Reviews// PS2 Platformer face-off: Jak III versus Ratchet & Clank III

Thankfully, Jak III has come a long way since the original and the actual platforming tasks have been whittled down to a framework. A huge sigh of relief was breathed: Jak III is more like GTA than a platform game, and so the task seemed feasible once again. Indeed, not just a viable prospect but a hugely enticing one. From the opening cut-scene it’s obvious that the developers have poured a heartfelt passion into the game, and the production values are consistently shiny right from the off.

Jak and Daxter suffered from an apparent identity crisis in its transition to Jak II, throwing a whole load of thievable vehicles, taking the emphasis away from precision jumping and placing a thicker focus on the storyline. Jak III has carried along this path, building on that premise and becoming more of a well-rounded, eclectic adventure game in the process. It still seems sensible to call it a platform game though, because the theme is always there. The dune buggies, for example, can all jump: and although one might be inclined to describe certain missions as racing-based, on account of vehicular involvement, in reality, some of these are actually just platforming sections, in cars.

Ratchet and Clank’s third episode is a more logical progression, with closer ties to its roots; and so it feels slightly more decisive in its chosen direction. There’s a fair amount of straight-up jumping around to be done, but it never gets to the point where it’s testing your patience, as is the tendency for platformers that are anything less than excellent. Instead, the combat elements have been further built on: meaning that the finished product seems extremely well-balanced. Although RC:UYA could be interpreted as the more traditional of the two games, it manages to avoid feeling too tired or clichéd; and the process of leaping about breaking stuff and collecting things therefore satisfies, rather than bores. In contrast to Jak III, it feels more like a refined development of the original concept, rather than an extra chapter to it.

Although the two series have veered away from each other more and more, having co-existed along a near identical timeline, there are still many clear similarities. The most obvious common trait is recognisable in the way both games have been produced, with Insomniac and Naughty Dog apparently egging each other on throughout. Although both development teams are clearly talented, with such close, if friendly, competition between them, there has been no room for complacency.