Jak II

Jak II is an open world 3D 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 that 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]

In Sandover Village, Jak, Daxter, Keira and Samos activate the mysterious Precursor Ring recovered from Gol's citadel^[b] using a Rift Rider vehicle. This triggers the emergence of monstrous creatures, including a massive beast searching for a "boy", forcing the group to flee through the Ring. The Rift Rider explodes, separating Jak and Daxter from Keira and Samos, and they crash-land 300 years into the future^[15] in Haven City, a dystopia 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 the Shadow (a younger version of Samos). After proving their loyalty by stealing the Baron's banner from Dead Town (the ruins of Sandover Village), Torn tasks them with missions that undermine the Baron, such as restoring water to the slums. During a mission to destroy an ammunition depot, they discover Krimson Guards supplying Dark Eco to Metal Heads, the creatures that attacked Sandover Village.

Through Torn, the duo meets Krew, a shady saloon owner who supplies the Underground with weapons and hires the two for tasks like eliminating Metal Heads and retrieving artifacts. Krew reveals Praxis' arrangement with the Metal Heads, in which Praxis exchanges Eco for controlled Metal Head attacks on the city 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 and release the energy inside. 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. Praxis, mortally injured by the Metal Head Leader, reveals to Jak and Daxter a second Piercer Bomb with the Precursor Stone attached, and Daxter disarms the bomb to secure the Stone.

In a final confrontation at the Metal Head nest, the Leader reveals that the boy is Jak's younger self, who was born in Haven City and sent to the past to gain the strength needed to defeat him, 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. The young Jak and 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.

Jak II entered pre-production shortly after the release of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy in December 2001.^[16][17] Naughty Dog conducted planning sessions in early 2002 at the Mammoth Mountain Resort, devising a radical reinvention for the sequel.^[16] While Jak and Daxter was commercially successful, it fell short of the Crash Bandicoot series' success; Naughty Dog co-founder Jason Rubin attributed this to the original game's insufficient maturity, noting the gaming audience's aging demographic.^[18] He elaborated that the original Crash Bandicoot (1996) targeted a younger market, while gamers in the 2000s were seeking advanced experiences beyond "fuzzy animal" antics, a preference extending to children as young as eight. As Game Informer observed, early 2000s platformers such as Haven: Call of the King, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and Super Mario Sunshine were underperforming commercially.^[19] Naughty Dog diagnosed the genre's "malaise" and audience erosion as stemming from a lack of innovation amid evolving paradigms like the freedom offered by the sandbox game Grand Theft Auto III (2001). Recognizing the maturing gaming audience's desire for realistic themes and intense experiences, they decided to make Jak II darker and more emotionally layered, and build on the seamless load-free system to create a vast city in which they would place Jak, whose new persona would carry the more complex narrative.^[16]

The production involved 52 staff members and spanned two years with a budget of $15 million.^[20][21] Bob Rafei was the game's art and animation director and fully animated 15 of the game's cinematics.^[22] Naughty Dog enhanced its engine, dubbed "Naughty Dog Engine 2.0" internally,^[19] increasing character polygon counts from 3,000–5,000 to 12,000–15,000,^[23][24] adding advanced shading, particle effects, and a day-night cycle while maintaining seamless loading and 60 frames per second.^[16][23] The game's open hub, Haven City, is 24 times larger than any level in the previous game, and is populated by procedurally generated non-player characters and dynamic traffic with drivable hover vehicles operating on dual traffic levels.^[19][25] Many of the environments were designed by Sonic the Hedgehog veteran Hirokazu Yasuhara.^[19] Contributions from Sony studios included Insomniac's polygon occlusion code from Ratchet & Clank (2002) and Zipper Interactive's progressive scan technology from SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs (2002).^[24] Inspired by early screenshots of Kingdom Hearts (2002), the team pivoted to high-resolution cinematic models distinct from those during gameplay, enhancing the game's visual fidelity.^[26] The addition of the Jet-Board was inspired by Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.^[27]

The music was composed by Josh Mancell and Larry Hopkins. The voice-acting was jointly recorded in the Los Angeles-based Pop Sound and the New York City-based Howard Schwartz Recording. Reprisals include Max Casella as Daxter, Warren Burton as Samos, and Anna Garduño as Keira, with Mike Erwin portraying the newly-voiced Jak. Other voices include Clancy Brown as Baron Praxis, Chris Cox as Onin's interpreter Pecker, Susan Eisenberg as Ashelin. Sherman Howard as Kor, Bill Minkin as Krew, and Cutter Garcia as Torn.^[28] Altogether, the game features 140 voice actors between seven languages.^[16][20]

Jak II was given a Teen rating by the ESRB, Naughty Dog's first since Way of the Warrior (1994).^[29] Rubin confirmed the sequel's existence during a roundtable discussion at D.I.C.E. 2003.^[18] Sony Computer Entertainment officially announced Jak II on March 18, 2003.^[30] A playable demo was showcased at E3 2003.^[31] Sony sponsored the 2003 Summer X Games with a 77-foot PlayStation 2 truck including a Jak II kiosk.^[32] The game appeared at the 2003 Games Convention in Leipzig with the European title Jak II: Renegade.^[33] The game was released in North America on October 14, 2003.^[34]

