Video Gaming News - November 2004

Foster City, CA (November 9, 2004) - Sony Computer Entertainment America announced today the launch of Jak 3, the third and final installment of the Jak and Daxter trilogy, created exclusively for the PlayStation 2.

From Sony:

Developed by Naughty Dog Inc., the company responsible for the award winning Jak and Daxter franchise and the highly acclaimed, multi-million unit selling Crash Bandicoot series on PlayStation, Jak 3 takes Jak and Daxter on their ultimate adventure as they uncover conspiracy, danger and ultimately the Precursors themselves.

"Jak 3 is an evolution of the Jak and Daxter story Naughty Dog wanted to tell when they first began work on Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy," said Grady Hunt, senior producer, product development, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "We are pleased that Jak 3 is part of our stellar PlayStation 2 holiday lineup, as the game will immediately immerse players into a fast-paced action and seamless adventure that will drive the story along through twists and turns until the final climax -- where all is finally revealed."

One year has passed since Jak and Daxter saved Haven City from Kor and the attacking Metal Heads, yet Haven City is still immersed in deadly chaos as three groups fight for control of the streets. The people of Haven City have grown to distrust Jak's dark powers, and as rumors boil of Jak's ties with Krew and Kor, the city blames Jak for its current woeful circumstances. Now banished to the Wasteland, Jak begins his quest for redemption joined by pals Daxter and Pecker. Their objective is to escape from an area five times the size of Haven City, filled with hazardous environments, a vicious volcano, the hostile city of Spargus and cavernous mines. With access to off-road transportation, including lizards, hovercrafts and off-road vehicles featuring true-to-life physics, Jak fights to return to civilization while waging a personal war within himself.

Now possessing Light Eco power, in addition to the Dark Eco abilities that led to his banishment, Jak's struggle to balance the two add further intrigue to the compelling storyline. The game is also enhanced through the introduction of new technology called "Ragdoll Physics," a technology which allows gamers to witness a unique death for each enemy that is killed, independent cloth movement technology and enhanced the enemy artificial intelligence (AI) with wall climbing and smart formation capabilities. Additionally, Jak is equipped with a Morph-Gun that utilizes 12 new gun types, enabling the player to battle through massive levels in an effort to answer the unanswered and conclude the Jak trilogy.

"Naughty Dog never rests on its laurels," said Evan Wells, studio director, Naughty Dog. "It's important to us to keep the universe fresh, so with each outing in the Jak and Daxter franchise, we looked at ways to create a game that offered the player a brand new experience that built on the previous games. Looking back at all of the ideas we were able to implement for Jak 3, we are confident this is our best game yet."

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