courses available; for the straight-out races, you had Kras City and the Forbidden Jungle, while the battles took place on the clifftop battlegrounds or the dirt stadiums.

There are 10 avatars to choose from and approximately five starting vehicles.

Pick an avatar, pick a race and course and head off for a whole lot of fun. And that is what this game is. This is not rocket science, no deep involved puzzles that must be solved – this is arcade-style racking with solid audio and terrific three-dimensional graphical elements.

You can squeeze up to six players into a race, and it is just a matter of finding a race or picking your own. It really is quite simple to not only hook up online (broadband needed), but to race. Of course, if you are idle for too long, the server will disconnect you.

There are powerups you can collect along the way, both for speed boosts, weapons or health. You race, target a foe – if you have the weapons loaded – and take out the leaders. You can also drop bombs if you are the leader to discourage anyone from getting too close.

The courses ran from tight turns through winding streets and paths to wide-open arenas. You will need to use the brake, and then hit the acceleration booster to blast out of the corners. The controls on a PS2 gamepad are very straightforward and intuitive.

What really makes this game shine are the graphics. Rich, and lushly colorful, this game is a treat for the eyes, and the graphics fairly scream fun.

Jak X: Combat Racing is a delightful online racing exercise that will treat fans of the Jak and Daxter series as well as those looking for some challenging online racing fun.