Game Info
Game Name: Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Developer(s): Naughty Dog
Publisher(s): Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s): PS2/PS3/PS4/Vita
Genre(s): Platformer/Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): December 3, 2004
ESRB Rating: E
Start collecting your Power Cells now!
Jak and Daxter have a nose for trouble. When they discover someone is trying to harvest Dark Eco, Jak stops the attempt, but Daxter is transformed into an ottsel when he is caught up in the dark matter. Now with the help of Samos, Jak and Daxter must seek out Gol Acheron who might be able to save Daxter…but someone is trying to unlock the power of Dark Eco, and Jak and Daxter might find themselves caught up in conspiracy.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was originally released for the PS2 in December of 2001. The game received positive reviews and has since been released for the PS3 as part of the Jak and Daxter Collection in 2012, PlayStation Vita in 2013, and PlayStation 4 in 2017.
I loved platformers growing up. Mario (of course) was the god of platformers so other game systems had to play a lot of catching up. PlayStation came on strong with the PS2 with the invention of Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, and Sly Cooper. Going back and playing Jak and Daxter (simpler than saying the full, clunky title) brings back nice memories, but also reminds me that the game is actually kind of generic.
Ah…racing. Be prepared to die…a lot
I finished Jak and Daxter the first time on PS2 but I find that playing it again that I barely remembered any of the end of the game. It is probably because like a lot of games, you start to zone out after a few levels. The mystique and newness of the game have left and finishing the game (or completetion) is what begins to drive you. The first few levels of Jak and Daxter are more fun than the last few levels and like many platformers, the frustration with the game grows.
The game was updated for the PS3, but it still could be taken further. It is a decent play (they drew on manga and Disney for inspiration). The worlds resemble something out of Kingdom Hearts with decent voice acting and cut-scenes considering when the game was made. It might lack some of the detail of a modern game, but it still remains strong.
The final boss..not that hard if the camera doesn’t kill you
The controls for Jak and Daxter are a little less inspiring than Sly and Ratchet & Clank. For the most part, they are smooth and easy, but a few of the jumping moves feel a little rough and can get frustrating (a big fear when you take on a platformer). Riding levels are always particularly challenging and that holds true for this entry of Jak and Daxter. There were also times where I suffered “camera death” where they direction of the camera switch, changing my running and leading me off a cliff (especially in the final battle), but considering how bad cameras can potentially be, Jak and Daxter still is stronger than most.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a nice start to a series. The series got darker after this entry and became more of a sandbox game, but this game shows a nice simple “beat the level” mentality combined with nice replay-ability due to multiple items to collect to reach perfection. Jax and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was followed by Jak II on the PS2 in 2003.
