Jak II

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 463 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 368 out of 463
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 463
  3. Negative: 29 out of 463
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  1. KendylKlownfish
    Apr 29, 2011
    7
    Fortunately, the maturity of Jak II does include some fun. Pros: Fantastic graphics; variety of gameplay and weapons; fair voice acting and character designs; lengthier than the first game. Cons: A somewhat dull storyline set in a somewhat dull world; cheesy dialog; hideous soundtrack.
  2. Xevon
    Oct 9, 2013
    5
    What went wrong? Jak II is more of a third person shooter crossed with GTA type game, rather than the fantastic platformer the first game was, and while neither of these things are bad, Jak II simply doesn't do either of these things well enough. The level design is tedious, the combat is clunky, checkpoints are infrequent and the difficulty is poorly tuned. Jak is now an angsty longWhat went wrong? Jak II is more of a third person shooter crossed with GTA type game, rather than the fantastic platformer the first game was, and while neither of these things are bad, Jak II simply doesn't do either of these things well enough. The level design is tedious, the combat is clunky, checkpoints are infrequent and the difficulty is poorly tuned. Jak is now an angsty long haired teen with anger issues, almost completely unlikable as a character redeemed only by the Ottsel on his shoulder (who, thankfully, hasn't changed one iota). Jak II should have been better, but it's just too agonizing to struggle though, and marks a terrible change of direction for the franchise. Final Score: 5.4/10… Expand
  3. EricHarmon
    Sep 25, 2012
    7
    Heres the problem with jak 2. they changed too much it feels like grand theft auto. but a very horrible version of grand theft auto. the game feels more like a chore to play, and its really difficult and frustrating at some points(The part at the docks where you have to fight a buttload of krimson guards, which was a real pain in my a$$). there was also no proper way to use your weaponsHeres the problem with jak 2. they changed too much it feels like grand theft auto. but a very horrible version of grand theft auto. the game feels more like a chore to play, and its really difficult and frustrating at some points(The part at the docks where you have to fight a buttload of krimson guards, which was a real pain in my a$$). there was also no proper way to use your weapons which added to the frustration. In Ratchet and Clank going commando (a perfect game) you do not experience any of these problems. The original Jak and daxter is a great game. get that and not this mess.… Expand
  4. RyanB2804
    Mar 11, 2012
    6
    This game should be shortlisted for worst sequel of all time. The first Jak & Daxter game is a masterpiece, and to follow it up with this crap is offensive. In the first game, our protagonist Jak is silent throughout the entire game, and this worked really well when coupled with his hyper active partner, Daxter. However, in this game, they gave him a voice. And now he feels like aThis game should be shortlisted for worst sequel of all time. The first Jak & Daxter game is a masterpiece, and to follow it up with this crap is offensive. In the first game, our protagonist Jak is silent throughout the entire game, and this worked really well when coupled with his hyper active partner, Daxter. However, in this game, they gave him a voice. And now he feels like a completely different character. I understand why he has had a complete overhaul, but the reason why he has had a complete overhaul shouldn't even be a part of the game. This is nothing like the first one. This is like a heavily watered down Grand Theft Auto. Naughty Dog made vehicles a huge part of this game. It's a shame they clearly don't know how vehicles should work in video games. They're a complete nightmare to control, and what makes it worse is that you need to master the terrible vehicles in order to progress in the story!

