These days, the name Naughty Dog is synonymous with some of the most well-known video game properties in existence like The Last of Us and Uncharted. But before oppressive apocalypses and swashbuckling adventures, Naughty Dog studied the blade and honed its skills on a colorful platformer, with a dynamic duo that rank among the best PlayStation characters of all time. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is easily one of the greatest platformers ever made, and an encapsulation of a forgotten era — when Sony had the lead on whimsical mascot games. Now this crucial piece of PlayStation history is finally playable on modern consoles, free with PlayStation Plus Premium.
Jak & Daxter originally released on PS2 all the way back in 2001 and was Naughty Dog’s first new game after creating the mega-successful Crash Bandicoot franchise. That’s right, there was a point in time when Naughty Dog was best known for creating bizarre, anthropomorphic animals. As you might expect, the game focused on a pair of heroes named, well, Jak and Daxter. The pair travel to the forbidden Misty Island, where Daxter is inadvertently turned into an ottsel — a strange cross between an otter and a weasel.
From there, they seek the help of a sage named Samos, who tells them about a mysterious energy source called Eco, and a plan hatched by rogue sages to doom the world. Jak obviously wants to save the world, but Daxter is mostly preoccupied with losing his new furry body. While Jak is the stoic hero Daxter is the comic relief, constantly spouting off one-liners and cheeky observations — but it’s charming.
Jak & Daxter is overflowing with charm and sports a colorful art style and aesthetic that completely reinforces the spirit of adventure. Playing Jak & Daxter today really does feel like stepping into a different time — its world is so lush and imaginative, and filled with colorful characters. The game released during the height of the mascot craze in gaming, but it’s easy to see how Jak & Daxter set the foundation for so much that was to come.
This is where Naughty Dog really perfected character movement and satisfying platforming, both factors that would prove crucial for the Uncharted series. Jak & Daxter is what you’d call a “collect-a-thon” platformer, where you need to gather a wealth of different items as you progress through the game’s semi-open levels.
To aid in that endeavor, Jak has a ton of different abilities — double jumps, a spinning kick, punches, and more. Crash Bandicoot’s gameplay takes place on a linear track, but Jak & Daxter completely opens up the world for exploration, adding in some interesting little wrinkles.
The resource you collect the most is Eco, and there are multiple different types you can collect on the fly to help deal with enemies and puzzles. For example, red Eco will boost Jak’s attack briefly while yellow Eco lets you shoot beams from your hands. These elements combine with your basic abilities to make a robust experience that constantly introduces some kind of new idea or twist, keeping you on your toes until the very end.
Jak & Daxter simply feels good to play. It’s hard to pinpoint one specific reason, but it’s one of those games that you’ll blow through, and then wonder where the last ten hours went. This game also launched one of PlayStation’s most popular franchises, with two sequels and a racing spinoff to follow. It’s one of the very best games of the decade, and also a fascinating piece of history that clearly shows the action expertise Naughty Dog learned to create Uncharted. That makes it a doubly interesting experience to pick up again.
