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[MannyToons]

Urg. I never played a Jak and Daxter title, but was a huge Crash fan as a kid. Major turn off for me was Jak's design. He just... looks so lame.

Concept art Jak, however;

was super awesome looking. *Sniff* What should've been...

 

[stargateheaven]

I loved jak & daxter 1.

Jak 2 and 3 i hated .. i was so disappointed. Jak & daxter 1 felt like ps2's banjo kazooie so i loved it.

 

[big fake]

Aint nobody want this terrible franchise back lol

Jak 2 is legit contender for WOAT game released by a AAA developer

It's shitposting time already? Damn my clock must be broken.

Jak 1 was a great base, but way too short and too easy. I was crushed when I finished it all in less than two days.

Jak II is secretly the best in the franchise. It's the Dark Souls of platform shooter GTA games.

Jak 3 is a fun mix.

Precisely, woah thats a perfect example of what Jak 1-3 really are. ND got more into blockbuster over the top games last gen with Uncharted and Last of Us and that pushed me away, I do think they hit their technical stride that gen, but conceptually think it was anything amazing.

 

[Fahzgoolin]

Crash was always mediocre.

there, I said it.

Spoiler

except crash team racing

 

[zackmorris]

The first Jak and Daxter is far and away better than any crash. But 2 and 3 weren't that great. 2 reminded me of a GTA 3 game geared at younger kids and 3 didn't do much for me either.
With that said, the amount of fan fare crash receives is crazy to me. I feel like people haven't played that game in awhile.

 

[Playsage]

Yes.



Yeah, the same people go nuts each time. This isn't like Shenmue where people were infatuated with the story and wanted to see this ambitious and unique (ahead of it's time??) game get its due. This is another half naked rodent with 'tude trying to take over Mario's success. Mario is trying to reclaim Mario's success, I don't see room for Crash.

Ahahahahahahahahahah

Thanks for the chuckle!

 

[AgentOttsel]

Jak II was EXCELLENT, it's like the Dark Souls of platformers, as someone else pointed out. It's hard, but oh so satisfying... Jak 3 kinda disappointed me for being too easy, although I also had a lot of fun with it. It had the perfect difficulty in Hero Mode, it's a shame you needed to beat the game first to unlock it.

TPL was really fun and THAT's the direction I would like to see a new Crash game take. To me Jak II is when the series really started to find its true identity (both the story and the writing got SO much better), and Jak 3 perfected it (even if I prefer Jak II's difficulty).

Daxter was amazing! A real gem of a game, way better than the Daxter sections of the main games. I'd love to play as Daxter in this style in a future mainline Jak game. He is also my favorite character of all time, as you can see in my avatar/name.

I'd LOVE to see a Jak 4 made by Naughty Dog. I loved the environmental concept art for the canceled game, all they had to do was keep the original character designs and we could have had an amazing sequel.

The new Ratchet & Clank game is great, but I really need something to satisfy my thirst for an open-world platformer.

 

[Ash735]

I enjoyed Jak & Daxter 1 the most, and even got the Platinum for it on the HD version, tried to get into Jak 2, but the difficulty spikes were odd and some things just didn't feel right, though I'll admit in the rare chances we got, it was nice to see the older areas from Jak & Daxter after the passage of time.

 

[SuperSonic1305]

Jak 2 and 3 are fantastic.

 

[User 479360]

I only played about 60% of Jak and Daxter, but I liked it. More than any Crash game I played.

I'd be fine with that series coming back.

 

[doofy102]

Crash's revival is a better story. We want to see Crash Bandicoot get saved from the dungeons of Activision and restored to life.

Jak? Killed by Sony. It's just a downer to think about, and even the announcement of a new game would draw cynicism.

 

[ascii42]

Jak II happened. By far and away the worst Naughty Dog game ever made.

You do know that Crash Bandicoot wasn't the first game Naughty Dog made, right?

There were...others before it

 

[khaaan]

I completed the first one, plat'ed it, and I didn't like it.

I think part of the reason I don't like it is because the amount of height and distance Jak would get felt off, and it's hard to enjoy a platformer when the physics feel off.. It also felt a bit repetitive because every sub location boiled down to the same sort of challenges (vehicle, collection, catch X things). I did not feel like the level design was enough to hold that formula up. My preferences in a platformer also come into play because I prefer linear experiences of open world. That being said, I think an approach closer to something like Spyro 2 (only one I've played) would have been better than what they did.

