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[ScreenSplitter]

Alright. I can get on board with a reboot. The existing canon is already too bogged down in itself, and none of the story is really good enough to justify salvaging anyway. The gameplay is the reason they should bring the series back. Do the Zelda thing, where you keep the names of some places like Sandover Village and Haven City, characters like Jak, Daxter, Samos, and Keira, and concepts like eco and hoverbikes, but set it all in a new story that doesn't have anything to do with the originals.

Keep him the sarcastic and jokey sidekick, but less exaggerated and slapstick and with a less annoying voice actor. There, done.

I really hope you never work at Naughty Dog.

Link serves as a pretty emotionless template that Nintendo can change time and time again. All the characters you mentioned have very definitive personalities and character traits. Rebooting it is not the way to go. How about they explain the massive mindfuck at the end of Jak III?

 

[Magicpaint]

I do want a new Jak&Daxter game, but only if has actual gameplay resembling the the old games. If it´s Uncharted gameplay and a grittier setting, then I don´t care about it at all. The appeal of the games aren´t the story....

Agreed.

 

[gdt]

I haven't played any Jak games so I have no input on them making a new Jak game, but when I read this:


All I can think is:

ALERT ALERT VERY BAD IDEA

Yep. Seems they realized that the kinds of games and experiences they want to deliver don't fit with what Jak and Daxter is, so they just shelved it. I think its a good thing, instead of morphing JnD beyond recognition, they let it rest awhile longer. Maybe after LOU they'll feel like something more lighthearted/animated.

 

[Shadow of the BEAST]

Thank god for that.

crash bandicoot and uncharted are better games, with much better characters.

I dont understand the jak series at all. Horrible 90s westernised animu style, with a goatee to boot.

Im glad they made uncharted. And the last of us looks like a step up from that.

 

[Buckethead]

Jak 2 is their best game.

I'll say it until I'm dead.

 

[fernoca]

I just think the problem was that the TLoU team clearly wanted to do something very different than Jak. They were basically going to be "stuck" with the game if they had to develop it rather than it being something that they really had a passion to develop. That's why it was better for them to create a new IP.

The Uncharted team is the best hope for Jak fans right now. They may be at the point where they want to take a break from the series. Jak would be a chance for them to do something completely different.

That too. I rather have them focuses on doing something they want ; rather than something they don't.

 

[Shadow of the BEAST]

Id actually like to see uncharted to take a break.

Id much rather see the uncharted team do something else as well.

 

[Derrick01]

Jak 2 is their best game.

I'll say it until I'm dead.

and I will have your back until the end!

 

[Combichristoffersen]

You have a funny definition of the word "good"

The two GoW games they made are good, and Ghost of Sparta is arguably second best in the series.

 

[BHZ Mayor]

All these years I've been disappointed that Naughty Dog never made a PS3 Jak and Daxter, but after reading this article, I'm REJOICING that they didn't make what sounds like a total abomination.

 

[Tuck]

I wonder why they felt they had to make it more realistic. That'd be stupid - I'm glad they dropped it, but this makes me think that they won't ever return to the franchise, having tried and failed.

 

[Hixx]

"According to Wells, the new project would be a departure from slapstick, comic book-tone of previous games."

Don't bother then. Honestly what an incredibly frustrating article to read.

 

[AcceptableGhost]

Am I crazy that I look back and I think higher of the Crash trilogy than the J&D trilogy. Haven't played either in a long time though but I remember the Crash games having pretty focused platforming-as-a-challenge level design which I prefer to the exploratory stuff.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

*sigh*

We clearly have more need for a post apocalyptic depressing open world game, than a slapstick gritty platformer.


I used to know you ND. Where did you go?

 

[Lijik]

"The team experimented with implementing Uncharted-style narrative techniques and rendering Jak and Daxter in the same realistic style seen in the company’s gorgeous PS3 games. According to Wells, the new project would be a departure from slapstick, comic book-tone of previous games. But before full-blown work could begin on the game Naughty Dog would have to create new, more realistic versions of the titular heroes."

This sounds like more watching my daughter do porn than non-ND Crash games, honestly.
Jesus fucking christ.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

"The team experimented with implementing Uncharted-style narrative techniques and rendering Jak and Daxter in the same realistic style seen in the company’s gorgeous PS3 games. According to Wells, the new project would be a departure from slapstick, comic book-tone of previous games. But before full-blown work could begin on the game Naughty Dog would have to create new, more realistic versions of the titular heroes."

This sounds like watching my daughter do porn, honestly.

