Naughty Dog

Still on my quest to play all the "big" games of 2009, I've almost got Uncharted 2 wrapped up… only two or three more sections to go. Having already put together a rough list of the year's top ten, I was wondering which title I might have to bump to make room for it. That concern is now moot, since it's not going to make the list.

The Style Is In The Details

HIGH Finally glimpsing the lost city of Shambhala.

LOW Quickly dying ten times during a chase sequence before getting a hint as to what I should be doing.

WTF "Don't you love how the water makes your jeans all squidgy?"

Playing Naughty Dog's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune on PlayStation 3 right now.

I played it for a bit when it first came out, but it rubbed me the wrong way and I tossed it aside. I was quite surprised to have that reaction, really. I was a big Crash Bandicoot fan when ND was still producing it, and had a very good time with the Jak & Daxter series. I expected great things from Uncharted, and at the time I felt like it really didn't deliver. Didn't even bother finishing it.

While skimming through Metacritic the other day I came across the Uncharted breakdown and was a bit surprised to see it that rocked an 88. Now, although I will be the first to admit that my taste doesn't always run parallel to the majority, that number seemed a little high to me, and being the Naughty Dog fan that I am, I felt like I should give it another shot. Maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind, or perhaps Saturn was out of alignment, or something. Who knows?

Game Description: Jak II is a true plot-driven adventure game, where every mission has a direct effect on the storyline. With stunning graphics and animations, Jak II takes gamers on a journey through an enormous mystical world, darker than they have experienced before, as an impressive tale unfolds., The series goes dark as Jak and Daxter complete racing, platforming, shooting, and fighting missions in a Grand Theft Auto 3-inspired city.

Looking at the total package, I'd say that Jak II is still better than a lot of other titles out there based on the quality of its controls and graphics alone, but I'd also recommend the original Jak & Daxter and both of the Ratchet & Clank titles over Jak II. They all have the same stellar production values, but Jak II lacks the cohesion, pacing, and spirit the others possess.

According to the ESRB, this game contains: Comic Mischief, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes

Ah, Jak and Daxter. I have a solid appreciation and more than a handful of fond memories for this disc.

Over the past few years, gaming has started to notice the value of having a main character duo as opposed to a lone hero. In some games, like Banjo-Kazooie, the teaming up is essential to advancing through the game's missions (players must utilize both Banjo and Kazooie to complete different objectives). Other games, like Naughty Dog's Jak and Daxter aren't quite so ambitious in their use of two lead characters--the mute Jak does all of the work while Daxter provides the running commentary. However, theres no denying that the presence of a second lead character (or even a sidekick) gives these games an edge over their more traditional single lead character counterparts.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Violence