In 2012, a high-definition remaster was included in the Jak and Daxter Collection for the PlayStation 3; the collection was also released for the PlayStation Vita in 2013.^[35][36] In 2017, the game became available on the PlayStation 4 as a digital download through the PlayStation Store service.^[37] Limited edition physical versions for the PlayStation 4 were released by Limited Run Games in 2019.^[38] Like its predecessor, the game was unofficially ported to PC by fans in 2023 as part of the OpenGOAL project.^[39]

Jak II received "generally positive" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic,^[40] and won Editor's Choice from IGN and GameSpot.^[49][50] GameSpot named it the best PlayStation 2 game of October 2003.^[51] 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.^{[1][5][12][13][48][52]} Reviewers praised the game's non-linear mission-based structure for enhancing replayability and engagement.^[1][5][13] The range of missions was described as a dynamic experience that keeps players engaged.^{[1][5][13][48][52]} The addition of guns was welcomed for adding depth to combat and seamlessly integrating with Jak's traditional melee moves.^[1][5][48] The Jet-Board was appreciated for its functionality, though some noted its controls lack the precision of dedicated skateboarding games.^{[3][12][41][42]} 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.^[1][12][13]

The narrative was lauded for its darker, more mature tone compared to its predecessor.^{[1][5][13][43][52]} Reviewers highlighted the plot for its twists, complex characters, and three-way conflict between factions, with Douglass Perry of IGN assuring that players would be invested over the 15–25-hour campaign (per his estimate).^{[1][5][44][52]} Jak's newfound voice and grittier demeanor were said to add emotional depth, making him a more relatable protagonist, with Daxter's comedic relief balancing the dark tone with humor, though Perry found his antics predictable.^{[1][3][5][44]} The story's cinematic presentation was praised for its well-crafted cutscenes, with Andrew Reiner of Game Informer describing them as elevating the narrative to a near-Hollywood level.^[1][5][43] However, Benjamin Turner of GameSpy criticized the characters as one-dimensional or overly juvenile, arguing the "edgy" tone felt forced and less believable for an adult audience.^[45]

The visuals were widely regarded as a technical triumph, pushing the PlayStation 2 to its limits with expansive environments, high polygon counts, and seamless level transitions.^{[1][5][12][13][48][52]} Critics singled out the detailed depiction of Haven City, describing its bustling crowds, dynamic day-night cycles, and intricate level design.^[1][5][52] The character animations were described as fluid and expressive, particularly in cutscenes, which were said to rival animated films in quality.^{[1][5][42][52]} However, Turner and GameZone's Michael Knutson noted that the darker, urban aesthetic was less vibrant than the original's colorful landscapes, with areas like the sewers appearing intentionally grimy.^[3][45] Occasional graphical glitches, such as noticeable level-of-detail transitions or frame rate dips, were mentioned but considered minor in the context of the game's scope.^[1][12][13] The sound design garnered praise for its robust effects and high-quality voice acting, with Jak's gritty dialogue and Daxter's quips enhancing the experience.^{[1][5][13][43][52]} However, the soundtrack was a point of contention, often described as functional but unmemorable, lacking the iconic themes needed to match the game's epic scope.^{[1][5][13][42]} The support for Dolby Pro Logic II and widescreen/progressive scan modes was said to further elevate the technical presentation.^[1][3][13]

The difficulty was a polarizing aspect, with reviewers split between admiration for its challenge and frustration at its punishing design.^{[3][12][13][45][46]} Missions were described as often demanding precise execution, with sparse checkpoints and relentless enemies testing players' skills.^[12][13][46] Some appreciated this intensity, noting that overcoming tough challenges delivers immense satisfaction.^[3][12][13] Others argued the difficulty felt unfair, with missions requiring multiple retries and a lack of health or ammo pickups in Haven City exacerbating the frustration.^[12][45][46] The city's navigation issues, compounded by crowded streets and floaty vehicle controls, were said to further hinder accessibility, particularly early in the game before acquiring the Jet-Board.^{[1][12][13][45][46]} Joe Fielder of Electronic Gaming Monthly and Gary Steinman of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine deemed the game unsuitable for casual players, appealing more to dedicated gamers willing to endure its steep learning curve.^[12][46] IGN named Jak II the #8 hardest PlayStation 2 game, citing its combat, platforming, city navigation, and instant death scenarios.^[53] Naughty Dog developer Josh Scherr acknowledged the overwhelming difficulty in retrospect.^[17]

The game's attempt to blend platforming with open-world, shooting, and racing elements was widely praised for its ambition, setting it apart from traditional platformers.^{[1][5][12][13][48][52]} The incorporation of Grand Theft Auto-inspired mechanics, such as vehicle jacking and a mission-driven hub world, was seen as a bold evolution, broadening the game's appeal.^[1][5][12] Features like the Dark Jak transformation and diverse mission types were credited for adding variety, keeping gameplay fresh.^{[1][3][5][41]} However, some reviewers argued that the game's genre mashup felt derivative, borrowing heavily from other titles without fully refining each element.^[12][45][52] The city, while technically impressive, was said to lack meaningful interactivity outside missions, making exploration less rewarding than in Grand Theft Auto.^{[12][43][44][45]} Brian Gee of GameRevolution and Kristan Reed of Eurogamer respectively cited camera issues and the lack of a first-person aiming mode as additional detractions from the experience, particularly in combat-heavy sections.^[13][44]

Kotaku's Luke Plunkett called Jak II one of the best PlayStation 2 games, highlighting the game's scale and characters.^[54] Steven Petite and Jon Bitner of Digital Trends considered Jak II to be the best in the series and one of the PlayStation 2's best platformers.^[55]