Yeah, honestly I don't know what Naughty Dog are smoking when they started off here.

 

[Nemo]

Yeah, honestly I don't know what Naughty Dog are smoking when they started off here.

Old Naughty Dog people have been long gone, I'm surprised how many people still don't know it

 

[Duffyside]

I find people's frothing demand for a sequel to a franchise that already has multiple games out to be incredibly odd. Know what I want? Another Vanquish. Another Mirror's Edge.

I've LOVED Zelda, but I'm fine if they never make another one.

They made three Jak games, people. Move on.

 

[Hixx]

I find people's frothing demand for a sequel to a franchise that already has multiple games out to be incredibly odd. Know what I want? Another Vanquish. Another Mirror's Edge.

I've LOVED Zelda, but I'm fine if they never make another one.

They made three Jak games, people. Move on.

Gosh why would people want more of something they enjoyed? I just can't quite understand it either...

 

[ScreenSplitter]

I mean they totally wrapped up Jak's story and didn't leave it open ended at all did they?

Oh just a by the way, that historic figure who established our society and every piece of technology we use? Your totes him.

 

[Sean]

Smart idea, existing franchises have too much baggage and expectations.

Look at the stupid backlash from Banjo fans when Rare changed his nose to be square instead of round.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

Smart idea, existing franchises have too much baggage and expectations.

Look at the stupid backlash from Banjo fans when Rare changed his nose to be square instead of round.

I think it was more the fact the game was a complete U-turn from the gameplay the series was famed for.

 

[Omzz]

They should make an Jak HD Collection.

Comes out tomorrow.

 

[Derrick01]

Comes out tomorrow.

It was a joke because supposedly those are sub-hd, due to how hard they are to port.

 

[Omzz]

makes sense. I didn't even know myself this was coming out till about a week ago lol

 

[Acrylic7]

and I will have your back until the end!

and I shall watch your back.
Jak2 is their best game/

 

[Stumpokapow]

I find people's frothing demand for a sequel to a franchise that already has multiple games out to be incredibly odd. Know what I want? Another Vanquish. Another Mirror's Edge.

I find people's frothing demand for a sequel to a franchise that already has a game out to be incredibly odd. Know what I want? Something new. Then more new stuff. etc.

 

[WrenchNinja]

The existing canon is already too bogged down in itself, and none of the story is really good enough to justify salvaging anyway.

i don't know man, i always thought all the time travel stuff and other revelations of races were awesome

 

[Sean]

I think it was more the fact the game was a complete U-turn from the gameplay the series was famed for.

Yeah I can certainly understand the gameplay complaints with Nuts and Bolts, but fans whining over the shape of a cartoon characters nose shows that no matter how minor a change is, older fans will never be pleased unless they get the exact same game. And I can't imagine that would be very fun for the developers to make.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

it would have flopped so hard.

 

[KevinCow]

I really hope you never work at Naughty Dog.

Link serves as a pretty emotionless template that Nintendo can change time and time again. All the characters you mentioned have very definitive personalities and character traits. Rebooting it is not the way to go. How about they explain the massive mindfuck at the end of Jak III?

Here's the thing. If you make a direct follow-up to the original games, you know how much it would sell? Not much. Look at Lost Frontier. Barely anyone cared that it was coming out. The OT here on GAF was like three pages long or something. It didn't sell. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that it was released on the PSP and PS2 in 2009, but God of War: Ghost of Sparta was released a year later on the PSP and people noticed because it's a franchise that people actually still care about.

The Jak canon, as it is now, does not have enough appeal to justify a new game. The change to a futuristic gritty setting turned too many people off, and while Jak 2 and 3 weren't commercial or critical flops, they didn't have the consumer mindshare that the first one had.

However, the Jak & Daxter name still has some potential. People remember it. Jak was going to be Sony's new Mario at the beginning of the PS2's life. People played and enjoyed the first one. The Jak name isn't guaranteed to sell, but it would get people to look at what you're offering.

But if they look over and you're saying, "Okay, it's Jak 4! You're playing as the same Jak! But you've traveled back in time and people are calling you Mar because we foreshadowed in Jak 3 that Jak was this guy who invented all the modern technology in the distant past! And--" you've already lost all but the small minority of people who are already interested in the next Jak game.

If they look over and see something that looks good, possibly something that reminds them of Jak 1, and presents the gameplay enhancements of the sequels in a way that doesn't turn them off, they'll pay more attention.


I think that there can be a Jak game that appeals to people who liked Jak 1, people who liked the sequels, and people who have never played a Jak game before.

