This. I did a play thru of these 3 games recently and the first one stands leagues above the other 2. I played them backwards, so when I got to Jak 1 I could easily compare it to the other 2 and the level of charm, detail, creativity and color in the first one is insane. I realized how much color is appreciated in games, Jak 2 is a dark blue the entire time and Jak 3 is just brown. Both are ugly games.
I don't know.
A part of me thinks a true J&D 2 might've been bad. The reason why everybody loves J&D so much is partially because we only got one of it. We don't have any more of the series to judge it by (Jak is an effectively different series).
At the time, it made sense. The GameCube was already being mocked as a "kiddie console" and marketing was heavily pushing "mature games for mature gamers" (read: 13 year old boys)
It did create something totally unqiue, I cant really think of many games that did such a timeskip from a low-tech world to a high-tech world but also kept all the world building to make sesne (eco colours such as red being for a shirt ranged weapon, precusors, zoomers, lurkers etc)
I feel like Jak 3 got the right balance of serious and humorous. I enjoyed Jak 2 but it was a total whiplash, both aesthetically and thematically. I do wonder what could have happened had the series retained the original's feel. Even a quality Jak and Daxter 2 wouldn't have delayed the decline of platformers, I feel.
It was basically a T-rated GTA for kids who had parents who were big Jack Thompson fans, with some light platforming elements. It was a fair play for the time.
seeing as how jak was just them soulessly trying to make another scrimblo platformer while appealing to the rising increase in anime, nobody should be surprised that 2 years later jak 2 was soulessly appealing to the new most popular genre among kids
It was my first experience in an 'open world' game in a slightly more gritty and futuristic setting. I used to LARP for days in one of those heavy police mobiles pulling people over and going to Thor to pick up imaginary quests. I really enjoyed it.
I unironically love the driving and racing in 2
Flying through the city trying not to crash is still fun for me after 15+ playthroughs However the desert driving in 3 takes up way too much of the game and should've been cut down
I didn't mind it. Jak 3 is my favourite Jak game.
I do wonder how the series would have turned out if the sequels were like TPL though. It's a great game
>colourful vibrant world >Incredible art and level design compel you to explore the world to see what’s next >no level is the same as the last >flawless precise controls and physics >fun movement >seamless open world without endless unlocking doors and elevators like in Jak 2 and 3 >day and night cycle immerses you more, the music shifts and becomes more somber during the night >intruding enough mystery to capture your interest in the worlds history >peaceful to play, you’re never stressed or bombarded with loud guns and explosions, just the ambience of the world >if you’re just going for an any % run you can basically forge your own path to the end and skip some levels
My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is that it feels a tad bare bones. Another hubworld with another 3 levels and a couple more boss fights would’ve went a long way. You really get the feeling that the developers started to run out of time during the volcano hub area as it’s smaller than the other 2 with less to discover and only has 2 levels instead of 3. Still a masterpiece of the genre
Yes, I would've never given a shit about this series if they continued like the first game. Bing bing wahoo with a wacky mascot is boring and arguably even less creative than the edgy direction they took.
i think its a cool concept
first game is a fun adventure in your comfortable environments
seconds game evolves and the world changes and its more grim
i think more series should do this
Jak 2 is the best game in the series, because it took the ideas from 1 and made them more difficult and interesting. People who show up to these threads to give the most boilerplate responses genuinely seem like they've never played it and don't care either.
In a business sense, probably yes
Both Jak 2 and 3 tanked in comparison to the first game
To answer OP, no. It was completely shameless trend chasing.
and yet, those awkward growing pains are what enabled them to create Uncharted and Last of Us, their greatest successes to date.
It was for the time.
I'M GOING TO KILL PRAXIS
I respect Jak's strength and his Eco abilities.
I haven't played this game in 20 years but for some reason that line is burned into my brain
Teen me loved the inclusion of guns and edgy shit.
Human me thinks the only Jak game worth your time is the first one.
This. I did a play thru of these 3 games recently and the first one stands leagues above the other 2. I played them backwards, so when I got to Jak 1 I could easily compare it to the other 2 and the level of charm, detail, creativity and color in the first one is insane. I realized how much color is appreciated in games, Jak 2 is a dark blue the entire time and Jak 3 is just brown. Both are ugly games.
I loved it... but then again I was also like 12 and a big fan of Shadow so maybe I'm not the best judge of these things
I don't know.
A part of me thinks a true J&D 2 might've been bad. The reason why everybody loves J&D so much is partially because we only got one of it. We don't have any more of the series to judge it by (Jak is an effectively different series).
At the time, it made sense. The GameCube was already being mocked as a "kiddie console" and marketing was heavily pushing "mature games for mature gamers" (read: 13 year old boys)
Jak is a PlayStation exclusive, dipshit.
He is talking about the general tone of the whole vidya market and PS2 games moving away from being seen a kiddie
It did create something totally unqiue, I cant really think of many games that did such a timeskip from a low-tech world to a high-tech world but also kept all the world building to make sesne (eco colours such as red being for a shirt ranged weapon, precusors, zoomers, lurkers etc)
>totally unqiue
The very existence and use of tropes makes "totally unqiue" an impossibility.
