In the competitive and crowded world of adventure games, we at "X-Play" can safely say that "Jak II" was designed to be a genre-busting super weapon. Nearly every type of action known to man has been assembled here, and its hybrid gameplay encompasses nearly every activity gamers could want. You can navigate hazard-filled, obstacle-laden areas with skillful jumps while doling out destruction as a trigger-happy gunslinger, and that's barely scratching the surface.

The long-eared, goatee-sporting Jak is a turret-gunning, robo-piloting, hover bike-racing, escort mission-running, seek-and-destroying superman. Did we mention the evil alter ego is set loose in a sprawling city where every vehicle is ripe for the taking? Can you believe that city's also home to a futuristic version of a popular urban sport involving sick tricks and rail grinds?

Oh, and there's that Daxter fellow, too.

Jak be nimble

From the minute you start putting Jak through his paces, you'll find him sharp and responsive. Even if you haven't played the original "Jak & Daxter," the basic actions are self-explanatory. In any case, your pal Daxter will give you pointers while looking over your shoulder the entire time. Actions like crouching into a high jump or rolling into a long jump are particularly intuitive, and when you land in a pit of molten lava or find yourself on the business end of a stun stick it's hard to blame the controls. You get the feeling that underneath it all, this is a platform game at heart.

But there's a lot more to "Jak II" than running and jumping. There are a few fighting moves, some of which involve transforming into a pale, claw-bearing monster-Jak crackling with evil energy. There are also four types of guns to wield, though targeting's a bit loose.

Anytime you're faced with something new, someone (or at least their flying intercom) will give you instructions. No matter what the task, the game's solid controls make it fairly easy to adapt. And die as you might (and believe us, you will), the auto-save feature will ensure that you're ready to try it again with minimum hassle.

Jak of all trades

Everything takes place in a dark and gritty city crawling with vehicles just waiting to be 'borrowed' for your personal use. Pressing the triangle button can put you in the driver's seat of a new car. Well, new to you at least. You probably need it more than the average citizen, anyway. After all, you're the hero here. Or are you the anti-hero? It's kind of hard to tell, actually, but it's obvious that like everybody else, the developers of this game have been playing a good bit of "Grand Theft Auto."

Either way, a chance meeting leads you to one of many characters who will contract you to carry out missions like blowing up sentry guns to secure a smuggling route or delivering a package across town with the law on your tail. Some require that you cooperate with a computer-controlled character, like a comely female member of the resistance. Others will have you competing with them in a hectic race. You might even be required to operate an underwater power-suit with a limited oxygen supply or locate fuse boxes throughout the city. The smart-mouthed Daxter provides comic relief throughout, and before it's over you'll wet your beak in everything and have a great time doing it.

New Jak City

You'll have to complete certain jobs in order to advance the story. Speaking of which, it involves an army of metallic critters who are just aching to open up the corrupt city like a giant can of rotten tuna. It also touches on a young heir to the throne being kept down by an evil baron, but in between you're free to explore and take on side missions.

Non-linearity feels great, but it would be nice if the city itself was more interesting. You're basically free to do what you want in a place where there isn't much to do. Jak has a hoverboard that he can use to perform tricks or get around a little more quickly. But there aren't many tricks to perform, and the narrow, crowded streets are difficult to navigate because of indistinct areas and a lack of landmarks. When it comes to the missions, getting there isn't half the fun.

It's all worth Jak

There's a lot to like about "Jak II." It's remarkable how skillfully so many different ideas are blended together into one game. It's equally impressive that it looks and sounds great, has no noticeable load time, tells a decent story, and doesn't saddle the player with restrictions on where to go and what to do. Still, the killer commute through an oppressive city drags the game down at times, and the "edgy" new style (that isn't all that different from the last "Jak & Daxter") is a bit forced and inconsistent. Even so, this is one platforming action game that deserves your playtime.

"Jak II" (PS2)