 

[charlequin]

Naughty Dog wanted to find a way to apply elements from Uncharted 2’s award-winning game design to Jak and Daxter. The team experimented with implementing Uncharted-style narrative techniques and rendering Jak and Daxter in the same realistic style seen in the company’s gorgeous PS3 games. According to Wells, the new project would be a departure from slapstick, comic book-tone of previous games. But before full-blown work could begin on the game Naughty Dog would have to create new, more realistic versions of the titular heroes.

Oh for fuck's sake. I don't understand how developers who have spent so long in the industry and worked on so many high-quality games can honestly engage in foolishness like this. Did the whole company work so hard on Uncharted that they developed temporary insanity?

When fans ask for them to make another Jak and Daxter, presumably they do so because they liked the things those games brought to the table and want to see a more evolved and visually spectacular effort in the same style, not because they want to see those characters perverted to serve whatever kind of Hollywood-storytelling philosophy the company feels it has to push in every game now. Good for ND recognizing that this would've been an abomination, but I honestly don't know why it even came to that in the first place.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

Here's the thing. If you make a direct follow-up to the original games, you know how much it would sell? Not much. Look at Lost Frontier. Barely anyone cared that it was coming out. The OT here on GAF was like three pages long or something. It didn't sell.

Here's the thing;

Developer(s) High Impact Games

 

[evilromero]

The first Jak is still the best in my opinion. I just couldn't get into the gloomy industrial-style of the sequels. Bring back the lush colorful forests and overcast skies on green fields. Ah. Not enough games look like that.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

I haven't played any Jak games so I have no input on them making a new Jak game, but when I read this:


All I can think is:

ALERT ALERT VERY BAD IDEA

Exactly my thoughts. But I've played and enjoyed Jak.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

"But before full-blown work could begin on the game Naughty Dog would have to create new, more realistic versions of the titular heroes."

"JAAAAAAAK"

 

[KevinCow]

Here's the thing;

Developer(s) High Impact Games

Did you read the rest of my post, or just the first paragraph and then come up with this super witty comeback?

 

[The Librarian]

Dammit. I would've preferred a new Jak and Daxter game, especially over Uncharted 3.

I'm glad they didn't make it because of the direction they were going in, but then again, there is absolutely no reason to take the series in that direction. Take the slapstick humor, take the concept, and give it an all new story. There's no reason to make it "more realistic."

 

[ScreenSplitter]

Didn't need to, non ND developed Jak games don't count man. Except Daxter, that was brilliant.

 

[TheExodu5]

I can't understand the love for Jak 2. The horribly hub world made it one of the most worst experiences I've had on the PS2. Ugh, and those vehicle controls...

 

[Saty]

I don't get the reasoning. Why are they trying to force the Uncharted line of design to a different game? Even if they believe that philosophy to be 'better' it's silly they are cornering them to one area. Why does the next Jak game have to be extension of the more realistically-looking Uncharted and expand on the particular way it delivered the story?

It's as if Valve should have never made TF2 after HL2 and then Dota 2 after those.

Sounds like a lousy way of saying 'well, a 'classic' Jak game won't be able to sell\hold its own without incorporating whatever made Uncharted a success.'

 

[Callibretto]

I can't understand the love for Jak 2. The horribly hub world made it one of the most worst experiences I've had on the PS2. Ugh, and those vehicle controls...

I need to play the remaster again before I can confirm how I feel about jak 2, I remember to really really loved the game, hubworld included.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

I don't get the reasoning. Why are they trying to force the Uncharted line of design to a different game? Even if they believe that philosophy to be 'better' it's silly they are cornering them to one area. Why does the next Jak game have to be extension of the more realistically-looking Uncharted and expand on the particular way it delivered the story?

It's as if Valve should have never made TF2 after HL2 and then Dota 2 after those.

Sounds like a lousy way of saying 'well, a 'classic' Jak game won't be able to sell\hold its own without incorporating whatever made Uncharted a success.'

It's pretty much this.

I imagine being owned by Sony has it's disadvantages somewhat.

ND: "Hey we want to go back to our older, more niche franchise."

Sony: "Oh yeah brah, that the one that's like Uncharted?"

ND: "Er no, it was a free roaming platformer"

Sony: "A what... whatting.. whatter?"

 

[prwxv3]

It's pretty much this.

I imagine being owned by Sony has it's disadvantages somewhat.

ND: "Hey we want to go back to our older, more niche franchise."

Sony: "Oh yeah brah, that the one that's like Uncharted?"

