Sony Computer Entertainment

Lore & Background

The series is set in a fictional universe that incorporates science fantasy, steampunk, cyberpunk, and mystical elements, while centering on the eponymous characters as they try to uncover the secrets of their world, and unravel the mysteries left behind by an ancient race called the Precursors. The games are inspired by a combination of Eastern and Western culture, a decision made among the team members at Naughty Dog and related stakeholders while developing the first title.

In Their Own Story

The fluorescent lights in the SCE marketing office hummed at 2 a.m. A developer from Naughty Dog sat across the table, a prototype disc spinning in the drive, the PS2's blue glow painting the whiteboard in cool light. On screen, a small orange otter leapt across a crumbling Precursor bridge, the camera swinging wide to reveal the entire valley of New Bakara below. The SCE producer watched, arms folded, waiting for the one moment that would make the board nod. The otter landed, the hero pulled a mask from his belt, the world shifted color. The producer exhaled. "That's the hook," she said. "That's what we sell in the trailer. That's why this is a PlayStation game." The disc was stamped, the logo pressed into the plastic case, and the adventure was handed to the world.

Reader's Guide

The series consists of four single-player-only games, and two that include multiplayer. The series is primarily a story-based platformer presented in the third-person perspective. The player can explore a multitude of different areas in an open world environment and can perform several melee attacks. A substance called Eco can also be manipulated to enhance the player's abilities, with differently-colored Eco having different effects. Red Eco enhances the damage dealt and yields one impervious to damage from Dark Eco crates. Blue Eco allows the player to move faster, jump slightly higher, move slightly farther using attacks, attract Green Eco and Precursor orbs, and operate certain color coded machines. Green Eco is used to restore health, while Yellow Eco allows the player to shoot fire from the character's hands, which can be done 'from the hip,' or using a scope. A hover bike called a 'Zoomer' and a large bird known as a 'Flut-Flut' are also available for transportation and to gain access to hard-to-reach places. 'Flut-Flut' also has the ability to attack. Power Cells and Precursor Orbs are required to advance the story in The Precursor Legacy, while completing story-related missions and collecting Precursor Orbs unlocks new locations and allows the player to unlock certain 'Secrets' in all subsequent entries. Shooting elements are briefly introduced in The Precursor Legacy, becoming fully implemented in Jak II. Jak II features customizable weapons and other varied forms of combat, expanding upon features present in The Precursor Legacy. For example, Jak has many different gun mods. Each one is a certain color, either Red, Blue, Yellow, or Dark. Red gun mods make the gun similar to a shotgun. Blue lets it fire as a machine gun. Yellow mods are for long-range shooting, and Dark mods are for utmost power. Daxter is also a playable character and features in several Crash Bandicoot-esque missions. Dark Eco powers also become available, which is countered by the introduction of Light Eco powers in Jak 3. Guns can be upgraded twice through accomplishing certain story missions, and several abilities to use in both Light and Dark Jak forms are unlocked as well. Driving becomes a core ingredient and is further expanded upon in Jak 3. In The Lost Frontier aerial combat is integrated into the series. Precursor orbs can be collected in each game to unlock cheats. Jak

Did You Know?

• The first game, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, released on December 4, 2001, was one of the earliest titles for the PlayStation 2.
• The series has sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
• Daxter is transformed from a human into an ottsel, a fictional hybrid of an otter and weasel.
• The first three games were re-released on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita as part of the remastered Jak and Daxter Collection.
• In 2024, Daxter and Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier were re-released for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.