 

[capylikesgames]

Jak 1 is lovely, but I didn't enjoy the rest of the series at all. I wouldn't mind a reboot if they stuck with the feel of the first in later installments, though this is unlikely for obvious reasons. Kind of sad the way that series went, honestly.

Power to you if you liked 2 and 3, though! I get the appeal, it just wasn't for me. Waaay too large of a turn from the first, who's mood I loved.

 

[Mabufu]

I loved X, so I cant love Y.
Best argument ever for hating a game.

Jak II was amazing on its own and being different from the first game doesnt make it worse.

 

[AniHawk]

I loved X, so I cant love Y.
Best argument ever for hating a game.

Jak II was amazing on its own and being different from the first game doesnt make it worse.

jak ii being different isn't what makes it bad. it's the strange condescending attitude naughty dog had towards the platforming genre that made it bad. it affected basically everything about the game aside from the very few actual platforming segments and turned the game into a mess of a product.

 

[Varg]

One wish at a time fellas. I'm praying for a new crash and I wouldn't mind the jak and daxter collection for ps4 to hold us over

 

[MrBadger]

I never got over how terrible the character design is. I do own Jak 1 so I might play it.

 

[Mabufu]

jak ii being different isn't what makes it bad. it's the strange condescending attitude naughty dog had towards the platforming genre that made it bad. it affected basically everything about the game aside from the very few actual platforming segments and turned the game into a mess of a product.

So it's a mess because there's more than just platforming?

Good story doesnt matter? And good characters? Amazing level design? Amazing platforming? Great combat?

You call it a mess, I call it a mix. And a pretty good one.

There's no legit argument to say the game is bad. Just that it isnt what you were expecting.

 

[RockmanBN]

It always has a lot to do with gamers today hating games that force you to play them competently instead of handing you a checkpoint every 15 seconds. But yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it.

Yeah I've heard that lots of people have had trouble with the game and the more distant checkpoints. Games feel easy me but that might be the 20+ playthroughs I've done of each game. I love the series and hoped for a fourth game. I enjoy Uncharted and TLOU, but I enjoy Jak and Crash a lot more.

 

[Shambalakan]

I only want another J&D like the first one.

 

[AniHawk]

So it's a mess because there's more than just platforming?

Good story doesnt matter? And good characters? Amazing level design? Amazing platforming? Great combat?

You call it a mess, I call it a mix. And a pretty good one.

There's no legit argument to say the game is bad. Just that it isnt what you were expecting.

good story and characters would matter if the game had them, but it doesn't. the story is garbage and the characters are junk. the level design is only great during the platforming sequences. otherwise, you're stuck in boring shooty areas, boring racing areas, or the oppressiveness of the game's atrocious mission design of 'go here to start next story point' which forces the player across the city back and forth without any way to change up the path. the city doesn't actually open up in a way that's reminiscent of gta until late in the game, and by then it's an exercise to try and be done with the damned thing lest you tap, once again, a stupid cop car that begins a pointless chase and ends with you further away from your intended goal.

in the game's post-mortem, the designers don't really get into what they appreciated what they liked about the game's design. all they cared about was that they managed to cram as much shit in there as possible and turned on the blender. they also patted themselves on the back quite a lot for their technical prowess. i think it's pretty telling that they don't get into talking about level design at all and focus a disproportionate amount of their time on pointless presentation details.

naughty dog started to find their voice with uncharted. that's when they kinda figured out how they would do the 'story first' game they've become known for. and even then, it took them a while before i think they reached what they were probably aiming for a decade earlier, when they produced the last of us.

 

[Acquiescence]

Jak 1 was a great base, but way too short and too easy. I was crushed when I finished it all in less than two days.

Jak II is secretly the best in the franchise. It's the Dark Souls of platform shooter GTA games.

Jak 3 is a fun mix.

You're scarily on the mark where 1 and 2 are concerned. 3 I just thought was average tbh.

But yeah, 2 is indeed awesome.

 

[zoukka]

Jak 2 and 3 have not aged very well. The missions themselves are still pretty good, but the traversal in the overworld is a huge chore and the story is pure trash in both of the games. I consider them practice for their complete jump into story driven games with the Uncharted series.

 

[Jumeira]

Think Jak is the superior game and should be the one getting love. Crash was mediocre, the design is terrible, just another Blinx IMO.

