When I first picked up Jak II: Renegade I presumed it be a standard platform game like its predecessor Jak and Daxter. After only a little play it becomes evident that games publisher, Naughty Dog is offering a very different experience to the platform game fan.
The action begins when Jak and Daxter are sucked through a vortex to a dark prison city where they are immediately imprisoned by Baron Praxis’ red guards. The next scene immediately sets this game apart from any other platform game that I have played. In this scene, we learn that Jak has spent two years in prison and during that time, he was tortured with a substance called ‘Dark Eco’. Luckily for Jak, Daxter evaded capture and has finally come to the rescue. The duo escape from prison and this is where the real fun begins.
On escaping, Jak finds himself in Haven City, which is effectively a big prison. The city is a large and beautifully rendered environment, populated by ambling townspeople and an abundance of fearsome red guards. Jak is bent on wreaking revenge on Baron Praxis and seeks to contact an underground rebel movement that he has heard of. Jak and Daxter navigate their way around Haven City by carjacking hover-cars in a manner that is very obviously influenced by the Grand Theft Auto series of games.
The tone of the game is far from childish. The plot is driven by Jak’s desire for revenge. Within the missions themselves, the game does retain a platform feel, but the action is never too repetitive and always preserves its uniqueness. This game is probably the best platform I’ve ever played and is definitely one of the better games released for PS2 this year.
Jak II: Renegade
Specs
Rating: 92%
Requirements: PlayStation2 games console
Price: EUR59.99
Contact: GameStop +353 (0)1-8724305
24/11/03
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