Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
By: Eric Mortensen

System: PS2
Genre: Platformer
Developer: Naughty Dog Software
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Release Date: 12/4/2001
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Curve: 10 minutes
 
 

Pros	Cons
Funny, good voice acting, good variety of missions, great graphics for it's time, no load times, good controls	Length, TOO easy

Fun: 20 out of 20

Jak and Daxter is a really fun game. The missions are all fun and are very diversified. The gameplay never takes a step back. The controls are good. This game has great platforming action. If you like platformers you will have great fun. If you don't like platformers you will probably not have fun.

Story: 8.5 out of 10

The story is good for most of the time. It is a generic tale of saving the world. Your other goal is to turn Daxter back after his accident. There is a slim chance you will remember the story long after you have beaten it.

Innovation: 10 out of 10

As a launch title for the PS2 this game was very innovative. It was the first great platformer for the newest generation of games. It influenced other platforming games like the Ratchet and Clank series. The gameplay was different then most games of its time. It didn't totally redefine the genre but it pushed it in the right direction.

Control: 9.5 out of 10

The controls for Jak and Daxter are almost perfect for a platforming game. I had no trouble with the jumping controls. The only problem I encountered was with the camera. The camera did not always show you everything you need to see. You usually can manipulate the camera to see where you are going. A few jumps in the game you will have to make blindly. Besides the camera there are no control issues.

Graphics: 10 out of 10

The graphics of Jak and Daxter were amazing for it's time. The graphics are not the best anymore but seeing that the game was released several years ago it still does pretty good. The worlds are nicely detailed. The characters and worlds are cartoony and for a younger audience.

Sound: 9.5 out of 10

The sound in Jak and Daxter in very well done. The music fits the action well and sounds great. The music is not very memorable though. The voice acting shines the most. The voices of all the main characters are done very well. Daxter is by far the best though. The voice actor fits perfectly and is totally hilarious.

Replay Value: 6 out of 10

Jak and Daxter is a very short game. It lasts around 10 hours. It is a blast while it lasts. There is also no real reason to replay the game. The game doesn't change if you play it twice and the story doesn't change. The game is fun but I wouldn't play it twice.

Challenge: 5 out of 10

The biggest downfall of this game is it's difficulty. It is way too easy to finish this game. It barely gives you a challenge at all. If you have played other platforming games this game will give you no challenge at all. This game is perfect for people that have never played a platformer before or a person that is just begining to play games. You will never get fustrated by this game which is a good thing. I just wished it would put up a little more challenge.

Multiplayer: No Multiplayer Available

Tilt: 10 out of 10

This game is great in almost every way. Besides challenge and replay value the game is almost perfect. It also adds a lot of humor to the game. Daxter is hilarius most of the time.

Overall: 88.5 out of 100    88.5%     Very Good Game

This game is very good but has two major flaws. First the game is not very long. Second the game is not very challenging at all. I would recommend this game to people who enjoy platforming and are not expecting a big challenge. This game is perfect for children of people who have not played many video games. If you do not like platformers this game will probably not change your mind. Now that this game is a greatest hit you can pick it up for the cheap price of $20.

Links
Gamespy Review
IGN Review
Gamespot Review
Game Rankings
Official Site