 

[liquidspeed]

I would love to see a new Jak and Daxter Game

 

[DangerMouse]

I would love to see a new Jak and Daxter Game

Same here.

 

[nelsonroyale]

I enjoyed Jak more than Crash to be honest, except for Jak 3.

Jak 2 was very ambitious when it was released. It was one of my faves, although a couple of points in the game were very frustrating. I get the GTA comparisons to a degree. I much prefered Jak 2 to any GTA game, however.

 

[TheGreatDirector]

I loved Jak 1 and played it through with my sister. Later she got Jak 2 for her birthday. We both loved the game even despite how much darker it was and I ended up enjoying it more than the first. I started 3 by myself but never got around finishing it because of time management. Still I liked the parts it was taking from Jak 2 and the callbacks in design to Jak 1. I also played Jak X with my sister and that game had a surprisingly fun design with the weapons specifically in the deathmatch mode standing out.

Overall I've loved prwtty much the entire series and would be excited whatever new form the franchise takes.

 

[Megawarrior]

The first game is pretty boring. I didn't get into the franchise till the second game. The story was pretty great and I loved the mission structure.

 

[ivanthebearable]

First game was pretty fun. I remember not liking the end of the game though. Don't remember why, it's been awhile.

Tried playing Jak 2 not long ago for the first time. Literally nothing I liked about the first one made it into the sequel. Ugly character design/general art direction and the game was hard and not in the good way.

Just felt tedious and I can't think of a single thing I liked other than the hoverboard I guess. Watched a lot of the cutscenes before I started to realize I just didn't care at all. One of the few games I've ever played where I skipped the cutscenes.

Not even gonna bother with Jak 3. Gonna pretend like the first game is the only one. Wouldn't mind a reboot that works off of Jak 1's setting and vibe only.

 

[MisterSamMan]

I love the Jak & Daxter series, but Jak III wrapped everything up. We learned about the Precursors & Daxter finally got pants. Not much left to tell.

 

[rjc571]

jak ii being different isn't what makes it bad. it's the strange condescending attitude naughty dog had towards the platforming genre that made it bad. it affected basically everything about the game aside from the very few actual platforming segments and turned the game into a mess of a product.

"very few actual platforming segments"

1. Escape from fortress
2. Retrieve banner from Dead Town
3. Find pumping station valve
4. Blow up ammo at fortress
5. Destroy turrets in sewers
6. Rescue Vin at strip mine
7. Destroy eggs at drill platform
8. Find lens in Mountain Temple
9. Find gear in Mountain Temple
10. Find shard in Mountain Temple
11. Ride elevator up to palace
12. Protect site in Dead Town
13. Catch scouts in Haven Forest
14. Destroy equipment at dig
15. Drain sewers to find statue
16. Blow up strip mine eco wells
17. Get seal piece at dig
18. Use items in No Man's Canyon
19. Pass the first test of manhood
20. Pass the second test of manhood
21. Rescue friends in fortress
22. Destroy eggs in strip mine
23. Get Life Seed in Dead Town
24. Destroy drill platform tower
25. Explore palace
26. Get Heart of Mar in weapons lab
27. Find Sig in Underport
28. Escort Sig in Underport

"very few actual platforming segments"

 

[Tomasoares]

The series is kinda of a mess. I mean, I really love all three games (actually 4 with the racing one). I wish Jak & Daxter style had a sequel, but I also wish Jak 2 (and 3) also had its sequels on its terms.

 

[Mabufu]

"very few actual platforming segments"

*snip*

Well done.

I guess people who didnt even bothered didnt know about half of the missions of the game.

 

[Auctopus]

It's possible to care about a franchise without constantly talking about it or begging for a remaster/remake/reboot.

 

[noomi]

I really enjoyed Jak on the ps2, then years later I played jak 2 and I stopped after a few hours.

The game went from being a platformer into whatever that mess was. Heard good things about 3, but 2 soured me so much I just didn't bother.

 

[Oneself]

I really enjoyed Jak on the ps2, then years later I played jak 2 and I stopped after a few hours.

The game went from being a platformer into whatever that mess was. Heard good things about 3, but 2 soured me so much I just didn't bother.

IMO Jak3 is the worst, it has less platforming, more shooting and even more driving (though driving is much better than Jak2).

J&D needs a comeback for sure.

 

[rjc571]

Well done.