    The only positives I can take from this game is that the introduction of guns made it more fun (more Ratchet & Clank-esque) and that while the story ruined what was a perfectly good mascot for the PS2 era, it was still entertaining and unpredictable. I love Naughty Dog. Hopefully they never screw up another series as badly as they did the Jak & Daxter one.    … Expand
  5. [Anonymous]
    Jan 4, 2004
    6
    It was a great game at first but my file got erased really easily. ERR!!!!!!!!
  6. ToddW.
    Dec 2, 2003
    6
    Not as good as the first, going through the city is tiresome and it is a very dark game as opposed to the very scenic first title. Feels like another GTA rip off.
  7. dggt
    Jan 30, 2019
    7
    I loved the setting of the firts game, in this one they completly changed it. They developed a GTA-like game with empty city and boring point-to-point driving in it. Also, graphic settings did not saving, checkpoint system is bad and some moments is not hard, they just annoying. Some missions are good and plot not so bad, but anyway, i'm dissapointed
  8. EvilPlayer
    Nov 22, 2021
    6
    Much better than first Jak, but much worse than R&C 2. Haven City is designed very good, there are day and night. But gameplay sucks. Its mechanics are broken or even empty. You can't play it normally without strafe. Developers forgot about this little, but important element called checkpoints. I played it 4 times, and all 4 times I had fire in my ass.
  9. Guru3D
    Oct 28, 2003
    6
    Good graphic but still lacks in the user interface control......sometimes low frametes during facing with huge soldier... STILL needs a lot of improvement.... if compare to MAXIMO...the game are not selectable choice to buy.
  10. G.adams
    Nov 5, 2004
    5
    Some may call it a GTA rip off, so would i. Its odd that your stealing cars (that are as fun as driving mrs daisy) and you have to do GTA type missions, that involve driving these real WACK cars with terrible controle. graphics are good. cut scenes are done well. But i felt the game got really repetitive. go but "GTA:vice city" or "ratchet and clank" instead.
  11. LiamD.
    Oct 23, 2007
    7
    I personally think that this is the worst game of the three. This game in particular focuses way too much around missions. It's the intent of the game, as I have noticed, but sometimes it's just too much to do mission after mission after mission in the same grungy, dark, ugly city for 6 hours, only to be given more. Doesn't live up to the high standards that the Precursor I personally think that this is the worst game of the three. This game in particular focuses way too much around missions. It's the intent of the game, as I have noticed, but sometimes it's just too much to do mission after mission after mission in the same grungy, dark, ugly city for 6 hours, only to be given more. Doesn't live up to the high standards that the Precursor Legacy set it up for.… Expand
  12. FrodoB.
    Jan 19, 2008
    7
    Now, let's start with, "Why i didn't give this game 10". Well, it's because of the hugely annoying missions where you repeatedly start again due to minor mistakes. The rest blew me away. Wonderful humor like, "Remind me not to piss you off!" by Daxter. Graphics are nothing special, gameplay wonderful, music and sounds take a new level from the prequal. The story starts from Now, let's start with, "Why i didn't give this game 10". Well, it's because of the hugely annoying missions where you repeatedly start again due to minor mistakes. The rest blew me away. Wonderful humor like, "Remind me not to piss you off!" by Daxter. Graphics are nothing special, gameplay wonderful, music and sounds take a new level from the prequal. The story starts from where the prequal left off.Jak still won't talk, but when you get to the (spoilers) part where jak's tortured with dark echo, he finally says his first words, "I'm going to kill Praxis!" referring to the torturer, the lord of Haven city, in the future. Get ready for some solid gameplay.… Expand
  13. ohaiKendyl
    May 22, 2011
    7
    Naughty Dog's sequel to the stunning Jak and Daxter lacks the charm of the first game, partly because of its slightly imbalanced transfer to the "Teen" rating. However, Jak II still offers some solid platforming and action-adventure elements. Pros: Excellent graphics, control, camera, and sound; no loading screens; variety of weapons to play with and missions to conquer. Cons: Unoriginal;Naughty Dog's sequel to the stunning Jak and Daxter lacks the charm of the first game, partly because of its slightly imbalanced transfer to the "Teen" rating. However, Jak II still offers some solid platforming and action-adventure elements. Pros: Excellent graphics, control, camera, and sound; no loading screens; variety of weapons to play with and missions to conquer. Cons: Unoriginal; generally ugly characters and level design; a bit of a lousy attempt at transferring the series to a mature setting; sappy dialogue.… Expand
  14. wesker2012
    May 28, 2012
    6
    Good game but hard as hell.
  15. Frankpsn
    Dec 8, 2013
    5
    This game is more boring, more frustrating and larger than the first game, and the little more interesting story cannot overcome the shame this game is in comparison with the first Jak.

