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. Neo010390
    Sep 22, 2010
    9
    If you thought Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was a great game wait till you get a taste Jak 2. Jak and Daxter are back in their brand new adventure and this time its bigger and better than ever. The story picks off right after you completed the first game where, Jak and his friends, Kiera and Samos are testing out the Rift Rider and Precurspr Rift gate that you opened afterIf you thought Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was a great game wait till you get a taste Jak 2. Jak and Daxter are back in their brand new adventure and this time its bigger and better than ever. The story picks off right after you completed the first game where, Jak and his friends, Kiera and Samos are testing out the Rift Rider and Precurspr Rift gate that you opened after collecting all of the Precursor Orbs in the last game. As you go through you get transported to a place called Haven City which is under command by Baron Praxis. Jak his captured and 2 years have passed since. Daxter manages to find Jak and help him escape, only to find out that Jak had gone through experiments by Dark Eco which can make him transform into a dark beast. Not only that but his personality has changed him into a teenage Jak. The gameplay is a lot different than the first game. You start off in the city and are given tasks to do by people. Once you've completed the first task, you move onto the next one and the next one, so it is like a step up ladder really. There are some challenges too which earn you Precursor Orbs if you pass them. You can ride new vehicles which you can steal from others, some are faster than others so you can get to places quicker because there is a lot of going back and forth in this game. Don't steal any of the krimzon guards vehicles or run into them otherwise the city will go on alert and they will start chasing after you and try and shoot you, try to outrun them if you can but its a real pain and wastes time. In fact its a sort of a GTA spin off this game. There are more tasks to accomplish and tougher ones too. You have new moves as well, spinning and punching is still there but this time you can carry a Rifle. The Rifle has 4 different types of shots and you have to collect these as you progress. And if that wasn't enough, when collect a number of Dark Eco you can transform into a dark beast which makes you unvulnerable for a short period of time and you can go through and smash your way through hundreds of enemies to make your job a much easier. If you collect metal heads you can trade them in to the oracle and he will give you new abilities for your beast form. You can ride on a hoverboard which can float on water and there is a skate arena where you can pull of a few tricks (a bit like playing those Tony Hawk, SSX and Matt Hoffman games). There are hover races too which are loads of fun, there are more bosses this time and for the first time Daxter is a playable character too. This game has virtually everything to make this game stand out and I loved absolutely every bit of it. Bigger gameplay, more challenges and better moves. The graphics are done beautifully and some of the level designs (one of my faviroutes is the one where your inside a temple) are very impressive. The music is perfect and the voice acting is great, especially Daxter's who is as funny as ever. There aren't many sequels out there that are as good as the first but this one is way more superior to the first, so if you thought Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was a great game wait till you get a taste of Jak 2… Expand
  2. RenegadeNorman
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    "Jak II" is easily the best game in the Jak and Daxter series. The graphics are still good even to this day, there's a lot of replay value (I'm currently beating the game for the 9th time and I'm not even close to getting sick of it), and Jak is just BAMF to play as. Jak's "Dark Jak" powers make the game even more fun. There are a lot of challenging missions, but that does not detract from"Jak II" is easily the best game in the Jak and Daxter series. The graphics are still good even to this day, there's a lot of replay value (I'm currently beating the game for the 9th time and I'm not even close to getting sick of it), and Jak is just BAMF to play as. Jak's "Dark Jak" powers make the game even more fun. There are a lot of challenging missions, but that does not detract from the fun of the game. The Precursor Legacy was good, but Jak II is 10 times better in every way.… Expand
  3. TheCritic1
    Aug 8, 2011
    8
    What a great game! Hoverboarding is so much fun and Dark Jak is unbelievable. Jak 3 betters it though! The final boss can be infuriating but is very fun! Much better than TPL an dnever gets old!
  4. Penisvanlesbian
    Apr 20, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing. Different from the first game but just as good. It should have got a 100.
  5. Greg_Heavy
    Jul 23, 2012
    10
    In the top 5 best games I ever played. Great story, amazing characters, awesome gameplay, perfect difficulty, not too short, not too long, lots of stuff to collect if you like to go for 100% playthroughs. Loved every moment with this masterpiece.
  6. TheAgentBrandon
    Feb 25, 2013
    9
    Not as good as the first in my opinion. But this is easily one of the best games the Playstation 2 has to offer. If you missed out on this precious gem I recommend you buy it!
  7. Matesers
    Apr 27, 2016
    9