I guess people who didnt even bothered didnt know about half of the missions of the game.

The crazy thing is that the game starts out with nothing but platforming missions for the first hour or two. So people who say they gave up on the game after a couple of hours because it didn't have platforming (like the guy two posts below you) just plain don't make any sense.

 

[heringer]

How was the PSP Jak? Never see anyone mentioning it.

 

[Playsage]

"very few actual platforming segments"

1. Escape from fortress
2. Retrieve banner from Dead Town
3. Find pumping station valve
4. Blow up ammo at fortress
5. Destroy turrets in sewers
6. Rescue Vin at strip mine
7. Destroy eggs at drill platform
8. Find lens in Mountain Temple
9. Find gear in Mountain Temple
10. Find shard in Mountain Temple
11. Ride elevator up to palace
12. Protect site in Dead Town
13. Catch scouts in Haven Forest
14. Destroy equipment at dig
15. Drain sewers to find statue
16. Blow up strip mine eco wells
17. Get seal piece at dig
18. Use items in No Man's Canyon
19. Pass the first test of manhood
20. Pass the second test of manhood
21. Rescue friends in fortress
22. Destroy eggs in strip mine
23. Get Life Seed in Dead Town
24. Destroy drill platform tower
25. Explore palace
26. Get Heart of Mar in weapons lab
27. Find Sig in Underport
28. Escort Sig in Underport

"very few actual platforming segments"

Wellthereitis.gif

^Daxter is actually good, Lost Frontier is average and disappointing (also I remember it fucks around with what was established in the main games)

 

[ScaryShark]

Its a garbage franchise, ratchet was the better crash substitute for me during that era. The worlds were bland and the music is no where as good as the OST for crash 1-3-ctr. Character designs are lame. Daxter was good though.

Jak1: 90 MC
Jak2: 87 MC
Jak3: 84 MC

'a garbage franchise'

 

[Cloud Strife]

Not sure where the hate for Jak 2 is coming from, I loved it as a kid as did all of my friends.

 

[RK128]

Not sure where the hate for Jak 2 is coming from, I loved it as a kid as did all of my friends.

My dislike from it largely stems from its rough difficulty spikes and horrid cop AI. It is a fine game otherwise and a good deal of the time is a fantastic sequel to Jak 1, but when it is bad, you feel it .

Just couldn't take the difficulty spikes anymore and I never beat the game despite trying to play it three times (PS2, PS3, Vita). Maybe when I get around to starting the Jak Retrospective, things will be different for me hopefully.

 

[DarkConfidant]

My guesses are:

1. They might be a bit dated.
2. Developers would much rather work with new IP, then rehash the same old shit to fans.
3. Demand is probably not very big.
4. The last attempt at a Jak 4 left a bad taste in the mouths of the whoever still remembers the franchise.

Crash probably won't get a sequel either for similar reasons, but at least is simple enough of a game, that it could hold up better. However, I don't think that it's likely.


Also, there was more than 1 PSP Daxter game?

 

[Yawnier]

Jak and Daxter is probably my second favorite game that Naughty Dog ever put out. I play through it about once a year, but when comparing the Crash series on the PS1 to the Jak series I prefer the Crash series more, overall. I think that is the case for some people.

Crash Bandicoot also has that 90s nostalgia factor that Jak and Daxter doesn't really have.

On the topic of the Jak series, I thought Jak 2 was a decent game but was a bit disappointed in the difference of tone from the first game. I understand some peoples complaints with Jak 2, with there not being enough checkpoints in levels, difficulty spikes, and shit (which were mostly fixed in 3). Jak 3 was also a decent game but I wasn't overly crazy over it either, it just still didn't capture the magic of the first game for me.

 

[Voost Kain]

Did people crying about Jak 2 forget Jak 3's Pac-man?

 

[get2sammyb]

Jak & Daxter 1 is excellent.
Jak II is abhorrent.
Jak III is okay.

I think this is why no one cares about Jak & Daxter anymore.

 

[Chamber]

Jak's dead, friend.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

Jak 2, while impressive for its time, can suck my balls for how insane it is to get the platinum trophy.

You can do the precursor egg glitch to get all of the orbs. Works for Jak II and 3.

I loved Jak 2 and 3 so I'm not sure where all of this "became bad after 1" is coming from. Very fun adventure game with an interesting world. I'd pay to play Jak 4.