    Shame on you, naughty dog
  16. JuanLuisGG14
    Dec 31, 2015
    6
    Yeah, this game is partially good, plenty of new enemies, better story and upgraded problems
    The main problem is on its GTA copy style, ruined with **** A.I. and some stupid logic (police catches you if you barely do them anything)
    The worst thing is that you should face this problems during most of the missions, which are sometimes unfair or unbearable. On the other hand, there are a    Yeah, this game is partially good, plenty of new enemies, better story and upgraded problems
    The main problem is on its GTA copy style, ruined with **** A.I. and some stupid logic (police catches you if you barely do them anything)
    The worst thing is that you should face this problems during most of the missions, which are sometimes unfair or unbearable.
    On the other hand, there are a lot of vehicles and weapons, making this game more an action game than a platformer.
    Good effort Naughty Dog, it could be better.
    6/10    … Expand
  17. Weslapootayn
    Jul 22, 2017
    7
    I feel kinda bad for rating this game a 7 because I really want to give it an 8 or a 9, but I just can't.. I usually don't downgrade a game because of its difficulty, but seriously what is with the crushing difficulty? It's like Naughty Dog got mad because Jak and Dakster was stupidly easy, and jacked the difficulty of Jak 2 up out of spite. I like a good challenge, but this game crossesI feel kinda bad for rating this game a 7 because I really want to give it an 8 or a 9, but I just can't.. I usually don't downgrade a game because of its difficulty, but seriously what is with the crushing difficulty? It's like Naughty Dog got mad because Jak and Dakster was stupidly easy, and jacked the difficulty of Jak 2 up out of spite. I like a good challenge, but this game crosses the line of "fair challenge" to "complete bs" too many times. If they just toned it down a bit then this game would be a near masterpiece, but as it stands it's so hard it makes you want to throw your controller at the tv and that's not fun.… Expand
  18. Max_Spidey
    Dec 10, 2018
    6
    [PT-BR] Jak II trouxe uma mudança grande pra série, no primeiro jogo ele parecia apenas um primogênito da saga Crash, mas no segundo ele começou a andar mais pro lado da saga GTA.
    Isso que eu acabei de dizer é uma coisa ruim? NÃO.
    Eu confesso que gostei da mudança, trouxe mais originalidade e identidade do que o primeiro jogo. Porém isso tudo não foi aplicado da melhor maneira possível.    [PT-BR] Jak II trouxe uma mudança grande pra série, no primeiro jogo ele parecia apenas um primogênito da saga Crash, mas no segundo ele começou a andar mais pro lado da saga GTA.
    Isso que eu acabei de dizer é uma coisa ruim? NÃO.
    Eu confesso que gostei da mudança, trouxe mais originalidade e identidade do que o primeiro jogo.
    Porém isso tudo não foi aplicado da melhor maneira possível. No começo eu achava do caralho o jogo, parecia que tudo que mudou tinha sido pra melhor, mas com o passar do game eu que vi que não era bem assim.
    A primeira mudança relevante é sobre a história, que ficou mais séria e longa... eu disse longa? LONGA PRA CARALHO, e isso não é bom, porque diferente de outros jogos com campanhas longas, Jak 2 vai ficando maçante. Diversas vezes eu me pegava pensando: "Essa merda não acaba não? Puta que pariu", e também aconteceu 3 vezes de eu pensar que estou na missão final do game e depois ver que ainda tem mais coisa pra fazer, isso só mostra que o jogo não estava mais me divertindo.
    Diferente de GTA, Jak II não tem quase nada pra fazer além das missões principais, um mundo aberto (cidade) até grandinho que está lá pra você passear de automóveis e snowboard, e te fazer passar raiva numa certa corrida (se você jogou você sabe do que eu estou falando).
    Já que eu falei em passar raiva, vamos pra outro tópico, a dificuldade do jogo.
    Eu não diria que Jak II é difícil, eu diria que ele é levemente filho da puta com o jogador, e essa dificuldade está atrelada em 3 coisas:
    1- Defender algum amigo de levar dano até o fim da fase
    2-Corridas
    3- Checkpoints

