I cannot believe that it has already been two years since Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was released. I think that it is one of the best platforming games that is on the PlayStation 2. When Naughty Dog started developing Jak II they decided to combine a lot of things that are really popular in games today such as: a non linear mission scheme, a living breathing world, and throw in a lot of other gaming qualities for good measure. While most developers would have made a mess of putting this much gameplay variety in one game, I can say without a doubt that Naughty Dog has done this perfectly and their game reflects this! This is one of the best games of the year, and it is not to be missed!

At the end of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak and Daxter found a Precursor gate at the Dark Eco Silo where the final battle took place. Jak and his friends decided to take the gate to Samos the Sage house so they could see what it does. Once they got the gate activated a lot of bad things happened including splitting them up and sending them to an unknown city. As soon as Jak and Daxter landed, a mysterious man arrests them, but Daxter slipped away while Jak was thrown into the custody of Baron Praxis. While he was in there, the Baron performed numerous Dark Eco experiments upon him. Two years have passed since that day, and Daxter finally finds Jak and frees him. Now the sweet Jak has nothing on his mind but revenge for this atrocity that the Baron and his companions have done to him.

The game is laid out in a mission structure, which means as player’s process through the game, icons will appear on the map. Players must go to that destination where they will find someone waiting to send out on a mission. At any given time there will be more than one mission players can choose to do. This makes the game much more enjoyable as it gives players the decision to do a mission in the order they want.

There is a variety of vehicles that Jak can “borrow” from the citizens. There are a few differences between them: the smaller ones are faster and more agile but can be destroyed quicker, while the larger vehicles are slower but they can take more damage. If that wasn’t enough Jak even gets a skateboard, which he can do lots of tricks with, a la Tony Hawk. Last vehicle like thing Jak can get his hands on is the Titan Suit, think of a “Gundam”. This suit gives Jak the upper hand in battle; it can go through hazardous environments and even underwater.

Unlike the first game, Jak II gives players the option to use guns, instead of kicks and punches. There are four guns in the game: Scatter Gun (shotgun), Blaster Weapon (assault rifle), Vulcan Fury (machine gun), and Peace Maker (shoots powerful electricity). Unlike most games where players are given a lot of guns and such to seem “gimmicky”, Jak II actually has a purpose for each of these guns.

The world is one seamless level, which was introduced in the first game, and it is even better now. If you see something in the distance, you can get there without any loading times and that is great!

To make the game even better there are Metal Head Skull Gems and Precursor Orbs thrown out throughout each level. When players collect enough Metal Head Skull Gems they can be given to a mysterious teacher who will help players control the Dark power residing with in you, which means you are given power ups while in Dark Jak form. Precursor Orbs unlocks Secret options and features in the game. These two things help give the game an abundant replay value because players will want to find them all to see what special things Naughty Dog has in store for them.

Jak II is rated T for Teen, and it requires 1.2 MB on your memory card for saves. The game supports 4x3 to 16x9 Aspect Ratios as well as 480i Progressive Scan and Dolby Digital Pro Logic II.

Gameplay: 9.7
Jak II plays like a dream! It feels like the controller melds with your hands and you become one with it! The game is really that smooth for two main reasons: Jak responds to the slightest touch of a button and the frame rate is at a steady 60 fps and never drops.

A huge addition in Jak II is the ability to wield guns. While this may seem like a gimmick, this really adds a lot into the entire game, because there are a lot of tense situations where spin kicks won’t work. Turning into “Dark Jak” (think of the “Hulk”) has its advantages as well, besides looking really cool; he is very powerful and has the ability to take out a horde of enemies in no time. Even with all of the new gameplay features added into this game, it never makes the game boring or seem like it is just “too much.”

Graphics: 9.8
The world isn’t as bright as the first game and that is understandable considering the situation Jak is in. The use of colors really makes this game feel dark and depressing, that the people of Haven City are really under the rule of a tyrannical madman. Some of the missions, such as the ones in the sewer, really feel dirty and “icky” from the grunge on the pipes to the discolored water.

Jak and Daxter have a really high polygonal count and are textured really well. The animations of these two characters have been expanded since the first game. One of my favorite things to see is when Jak does a spin kick and Daxter flies out, grabs Jak’s hair and twirls around getting back on his shoulder.

You can tell from the minute that this game loads that you are going to be in for a special treat. There is a lot going on the screen at all times: the fully populated world of Haven City with people walking around, people driving around in cars above your heads, and many other things. What really makes this game special is the fact that this game has so much going on at any given time and it looks great while doing it while keeping the frame rate at a constant 60 FPS. To put it bluntly this game looks outstanding!

Sound: 9.6
Jak finally talks! One of the minor annoyances in the last game was the fact that Jak never talked, but this is understandable when you have a “talk-aholic” friend, Daxter. Once players hear his voice, they can tell that he has changed from the nice guy he was in the first game. His voice has a gritty “I want to kill the person who did this to me” tone, and it really fits well within the game. Even though Jak has his own dialog, Daxter still has his comic lines that help give the game some break in tension. I always look forward to hearing the next thing that Daxter says, as it not only gets Jak in trouble but it is funny as well.

The sound effects that are spread all thoughout the game are impressive to hear. All of the cars have their own distinct noises that they make when hitting things, and when they explode. The guns each have their own individual noises they make as well. The musical score found in this game fits its dark atmosphere. When players get into the heat of battle the music will also change to reflect it.

The best thing about this whole section is that it supports Dolby Digital Pro Logic II. If you have the hardware setup in your entertainment centers I highly suggest using it as it brings out the game that much more, and makes it more pleasant.

Difficulty: Medium
There are certain tasks that gamers have to do throughout the course of Jak II that can either be extremely difficult or easy depending on the players skill level. For instance, one of the more challenging levels is when Jak has to outrun a tank that is shooting at him, while jumping over laser targeting guns while avoiding jumping off the platform to your death. This was not the hardest thing in the world, but it really tests player’s patience and determination, but the rewards are worth the pain that you might go though.

Concept: 9.3
Haven City is truly alive with lots of things to keep gamers occupied. Naughty Dog did an excellent job with their latest game, taking cars, adding weapons, and other things scattered throughout the entire game.

Overall: 9.7
Jak II is one of the best games I have played this year! There is so much to do in the city that it is outstanding. At times players will forget about the various missions and play the side quests and just goof off in the city. This is a great game and a welcome addition to the PlayStation 2 library! The only disappointing thing is when the game ends, and I know it will be a while before we see anything from the creative minds at Naughty Dog. They did a magnificent job on this game and they deserve a round of applause!