I bought it on recommendatioin, and hell I never really liked any of the Jak games for the PS2.
Its just the psp sorta starves for solid platformers. So I had to risk it. It's still 40 dollars but rightfully so.
I mean the visuals are on a technical level up there with Wipeout Pure and Tekken DR. The game oozes polish, right down to the entirely voice acted story. The real-time cinematics are stunning, Daxter even has fur-shading
The gameplay is what has really reeled me in. It has SOME collecting, which is sadly now a staple of platform gaming, but it has the difficulty of a mario title, which is honestly key to my enjoyment.
If I want UGnG, ill play that, but when it comes to 3D platforming I want a nice ramping challenge with minimal penalty for death. Small penalty allows me to accept deaths that SEEM beyond my control, but honestly the camera in this game is fine, the controls are extremely precise, and half the time I die its because I didnt get what I was supposed to do. The level design is thought out so well you'll rarely be stumped for longer than is needed before youre on to the next part of the level.
Visually the level design is magnificent and on par with Sly Cooper (the original, at least, had amazing level design), so much detail, so much STYLE, every level is honestly an adventure to play through.
The premise and story is on par with the jak games, but ultimately more quirky to fit the kinda character Daxter is. His ego is honestly hilarious and charming, simply because he's no actually a loser. Perfectly at peace with where he is in life as a bug exterminator. The tools, weapons and vehicles are fantastic. The type of levels you play vary, but never to the point of mini-game-itis.
The mini-games that ARE there are part of his dreams, which have no relation to the main game, which is a fucking AWESOME idea. Plus they're really well done button pattern games (thus far) the matrix parody had me chuckling as I took down enemies in a big brawl and made cheesy neo poses. Even if you lose you can continue, or just stop sleeping.
When you die I have yet to see a penalty aside from starting a little earlier near an auto save checkpoint of some sort. Ive never seen game over or Continue? They WANT you to finish this game and enjoy every part of that. I respect that a lot.
So in short, buy this game, you probably wont see a 3D platformer of its calibre for quite some time.
