Jak II

Lore & Background

In Sandover Village, Jak, Daxter, Keira and Samos activate the mysterious Precursor Ring recovered from Gol and Maia's citadel using a Rift Rider vehicle. This triggers the emergence of monstrous creatures, including a massive beast searching for a 'boy', forcing the group to flee through the Ring. The Rift Rider explodes, separating Jak and Daxter from Keira and Samos, and they crash-land 300 years into the future in Haven City, a dystopia ruled by the tyrannical Baron Praxis.

Jak is captured by Praxis' police force, the Krimson Guards, and for two years he is subjected to brutal experiments infusing him with Dark Eco. The experience transforms Jak into a vengeful figure capable of becoming Dark Jak. Daxter, after evading capture, infiltrates the fortress to rescue Jak, who breaks free using his new powers. In Haven City, Jak and Daxter encounter Kor, an old man with a mysterious green-haired boy, who informs them of Praxis' oppressive rule and directs them to the Underground, a resistance group commanded by former Krimson Guard Torn and led by 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 tasks them with missions that undermine the Baron, such as restoring water to the slums. During a mission to destroy an ammunition depot, they discover Krimson Guards supplying Dark Eco to Metal Heads, the creatures that attacked Sandover Village. Through Torn, the duo meets Krew, a shady saloon owner who supplies the Underground with weapons and hires the two for tasks like eliminating Metal Heads and retrieving artifacts.

Krew reveals Praxis' arrangement with the Metal Heads, in which Praxis exchanges Eco for controlled Metal Head attacks on the city to justify his regime. 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 holds the Precursor Stone, a powerful artifact that Mar hid from the Metal Heads, the ancient enemy and destroyer of the Precursor civilization.

Praxis seeks the Stone to solidify his power, while the Metal Heads, led by their Leader (the large creature that emerged from the Ring), aim to consume its energy.

Reader's Guide

Jak II is a 3D platform game with elements commonly found in action-adventure games. The player controls Jak, who must navigate the dystopian Haven City on a quest for vengeance against the tyrannical Baron Praxis, who subjected Jak to torturous experiments for two years. The game features a seamless open world, allowing free exploration across interconnected areas. Jak's basic actions include running, jumping, double-jumping, crouching, and a rolling jump to reach distant platforms.

Jak's combat moves include a spin attack, a dash-punch, a dive attack, and an uppercut. Jak's melee skills are complemented by the Morph-Gun, a firearm that can be upgraded and modified for different firepower capabilities. When Jak's health is depleted, he respawns in the beginning of the last section of the area he was located in. A quarter of Jak's health can be replenished by collecting Health Packs.

The Jet-Board enables faster travel and a variety of tricks. Carjacking Zoomers (hovering cars) of varying speed and durability also provides transportation around Haven City, and is sometimes required to complete an objective. Due to Praxis' experiments, Jak can absorb a substance known as Dark Eco in small concentrated amounts; the amount of collected Dark Eco is indicated by a meter on the lower-left corner of the screen. When the meter is full, Jak can transform into Dark Jak, a powerful form capable of melee abilities that can clear out multiple enemies.

New abilities for Dark Jak can be obtained by exchanging Metal Head Skull Gems (gemstones collected from defeated enemies known as Metal Heads) with a mysterious teacher. The game features a mission-based structure in which the player can choose tasks in any order. The missions encompass platforming, racing, mech suit operations, and protection tasks. Precursor Orbs, which unlock special options and features, can be found hidden within the game's environments.

Did You Know?

• The game was a deliberate evolution from the lighter tone of its predecessor, influenced by the maturing gaming audience and sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto III.
• Jak II was positively received for its genre fusion, narrative, and technical aspects, though city navigation and difficulty were criticized.
• A remastered version was released as part of the Jak and Daxter Collection in 2012, and a limited edition physical version for the PlayStation 4 was released by Limited Run Games in 2019.
• Daxter is a transformed ottsel (otter/weasel), not a Precursor creature.