Jak II is a 2003 action-adventure platform video game created by Naughty Dog and released by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2 (PS2). It is a follow-up to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001) and follows the main character, Jak, as he seeks revenge against Baron Praxis in the oppressive city of Haven City. Jak has been tortured for two years by Baron Praxis and wants to fight back. The game includes exploration of connected city areas, missions with different goals, hand-to-hand combat with a customizable weapon, and travel using hoverboards or hovercars. Jak can also change into a stronger form called Dark Jak to attack enemies.
Naughty Dog designed Jak II to be more serious than its earlier version, as they noticed players wanted more complex stories and freedom to explore in games like Grand Theft Auto III (2001). The team used a powerful game engine to build a large, detailed city with clear visuals, smooth movement, and fast action. When it was released, Jak II was praised for combining different game styles, its detailed story, and advanced technology. However, some players found the city layout and difficulty challenging. The game sold well and was nominated for several awards. A later version, Jak 3, was released in 2004.
Gameplay
Jak II is an open world 3D platformer that includes action-adventure elements. The player controls Jak, who must travel through the oppressive city of Haven City to seek revenge against Baron Praxis. Praxis forced Jak to endure painful experiments for two years. The game’s world is connected without loading screens, allowing players to explore freely across linked areas.
Jak can run, jump, double-jump, crouch, and use a rolling jump to reach distant platforms. His combat moves include a spin attack, a dash-punch, a dive attack, and an uppercut. Jak’s hand-to-hand combat is supported by the Morph-Gun, a gun that can be upgraded for different types of attacks. Jak has unlimited lives; if his health runs out, he restarts at the beginning of the last section of the area he was in. Collecting Health Packs restores a quarter of Jak’s health.
The Jet-Board allows faster movement and tricks. Players can steal Zoomers, which are hover cars with different speeds and strengths, to travel around Haven City. These vehicles are sometimes needed to complete objectives. Due to Praxis’ experiments, Jak can absorb small amounts of a substance called Dark Eco. A meter on the screen shows how much Dark Eco Jak has collected. When the meter is full, Jak transforms into Dark Jak, a powerful form that can defeat many enemies at once. New abilities for Dark Jak are earned by trading special gemstones called Metal Head Skull Gems with a mysterious teacher.
The game has a mission-based structure where players can choose tasks in any order. Missions include platforming, racing, controlling mech suits, and protecting characters. Precursor Orbs, which unlock special features, can be found hidden in the game’s environments or earned by completing specific tasks.
Plot
In Sandover Village, Jak, Daxter, Keira, and Samos use a Rift Rider vehicle to activate the mysterious Precursor Ring found in Gol's citadel. This action causes monstrous creatures, including a large beast searching for a "boy," to appear, forcing the group to escape through the Ring. The Rift Rider crashes, separating Jak and Daxter from Keira and Samos, and they land 300 years in the future in Haven City, a bad place ruled by the cruel Baron Praxis. Jak is captured by Praxis' police force, the Krimson Guards, and for two years, he undergoes harsh experiments that give him a substance called Dark Eco. This experience changes Jak into a vengeful person who becomes known as Dark Jak. Daxter, after avoiding capture, enters the fortress to rescue Jak, who escapes using his new powers.
In Haven City, Jak and Daxter meet Kor, an old man with a mysterious green-haired boy, who tells them about Praxis' harsh rule and directs them to the Underground, a group of rebels led by former Krimson Guard Torn and the Shadow (later revealed to be a younger version of Samos). After proving their loyalty by stealing Praxis' banner from Dead Town (the ruins of Sandover Village), Torn gives them tasks to weaken Praxis, such as restoring water to the slums. During a mission to destroy an ammunition depot, they learn that Krimson Guards are giving Dark Eco to Metal Heads, the creatures that attacked Sandover Village.
Through Torn, Jak and Daxter meet Krew, a dishonest saloon owner who supplies the Underground with weapons and hires them for tasks like killing Metal Heads and finding artifacts. Krew explains that Praxis is trading Eco to Metal Heads for controlled attacks on the city to justify his rule. Jak and Daxter also meet Ashelin, Praxis' daughter and a conflicted Krimson Guard member, who is investigating her father's search for the tomb of Haven City's legendary founder, Mar. The tomb contains the Precursor Stone, a powerful artifact hidden by Mar to protect it from Metal Heads, the ancient enemy of the Precursor civilization. Praxis wants the Stone to strengthen his power, while Metal Heads, led by the large creature that emerged from the Ring, aim to use its energy. Meanwhile, Jak reunites with Keira, now a mechanic and racer, who is building a new Rift Rider to return them to their time.
