The Jak & Daxter series is considered by many to be one of the more notable feats of the Playstation 2. It experienced its highs and lows (Especially towards the end), but most interesting of all is how divided fans of the series are on the different direction it took. What started out as a adventure/collect-a-thon/3D Platformer ended up becoming a 3rd person shooter platformer, which then transformed into a combat racer, and finally came full circle and became a 3rd person shooter platformer again when it was all said and done.
But where fans are generally divided is how the first in the series compares to its sequels. Some prefer the pure platforming element that exists in the original compared to the shoot em’ up nature of the sequels, and of course others feel it’s the opposite and the series went in a better direction. I can safely say that I’m in the latter crowd.
Don’t get me wrong now, Precursor Legacy is a solid effort put forth by Naughty Dawg, but the formula it uses runs thin a little too quickly and you can tell this was an early release for the PS2 because it feels, for lack of a better term, unfocused. What I mean is that despite some impressive features, the game never goes all the way with those features. Collecting items in this game is fun and rewarding, but there aren’t that many things to collect and it feels linear (Despite not actually being linear) as a result. The music is catchy and nice to listen to, but is far and few between and doesn’t loop. The cutscenes are entertaining (Thanks largely to Daxter), but are generally used for some quick jokes/punchlines.
These hurt the game slightly, but don’t kill it, because like I said this is a solid effort and there is fun to be had here. Every time I died in this game I wanted to come back for more. The controls are fluid and everything is with a purpose, and despite the fact that 3D platformers are doomed to have camera issues 95% of the time, the game does a good job of designing the levels so that camera related deaths are at a minimum. The story, while having a “Bare bones” feel to it, is intriguing enough to keep you hooked as the world built around it is different and interesting from what you’d expect. All in all, collecting things (Power Cells, Precursor Orbs) is fun and sometimes even addicting.
Bottom line, the game is fun and worth your time, but also feels a little short and lacking in some areas. It definitely feels like a game that was released early in the PS2’s life, but nonetheless works well with what it was given. It is not quite at the top of its class when compared to other 3D collect-a-thon type games (Banjo Kazooie, for example) due to its somewhat short length and lack of variety in collectables, but without a doubt is a joy to play and will bring a smile to your face… if 3D platforming is your thing, that is.
Grade: B (83%)
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