Jak & Daxter Trilogy (PSVita) Review
Developer: Naughty Dog
Format: PS3/Vita
Release Date: Out Now
There are few games I remember as fondly as Jak and Daxter for the PS2, with the first game in the series being a launch title that arrived in our house along with Sony’s most successful console ever. Boasting no loading times, colourful and fluid gameplay, it proved itself to be a major contender as a PS2 platformer, and spawned a number of sequels across different platforms and genres.
The Jak and Daxter trilogy came to us on PS3 recently as part of a HD overhaul and sporting trophy support. The release was true to form and gave a great set of games a well deserved second outing and doing as well as could be hoped for any re-release of PS2 games. Announcing a dedicated port to Vita a few months later was a very well received update for the handheld still struggling to find its place and had the potential to give a significant boost to the console’s still lackluster library. And while there is cause for rejoicing in getting 3 great games portable, the port is not completely without flaws which taint the experience somewhat.
Probably the biggest issue with the Jak and Daxter Vita port is the use of the rear touch pad. I know it has been argued as not being utilised at all by developers but it does genuinely appear to be poorly executed here as a replacement for the second set of trigger buttons. Holding the Vita, I tend to let my fingers rest against the back of the pad which, while playing Jak 2 and 3, caused me to randomly move into first person mode or sheathe my gun. Neither is desirable in a fire fight and on more than one occasion I lost a life while trying to frantically press the correct area on the back of the pad to get me back in the game. I also spent a considerable amount of time when starting the game, trying to figure out how to get the vehicles to ascend and descend while flying around, trying to find the sweet spot on the back of the pad. It’s actually the simpler controls of the original game that appear to be perfected for Vita use, blatantly ignoring the rear control pad as not needed. See the image below for an idea of how its implemented (thanks to youtuber AnimeAnalystXV for this diagram)
There are some elements of the games that have been enhanced by the Vita system, using the touchscreen to complete mini games which previously were controlled by the analogue sticks, making them much more fun and far less frustrating to play.
Graphically, the game is almost a perfect reflection of the PS3 port but there are certain areas and parts of the trilogy that suffer a slightly noticeable stutter effect. This probably wouldn’t have been as well noticed except for the fact that the PS2 and PS3 versions are incredibly fluid, one of the franchise’s strongest selling points. In saying that, the game is never unplayable and for anyone new to the series, the colourfully cartoons graphics from the humble beginnings of the first game, the darker iteration of Jak 2 and the final game which is pretty much a mix of the first two games will bring instant appeal, especially in an era constantly slated for having games made up of dull and drab greys and browns, this is a series to finally give your Vita’s screen a workout.
The audio follows from the games cartoonish graphics with charming narrative with Daxter being the undeniable start of the show, getting all the good lines and his post death commentary still as appealing as it was since the first game was released.
Overall, its great to have the trilogy on the portable device and it isn’t tied down by nostalgia to get favourable reviews, having solid gameplay still relevant today and more importantly, having practically no direct competition from other games in this genre. But the flaws introduced by porting to the Vita have taken some of the shine off this pinnacle of the platformers.
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