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A Celebration of the Jak and Daxter Series
Long before Californian developers Naughty Dog broke new ground with modern classics The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2, they brought gamers a distinctly unique series that has gone on to become a cult classic and a fond memory for a certain generation of PlayStation fans. Unlike The Last of Us’ grittily realistic post-apocalyptic world and cinematic storyline that rivals the best movies, movies like Wolf of Wall Street, in the 2000s Naughty Dog were bringing us a colorful fantasy world that was—almost —pure escapism.
That series was the Jak and Daxter —or just Jak —series. Blending platforming with puzzles and action, free-roaming with innovative-level design, and light with dark, this series was one of the most highly praised on Sony’s classic PlayStation 2 console, and for a certain generation was the bridge between child-like titles and more adult gaming. Jak and Daxter was the perfect game for the time—pulling off the awkward adolescent stage of the video game art form with style and fun.
Here is a review of the journey of the Jax and Daxter series.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001)
The first entry in the series was not a million miles away from the Crash Bandicoot franchise, which cemented Naughty Dog’s place as one of the most essential and creative development studios in the game. Like the Crash Bandicoot games, The Precursor Legacy combined a bold, cartoonish visual style with smooth, addictive platform-based gameplay. However, The Precursor Legacy introduced a vibrant world that could be roamed mostly at the player’s own leisure. The real genius of this title was the level design, which featured puzzles that are memorable to this day.
Jak II (2003)
Although the sequel dropped Jak’s sidekick Daxter from the title for reasons unknown, it hugely expanded the game world, focusing heavily on the dystopian Haven City, which could be explored by a range of vehicles. The introduction of a variety of guns and weapons, and a darker storyline, took this title closer to Grand Theft Auto than Crash Bandicoot! Not only did Jak II pull off this unexpected transition seamlessly, but it also managed to keep all the platforming fun of its predecessor. Jak II is considered by fans and critics alike to be not just the high point of the series, but of the PlayStation 2 platform, and even that entire era of gaming as a whole!
Jak 3 (2003)
The final act in the trilogy kept its predecessors’ balance of cartoonish and gritty tone, expanded the mythology of the game world, and introduced an extremely addictive desert-based driving aspect. A fine end to the series, Jak 3 boasted stunning graphics and world design, balancing the colorful steampunk fantasy of the first game with the darker urban dystopia of its sequel.
Spin-offs
The Jak and Daxter series spawned a variety of spin-offs. 2005’s Jak X: Combat Racing continued the storyline, yet focused solely on racing. While a very good racing game, using such a vibrant world just for vehicle-based gameplay seemed a missed opportunity. PlayStation Portable (PSP) exclusives Daxter (2006) and Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier (2009) were also perfectly enjoyable titles but lacked the charm and ingenuity of the classic trilogy.
What Next?
With the market increasingly being dominated by more mature, realistic titles including The Last of Us on one side, and the newest bingo sites and casual gaming on the other, the Jak and Daxter series seems to represent a lost era of gaming.
Although new franchises have been developed, the Jak and Daxter games continue to have a cult following. Will the duo ever return to consoles? Stranger occurrences have happened.Posting comments is disabled for guests. Login or sign up to leave a comment.
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