So Jak 3 sux...

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Rented this over the weekend, surprised at how little I am enjoying it considering I did muster the energy to beat Jak 2 on a rental when it released.

Amazed there is STILL no camera snap, even further at how appalling driving in the desert can be. I am so sick of these games forcing continual checkpoint races or timed "grope with the irritable sliding physics on our uneven path filled with ganking AI drones!" In what universe is ANY of this vehicular crap fun??? What's even worse is that it never ends! This stupid desert is just chock full of dumb A->B sprints or ghastly shooting sprees(aiming that gun properly in the wheels you are given is a laugh riot). Hell, even in town you can't escape it...you ride perched on some dino's back while trying to jump through rings on a timed course.

Outside of the vehicles isn't much better. You shoot stuff with Jak, but without the camera to help out, you are often aiming at offscreen foes and wasting ammo just trying to get the lead lined up. I keep waiting for the platforming to kick-in(probably the best part of Jak 2), but I keep being spoon-fed crap.

About the only thing it has going for it are the cinematics. Acting and animation is meritous, even if I couldn't give two craps about Dark Eco or the fate of our soulpatched hero.

Enough I say...game sux.
 
cheese-and-wine.jpg
 
I totally agree. I had hoped that part 3 would correct the pointless fetch quests of the second one, but no luck.

I played for about two hours and got sick of racing from one area to another to gather a generic item to please someone who might unlock the next dull objective. The whole thing felt futile.
 
I'm waiting for these bitches to go down in price before I swoop them up!

From what I've played (Jak 1/2 and Ratchet 1/2), Ratchet is indeed better.
 
sounds to me like you are havig trouble with the controls and dislike the non-platforming gameplay...this doesn't mean that the game sucks...just that your tastes don't agree with the game

I liked it, though it was admittedly the least enjoyable of the three (though my main reasoning for that was because of the sparse platforming (unlike Jak though like Jak 2) and the sparse hoverboard centric levels (my favorite aspect of Jak 2, oddly enough)...

Not saying the game is poor, as I still had my share of fun and managed to beat the game on a rental (something that I can't say for 90% of the other games I play...rental or otherwise) but in my eyes, the camera and the non-foot gameplay gave me no trouble...your reasons for disliking it mean nothing to me :b
 
Jak 3 was a good game, but it ends there.

The game was extremely overrated by IGN (9.6 WTF WERE THEY THINKING!?) and overrated by Gamespot (8.6.) I finished the game and found it to be merely good. It certainly doesn't warrant more than an 8.2 or so in my book.
 
I blame the industry's / public's bizarre fascination with GTA-style OMG I CAN GO ANYWHERE gameplay. It's great in theory, but so far it seems to be that all of these games are jack-of-all-trades and master of none...
 
R&C 3 is awesome. Surprisingly so given my waning interest in the series after part 2. The new lock-strafe control scheme was a brilliant addition, and the toned-down focus on the 'gimmick' levels such as Giant Clank also pleased my heart. It really got back to basics with solid shooting and platforming flair(but mostly shooting). Awesome arena challenges too.
 
The GTA-style gameplay is great when there's like uhm....shit you can actually do. It's been a while since I played Jak 3, but there didn't seem to be much you could do outside of the missions. The "GTA" model just extended the game by a hour or two from going from point A to point B.
 
R&C 2 was awesome, for the record... there was some annoying stuff there (the shooter levels, the ones w/ the tiny planets), but stuff like the arena fights ruled. I still haven't played 3, for some reason...


Still, the best PS2 platformer, by miles is:

ape2_screen002.jpg
 
I only played Jak 3 a bit, and was put-off by the constant changing of gameplay. You're not doing the same thing for more than two minutes ever, which sorta removes the enjoyment of getting good at things--most missions were efforts in trial and error rather than me using learned skill to conquer something.
 
Rachet and Clank always screamed on Jak & Daxter they are fucking crumbs to the might of R & C!

The record
Rachet Clank > Jak Daxter
Rachet 2 > Jak 2
Rachet 3 > Jak 3

Rachet is so fun as a platformer that he even stomped the shit out of the mighty Mario this Gen. He had Mario shook to put on the hero shoe's.

