Author: Master_Ikrik
Type: PS2 Game
Released: 2001
Designer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Adventure game
The begining of the epic Jak trilogy, and it probably couldn't start with a better beginning. It's obvious that when Naughty Dog made this game they were targeting a young audience: hence, bright colours, quirky humor and a game that is not too short nor too challenging. You play as Jak (obviously); in the intro video, you go to a not-so-friendly island with your best friend Daxter, who falls into Dark Eco (we'll talk about eco later) and gets turned into an Ottsel (don't ask). So you consult your guardian, the Green Sage, who says that you must seek the mysterious sage Gol, who can change Daxter back. From then on, it's up to you to find Gol, and he doesn't seem to want to be found.
Most elements of this game are very enjoyable, but a few get rather annoying. The landscapes are dynamic and the enemies are creative, but you can only take three hits (four if you've gotten "charged up" - see below) and only three different attacks. The three-health issue is probably the worst thing about this game (which doesn't really say a lot, Naughty Dog did a great job). Naughty Dog is responsible for the entire Crash Bandicoot series so they have a lot of good gaming experience.
I mentioned Eco earlier. In the world of Jak & Daxter, Eco is a quasi-magical substance that pretty much acts as the fuel of the world. The first Eco you encounter is Dark Eco, but you can't use this. In fact, if you touch it or fall into it, you die. Now, of course, Daxter doesn't, but in order to NOT get the game too cluttered up with that kind of thing, you just die. The first Eco you can USE is Green, which heals you. You need fifty small units or one big unit of Green Eco to refill one unit of your health bar; if you have 50 Green Eco charges, but are at full health, then you in effect have another health unit. Blue Eco makes you move faster, and allows you to operate Precursor machinery; Red Eco doubles your attack strength; and Yellow Eco allows you to launch fireballs from your hands. The final Eco is White Eco, but I won't go into that...
You have to collect "Power Cells" so you can advance zones to get to this mysterious Gol. To get power cells, you do small quests or trade Precurser Orbs for them (Precurser meaning before; Precursor Orbs are the currency of the game). Another thing: if you're trying to get a power cell and you get stuck, you can probably forget about it, as there are more than 100 power cells and you only need 72 of them... unless you want the secret at the end.
One of the coolest things about this game is that when you die, Daxter stands over you and says things... though don't take this as an excuse to die over and over again just so you can see them all (Trust me, I did it, and it was worth it). The last boss isn't very hard, which is a good thing because I find, with a lot of games, the last boss is unfair and just doesn't compliment the game.
The graphics of Jak & Daxter are fully 3-D, with almost everything being fully modelled; they are a bit corny, and some things aren't that smooth, but still good. The engine of Jak prevents you from sidescrolling the camera THROUGH walls, which is really good for gameplay.
Effects: 10/10An awesome effort, the noises are spot on and everything is in place. The visual effects of Eco, while kinda corny, are perfect for the gameplay.
Gameplay: 9/10The controls of the game are responsive and well thought out: you probably won't suffer too many stupid deaths, which is a big problem in most action/adventure games. The levels are diverse, and you don't find yourself doing the same thing over and over again.
Replayability: 9/10The game's various elements combine in a way that you can play the game again and again and again. A Grade-A effort.
Overall: 9/10Jak & Daxter is extremely good. The length is a bit short but it's still a truly awesome game. If you like adventure games of any sort, you will like Jak & Daxter.