    A parte de defender seus amigos e das corridas é totalmente aceitável, mas a parte dos checkpoints não.
    Diversas vezes você vai passar por uma porrada de coisas, vai morrer e vai voltar lá na PQP. Isso não acontece em algumas fases não, é na maioria delas, principalmente na reta final do jogo.
    Assim como no GTA, Jak II tem uma "polícia", e assim como no GTA, ela é um saco, só que diferente do GTA, você vai estar sempre esbarrando em algum policial e ficando procurado... isso não deixa o jogo m ais difícil, porém ainda é um pouquinho chato e vale ressaltar.
    No jogo você tem armas agora, o que seria uma inspiração de GTA sem armas, hein?
    Enfim, Jak II é um jogo OK. Tinha TUDO pra superar o primeiro e tinha ótimas ideias, mas na prática não funcionou.
    Talvez pra você um 6 seja uma nota ruim, mas na minha concepção não.
    Ele não recebeu a nota 6 por ser um jogo fraco e ruim, e sim por decepcionar nas mudanças apresentadas ao jogador em relação ao primeiro jogo.    … Expand
  19. Kilowog
    Jan 5, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Recientemente he sacado mi PS2, he limpiado el polvo y he jugado a todos los juegos que han salido en esta consola de la saga "Jak and Daxter" (Incluyendo tanto "Jak X" como "La frontera Perdida" y tengo que decir que con el que más he sufrido es con este. Una de las razones que más me han empujado a ponerle esta nota es simple y llanamente Erol. Ahora pasaré a hablar sobre sus aciertos y problemas pero cuando a Jak se le calienta la boca en el bar de Krew y reta a una carrera a Erol, la misión en cuestión tiene una dificultad anormalmente elevada.

    Pros de este título:
    - Gráficos. Para ser un juego de 2003, se ve espectacularmente bien.
    - Daxter. Por que es Daxter.
    - Mecánicas sencillas y bien explicadas.

    Contras:
    - Los picos de dificultad tan elevados que van subiendo y bajando dependiendo la misión.Pasas de un jardín de rosas al maldito infierno entre misión y misión. Esta dificultad no es al estilo Souls o Super Meat Boy que sí, es difícil pero eres tú el que falla. En Jak 2 la mitad de las veces que mueres o fallas en una misión es por el que el juego no tiene un diseño claro ni eficaz.
    - Los Respawns. Da igual que mueras o falles la misión un minuto después de empezarla o media hora. Si tienes que respawnear, lo harás al principio. Da igual que hayas visto 7 cinemáticas donde Naugthy Dog podría haber cargado un respawn, empezarás al principio de la misión.
    - Las naves. Te rozas y ya has explotado en siete pedazos y no hablemos de la tabla en la que Jak hace "Skate". Como te choques contra un enemigo con la mencionada tabla te harás daño y te caerás haciendo así que quieras dejar de usar esta opción de desplazamiento.
    - La carrera inprobisada con Erol. Esta misión tiene que estar apartada del primer contra. De verdad, ridícula.    … Expand
  20. hector_bcn98
    Aug 12, 2023
    6
    En qué momento la saga derivó en un juego mundo abierto de misiones sin nigún tipo de interés, con un mal gunplay, terrible cámara y dificultad injusta?
  21. Mr_Nobody34
    Jan 14, 2022
    7
    Ratings for the time period it came out
    Story : 8
    Gameplay : 8
    Graphics : 7
    Fun Factor : 8
    Environment interaction : 5
    Sound effects : 8
    Overall Immersion : 7
  22. aaronnmp96
    Jan 31, 2023
    7
    It has many flaws but for the time it was very good, Jak has a more Edgy character and it was not necessary

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best PS2 Game of 2003
6
#6 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
10
#10 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. Gamestyle
    70
    It’s undoubtedly a bold (if not brazen) attempt to entertain, and while Gamestyle found itself striving to collect every last item from the first title, it is hard to see the same happening with this one. Which leaves its technical achievements looking rather muted.
    Read full review
  2. Electric Playground
    100
    I was hooked on the gameplay and the story of Jak II almost immediately and my addiction and love of the game hasn’t subsided weeks later. Jak II is, without question, one of the finest gaming experiences I’ve ever had.
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  3. Gamer.tv
    95
    Naughty Dog's expansion of Jak and Daxter's world to include different forms of gameplay has been seamless, and should open up their adventures to those who find the very concept of platform games anathema.
    Read full review
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