The best classic platformer
Jak and Daxter, a world in one piece
- Critic score
- 90
- Player rating
- 4.8/5
- Main story
- 9.8 h
- Genre
- Platformer, Action
In 2001, 3D platformers were carved into levels separated by loading screens. This one fitted an entire world into a single unbroken piece, on PlayStation 2.
A distant planet dominated by the ruins of a vanished civilisation, the Precursors, who left behind eco — an energy that comes in colours with distinct effects. Dark eco, capable of warping living things, is coveted by Gol Acheron, who sends his Lurkers to harvest it. After an accident, Daxter is turned into a hybrid creature; Jak sets out to find a way to restore him.
The technical feat became famous. There is no loading screen between areas: you walk from a fishing village to a snowy mountain and the world unfolds continuously. On the hardware of the time this required a streaming system few studios had mastered, and it changes how you perceive the place — you feel a territory rather than a sequence of stages.
The game itself is exemplary in its clarity. Jak runs, jumps, strikes and glides a little; there is no skill tree and no upgrades to manage. Progress is measured in power cells collected, which open access to later areas. Everything is immediately understandable, including for a child, and none of it dates.
The duo also works through one writing decision: Jak does not speak, Daxter never stops. The permanent sarcastic commentary sets the tone, and directly influenced a generation of talkative sidekicks.
About ten hours for the story. It is in the Classics Catalog, so it requires a Premium subscription — and it is one of that catalog's best arguments.