It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay article! This is the series where we head backwards in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this November 9 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re taking a trip back 16 years to when Jak 3 first launched on PS2. That’s November 9, 2004. Developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, this open-world platformer was the final chapter in the trilogy.
The GameRevolution Jak 3 review awarded the game a score of 4/5, celebrating the “great story and presentation,” “huge lands to explore,” and “good gameplay variety.”
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
Despite its new plot, JAK 3 showcases all of the features introduced by its predecessors, including a huge, free-roaming world with no load times and a full day/night cycle. Naughty Dog’s particular take on the platformer genre is more action-driven than most. Jak still has the ability to punch, spin and pound enemies to a pulp, bust out a wide array of weaponry or use his Dark Eco powers to transform into the extremely powerful Dark Jak. Mercifully, there isn’t an excessive amount of jumping from perilous ledge to perilous ledge, but rest assured that this traditional aspect of platformers still makes an appearance.
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JAK 3 really goes out of its way to serve up varied gameplay experiences. None of them are particularly ground-breaking, but they do lead to a game that doesn’t get stale very quickly. Throughout the game you’ll race desert vehicles, fly a glider, speed through a tunnel on a runaway car, control a robot, man a turret gun and break computer security using an ancient Pac-Man technique. All that and more, in fact. The eclectic gameplay styles enhance the experience and keep the game moving along nicely.
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JAK 3 puts on a good show and will no doubt please fans of the series. Though it sticks very closely to the franchise’s formula and has a few flaws, the excellent story, great presentation and varied gameplay make this ‘final’ episode a good one.
Check out the Jak 3 trailer below (hosted by CaptainGavtron on YouTube):
