• About this item The first PS2 title from developers Naughty Dog, the creators of C Bandicoot A vibrant, imaginatively conceived and luxuriously detailed new universe to explore A cast of great characters, each with their own unique personality Engrossing storyline that unfolds as you complete various tasks Adventure takes place across a massive piece of continuous coastline--you can explore freely, with no loading screens and no waiting time Characters and environmental elements exist in real time and have smart artifical intelligence Also available: Official Strategy Guide.

Product Description ------------------- While exploring some ancient ruins on a forbidden island off the coast, Jak's best friend, Daxter, is knocked into a vat of Dark Eco--a terrifying and deadly substance that could corrupt the world forever--transforming him into a weasel-like rodent. The village sage, Samos Hagai, tells Jak that there may only be one person who holds the secrets to transforming Daxter back. Now the pair must set out on a quest in search of a wise old sage who has the power to restore Daxter to his former self. Plunge into a world of new adventure, exploration and discovery. Embark on a magical yet sometimes harrowing journey that challenges gamers to test their wits and skills and allows them to discover twisted plots and battle the evil within. Delivering nothing but the best ingredients for what is set to be one of the biggest titles of the year, with great character designs and animations, innovative gameplay mechanics, superior technology and absolutely stunning graphics, Jak and Daxter pushes the power of PlayStation 2, and offers an engaging, immersive entertainment experience that stretches the imagination. .co.uk Review ------------- The PS2 is finally getting its fair share of platform games, and Jak & Daxter is a corker. Following the adventures of the yellow-barnetted Jak and his wisecracking sidekick Daxter (newly transformed into a rodent, and not happy about it), it's a free-roaming 3-D adventure very much along the lines of the N64's Banjo Kazooie--only less irritating. The gameplay, while not breaking any new ground, is perfectly polished and diverse enough to keep the interest up throughout; the main body of the game involves running, jumping, and spinning around the world collecting orbs and power cells and bashing enemies, but there are also racing, fishing and sliding bits, and all are very well done. The game world is seamless and you can move between areas and missions pretty much at will; there are no loading times whatsoever--a lesson which the latest C Bandicoot ( /exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005NT5U/%24%7B0%7D ) would have done well to learn. What's more, the of having to restart levels and collect everything again if you lose all your energy is mercifully absent here. The graphics are truly scrumptious and the sound lush--and, shock horror, the script's decent and the characterisation and voice acting not half bad. It's not quite as amusing and cleverly thought out as Rare's aforementioned N64 stalwart--or their more recent Conker's Bad Fur Day--but it's pretty close. The downsides? It's maybe a bit too easy for seasoned gamers--though by no means a cinch--and the magnificent graphics have eaten up memory that might have been used to make the game longer; as trade-offs go, though, that's pretty reasonable. Bring on the sequel! --Rikki Price