    This game is really well done. The smooth animations of Jak still amaze me. Very few games, even today, can rival this. The game features some really good characters. The story is nice, featuring 3 factions, so a little more complex than that of most games. Jak II is full of action and fun and smooth platfroming. And of course: No loading screens! The game loads areas as you are travelingThis game is really well done. The smooth animations of Jak still amaze me. Very few games, even today, can rival this. The game features some really good characters. The story is nice, featuring 3 factions, so a little more complex than that of most games. Jak II is full of action and fun and smooth platfroming. And of course: No loading screens! The game loads areas as you are traveling towards them. A smart system which very few other gamedevelopers have realized.… Expand
  8. LatinCritic13
    Jul 14, 2020
    10
    Jak 2 is one of the badass open-world sequels I have ever played. The first game is all about love, but for the sequel is about revenge for those that harmed Jak after being captive in the futuristic Haven City. And it’s unbelievable that this sequel is more adult than what I expected and it’s awesome.
  9. Mezmer
    Oct 27, 2016
    10
    This is in my opinion, the best installment of the Jak and Daxter series. This game was my childhood- it was one of the first games I ever truly fell in love with. The story and voice acting is fantastic, the gameplay is challenging and fun, the characters are unique, and I haven't run into any bugs yet. I cannot express my love for this outlandish, colorful game. Its open world aspectThis is in my opinion, the best installment of the Jak and Daxter series. This game was my childhood- it was one of the first games I ever truly fell in love with. The story and voice acting is fantastic, the gameplay is challenging and fun, the characters are unique, and I haven't run into any bugs yet. I cannot express my love for this outlandish, colorful game. Its open world aspect makes it loads of fun as well. With the remastered edition of all the Jak and Daxter games, for only around twenty bucks, there's no reason why shouldn't give this franchise a try. The new characteristics and changes from the first game, specifically towards Jak, are very evident. He's no longer happy go lucky, and he talks. His voice is rough and deep, and he's angry and looking for revenge; and let me tell you, I love it. The hover-cars and car jacking system is great, and can be loads of fun. People draw parallels from this game to GTA- but in reality, Jak is its own unique game. Please, give this amazing game a try! You will not be disappointed!… Expand
  10. Sylictic
    Jul 8, 2023
    3
    Naughty dog began it's journey to darker gritty games by taking a colourful platformer and saying 'nope.'
    Whilst the direction thr company has since taken with absolute masterpieces like the last of us and uncharted, quite why they decided to drastically change the genre of jak and daxter is beyond me. The grittier nature of the story is fine however everything that happened in the    Naughty dog began it's journey to darker gritty games by taking a colourful platformer and saying 'nope.'
    Whilst the direction thr company has since taken with absolute masterpieces like the last of us and uncharted, quite why they decided to drastically change the genre of jak and daxter is beyond me. The grittier nature of the story is fine however everything that happened in the precursor legacy is irrelevant and almost completely discarded for a more mad max style adventure.    … Expand
  11. TheZappino
    Apr 7, 2019
    10
    One of the best game ever for Play Station 2, too criticized for having changed the "style" of the story compared to the prequel (a good choice as my opinion). The game-play is fun and well structured, with elements of platform and action, all built around a cyberpunk atmosphere.
    A must-have for PS2 lovers.
  12. Awsomeman889
    Sep 4, 2020
    8
    Its funny when I Both Love and Hate this game at the same time you know. First I love the story of Jak 2 I like it how it improves over its predecessor, this open world is great and yet depressing at the same time, and I love how you can used guns and shoot enemies in this game. Now the Parts that I hate this game. This game is Super Hard that could lead to a lot of rage quits and theIts funny when I Both Love and Hate this game at the same time you know. First I love the story of Jak 2 I like it how it improves over its predecessor, this open world is great and yet depressing at the same time, and I love how you can used guns and shoot enemies in this game. Now the Parts that I hate this game. This game is Super Hard that could lead to a lot of rage quits and the checkpoint system is completely broken in this game and I was so frustrated with. Overall though it's not a bad game, its a good game if you can get passed the broken checkpoint system and the super hard difficulty.… Expand
  13. Tecnodamian
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    Es una maravilla de juego un gran clásico de la PS2
    Su historia su música y su jugabilidad es fascinante
  14. Khazar2
    Jul 23, 2020
    10
    The plot was great and the open world design with GTA vibes introduced a sandbox element to the series. Exploring haven city and its outskirts was another layer of replayability added. The most notable thing about this game was its difficulty which made it even more fun. Gameplay mechanics were ahead at the time but does show its age, however this is mitigated with a bit of practice. InThe plot was great and the open world design with GTA vibes introduced a sandbox element to the series. Exploring haven city and its outskirts was another layer of replayability added. The most notable thing about this game was its difficulty which made it even more fun. Gameplay mechanics were ahead at the time but does show its age, however this is mitigated with a bit of practice. In summary: this is the 3rd best Naughty Dog game (after TLOU1 and Uncharted 2) and the best J&D game.