Instead Mario opted for tennis shoes, Golf Cleats, Dancing Shoes, and Basket Ball kicks.
Why you scared Mario!!!! Tell us why you scared!!!!
 
Unison said:
R&C 2 was awesome, for the record... there was some annoying stuff there (the shooter levels, the ones w/ the tiny planets), but stuff like the arena fights ruled. I still haven't played 3, for some reason...

Shooter levels are gone now, replaced with some vehicle focused levels. The flying ones are now much more enjoyable than in part 2. I wanna say the tiny planet levels are much better too, but I hadn't played part 2 in over a year.
 
Cool... I will def. check out R&C3 at some point, but it makes sense to wait for a sale / price drop at this point.
 
Brandon F said:
Rented this over the weekend, surprised at how little I am enjoying it considering I did muster the energy to beat Jak 2 on a rental when it released.

Amazed there is STILL no camera snap, even further at how appalling driving in the desert can be. I am so sick of these games forcing continual checkpoint races or timed "grope with the irritable sliding physics on our uneven path filled with ganking AI drones!" In what universe is ANY of this vehicular crap fun??? What's even worse is that it never ends! This stupid desert is just chock full of dumb A->B sprints or ghastly shooting sprees(aiming that gun properly in the wheels you are given is a laugh riot). Hell, even in town you can't escape it...you ride perched on some dino's back while trying to jump through rings on a timed course.

Outside of the vehicles isn't much better. You shoot stuff with Jak, but without the camera to help out, you are often aiming at offscreen foes and wasting ammo just trying to get the lead lined up. I keep waiting for the platforming to kick-in(probably the best part of Jak 2), but I keep being spoon-fed crap.

About the only thing it has going for it are the cinematics. Acting and animation is meritous, even if I couldn't give two craps about Dark Eco or the fate of our soulpatched hero.

Enough I say...game sux.

So let me say it in a mean way:
Just because you are too stupid for that game = Game sux?
Yeah, sure....

Jak 3 rocked like hell!!
 
Wow! I guess I'm the only gamer existing that loves the Jak series.

Yup, that's right. I love the series. Love the characters, the story, the different gameplay styles. All of it. I didn't even get all the hate that Jak II got, I didn't find the game that hard at all.
I also think that the graphic style in the Jak series is incredible. The forest section in Jak II had amazing atmosphere. The soundtrack and the colours used for that section made it one of the most memorable gaming settings for me.

I'm only about 4 hours into Jak 3 and I have no encountered anything that didn't suit my tastes yet.

I guess it's good for gaming that there are people our there that like what Jak offers.
 
The Jak 3 demo sucked. Good LORD I hate having my already mediocre platforming diluted with mediocre racing and mediocre-to-awful mini-games.

That said, Maximo 1/2 are the greatest platformers this gen.
 
Mercurial said:
Haha, I enjoyed 2 more but 3 was pretty great too. Jak > R&C. Never understood the appeal of that series.
I think the appeal is that it does everything Jak (since II) tries to do, but does it so much better.

Doom_Bringer said:
I like Ape Escape I more though, the main character in AE2 was annoying.
You can unlock Spike, the dude from AE1, in AE2...
 
I'd like to hear more of Ape Escape 2; enjoyed the first game, but that was like...1999? I fear a lot of the excitement of the series may have dulled now that "dual shock control!" is less of an advertised gimmick these days. Plus my heart doesn't go all a flutter whenever I see one of those monkeys in helmets.
 
Jak and Daxter is my favorite Jak game, it felt a lot like the original Banjo-Kazooie to me. The other two are awful.
 
I was one of the biggest fans of Jak and Daxter, it was some of the most fun I've ever had playing a game. Then Jak 2 came along, and had to completely ruin everything. Besides the characters, it was a completely different game. Jak 2 wasn't hard, it was frustrating, you HAD to take your time, and memorize everything so you could move on, it was so goddamn aggravating. Jak 3 was a breath of fresh air in comparison to 2. The first few parts were really annoying, but once you get into it, it gets pretty fun. Jak 3 fixed a lot of what was awful in Jak 2.
 
