Jak X: Combat Racing

Lore & Background

A year after the Dark Maker threat has been stopped, the rebuilt Haven City thrives, and the sport of Combat Racing gains traction in Kras City. Jak, Daxter, Ashelin, Samos, Keira, and Torn are summoned to Kras for the reading of the late crime lord Krew's last will, hosted by his daughter, Rayn. They are shocked when Krew reveals in a recording that they have been poisoned during a toast and must compete in the Combat Racing Championship to win an antidote held by Krew's associates. The championship is co-hosted by GT Blitz and Pecker. Jak learns that the competing racers are tied to a crime syndicate led by the mysterious Mizo. Keira acts as their mechanic, eventually building faster vehicles. Sig appears to assist the crew, while Kleiver challenges Jak with a friendly rivalry. Mizo's right-hand man, Razer, returns from retirement, and another competitor, an ex-Krimzon Guard robot known as UR-86, enters for Mizo. As Jak continues to win races, animosity grows. In the final race, GT Blitz enters as a mystery racer for Mizo's team, and Keira also joins. Jak wins the Kras City Grand Championship. Blitz reveals himself to be Mizo, steals the antidote, and drives off. Jak pursues him, damages his car, and retrieves the antidote as Mizo's car explodes, killing him. Later, Rayn's complicity is revealed: she knew about the poison and orchestrated events to secure her family's dominance in Kras's criminal underworld. Jak and the team celebrate, and Jak and Keira share a kiss.

In Their Own Story

The air in Spargus City was thick with exhaust and tension as Jak revved the engine of his modified dune buggy. Beside him, Daxter gripped the roll cage, muttering curses at Krew's ghost. The starting line flashed green, and the pack surged forward into the canyon — a blur of metal and fire. Missiles screamed past as Jak wove through the wreckage of a rival's car, his focus narrowing to the finish line ahead. One more race. One more step closer to the antidote. The crowd roared, but all Jak heard was the thrum of his engine and the echo of Krew's laugh from beyond the grave.

Reader's Guide

In Combat Racing, the player controls characters from the Jak and Daxter series, racing in customizable dune buggy-style vehicles. The two main modes are Adventure and Exhibition. In Adventure mode, Jak is the only playable character and must participate in a series of Eco Cup Championships to obtain an antidote. Jak can earn Medal Points by taking part in various Events. The main event is the Circuit Race, where Jak must finish laps while avoiding other racers. Players can destroy opponents using Yellow and Red Eco weapons (offensive and defensive, respectively). Green Eco recovers health, Blue Eco provides turbo. Causing and taking damage fills a Dark Eco meter; when full, weapons become more potent. Save data from the first three Jak and Daxter games, Daxter, and Ratchet: Deadlocked unlock several drivers, including Ratchet. For the PS4 port, save data from the PS4 ports of the first three Jak and Daxter games, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, and Ratchet & Clank (2016) are required.

Did You Know?

• Jak X: Combat Racing was the first Jak and Daxter game to feature a multiplayer mode; the second was Daxter.
• The game's soundtrack was composed primarily by Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle, with assistance from members of various bands including The Crystal Method, Limp Bizkit, Tool, The Offspring, Faith No More, Nine Inch N
• The cutscene music was solely composed by Larry Hopkins.
• The game was re-released for PlayStation 4 in 2017 alongside Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II, and Jak 3, and later became available on PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility.