Jak Series Review (PlayStation)

Naughty Dog has the influence and infrastructure to resurrect one of its oldest and arguably most beloved poster children from the ashes: Jak & Daxter. The thing is, the chances of it happening are slim to non-existent, mainly due to the fact that, between The Last of Us and Uncharted, the studio already has its hands firmly wrapped around two of the portliest cash cows known to mankind. Yet, that doesn’t alter the fact that we, the fans, still have an undying urge to venture back into its world and relive its turbulent escapades, from the golden shores of Precursor Legacy to the towering duplexes of Renegade. It’s wishful thinking at this point, let’s be honest. Still, it’s best to leave a light on for ND’s wayward son; where there’s a will, there’s a way, and Jak, being one for big surprises, might just sprout up from beneath the woodwork yet.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Jak & Daxter series, then one could only describe it as a “crowning achievement” for heyday platforming action-adventure games. In light of The Precursor Legacy, Naughty Dog developed something of an iconic duo that would, after numerous revisions and a whole lot of tailoring, become a standout force within the genre. Along came Renegade and two further instalments, and before long, Jak grew into its boots as a Jak-of-all-trades outfit with a huge amount to offer. It wasn’t just a standalone platforming game; it was an entire anthology in the making.

To tell you the truth, nobody knows why the Jak saga went from a wholesome platforming series to a third-person shooter with post-apocalyptic infusions. Call it a moment of spontaneity—a sudden change of heart in the aftermath of platforming monopolization, perhaps. The fact is, The Precursor Legacy and its subsequent chapters are two completely different things, which of course make my job a lot tougher. For the sake of filling in the blanks, though, we’ll give it our best shot.

On the one hand, you have The Precursor Legacy, a cute and somewhat giddy platforming game with a lot of joyful moments and vibrant landmarks. But on the other hand, you have Renegade, a rough-and-ready action-adventure game with an action-oriented angle and, weirdly, just a slither of bad language. The point is, Jak is something of a chameleon when it comes to squeezing into its own personal habitat; it’s a simple collect-a-thon, a bullet hell in a booming metropolis, and a high-octane post-apocalyptic racing exploit all in one multi-layered sandbox. It is, for lack of a better description, a wildcard that doesn’t always know what it is. And yet, it just works.

While there’s no telling why Naughty Dog made the decision to alter courses and venture into a bleaker setting, it is worth giving credit where it’s due and saying, for what it’s worth, at no point has Jak ever felt like a step in the wrong direction. Unorthodox, yet befitting its time and gradual ascension from a child-friendly platforming game to a slightly more mature adventure, the series has single-handedly proven that tones can change and still retain the core values of the original blueprint. Besides the blatant divide between The Precursor Legacy and Renegade—a debate that, frankly, doesn’t need to be investigated here, Jak has remained consistent with its engaging gameplay and original settings. If anything, it has advanced a great deal since its inception, with Renegade delivering a large open world, and its sequel boasting a multi-city sandbox with a ton of side activities and missions.

To say that Jak was ahead of its time might be a slight overstatement. Though, for the sake of giving credit where it is due, Naughty Dog did establish the foundation for a solid action-adventure series that could effectively sit on the same fence as the likes of Spyro and Ratchet & Clank without leaning into their respective pockets. It had the signature duo, the time-altering formula, the classic mechanics, and, above all, a world that felt original and organic. It might have taken a downward spiral to a darker aesthetic after the release of The Precursor Legacy, but at no point did it lose sight of that faithful soul and quality. No, it merely expanded its appeal and knuckled in on new ideas and settings, mechanics and characters.

Between the second and third installments you have two fantastic action-adventure games with a ton of heart and replay value. Alongside a compelling story and an excellent troupe of heroes and villains, you also have swaths of missions and races, platforming puzzles and action-driven combat sequences, as well as two very different open-world biomes with vast boroughs and temples, landmarks and secrets. Again, it’s a shame that a fourth chapter couldn’t elevate all of these components to create a worthy sequel, but then, a trilogy is better than nothing. Jak X is a whole other story, mind you — but that’s like comparing Crash Team Racing to the original Crash Bandicoot.

Verdict

Naughty Dog might have traveled vast distances since its Crash and Jak era, but that isn’t to say that it’s no longer capable of recognizing and, more importantly, celebrating its heritage as one of the most influential studios of all time. It’s a crying shame, really, that Jak & Daxter fell victim to the ol’ broomstick in the wake of Nathan Drake and the beloved Uncharted saga, but, thankfully, we still have a trove of memories of what is, when all’s said and done, a defining legacy for the PlayStation 2 era.

While the future looks rather glum for Naughty Dog’s wayward son, it is still considered an outstanding achievement in the mainstream media. Sadly, unless you have access to a PlayStation 2 or, if you’re lucky, an old copy of the remastered versions on PlayStation 3, then you probably won’t be able to rekindle the wick of nostalgia and soak up the original trilogy. Still, if you’re actively looking to relive your childhood, or better yet, immerse yourself in an old-school saga that paved the way for countless action-adventure series, then you ought to consider dipping into your pockets for a chance to experience it. Thank us later.