To find Mar's tomb, Jak and Daxter work with Onin, a blind and mute soothsayer, and her monkey-parrot interpreter, Pecker, who give them tasks to find artifacts that lead to the tomb's location. Inside the tomb, Jak completes tests of bravery, but Praxis, who follows him, takes the Precursor Stone. Ashelin tells Jak that Praxis and Krew are meeting at a weapons factory, where they plan to use a Piercer Bomb to break open the Stone and release its energy. Jak and Daxter defeat Krew, recover the Heart of Mar gemstone (a key part of Keira's Rift Rider), and leave Krew to be caught in the Piercer Bomb's explosion. The city is attacked as Kor reveals himself as the Metal Head Leader, who manipulated events to access the Stone. Praxis, badly injured by the Metal Head Leader, shows Jak and Daxter a second Piercer Bomb with the Stone attached. Daxter stops the bomb to save the Stone.
In a final battle at the Metal Head nest, the Leader explains that the "boy" is Jak's younger self, who was born in Haven City and sent to the past to gain strength to defeat him. The Stone holds a Precursor entity that only young Jak can release. After Jak defeats the Metal Head Leader, young Jak frees the Precursor entity, which ends the Precursors' war against the Metal Heads and balances Jak's Dark Eco corruption with light. Young Jak and Samos return to the past to complete their roles, while the Precursor Ring is destroyed. Ashelin becomes Haven City's leader, and Torn leads the reformed Krimson Guards. Daxter turns Krew's saloon into the Naughty Ottsel, where the group celebrates their victory. Jak reflects on his younger self, and Samos hints at future adventures involving Mar.
Development and release
Jak II began planning soon after Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was released in December 2001. Naughty Dog held planning meetings in early 2002 at Mammoth Mountain Resort in California to create a new version of the game. While Jak and Daxter was successful, it did not match the popularity of the Crash Bandicoot series. Jason Rubin, a co-founder of Naughty Dog, said the original game was too simple for older gamers. He explained that Crash Bandicoot (1996) was made for younger players, but in the 2000s, gamers wanted more complex experiences. Game Informer noted that many 2002 platform games, such as Haven: Call of the King, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Blinx: The Time Sweeper, and Super Mario Sunshine, did not sell well. Naughty Dog saw the genre’s problem and loss of audience as coming from not being innovative enough. They noticed that games like Grand Theft Auto III (2001) offered more freedom. To meet the needs of older gamers, Naughty Dog made Jak II darker and more emotionally complex. They also expanded the game’s world to include a large city where the story would take place.
The game involved 52 staff members and took two years to make with a budget of $15 million. Bob Rafei was the art and animation director and fully animated 15 of the game’s cinematic scenes. Naughty Dog improved its engine, called "Naughty Dog Engine 2.0," by increasing character details from 3,000–5,000 to 12,000–15,000. They added better shading, special effects, and a day-night cycle while keeping smooth loading and 60 frames per second. The game’s main city, Haven City, is 24 times larger than any level in the previous game. It includes characters and vehicles that move on two traffic levels. Many environments were designed by Hirokazu Yasuhara, a veteran from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Sony studios contributed code from Ratchet & Clank (2002) and SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs (2002). The team used high-resolution models for cutscenes, inspired by early images of Kingdom Hearts (2002). The Jet-Board feature was influenced by Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (1999).
The music was created by Josh Mancell and Larry Hopkins. Voice acting was recorded in Los Angeles (Pop Sound) and New York City (Howard Schwartz Recording). Returning voices include Max Casella as Daxter, Warren Burton as Samos, and Anna Garduno as Keira. Mike Erwin voiced the new version of Jak. Other actors included Clancy Brown as Baron Praxis, Chris Cox as Pecker, Susan Eisenberg as Ashelin, Sherman Howard as Kor, Bill Minkin as Krew, and Cutter Garcia as Torn. The game has 140 voice actors across seven languages.
Jak II received a Teen rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), Naughty Dog’s first since 1994. Jason Rubin confirmed the game’s development during a discussion at the D.I.C.E. Summit 2003. Sony Computer Entertainment officially announced Jak II on March 18, 2003. A playable demo was shown at E3 2003. Sony promoted the game with a 77-foot PlayStation 2 truck at the 2003 Summer X Games. The game was displayed at the 2003 Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, with the title Jak II: Renegade. It was released in North America on October 14, 2003.
In 2012, a high-definition version of the game was included in the Jak and Daxter Collection for PlayStation 3. The collection was also released for PlayStation Vita in 2013. In 2017, the game became available on PlayStation 4 as a digital download. Limited physical copies for PlayStation 4 were released in 2019 by Limited Run Games. Like its predecessor, the game was unofficially ported to PC by fans in 2023 as part of the OpenGOAL project.