    Note: this review is only applicable to the PS2 version and not the disappointing PS4 version.    … Expand
  15. GrandBalaxon
    Jun 27, 2020
    10
    It will be my personal 10 and I don't know any other game I should give the same rating right now. I replayed it a dozen times at this point and I think it is the best Jak game we have right now. It has an interesting story, great characters and gameplay. It brings a unique world and dynamically changing music system. Havon city is a place I'd like to see in a possible sequel. Yeah, theIt will be my personal 10 and I don't know any other game I should give the same rating right now. I replayed it a dozen times at this point and I think it is the best Jak game we have right now. It has an interesting story, great characters and gameplay. It brings a unique world and dynamically changing music system. Havon city is a place I'd like to see in a possible sequel. Yeah, the game may be challenging sometimes but I don't think it is a bad thing. The Jak 3 game, for instance, have almost no challenge at all and is it a healthy thing? I dunno.

    If someone will ever make a new Jak and Daxter game - this is how it should be done.
    (English is not my native and it's my first review, so Ig that'll do for now.)    … Expand
  16. Xrayplayer
    Apr 4, 2021
    8
    While it's a great game I consider this a huge step back from it's predecessor.
    Jak and dexter was a perfect game for collectathon platformer fan who bought a ps2 and the idea of levels connected with each other without loading screens was revolutionary at the time.
    Jak 2 party much changed everything from jak 1 the game structure has similarities with the gta series you drive around the    While it's a great game I consider this a huge step back from it's predecessor.
    Jak and dexter was a perfect game for collectathon platformer fan who bought a ps2 and the idea of levels connected with each other without loading screens was revolutionary at the time.

    Jak 2 party much changed everything from jak 1 the game structure has similarities with the gta series you drive around the city completing missions, most of the missions are varied and fun there's shotting and driving and hoverboarding and platforming, but my issue is the difficulty it can be very tough and kinda unfair especially in the last third of the game with no checkpoints and you can die very easily, so if you went through a long mission and died near the end you will restart the whole mission that can take you 15 minutes to beat, at least the nice new additions and some of the more enjoyable missions made me liked this game and jak still controls really well.
    And the story is good daxter was hilarious.    … Expand
  17. metaman123
    Nov 19, 2011
    10
    This game is the essence of my childhood, I must have played it 10 times. Its a little late to be writing a review but I feel that its important to tell people how great this game is! Everything is perfect mystery, sci-fi, comedy, action and of course solid gameplay
  18. DarkEnergon
    Nov 2, 2011
    10
    Quite honestly the best game I have ever played in my entire life, the gameplay is perfectly balanced and endlessly fun, the story is right up there with titles like Halo and Assassin's Creed, the graphics are among the best on PS2 and Haven City is intricately and beautifully designed, even from a modern day perspective (2nd November, 2011) this is among the best games of all time (IQuite honestly the best game I have ever played in my entire life, the gameplay is perfectly balanced and endlessly fun, the story is right up there with titles like Halo and Assassin's Creed, the graphics are among the best on PS2 and Haven City is intricately and beautifully designed, even from a modern day perspective (2nd November, 2011) this is among the best games of all time (I willingly compare it to the likes of "Ocarina of Time", "Super Mario Galaxy" "Metroid Prime", couple all the above praise with a unique charm and unbeatable humour and you have a classic you'll treasure for all time.
    One flaw, the 200 collectible precursor orbs are almost impossible to gather, given that they appear in some places that you never get a chance to revisit (like the metalhead nest), but the collectibles make up about 0.1% of Jak II, so don't stress your **** about it, it detracts very little to the ultimate perfection that is Jak II    … Expand
  19. Life_hater
    Jul 19, 2018
    1
    How can a game has decayed so much? The First Jak and Daxter is so good, has just some problems, but this second game, all game is the problem. This is another game completely diferrent, is like they creat a new game from the 0, and put the characters from the other game. The game is totally dark, like the creators went into depression and pull the game with them. The missions are boringHow can a game has decayed so much? The First Jak and Daxter is so good, has just some problems, but this second game, all game is the problem. This is another game completely diferrent, is like they creat a new game from the 0, and put the characters from the other game. The game is totally dark, like the creators went into depression and pull the game with them. The missions are boring and irritant(not difficult), the checkpoint is terrible, doesn't enjoy. I dont wanna play this never again. This game gave me crisis of nervousness. :(… Expand
  20. sufflaminandus
    Mar 20, 2019
    3
    Jak 1 was a successful, critically acclaimed platformer so what moved Naughty Dog to make radical revisions is a mystery. Indeed, when Jak 1 was almost a pure platformer, ‘action-adventure’ shuffling far behind, in Jak 2 roles are reversed. Yep, Jak 2 is a rightful action-adventure title and imagine this: it’s a GTA clone.