Drinky Crow said:
That said, Maximo 1/2 are the greatest platformers this gen.

I absolutely adored both Maximo games. I hate that Army of Zin scored lower with some critics, as I have a feeling it scared some potential buyers off. The first one is one of the few games that I can take forever at to get 100% and not get the least bit frustrated, it is so enjoyable.

SPOILER FOR ARMY OF ZIN






















Since the ending of Army of Zin left things open story-wise for a sequel, has anybody heard anything about part 3? I realize Zin has only been out a year, but I thought maybe they would make the third game for PS2, which of course they still have plenty of time to do.
 
Brandon F said:
I'd like to hear more of Ape Escape 2; enjoyed the first game, but that was like...1999? I fear a lot of the excitement of the series may have dulled now that "dual shock control!" is less of an advertised gimmick these days. Plus my heart doesn't go all a flutter whenever I see one of those monkeys in helmets.


But how many games use dual shock control for more than camera readjustment, aiming & crap like that? The control scheme is still pretty novel in this day and age... (which I why I won't consider the seemingly hideous PSP version...)

Ape Escape 2 is one of the only games to use the PS2 controller well. It's my fave 1st party Sony game (even if they didn't publish the sequel here). It's colorful, it's cheap, it runs at 60fps, it's really varied, and it's got a lot of cool extras (e.g. a DDR type game w/ the monkeys).

If you don't like the monkeys, though, perhaps there is no help for you.



Oh yeah, I agree Spike in Ape Escape 1 was better, but at least the kid in part 2 had the cute Band-Aid on his nose. >_<

Ape_Escape_2_03.jpg
 
Unison said:
But how many games use dual shock control for more than camera readjustment, aiming & crap like that? The control scheme is still pretty novel in this day and age... (which I why I won't consider the seemingly hideous PSP version...)

Rise to Honor, Death by Degrees, Grabbed by the Ghoulies...

Granted Ape E. probably handled the dual-stick use far better than the above(none of which I have played), but still, the novelty IS in the control. The environments in AE1 were extremely basic, and the tasks were middling. Not to sound hateful, but 6 years have passed and I just fear there isn't much -game- to be excited over from this franchise.

AE PSP does have my interest tho, if only to bask in the rich use of color on the sleek portable.
 
Brandon F said:
Rise to Honor, Death by Degrees, Grabbed by the Ghoulies...

Granted Ape E. probably handled the dual-stick use far better than the above(none of which I have played), but still, the novelty IS in the control. The environments in AE1 were extremely basic, and the tasks were middling. Not to sound hateful, but 6 years have passed and I just fear there isn't much -game- to be excited over from this franchise.

AE PSP does have my interest tho, if only to bask in the rich use of color on the sleek portable.
Why can't the control and basic gameplay built around it be enough? I'm still having tons of fun chasing monkeys, and I was there for AE1 on day one.
 
Truelize said:
Wow! I guess I'm the only gamer existing that loves the Jak series.

Yup, that's right. I love the series. Love the characters, the story, the different gameplay styles. All of it. I didn't even get all the hate that Jak II got, I didn't find the game that hard at all.
I also think that the graphic style in the Jak series is incredible. The forest section in Jak II had amazing atmosphere. The soundtrack and the colours used for that section made it one of the most memorable gaming settings for me.

I'm only about 4 hours into Jak 3 and I have no encountered anything that didn't suit my tastes yet.

I guess it's good for gaming that there are people our there that like what Jak offers.


You're not the only one...and yeah, the first time I reached that forest area was during sunset...that place is one of my favorite night areas in a game...that area alone, I think, is responsible for me enjoying the hoverboard so much
 
Brandon F said:
Rise to Honor, Death by Degrees, Grabbed by the Ghoulies...

Granted Ape E. probably handled the dual-stick use far better than the above(none of which I have played), but still, the novelty IS in the control. The environments in AE1 were extremely basic, and the tasks were middling. Not to sound hateful, but 6 years have passed and I just fear there isn't much -game- to be excited over from this franchise.