Reception
Jak II received "generally positive" reviews, according to review site Metacritic. It won the Editor's Choice award from IGN and GameSpot. GameSpot named it the best PlayStation 2 game of October 2003. The gameplay was praised for combining different types of mechanics, such as those found in games like Grand Theft Auto and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, beyond traditional platforming. Reviewers liked the non-linear mission structure, which allowed players to complete tasks in different orders and made the game more fun to replay. The variety of missions was described as a dynamic experience that kept players interested. Adding guns was seen as a way to make combat more interesting and work well with Jak's usual fighting moves. The Jet-Board was appreciated for its usefulness, though some said its controls were not as precise as those in dedicated skateboarding games. Many reviewers noted that navigating the busy streets of Haven City was difficult, with slow-moving vehicles and repetitive travel between missions making the open-world experience less enjoyable.
The story was praised for being darker and more mature than the previous game. Reviewers highlighted the plot's twists, complex characters, and a three-way conflict between groups. Douglass Perry of IGN said players would stay engaged for 15–25 hours of gameplay. Jak's new attitude and more serious personality were said to make him a more relatable character, while Daxter's humor balanced the story's serious tone. However, Perry said Daxter's jokes sometimes felt predictable. The cutscenes were praised for their quality, with Andrew Reiner of Game Informer calling them nearly as good as Hollywood movies. Benjamin Turner of GameSpy criticized the characters as simple or childish, saying the "edgy" tone felt forced and not believable for adults.
The game's visuals were highly praised for pushing the PlayStation 2's capabilities, with detailed environments, high-quality 3D models, and smooth transitions between levels. Critics especially liked the depiction of Haven City, noting its busy streets, changing day and night cycles, and complex design. Character movements were described as smooth and expressive, especially in cutscenes, which were compared to animated films. However, Turner and Michael Knutson of GameZone said the game's darker, urban look was less colorful than the original game's bright settings, with areas like the sewers appearing intentionally dirty. Small graphical issues, such as visible changes in detail levels or occasional slowdowns, were mentioned but considered minor. The sound design was praised for its strong effects and high-quality voice acting, with Jak's serious dialogue and Daxter's jokes adding to the experience. However, the soundtrack was described as basic and not memorable, lacking iconic themes that matched the game's grand story. The support for Dolby Pro Logic II and widescreen/progressive scan modes was said to improve the game's technical quality.
Opinions on the game's difficulty were mixed. Some reviewers liked the challenge, saying that completing tough tasks felt rewarding. Others found the game frustrating, noting that missions required precise actions, had few checkpoints, and enemies were relentless. Some said the difficulty felt unfair, as players often needed to retry missions and lacked health or ammo pickups in Haven City. Navigation issues, such as crowded streets and floaty vehicle controls, were said to make the game harder to play, especially early on before getting the Jet-Board. Joe Fielder of Electronic Gaming Monthly and Gary Steinman of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine said the game was not suitable for casual players but appealed to those willing to learn its complex systems. IGN listed Jak II as the No. 8 hardest PlayStation 2 game, citing its combat, platforming, city navigation, and instant death scenarios. Naughty Dog developer Josh Scherr later admitted the game was very difficult.
The game's mix of platforming, open-world exploration, shooting, and racing was widely praised for being ambitious and different from traditional platformers. Features like vehicle jacking and a mission-driven hub world, inspired by games like Grand Theft Auto, were seen as bold changes that expanded the game's appeal. Elements such as the Dark Jak transformation and varied mission types were credited with keeping gameplay fresh. However, some reviewers said the game borrowed too heavily from other titles without fully improving each element. While the city was visually impressive, some said it lacked meaningful interactivity outside of missions, making exploration less rewarding than in games like Grand Theft Auto. Brian Gee of GameRevolution and Kristan Reed of Eurogamer mentioned camera problems and the lack of a first-person aiming mode as drawbacks, especially during combat.
Luke Plunkett of Kotaku called Jak II one of the best PlayStation 2 games, praising its scale and characters. Steven Petite and Jon Bitner of Digital Trends said it was the best game in the series and one of the best platformers on the PlayStation 2.
Jak II became Naughty Dog's fastest-selling game at the time of its release, selling over 50,000 more copies than Crash Bandicoot: Warped in its first two weeks. In its first month, it was the second best-selling home console game in the United States, behind NBA Live 2004. It was added to Sony's Greatest Hits lineup in September 2004, showing it sold at least 400,000 copies in its first 11 months. The game sold poorly in Japan because its darker tone did not appeal to that market. Worldwide, it sold more than 1.6 million copies by April 2004.
At IGN's Game of the Year Awards, Jak II was a co-runner-up for Best Platform Game (with Tak and the Power of Juju), finishing behind Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando. It won the Best Graphics award. The game received six nominations at the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, including for Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance – Female (for Anna Garduno's role as Keira), Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, and others, but lost to other games. It was also nominated for GameSpot's "Best Platformer" and "Best PlayStation 2 Game" awards, which went to Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Dark Chronicle, respectively. At the 2004 Game Developers Choice Awards, it was nominated for Excellence in Programming but lost to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. In the 2003 NAVGTR Awards, it was nominated for Best Action Sequel and Best Dialogue, but lost to Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne and Armed and Dangerous.