The game features a darker tone and puts higher emphasis on combat than its predecessor; new weapons, devices and playable areas are available. The player takes on the dual role of protagonists Jak and Daxter.
Jak II received critical acclaim upon release. Critics applauded the game for being very polished in nearly every department, with many agreeing it was one of the best PlayStation 2 games released at the time. Some criticism, however, was directed at the checkpoint systems, darker tone, and high difficulty.
Gameplay
Jak II is an open world3D platformer with elements of action-adventure.[1] The player controls Jak, who must navigate the dystopian Haven City on a quest for vengeance against the tyrannical Baron Praxis, who subjected Jak to torturous experiments for two years.[2] The game's world is seamless, allowing free exploration across interconnected areas.[3]
Jak's basic actions include running, jumping, double-jumping, crouching, and a rolling jump to reach distant platforms. Jak's combat moves include a spin attack, a dash-punch, a dive attack, and an uppercut.[4][5] Jak's melee skills are complemented by the Morph-Gun, a firearm that can be upgraded and modified for different firepower capabilities.[6] Jak has unlimited lives; when his health is depleted, he respawns in the beginning of the last section of the area he was located in.[7][8] A quarter of Jak's health can be replenished by collecting Health Packs.[9]
The Jet-Board enables faster travel and a variety of tricks. Carjacking Zoomers (hovering cars) of varying speed and durability also provides transportation around Haven City, and is sometimes required to complete an objective.[10] Due to Praxis' experiments, Jak can absorb a substance known as Dark Eco in small concentrated amounts;[9] the amount of collected Dark Eco is indicated by a meter circling a picture of Jak on the lower-left corner of the screen.[7] When the meter is full, Jak can transform into Dark Jak, a powerful form capable of massive melee abilities than can clear out multiple enemies.[10] New abilities for Dark Jak can be obtained by exchanging Metal Head Skull Gems (gemstones collected from enemies known as Metal Heads) with a mysterious teacher.[3][9]
The game features a mission-based structure in which the player can choose tasks non-linearly.[11] Missions are diverse, encompassing platforming, racing, mech suit operations, and protection tasks.[12][13] Precursor Orbs, which unlock special options and features, can be found hidden within the game's environments or earned by completing certain tasks.[3][9][14]
Plot
In Sandover Village, Jak, Daxter, Keira and Samos activate the mysterious Precursor Ring recovered from Gol's citadel[b] using a vehicle known as a Rift Rider. This triggers the emergence of monstrous creatures, including a massive beast, forcing the group to flee through the Ring. The Rift Rider explodes, separating Jak and Daxter from Keira and Samos, and they crash-land in Haven City, a dystopian future ruled by the tyrannical Baron Praxis. Jak is captured by the Krimson Guards and subjected to brutal Dark Eco experiments for two years, transforming him into a vengeful figure capable of becoming Dark Jak. Daxter, after evading capture, infiltrates the fortress to rescue Jak, who breaks free using his new powers.
In Haven City, Jak and Daxter encounter Kor, an old man with a mysterious green-haired boy, who informs them of Praxis' oppressive rule and directs them to the Underground, a resistance group commanded by Torn and led by a younger version of Samos. To prove their loyalty, Torn tasks them with missions like stealing the Baron's banner from Dead Town (the ruins of Sandover Village) and restoring water to the slums. During these missions, they discover Krimson Guards supplying Dark Eco to Metal Heads, the creatures that attacked Sandover Village. Jak's hatred for Praxis fuels his determination to undermine him.
Through Torn, the duo meets Krew, a shady saloon owner who supplies the Underground with weapons and hires the two for tasks like retrieving artifacts and eliminating Metal Heads. Krew reveals Praxis' arrangement with the Metal Heads, exchanging Eco for controlled attacks to justify his regime. Jak and Daxter also meet Ashelin, Praxis' daughter and a conflicted Krimson Guard member, who is investigating her father's search for the tomb of Haven City's legendary founder Mar. The tomb holds the Precursor Stone, a powerful artifact that Mar hid from the Metal Heads, the ancient enemy and destroyer of the Precursor civilization. Praxis seeks the Stone to solidify his power, while the Metal Heads, led by their Leader (the large creature that emerged from the Ring), aim to consume its energy. Meanwhile, Jak reconnects with Keira, now a mechanic and racer, who is building a new Rift Rider to return them to their time.