>removed the franchise's identity and turned it into a shittier Ratchet and Clank
No.
it was kino
Yes when I was a teenager, no after replaying the games again
I remember thinking the chin goatee looked ridiculous. I used the collectible eggs to unlock no-goatee jak as soon as I could.
>I used the collectible eggs to unlock no-goatee jak as soon as I could.
Based.
Why oh why did they turn this fricking thing into a shitty racing heavy Mad Max ripoff?
Feel like reaction to Jak 2 is a bell curve. Disliking it is midwit
It's not a very good game all things considered.
Thank you for the example pic, I didn't know what a bell curve was and the wojaks really helped me grasp the idea.
>Wojakposting scum talking about intelligence bell curves
Ahh, the irony is delicious.
I feel like Jak 3 got the right balance of serious and humorous. I enjoyed Jak 2 but it was a total whiplash, both aesthetically and thematically. I do wonder what could have happened had the series retained the original's feel. Even a quality Jak and Daxter 2 wouldn't have delayed the decline of platformers, I feel.
It was basically a T-rated GTA for kids who had parents who were big Jack Thompson fans, with some light platforming elements. It was a fair play for the time.
no, and its a bad game too
Maybe at the time but it aged poorly
I don't think so but it was the second game in the series so I can forgive them for trying something new.
seeing as how jak was just them soulessly trying to make another scrimblo platformer while appealing to the rising increase in anime, nobody should be surprised that 2 years later jak 2 was soulessly appealing to the new most popular genre among kids
It was my first experience in an 'open world' game in a slightly more gritty and futuristic setting. I used to LARP for days in one of those heavy police mobiles pulling people over and going to Thor to pick up imaginary quests. I really enjoyed it.
I really disliked Jak X
WHAT
Why? It's so fricking fun
You really have terrible taste then
Ah well
I really liked it
Jak 1-3 are the greatest controlling platformers of all time, prove me wrong
Controlling yes, I agree. Only the first one is a true masterpiece of the platform genre
Too bad the last two got injected with stupid, boring racing bullshit.
first one had plenty of racing segments, all where fun
>Racing segment
>Fun
Get the frick out of my hobby and stay out, shit swiller.
I unironically love the driving and racing in 2
Flying through the city trying not to crash is still fun for me after 15+ playthroughs
However the desert driving in 3 takes up way too much of the game and should've been cut down
Every mario game controlls better than every PS2 era platformer.
3d Mario controls like garbage compared to Jak
Maybe if you like the most barebones movement options like every single PS2 platformer.
At least it's not clunky shit like every 3d nintendo game
Tendies need to stick to 2d platformers where you belong
>clunky shit
Why lie anon, just admit you're a shitter that hates fun.
jak 1 was okay, jak 2 was pretentious edgy meme autistic garbage gta clone with artificial difficulty
It bugged me how Jak 2 and 3 simplified eco to light and dark. Feels like a neat mechanic in 1 that they just totally abandoned.
the morph gun used eco to shoot stuff
I love tone shifts - anime, manga, tv, vidya. Always kino
I don't mind the tone shift. I do mind the gameplay.
I didn't mind it. Jak 3 is my favourite Jak game.
I do wonder how the series would have turned out if the sequels were like TPL though. It's a great game
>colourful vibrant world
>Incredible art and level design compel you to explore the world to see what’s next
>no level is the same as the last
>flawless precise controls and physics
>fun movement
>seamless open world without endless unlocking doors and elevators like in Jak 2 and 3
>day and night cycle immerses you more, the music shifts and becomes more somber during the night
>intruding enough mystery to capture your interest in the worlds history
>peaceful to play, you’re never stressed or bombarded with loud guns and explosions, just the ambience of the world
>if you’re just going for an any % run you can basically forge your own path to the end and skip some levels
My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is that it feels a tad bare bones. Another hubworld with another 3 levels and a couple more boss fights would’ve went a long way. You really get the feeling that the developers started to run out of time during the volcano hub area as it’s smaller than the other 2 with less to discover and only has 2 levels instead of 3. Still a masterpiece of the genre
Yes, I would've never given a shit about this series if they continued like the first game. Bing bing wahoo with a wacky mascot is boring and arguably even less creative than the edgy direction they took.
no, and them and every other dev at the time trying to ape GTA's open world was cancer
No. I think it's as edgy as a butter knife.
Yes and 2 and 3 are better games for it. All this needs is modern aiming controls for the guns and it would have aged perfectly fine gameplay wise.
i think its a cool concept
first game is a fun adventure in your comfortable environments
seconds game evolves and the world changes and its more grim
i think more series should do this
Jak 2 is the best game in the series, because it took the ideas from 1 and made them more difficult and interesting. People who show up to these threads to give the most boilerplate responses genuinely seem like they've never played it and don't care either.