ND: "Er no, it was a free roaming platformer"

Sony: "A what... whatting.. whatter?"

Oh boy here we go

 

[shintoki]

I haven't played any Jak games so I have no input on them making a new Jak game, but when I read this:


All I can think is:

ALERT ALERT VERY BAD IDEA

Yup. I love the first Jak and Daxter, but the darker focus with so much "focus" testing killed it for me in Jak II. Realistic route just sounds like a worse idea.

 

[bengraven]

Jak and Daxter would be enough to make me buy a PS3.

 

[fernoca]

Oh for fuck's sake. I don't understand how developers who have spent so long in the industry and worked on so many high-quality games can honestly engage in foolishness like this. Did the whole company work so hard on Uncharted that they developed temporary insanity?

When fans ask for them to make another Jak and Daxter, presumably they do so because they liked the things those games brought to the table and want to see a more evolved and visually spectacular effort in the same style, not because they want to see those characters perverted to serve whatever kind of Hollywood-storytelling philosophy the company feels it has to push in every game now. Good for ND recognizing that this would've been an abomination, but I honestly don't know why it even came to that in the first place.

Yep. Reading that again it kinda reminds me of Spyro the Dragon. It seems to be some sort of disconnect and combination of what they as developers want to make, what fans want, and what they think people in general want.

In the case of Spyro (according to interviews), Toys for Bob was asked to choose a franchise to "reboot" and they chose Spyro. The first few things they did were to experiment with and redesign everything to look "more mature and darker". A few fans were asking for a darker reboot, others wanted just the same game and with the top selling games been first person shooter or "mature rated one", especially from their parent company; they probably thought it was the right track.

But while making it, they weren't even liking what they were doing and felt the end result would be just bad; and it seems they were designing everything around the "mature look" rather than making a game first and foremost. So they scrapped all that, and decided to experiment with the concept that later turned out to be Skylanders. And while Skylanders may not be what Spyro fans asked or wanted, not only ended been quite a good game and good concept; but also a big success for Activision. No dark, gritty, serious tone needed.

Key to that was that, they stared first with the concept and game and then added a story to it (written by Toy Story writers) not a deep dark tale; but a light-hearted fun story that serves and is used around the concept of the game and the portal. Opposite of what ND was trying to do with Jak which was create a game around the realistic look and story they were aiming for.

 

[dark10x]

I don't get the reasoning. Why are they trying to force the Uncharted line of design to a different game? Even if they believe that philosophy to be 'better' it's silly they are cornering them to one area. Why does the next Jak game have to be extension of the more realistically-looking Uncharted and expand on the particular way it delivered the story?

It's as if Valve should have never made TF2 after HL2 and then Dota 2 after those.

Sounds like a lousy way of saying 'well, a 'classic' Jak game won't be able to sell\hold its own without incorporating whatever made Uncharted a success.'

Perhaps they simply didn't want to create a "regular" Jak game? I don't blame them, to be honest. Nothing wrong with experimentation as long as poor results don't see the light of day. I'm sure along with contemplating redesigns they considered a regular Jak game as well.

With what they are now capable of I simply don't think an aimless platformer like Jak and Daxter is even a good fit for them anymore. They don't need to go hollywood with every game, but that doesn't mean they need to go back to their previous generation either.

 

[AAK]

Oh boy here we go

You can't be so naive to think that Sony doesn't have much influence on ND. Uncharted was basically Sony's demand from the very beginning.

 

[Takao]

Sony's gearing up for SOMETHING in this franchise:

- PlayStation Move Heroes
- Daxter in Invizimals: Shadow Zone
- HD Collection
- Daxter being one of the first PSP games on PlayStation Suite

It's also import to note Sony's cycle of HD Collections:
God of War: HD Collection > God of War 3
Sly Cooper: HD Collection > Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Ico & Shadow of the Colosus HD Collection > The Last Guardian
Jak & Daxter: HD Collection > ???

Here's the thing. If you make a direct follow-up to the original games, you know how much it would sell? Not much. Look at Lost Frontier. Barely anyone cared that it was coming out. The OT here on GAF was like three pages long or something. It didn't sell. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that it was released on the PSP and PS2 in 2009, but God of War: Ghost of Sparta was released a year later on the PSP and people noticed because it's a franchise that people actually still care about.

Don't look at GAF consensus for interest in the franchise. The NPD leak for TLF's first month was 90k, and that was despite the 3 page OT. Look at how many pages Rayman Origins OT has. Look at the reported first month NPD.