Jak 2

Reviewed by CL on 2/24/2006

If you’re hoping for more of the same fun that you found in Jak and Daxter: the Precursor’s Legacy, you’ll be in for some surprises with Jak 2. Jak 2 once again casts the duo of Jak and Daxter as the heroes of the adventure. You’ll accomplish your goals using the same platforming moves that were in the first game, but this is about where the similarities end. In Jak 2, the tone is completely different. Where the first game was light and upbeat, this game is dark and angry. Where you punched enemies to knock them out in the first game, in this game, you shoot them in the fact with shotguns and other weapons. One way that this game is described by many is that it has been “Grand-Theft-Auto-ized". You can even “jack" vehicles from people with a single button press.

This doesn’t mean that the game is bad. In fact, it is one of the most entertaining and challenging game of its period. The game’s entertainment comes from the fact that unlike the first game, in this game there is an entire huge city to explore and roam. Throughout the city, you can talk to its inhabitants and undertake many varied missions. The games challenge comes from the fact that some of these missions are notoriously difficult to the point of thrown controllers being normal events.

In this day and age where lots of games are trying to be edgy and dark, it’s kind of sad to see a fun series like Jak and Daxter try to jump on the bandwagon, but at least the end product is a game that is genuinely fun to play.