To locate Mar's tomb, Jak and Daxter work with the blind soothsayer Onin, who tasks them with recovering artifacts that lead to its location. Within the tomb, Jak passes its tests of manhood, but Praxis, having followed him, makes off with the Precursor Stone. Ashelin informs him that Praxis and Krew are meeting at a weapons factory, where they are preparing to use a Piercer Bomb to crack the Precursor Stone open. Jak and Daxter defeat the treacherous Krew and recover the Heart of Mar gemstone, a key component for Keira's Rift Rider, before leaving Krew to be caught in the Piercer Bomb's explosion. The city falls under siege as Kor reveals himself as the Metal Head Leader, having manipulated events to access the Stone. At a construction site, Praxis — mortally injured by the Metal Head Leader — reveals a second Piercer Bomb with the Precursor Stone attached, and Daxter disarms the bomb to secure the Stone.
In the final confrontation at the Metal Head nest, the Leader reveals that the boy is Jak's younger self and that the Stone houses a Precursor entity that only young Jak can release. After Jak defeats the Metal Head Leader, young Jak releases the Precursor entity, which declares the Precursors' war against the Metal Heads over and tells Jak that his Dark Eco corruption has been balanced with light. Young Jak and young Samos are sent back to the past to fulfill their destinies, while the Precursor Ring is destroyed. Ashelin becomes Haven City's governor, and Torn leads the reformed Krimson Guards. Daxter rebrands Krew's saloon as the Naughty Ottsel, where the group celebrates their victory. Jak reflects on his younger self, and Samos hints at future adventures involving Mar.
Development and release
Jak II began development in 2001, as soon as the original shipped.[15][16] Director Jason Rubin confirmed the sequel's existence during a roundtable discussion at D.I.C.E. 2003.[17]Sony Computer Entertainment then officially announced Jak II on March 18, 2003.[18] The game took two years to make, with 52 people, 140 voice actors, two musicians, and three sound engineers, plus Sony's internal staff,[19] with a budget of $15 million.[20]
Noting the success of mature titles such as Grand Theft Auto III and the lower sales of The Precursor Legacy compared to Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot games, Rubin decided that the sequel should react to the market, as their demographic grew older and younger players preferred adult games.[16][21][22] Thus, Naughty Dog gave the game a darker tone and a plot about Jak seeking vengeance, and increased the difficulty in response to complaints of the first game being too easy.[23][22] The addition of the hoverboard was inspired by Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.[22] Naughty Dog wanted to emphasize storytelling even more than the first game while still integrating it into the gameplay, so they made much of the collecting optional and eschewed full-motion videos in favor of in-engine cutscenes.[16][23] Unlike its predecessor, which uses the same character models for gameplay and cutscenes, Jak II uses unique high-resolution models for its cutscenes, done in response to early screenshots of Kingdom Hearts.[24]
The voice-acting was jointly recorded in the Los Angeles-based Pop Sound and the New York City-based Howard Schwartz Recording.[25]
The gameplay was celebrated for its ambitious blend of diverse mechanics, expanding beyond traditional platforming to incorporate elements inspired by Grand Theft Auto, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and other genres.[c] Reviewers praised the game's non-linear mission-based structure for enhancing replayability and engagement.[d] The range of missions was described as a dynamic experience that keeps players engaged.[e] The addition of guns was welcomed for adding depth to combat and seamlessly integrating with Jak's traditional melee moves.[f] The Jet-Board was appreciated for its functionality, though some noted its controls lack the precision of dedicated skateboarding games.[3][12][27][28] Navigating Haven City's crowded streets was a common pain point, with sluggish vehicle handling and repetitive travel between missions detracting from the open-world experience.[g]
Steven Petite and Jon Bitner of Digital Trends consider Jak II to be the best in the series and one of the PlayStation 2's best platformers.[38]Kotaku's Luke Plunkett called Jak II one of the best PlayStation 2 games, highlighting the game's scale and characters.[39]
Criticisms were given to Jak II's shortage of mission checkpoints and overall difficulty. As Naughty Dog developer Josh Scherr once admitted: "One thing that everybody can agree on though, is that the game is just way too fucking hard."[40]IGN named Jak II the #8 hardest PlayStation 2 game, citing its combat, platforming, city navigation, and instant death scenarios.[41]Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine remarked: "It isn't proper to expect us to be perfect in order to make up for your game's many imbalances… Life might not be fair, but I certainly expect my games to be."[32] However, some saw the challenge as a positive, such as Adam Pavlacka of PlayStation Magazine, who said: "I appreciate a good challenge in today's games, and JAK II offers it."[8]
Jak II was added to Sony's Greatest Hits lineup on September 8, 2004, signifying at least 400,000 copies sold in its first 11 months.[45]Jak II received a "Platinum Prize" in Japan for sales of over one million units.[15] Worldwide, the game sold more than 1.6 million units by April 2004.[46]
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