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Sony’s marquee series arrives on PSP. Daxter is the first game in Sony’s Jak and Daxter series to star Daxter instead of Jak, perhaps because of a little argument between them after the last two games in the proper story were named Jak II and Jak 3, respectively, with no mention of Daxter. Daxter on PSP, much like the series did on PS2, raises the bar for graphics and gameplay on Sony’s console. The game looks amazing, showing a promising future for Sony’s portable.
Daxter takes place before Jak II. As you may know, in Jak II there was a time where Jak was wrongfully accused of a crime and thrown in jail. Daxter takes place while the titular star tries to deal with his friend being in jail. The series is known for its humor so it only makes sense that in Daxter you’re trying to stop some evil bugs with, you guessed it, a flyswatter. Daxter, the character, has always been the funniest character in the Jak and Daxter series, and since Daxter focuses on him, it’s arguably funnier than previous games in the series.
During this time, Daxter is employed by the Critter Ridder Extermination Company. Haven City suddenly has an infestation problem, and Daxter wants to prove to his boss that he’s worth having. As you go through the levels, you’ll have to collect certain items, kill enemies and destroy their hives to make sure they don’t come back. These are usually the main objectives. There are secondary objectives though which have you collecting orbs and gems. You only have to complete the main objectives to move on and it usually makes sense to simply to the main objectives at first and then go back and try to collect everything.
To accomplish these tasks, you’ll have to use Daxter’s insecticide spray as well as the aforementioned flyswatter. In typical Jak and Daxter fashion, these weapons can be upgraded so that the spray becomes a flamethrower and then something else. The spray can also be used to hover in the air for a bit, similar to the water pump from Super Mario Sunshine. Aside from the main levels, the game introduces some minigames as you collect orbs. These minigames usually pay homage to popular movies like The Lord of The Rings and The Matrix. Aside from these minigames, there are some levels that pay homage to games like Metal Gear Solid. Although these levels are not usually the most original, they are quite fun and manage to make things interesting.
Daxter also includes a local multiplayer mode called Bug Combat. In this mode, you use caged bugs, spells, and stat boosts to play a version of rock-paper-scissors. The multiplayer mode isn’t all that exciting but it is a nonetheless welcome addition to the already solid singleplayer mode. The replay value is increased by hooking up the game to Jak X: Combat Racing. You can unlock a number of masks for Daxter to wear. These goodies give the game a good amount of depth.
Daxter is one of the best looking PSP games. The character models are incredibly detailed and well-modeled, as you would expect from the series. The animation is superb and extremely fluid, bringing everything to life. The game’s environments are kind of repetitive, but they do look great with plenty of color and great use of textures. These environments are also quite large, but have very manageable load times. The frame rate manages to keep up with the game, as well. Daxter definitely sets the bar for PSP graphics.
The game’s sound is also great. The voice acting is superb, particularly Max Casella’s rendention of Daxter. He manages to get Daxter’s humor very well. The soundtrack fits the game very well. Furthermore, the sound effects are awesome with everything sounding just as it should and providing a proper amount of oomph.
Daxter will be known for being the first PSP game to really set the bar for visuals. Aside from looking great, the gameplay is very cohesive and tight, and though it doesn’t venture too far from the typical Jak and Daxter formula, it’s hard to complain when the game is this good. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Mar 27, 2006
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