    Adventure begins with unlucky experiment that results in main    Jak 1 was a successful, critically acclaimed platformer so what moved Naughty Dog to make radical revisions is a mystery. Indeed, when Jak 1 was almost a pure platformer, ‘action-adventure’ shuffling far behind, in Jak 2 roles are reversed. Yep, Jak 2 is a rightful action-adventure title and imagine this: it’s a GTA clone.

    Adventure begins with unlucky experiment that results in main heroes being sucked into faulty machine and warped into Haven City, futurist habitat controlled by tyrant Baron Praxis and his Krimzon Guard. The group gets separated, Jak is captured and is experimented upon for 2 years, until being rescued by Daxter. The lasting torture is the source of three game aspects. First Jak is now capable of turning into dark eco version of himself, imbued with increased strength, defenses and scariness. Secondly, Jak has grown into serious tough guy now capable of speech. Thirdly, his motivation is revenge.

    As you can see Jak 2 goes for darker, more serious approach. Haven City mimics well dystopian works: police force patrolling the streets, brainwashing propaganda sounding in air, the rule of baron is absolute. Jak stays true to his unheroely goal throughout most of the story and to achieve it he is ready to deal even with criminals. Story itself is ten times more complex and sophisticated than “collect 75 cores” of predecessor, there would be twists, revelations, humor, tragedies. But cartoon design and bubbly past are inescapable, the story ever be limited by the fact that people in Jak are hyperbolic farce characters reeking of lightweight humor and design. Daxter in particularly is even more exasperating and superfluous than before.

    Jak 2 action-adventure is almost identical to GTA. Like GTA cities, Haven City is the hub filled with people, some walking, some flying in vehicles. Like in GTA, you’re free to roam, attack anyone, steal cars. Like in GTA, cops are ready to pursue you in case of infringement. Like in GTA story consist of mission, each triggered by going into certain place in the city, marked by icon on minimap. Like in GTA missions start with narrative cutscene, involving eccentric job-giver, followed by a task that can compromise almost any activity imaginable. The only ‘like in Jak’ element is that many missions takes places in certain non-city locations that involves classic platformer walkthrough.

    GTA-like gameplay structure requires a lot of variety in missions and, quantity wise, Naughty Dog managed quite well. The list of different tasks is long: platforming, fleeing from giant creatures, puzzles, NPCs escort, enemy eliminations, skateboarding, ambush escapes, lap races, sprint races, city races, shooting galleries, taxi, police shake-off, robot suite, intact deliveries, bosses, minigames. Jak now is supplied with a weapon, thanks to which game imitates a shooter (imitates because Jak 2 doesn’t feature regular aiming system).

    Activities list sound impressive right? Yes, indeed, I was charmed by the Jak 2 changes at first but illusion was quickly dispelled by two problems. First is simple and objective truth that, ironically, the only thing that Jak 2 does brilliantly is… platforming. Everything else (which is more than half of the game) falls under GTA category and is lackluster. The AI of denizens of Haven City consist literally of two actions: trite walking/driving and running from Jak. Cops system is so basic that it’s nothing but annoying. The Haven City itself is completely empty: no secrets, no interesting places, no motivation for exploration. And all these GTA-like missions about driving and shooting are mediocre because driving feels too arcade and not engaging and shooting, as was mentioned before, is an imitation.

