Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3290 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2005-11-04
• Platform: PlayStation2

Manufacturer's Description
Following the success of Naughty Dog's iconic Jak & Daxter series, which as sold over 7.5 million units worldwide, Jak X finds the popular pair in a frantic race for their lives. Combat racing has filled the void left in Kras City after Jak defeated the Dark Maker in his last adventure. Now, after being mysteriously summoned to Kras City to hear the reading of Krew's will, Jak, and Daxter are plunged headfirst into a dark and deadly plot. The will reveals that everyone present has been poisoned and will die unless the antidote is administered&everyone's life hangs in the balance as the heroic duo race against time in the Kras City Grand Championship. As the plot unfolds through an adventure mode, players will be treated to almost an hour of classic Jak and Daxter animation.

Jak X is the ultimate in exciting, head-to-head vehicle combat, with 20 stunning tracks and eight vast open terrain arenas to zoom around in the their wildest ride yet. Destructible elements within each track add fun and chaos to the gameplay and with over 120 game tasks providing hours of fast-paced action.

Jak X features over a dozen combat vehicles, which are completely customisable and feature unique and lively handling characteristics. Over the course of the competition, the vehicles will take damage, as paint is scratched and pieces of metal are ripped from the chassis. Players can create their own strategies for races and missions with an assortment of 17 vehicle power-ups including projectile weapons, ranged weapons, smart bombs, mines, catastrophic attacks, turbos and shields.

Customer Reviews

A brave move; and a good one by Naughty Dog.
When I ordered Jak X, I allowed myself a healthy degree of scepticism. Would the developers be able to make the leap from platformer to racing without destroying the characters and worlds we've grown to love? The answer is simple: yes.

Jak X continues existing plot threads from Jak 2 & 3, bringing Krew back into the picture (weaving his despicable schemes from beyond the grave, via a series of carefully laid plans before his death), and introducing us to the third major city of Jak's world: Kras City. This city is home to the spectacularly dangerous combat racing championship.

There is no more platform-jumping at hand, the franchise has moved on now. Instead you will find a deadly and blisteringly fast array of tracks set throughout the environments encountered through the Precursor trilogy. The vehicles are excellent, and can be FULLY customised (every body panel can be swapped for a number of styles, wheels can be changed, colours, helmets, accessories etc are all at your fingertips). In addition you can upgrade/tune your armoured steeds for more explosive enjoyment.

The engine holds up well, delivering crisp graphics and very cool motion blur effects when needed to emphasise speed. The races are punctuated by CGI sequences just like we have seen in previous games, that show us how our merry band of doomed racers are getting through the ordeal set by Krew. The story is strong; and I won't spoil it for those that don't already know.

For fans of Jak, Wipeout, Twisted Metal or Burnout, this game is a must buy, as it fuses elements of each into a polished package. Many fans were afraid of what might happen to the much-loved franchise; but rest assured, whilst it won't be everyone's taste, there is a superb game here that continues the saga of Jak & Daxter. All we need to do is be prepared to accept the change of genre; and bask in the blistering speed and rich storyline of Naughty Dog's latest offering to the gaming community.

Go, Jak, GO!
Jak X is the ultimate in combat racing. Though not exactly what past Jak gamers are looking for, it still provides the thrills and oil spills past titles have.

But where would Jak be without his ottsel friend Daxter, and the laughs that follow him around. The same Daxter humour, that makes Jak games so special remains with this game. And where would Jak be without his precious storylines? This racing game features a storyline like no other.

All in all, Jak X is really only something that fans of the games will enjoy. It slips jokes about previous games, which may fky over the heads of first-timers. If it was the platform shooting that you enjoyed in Jak, don't buy this. But ye hardcore Jaksters, I advise buy this game. It will provide the laughs that you have sought after since the relasease of Jak nad daxter the precursor legacy.

Nice spin off
Jak X overall is a pretty sound game.

It takes place just after the events of the last title (Jak 3), in the racing obsessed Kras city, where Jak, Daxter and crew have been summoned for the reading of Krew's will, along with his surprisingly slim daughter. After the toast, Krew's hologram announces that all that are present have been poisoned, and the only way to get the antidote is to race for his team in the upcoming Combat Racing Tournament.

This game basically takes the desert driving missions from Jak 3 and elevate them to a whole new level, with sharp graphics, Hilarious, Jak style cut-scenes, and enough explosions to keep an arsonist happy.

Personaly I feel the game play is missing something, the true Jak feel, but just like Insomniac's Ratchet: Gladiator, I believe Naughty Dog have just created a 'quick' multiplayer game to fill the 2005 slot, whilst they concentrate on the Surefire PS3 hit, Jak and Daxter: The Last Frontier (rumoured name), but still is a pretty good game.

Plus If you also happen to have a PSP, a USB link cable and a copy of the game Daxter, you can link the two games and consoles to unlock extra racers, and more goodies.

For Jak and Racing fans alike, this game is a great addition to your game collection.

4/5 - Hal Dimond