AE PSP does have my interest tho, if only to bask in the rich use of color on the sleek portable.


Sorry, but you sound like a dope here...

You crap all over the control scheme (comparing it to games that you haven't even played!) and the levels of Ape Escape (having not even played part 2!) and then you say you are looking forward to the PSP version, which is a port of the first one that didn't really impress you, even though it promises to have bigger control comprimises than Mario 64 DS! :lol

Ape Escape is well designed above and beyond the control, even if the control is its most distinctive feature.

Whatever... don't play Ape Escape 2. Stay comfortable in the fact that you are Right. :lol
 
Don't be so deluded, I haven't "crapped" on anything! I haven't bashed AE2 nor the personal opinions you hold of it.

My concern is merely that this series relies too heavilly on the unique control scheme and 'cuteness' of the protagonists, which -were- big selling points on the first game....6 years ago.

As for the PSP, I don't see how the loss of the right stick functionality will lessen much of the design, but clearly the ardent fans will think nothing of this franchise without the ability to push a stick to swing a lightsaber rather than a button, further proving my above point. That and whether or not this years spiky-headed hero wears a band-aid on his nose...

Cmon now! Is there not a game underneath to discuss?
 
Man oh man, I hated Jak 3. Really, really hated. I expressed this sentiment in a review that I love to pieces, if just for the sheer fact that I was able to use the phrase "Jak 3 makes me sleepy."

What a poor poor amalgam of Twisted Metal, Grand Theft Auto and the (superior in every way) Ratchet & Clank.
 
Jak 3 is indeed mediocre, but I don't think the R&C games are that much better, either. I guess I'm just not too much into this pseudoplatformers.
 
Brandon F said:
Don't be so deluded, I haven't "crapped" on anything! I haven't bashed AE2 nor the personal opinions you hold of it.

My concern is merely that this series relies too heavilly on the unique control scheme and 'cuteness' of the protagonists, which -were- big selling points on the first game....6 years ago.

As for the PSP, I don't see how the loss of the right stick functionality will lessen much of the design, but clearly the ardent fans will think nothing of this franchise without the ability to push a stick to swing a lightsaber rather than a button, further proving my above point. That and whether or not this years spiky-headed hero wears a band-aid on his nose...

Cmon now! Is there not a game underneath to discuss?

Your ignorance of Ape Escape is apparent! :D

The analog controls run deep throughout the design of the game. For example, you get in a paddleboat where each analog stick controls one of the oars. How this can be reasonably emulated on the PSP is beyond me. It just won't be the same.

Another item is a net that you get when you go swimming. You use the right analog to change your direction, FPS style and press the Right stick in to fire nets at monkeys... This just won't work well with the PSP setup.

I absolutely think the controls are paramount to the Ape Escape experience. It was designed specifically for the Dual Analog pad. It was the first PSX game to require it.

But you whine and say the game's unique, awesome controls are too heavily relied on as a selling point. WTF? Great controls are precisely why we should want to play a game! It's awesome that it is cute. I don't understand how its graphics on the PS2 (which are obviously better than AE1's) are a negative on the console, but bright and exciting on the PSP. Because of AE2's great art direction, the game runs well and still looks fine, despite being an early PS2 game.

Your assertion that there is "no game" underneath makes no sense at all. I don't see how AE2 is any less full-featured than any other platformer, but then again, I've actually played it ...

If you want a boatload of crappy features that are a chore to do instead of solid mechanics, cleanly executed, then Ape Escape 2 probably isn't for you.
 
jett said:
Jak 3 is indeed mediocre, but I don't think the R&C games are that much better, either. I guess I'm just not too much into this pseudoplatformers.
You don't notice subtle differences like how you're actually able to see what you're shooting at in R&C?

Just the very first gunbattle in Jak 3 proves how inept it really is. Enemies coming at you from the back, and to make things more annoying there are four blocks that stop your camera dead in its tracks when you're trying to see what's going on around you. I think that single "room" encapsulates everything that's been wrong with Jak since II. It just isn't designed with fun in mind.
 
I would have loved Jak 2/3 if not for the screen tearing. Really bothered me in that it gave me headaches.
 
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