    The second problem is idiotic, nerve-wrecking, unwarranted difficulty. Almost *all* mission in Jak 2 forgive no mistakes but at the same time many of them relies heavily on luck (!). For example, many mission involves hordes of shooting enemies all around Jak, you can kill them as fast as you can but you can’t prevent at least some of them from making few shots. And these shots… they may miss and they may not, you can’t control that, it’s random. So two absolutely identical player actions may lead (and often will) to different outcomes. Couple with the fact that platforming locations feature no checkpoints, prepare to spend hours on going through first mission stages only to practice the part where you fail. And this is idiocy: there are dozens of easily-implementable ways to makes game enjoyable and accessible to average player but no, no checkpoints, no health boxes, no mistakes, no selectable difficulty - only hardcore.

    And it’s just doesn’t worth it. Platforming is the only fun department of the game while everything else is a living hell. Yes, objectively speaking Jak 2 may deserve 6 or even 7, like original… but no

    3/10.    … Expand
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  23. Raptor_Jesus
    Jan 26, 2014
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I tried to like this game, as much as I could. It got to the point where I couldn't continue to force myself to play this game. This game is almost like a GTA knock off and I absolutely hate it. Many would disagree with me, but hear me out.

    The first game was a Action-Adventure Platformer where you seek for powercells and acquire them through various trades and challenges. The objective was liner and straight forward, go north in search of Gaul (However his name is spelt) and attempt to change Daxter back. The ending of the first game lead to a door that led to a cliffhanger for the next squeal. The game was absolutely beautiful and loved every minute of it.

    At the beginning of Jak II, you are given the opening cut scene of what is a giant ring with no explanation of it. Jak presses a button and is mysteriously attacked by a 3-eyed rhino of a monster which then leads to Jak, Daxter, the Green Sage, and Kaira (Again, not entirely sure of the spelling) off into what is a rift gate and are separated. Jak and Daxter are transported to a city which Jak gets captured and is submitted to Dark Eco injections for the next 2 years. Daxter breaks Jak out, and you are sent into the city of Haven.

    The first thing I noticed during the tutorial was that the sound effects of Jaks jumps weren't of him from the first game. Next, Jak can transformed into some sort of super being of dark eco and is sent upon the city. After, you are greeted by some prick who never tells you his name and is sent mission after mission to some place without any story progress; at least I felt like there was none.

    A broken game feature was the checkpoint system; yes, its Effing broken. You could be more than 75% done with the mission, but if you die sorry. Go back to square one with the same amount of ammo that you had from where you died. Oh yeah, you're given an Effing gun.

    Instead of being an Action-Adventure, Naughty Dog decided to say "Hey! Lets switch genres and turn it into a shooter! All the kids love shooters!" Yeah, not the kids who played the first game. This game turned into a shooter with very little platforming. And for the very little platforming you can do, they also decided to say "screw barriers and invisible walls! If you fall out of the map! Tough luck! Back to square one!"

    Hover cars are another broken feature in this game due to how weak like paper mache they are. 3 hits into some object and bye bye car; it doesn't make it easy if theres another hover car 2 feet away from you and everywhere. For the racing mission in 3 minutes, freaking impossible! I kept my car running and I still couldn't make it no matter how many different routes I took.

    These are my problems with Jak II. The game is utterly horrible. If you've played the first game, stick to the first game please. You're not missing much. If you really want to know the story, go look up on youtube or where ever if you want to know that bad. But it's seriously not worth your money.    … Expand
  24. Joruto
    Aug 22, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was a real disappointment.

    I was hoping for another beautiful platformer like the last Jak game. But instead I got a poor GTA clone with no art style.

    The checkpoints were stupidly placed (Which made the game frustratingly hard!!)

    There are some badly made escort/race missions THAT SUCK!!

    And remember how The Precursor Legacy had no loading screens?
    Well say goodbye to that!
    Every time you want to exit the city you have to wait for a slow door to open.
    (It's a kinda cleverly disguised loading screen.)

