The success of The Precursor Legacy was huge back then, and one of the reasons why I got into platformer games in the first place. Its light-hearted story and quirky characters were very amusing to interact with, making the game outstanding in its own right. Jak II really 'grows up' from its predecessor, containing a much darker, mature setting. A small number of fans might not like the transition, but the story can still be appreciative to many, and it's definitely appealing to a much older crowd of gamers. Despite the sudden change, this game is still as entertaining as the first, maybe even more.
Jak II begins where The Precursor Legacy left off, when they find a mysterious Precursor artifact at the end of the game. After it is activated, mysterious monsters pop out of the artifact's portal and invade their world. They also realize it is a time machine, transporting them forward into the future, into the desolate place called Haven City. Shortly after, Jak is captured by the Krimzon Guard and Daxter escapes, vowing to bust him out. For two years, the Haven City dictator, Baron Praxis has been torturing and injecting high amounts of dark eco into Jak. He is reunited with Daxter and they both escape the prison. Afterwards the duo encounters the Underground, a rebel faction fighting against the Baron's tyrannical rule. Jak takes this opportunity to fight alongside the resistance and take revenge on the Baron, for the horrible experiments inflicted upon him. Jak also has to deal with his newfound power, as a result of being infused with dark eco for two years during his captivity.
The story is very humorous, entertaining and told in a very good pace, with bits and bits slowly revealed each event. It's told in a way that is easy to understand, without having the trouble of taking in too little or too much of the story. Oh, did I forget to mention; Jak can talk! This makes him a more distinct character in this game because players can identify with his personality even better than the first. The other characters are just as humorous and entertaining as the story itself. They're the reason why I think Jak II's plot is so interesting, adding more color to the story. Jak and his partner Daxter are definitely a dynamic duo. Both are somewhat of each other's foil; Jak is more of the serious and reserved type, while Daxter has always been the loud, obnoxious one. Their differences definitely stand out, but they agree about things to a certain degree. Nevertheless, the friendship they share is something that I found irreplaceable. Their unbreakable bond plays such a huge significance in the story that if the other went missing, Jak II would feel like there's that missing piece of the puzzle that makes the series so special in the first place.
Game play is relatively similar to the first Jak and Daxter. You got your basic jump/melee controls, but there's a new addition to Jak II: guns. This adds a shooter element to the table, combining it fluidly with the action / platformer game play the series is known for. You will acquire gun mods as the story progresses, ranging from a shotgun-like Blaster to the trigger happy Vulcan Cannon. Having weapons to help Jak in his missions makes game play extremely fun and enjoyable. Besides melee attacks, you know you got some other arsenals you can use, which makes Jak feel a very powerful, bad ass character not to be taken lightly. That powerful drive factors into his new ability, the Dark Jak mode. Basically, this enables Jak to tap into a terrifying power, making him much more powerful than his normal state. Attacks are much stronger and faster, but that disables the ability to use his guns and the option to ride vehicles. For that fact, I think it's only good to use this ability on desperate situations. You get to learn some abilities as you collect Metal Gems from defeated Metal Heads, and it's totally worth getting them; seeing multiple enemies fly backward in slow motion when you perform the Dark Bomb ability is proof of that.
Most enemies in Jak II are easy to get through. But there's the bunch that would take an extra bullet or two to take down, especially because they usually have some backup arsenals of their own. For example, if you think an enemy is just straight-up melee and you shoot them from afar, chances are they will pull out their own weapon out of the blue and fire back. It does take some adapting when fighting enemies because if you're going to just charge head-on, you might take some serious damage in return. Figuring out their attack patterns is very essential in getting through combat unscathed. The same strategies should also be taken seriously when facing Jak II's band of bosses, because they are definitely not pushovers. I like the challenge and intensity that they show in combat. Bosses definitely keep you occupied, and you're never given any chance to take a breather. That often creates frustrating experiences for players, but it's worth the satisfaction when you actually defeat these powerful enemies.
Jak II is a free-roaming world heavily inspired from Grand Theft Auto-style of game play. You can pretty much pick which objectives to do first, and they don't put a strain to the storyline at all. However, I found myself aggravated on some of the game's missions. As you progress through the game you will eventually run into missions that tend to be difficult or even unforgiving at times. Despite that, I enjoy exploring Haven City because doing so doesn't wear on you much, and getting from point A to point B is pretty much a breeze. Sometimes, you would be tempted to get the Krimzon Guard after you because it's so much fun getting chased around, like experiencing the thrill of playing cat-and-mouse. Tons of fun, I must say. But I did encounter some glitches in the game, some you encounter when triggering something accidentally. You'll see a part of the city disappear and find yourself falling to an endless abyss on rare occasions, or even bump into invisible obstacles. Sometimes a sound effect or even the background music will disappear for a while. These flaws are noticeable, and can strain the game play for a bit. But if you're actually into messing with these glitches, go ahead.
There are some fun mini-games cramped into the main storyline to whet your appetite. Racing games are exciting to be a part of, and its intense, fast-paced experience is extremely enjoyable. But if you're not used to that kind of thing, racing can turn into a terrible experience as well. There's going to be times when you turn too late or too early, and end up exploding or fall to your death. What sucks is that the racing games are part of the storyline, and having to start over and over again can be really frustrating. But besides all that dissatisfaction, there are multiple holograms in the city that you can activate for some frolic side-quest action. Basically, these quests make you explore parts of the city, and majority of them require you to do it within a preset time limit. It's worth doing these side-quests, especially if the rewards are precursor orbs. These orbs play a different role from its predecessor; they're especially hard to get, but you get to unlock the game's variety of secrets in return. Collect enough of these orbs and you'll get damage and capacity upgrades for your weapons, game concept art, etc. Unlocking these extras are fun to experiment with, and some are extremely helpful during combat.
Jak II's graphics are very impressive. The world of Haven City really feels very much alive, and you can really feel the game's grim atmosphere. The various fire, smoke, and water animations look believable. Lighting and shadow effects are also tenable and very well done. The people react in the right manners possible. For example, the citizens run away and panic whenever Jak acts in a hostile manner, even ducking for cover when you decide to run them over with a vehicle. The environment is very detailed as well. You can see the clouds moving and the sun shining brightly on the background, which makes Haven City a very convincing place to be a part of. Music fits the game just right. The various themes when visiting different areas are modified whenever you encounter certain situations. For example, you get an espionage-type of background music in a particular area. As soon as you approach the enemy, a sudden dramatic clip is played on top of that theme. Another example would be exploring the city itself. You get a normal bass line, and when you get on a vehicle, you start to hear a rhythm added to the song. Boss fight theme songs sound so epic that you can feel the intensity during the fight. Listening to Jak II's score is already enjoyable, and on top of that Jak II has got an excellent voice cast. Every single character in the game fits their roles well, and their genuine voices add zest to the game's storyline. Dialogue is very well-written, and for that Jak II's cast of characters are worth exploring into. The game's sound effects are believable as well, and feel just right.
Dark, witty, and humorous, Jak II is an enjoyable platformer game that is recommendable to everyone. You will discover yourself easily immersed into the game's world, and find its characters extremely entertaining. Although the game stumbles on some minor glitches and unforgiving missions, the rest of what Jak II has to offer is amazing, and definitely fun to be a part of.
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I tried the previous game, not bad but there are other great platformers out there.