25 Years Later, This 10/10 PS2 Platformer Is Worth Playing On PlayStation Plus

There are so many incredible games on PlayStation Plus, several of which fall within the Classics Catalog. This library includes numerous exceptional, iconic PlayStation titles and is, for those who fancy themselves connoisseurs of everything PlayStation, or simply want to experience the vast back catalog of amazing PS1, PS2, and PS3 games, worth the added cost of the higher subscription tier.

Among the very finest games tucked within the vast selection of available titles are some of the very best PlayStation 2 platformers. One of them, which was added to PlayStation Plus a short while ago, remains not just a relic of history worth revisiting, but a legitimately phenomenal game by today's standards. It birthed a legendary series that absolutely deserves more attention and is a must-play for anyone with even the slightest interest in platformers, or good games in general.

Before The Last Of Us And Uncharted, There Was This PS2 Classic

The aforementioned platformer could easily be considered one of the greatest PS2 games available on PS Plus, and for very good reason. It was developed by one of the most prominent and prolific studios working in the industry today, the same team that ostensibly created the PlayStation single-player experience formula that so many other exclusives now adhere to. This is also the team that brought us The Last of Us and Uncharted, two of the best-selling PlayStation series in the world. I am, of course, referring to Naughty Dog.

As any discerning gamer would know, before thrusting bleak visions of humanity's future upon the gaming public and giving us the greatest alternative to Indiana Jones the world has ever (and likely will ever) see, Naughty Dog created the Jak series. Starting with Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, the series blossomed into a fantasy version of GTA with a sprinkling of incredible platforming and a dash of Mad Max.

Jak has always been a welcomingly bizarre series, one with great characters, stunning visuals, deep worldbuilding, and amazing combat, that excelled in absolutely every department. However, it all started with the significantly tamer, yet nevertheless incredibly fun, witty, and charming Precursor Legacy that solidified not only Naughty Dog's talents as a developer, but also its ability to weave a genuinely compelling story with best-in-class platforming gameplay in a way Nintendo could only dream of.

Jak And Daxter Deserve A Revival

It is great that Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and its sequels are not only readily available for purchase digitally on PlayStation's storefront (and even received limited edition physical versions from Limited Run Games), but that they're also accessible via PlayStation Plus. The fact that Sony has made a concerted effort to ensure its library of games is preserved in some form is commendable, as it ensures that future generations that didn't grow up with the likes of Jak can still enjoy it nearly three decades later.

However, what is baffling is how little Sony has done with the Jak IP, especially considering that, outside of Ratchet and Clank, Sony has little to offer in the way of platformers and light-hearted, lower-budget, old-school experiences. During AIAS’s 2021 Game Maker’s Notebook series (as transcribed by VGC), Naughty Dog’s former co-president, Evan Wells, explained that there was "still a lot of love for Jak & Daxter in the studio" and that they "see what [Insomniac] are doing with Ratchet" and wish they were doing something similar.

In fact, Wells even stated that after wrapping development on Uncharted 2, Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann spent a "solid three or four months working on Jak and Daxter before they decided to shelve it." However, this was five years ago, and since then we haven't heard anything about a new entry in the Jak series or had any indication that one is coming soon. In fact, as much as it may end up proving to be a phenomenal PS2 title on PS Plus and garner new fans from being on the service, I'm doubtful we'll ever see a revival.

Naughty Dog is focusing on big-budget AAA experiences, and with the ballooning costs of game development prohibiting AA games from existing, it's unlikely Sony will fund a franchise with stylized visuals and a focus on platforming. Sure, it could pitch Jak 4 as a GTA-esque experience, much like its predecessors, but in that case it would need a huge investment and Naughty Dog's involvement, which is unlikely. It's a shame, as Jak and Daxter deserves to be so much more than merely a great PS2 game that ends up lost amidst the plethora of other amazing games on PS Plus.