Jak and Daxter Collection (known in PAL regions as Jak and Daxter Trilogy) is a video game that contains high-definition remastered port of the PlayStation 2 games Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II and Jak 3, for the PlayStation 3 on a single Blu-ray Disc as a Classics HD title, published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The games were originally developed by Naughty Dog, and who have assisted in the remastering alongside Mass Media Inc. to provide support for high-definition monitors, higher frame rates, stereoscopic 3D, and additional features for the PlayStation Network. The Collection celebrate Jak and Daxter franchise's 10th anniversary.[1]
Games
Template:Main The story begins with Samos the Sage, the master of Green Eco, speaking cryptically of the Precursors, the masters of the universe and creators of all life on the planet. As he still has questions of their existence, Samos is searching for answers. He elaborates on two young boys, the fifteen-year-old Jak (who refuses to heed Samos' teachings) and his best friend Daxter. The two decide to make their way to Misty Island, the one place Samos told them not to go.
Template:Main The game features new weapons and devices, new playable areas, and a storyline that picks up after the events of The Precursor Legacy. The game's plot is much darker than its predecessor's, set in Haven City, a dystopia ruled under the iron fist of Baron Praxis, who is engaged in a war against a techno-organic group of organisms known as the "Metal Heads". As in the previous game, the player takes on the dual role of recurring protagonists Jak and Daxter. There are also a new array of characters such as Torn, Erol, Krew, Kor, Ashelin, and Sig, as well as some returning ones, such as Samos and Keira. Jak II is both a sequel and prequel to the first game.
Template:Main Jak 3 begins with Jak being banished from Haven City by Count Veger for his supposed crimes towards Haven City, that caused the war. Ashelin gives Jak a beacon before she leaves with Veger and the guards. Pecker and Daxter stay behind with Jak as he is left to die in the Wasteland. As they trail along the painful deserts, they all pass out from the heat and lack of water. They are found by a group of Wastelanders due to the beacon, and they are taken to the city of Spargus. Jak and Daxter then meet Damas, king of Spargus, who has an important missions for Jak; if Jak completes these missions, Damas will allow Jak to stay in Spargus.
Remastered features
The core game and story for all games remains unchanged with the remastered versions. For the remastering, all three games have had a graphics overhaul to allow them to support modern 720p HD resolution with smoother gameplay animation. With the more powerful PlayStation 3, all three games feature a fixed frame rate of 60 frames per second in normal mode, while in 3D mode the games run at 30 frames per second. All three games have PlayStation Network trophy support.[1]
Development
Prior to the announcement of the Collection, several other (God of War Collection (2009), The Sly Collection (2010), God of War: Origins Collection (2011) and The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (2011)) remastered collections of PlayStation 2 games had been made for the PlayStation 3 by Sony Computer Entertainment, bannered as Classics HD in PAL regions (North American copies simply have the subtitle "Remastered in High Definition" or "HD Collection").[2] One of the reasons why this brand was created is that PlayStation 2 titles are not compatible with most PlayStation 3 consoles (only the 20 GB and 60 GB models, and the first iteration of the 80 GB model are compatible). After much rumor, speculation and fans request, a HD Collection of the Jak and Daxter series was confirmed for a February 2012 release.[1]
In May 2011, Naughty Dog stated that Jak and Daxter is still on the mind of the developer as well. Co-presidant Evan Wells said he'd love to make another in the series, but the studio is busy with Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.[3] In October 2011, according to Digital Spy, an online business in South Africa known as BT Games had a Jak and Daxter HD Collection listed for release in January of 2012.[4] According to Gematsu.com, which spotted the South African listing, also pointed to a source hinting that a Jak Collection was in the works back in May.[5] In November 2011, usk.de, Germany's official game's rating board (known as Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle) had rated Jak & Daxter Trilogy, basically confirmed that the game is coming out in Europe, though no rating had appeared on the ESRB's website, North American's official game's rating board. SCEA responded to IGN's request for a statement and confirmed that the Jak & Daxter Trilogy, referred by SCEA as Jak & Daxter Collection was indeed real.[6] The Collection was officialy confirmed by Evan Wells, Naughty Dog's Co-President on November 21, 2011.[1]
Reception
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/11/21/jak-and-daxter-collection-coming-to-ps3-with-hd-3d-trophies/
- ↑ http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/classics-hd-line-for-ps3-in-europe-starting-with-sly-collecti/
- ↑ http://www.computerandvideogames.com/310194/naughty-dog-wed-love-to-make-another-jak-and-daxter/
- ↑ http://ps3.ign.com/articles/119/1197944p1.html
- ↑ http://www.computerandvideogames.com/320922/jak-and-daxter-hd-collection-listed-by-retailer/
- ↑ http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1212038p1.html
- Platform games
- Steampunk video games
- PlayStation 3 games
- PlayStation 3-only games
- Sony Computer Entertainment games
- Video game collections
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games with stereoscopic 3D graphics
- Jak and Daxter games
- Naughty Dog games
- Video games featuring anthropomorphic characters
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- Dystopian fiction
- 2012 video games