    The only good thing I have to say about this game is that the story is kick-ass and deep and also the music is still pretty good.

    Oh and all the boss fights are boring and repetitive (The Krew boss fight for example).

    Although the last boss fight was pretty good.    … Expand
  25. 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
  26. SandeProElite
    Apr 6, 2012
    9
    The sequel to the first Jak and Daxter game is a great game with more content and game play added. The game has platformer elements like the first game but it's also gotten a shooter element to it. The game again is completely open world and is fun to explore. Some of the levels have pretty bad check points and over all the game isn't as good as the first game in my opinion but it still isThe sequel to the first Jak and Daxter game is a great game with more content and game play added. The game has platformer elements like the first game but it's also gotten a shooter element to it. The game again is completely open world and is fun to explore. Some of the levels have pretty bad check points and over all the game isn't as good as the first game in my opinion but it still is a very good game I'd recommend for everyone.… Expand
  27. 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
  28. f_ckjak
    May 12, 2014
    2
    This otherwise decent game is one of the most frustrating ones I've ever played. And it's all due to its poor design and completely wrong checkpoints placements. I really have no idea what were the creators thinking and how little idea and understanding did they have of games in general. The most important aspect of any game is that a game should be.... wait for it.... fun! Oh wow, howThis otherwise decent game is one of the most frustrating ones I've ever played. And it's all due to its poor design and completely wrong checkpoints placements. I really have no idea what were the creators thinking and how little idea and understanding did they have of games in general. The most important aspect of any game is that a game should be.... wait for it.... fun! Oh wow, how brilliant, I must be a genius! Too bad they didn't think of that - this game punishes you for playing it, it's brutal.

    Oh, and one more (but very important) thing. It has one of the most terrible soundtracks I've ever heard, anywhere. Seriously, just listen to it. Calling the guy who made it a "composer" is a joke...    … Expand
  29. yoshistar456
    Mar 24, 2016
    0
    WHY DOES EVERYONE LIKE THIS GAME?! IT"S BY FAR ONE OF THE WORST GAMES I EVER The original Jak and Daxter was one of my favorite games of all time! And now they ruined it BY MAKING IT A **** GTA CLONE! Why?! Why did you do this, Naughty Dog? You had something great going on with the first game, and now, THIS?! This is just... UIBY FC,mjkhudtr7tu[gmhcgxkfyri75oe6r7py. Sorry, I got so pissedWHY DOES EVERYONE LIKE THIS GAME?! IT"S BY FAR ONE OF THE WORST GAMES I EVER The original Jak and Daxter was one of my favorite games of all time! And now they ruined it BY MAKING IT A **** GTA CLONE! Why?! Why did you do this, Naughty Dog? You had something great going on with the first game, and now, THIS?! This is just... UIBY FC,mjkhudtr7tu[gmhcgxkfyri75oe6r7py. Sorry, I got so pissed that I pressed all the buttons on my keyboard randomly. Anyways, it's not just the change in gameplay that annoys me, it's these **** missions! This game has a **** up check point system. Trust me, it's screwed up. If you die once, you have to go a huge chunk back in the level. Soundtrack wise, they didn't do anything to improve the already lacking soundtrack from the first game. And graphically-- IT SUCKS!!! It's so dark and bland, I mean... what the hell happened? The first game had a lot of color, and now this? So in conclusion, if you're anything like me, don't buy this game or rent it. Hell, don't even watch anyone play it. I despise this game.… Expand
  30. Dom007
    Mar 12, 2021
    0
    Seriously what is this pile of h o r s e s h i t? I don't like to give up on video games, but I knew from the very start that I'd dislike this game. For starters it has a piss annoying sidekick character that won't shut up, dreadful missions, mediocre level design, awful boss battles, the worst checkpointing I've ever seen in a game, hard to aim gun combat and frustrating controlsSeriously what is this pile of h o r s e s h i t? I don't like to give up on video games, but I knew from the very start that I'd dislike this game. For starters it has a piss annoying sidekick character that won't shut up, dreadful missions, mediocre level design, awful boss battles, the worst checkpointing I've ever seen in a game, hard to aim gun combat and frustrating controls (particularly on the flying car sections).
    Never will I play this again, perhaps the most unenjoyable gaming experience I've ever had.    … Expand
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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

All reviews »
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.
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  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.
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