Jak 3
Sly's got brains, Ratchet has brawn and Jak 3 has looks to kill - but has the series recovered from its 'renegade' past? New videos included.
 | Version PS2 | Developer Naughty Dog | Publisher SCEE | Genre Platform |
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There's a saying that good things come in threes. Recent weeks have seen the release of two big name platform games published by Sony, first Sly 2: Band of Thieves and more recently Ratchet and Clank 3. Now it is time for developer Naughty Dog to slip in their series' three-quel to complete the triumvirate.
The first Jak and Daxter game was praised for its large and beautiful, seamlessly loaded environments, smooth controls and friendly design. Jak II however was considered by many to have been too different in feel from the original, its GTA-like game world not as readily enjoyable and the darker tone of guns and goatees a change too far.
Those that felt this way about Jak II will be disappointed to hear that Jak 3 also mimics the structure of the GTA games, although without a doubt it is handled much more successfully than in the previous game. The story begins with Jak and Daxter banished from the recently saved Haven City into the desert wastelands, effectively a death sentence. On the verge of dehydration they are rescued by the forgotten ones, inhabitants of the desert carving out a life in the city of Spargus.
It's not long before Jak has proven his worth and partakes in missions with much better pacing and variety than Jak II. Of particular interest are the new driving based missions. With no sign of hovercars (until a later comeback tour around Haven), Jak gets to trundle around the desert in some wonderfully weighty dune buggies.
Unlocking the larger, faster and more heavily armed vehicles comes with completing missions, and each is a joy to drive. The openness of the desert environment, with its mountains and lumpy dunes, is a freedom Jak II did not offer and is reminiscent of the Smuggler's Run games. In open desert, when attacked by nomad Metal Heads, it even occasionally feels like something from a Mad Max film.
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"There isn't so much a learning curve as a learning brick wall." |
The restart point issue in particular annoys the most, as this game can be quite difficult. There isn't so much a learning curve as a learning brick wall. Even the first training levels could cause a few problems for newcomers to the series; if you have never played a Jak game before you will die, a lot. Even if you're an alumnus of the previous games you will still die, a lot.
However the challenge itself is relished, especially considering both Sly 2 and Ratchet 3 weren't the most taxing of games, and the instant reloading after a failed attempt does minimise this frustration. Platform fans have been spoiled somewhat by the mistake erasing device of Prince of Persia, and as a result Jak 3 is not going to be to everyone's taste.
The one area in which Jak still trounces its Sony brethren is in the looks department. Jak 3 is an incredibly beautiful game at times with some stunning vistas. All character designs are top notch, animation is fluid and the environments are very detailed. Wanting to look around at the levels does highlight that the camera control is still not perfect. Whilst it is controllable with the right analogue stick, it does not always start you off with the best view of your surroundings.
It certainly isn't the worst camera ever and doesn't break the game, but is enough of a problem to be noticeable. It also dominates the Sony trio in terms of voice acting, with Joe Pesci-alike Daxter still having (and needing) enough personality for both himself and the one-dimensional Jak. Anyone that finds Daxter annoying though will not be persuaded otherwise, with a third game spent in his company.
Overall, Jak 3 recovers from the faltering step of its predecessor, but in doing so only really becomes what the second game should have been. The GTA structure is better implemented this time around providing a sturdier framework in which to spin its story. Indeed the story, the strong characters and attractive visuals do much to overcome the flaws. However as much as there is to like about this game, some people will not feel they do enough.
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| Video Coverage (Latest Videos & Video FAQ) | |||
| PLEASE DO NOT DIRECT LINK TO ANY MEDIA FILE ON KIKIZO | |||
| Description | Dur. | Size | Details |
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Jak 3 New - Direct feed: Story Intro 1 (640x480, 1.3Mbps, 60fps) |
4.53min | 47.0MB | WMV |
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Jak 3 New - Direct feed: Story Intro 2 (640x480, 1.3Mbps, 60fps) |
2.30min | 23.5MB | WMV |
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Jak 3 New direct feed trailer (640x480, 1.8Mbps, 60fps) |
2.16min | 29.5MB | WMV |
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Jak 3 Direct feed gameplay footage (640x480, 1Mbps) |
0.50m | 6.40 MB | WMV |
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Jak 3 Extensive SCEE E3 trailer (640x480, 1Mbps) |
2.47m | 21.24 MB | WMV |
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Jak 3 Lots of direct feed gameplay - the best footage around (640x480, 1Mbps) |
3.07m | 23.69 MB | WMV |
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Jak 3 Realtime story scenes - direct feed [320x240, 1Mbps] |
4.53min | 18.8MB | WMV |
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