I'm currently playing through the first game for the first time. Does the series seriously not get better than Sentinel Beach and Forbidden Jungle? That's pretty disappointing. Also, I *hated* the Lost Precursor City.
1:23:10 I also like how you can see the textures of the obstacles on the other support beams, showing that this is a security system on the whole tower and not just a gameplay segment on that one support beam
@@SquareEyedJakCan I ask you a few question? I’m writing a fan-fiction story that takes place within a new jak and Daxter game and I could use a second opinion
25:40 How have I never noticed this shortcut before!?!? It's honestly pretty cool looking, so thanks for showcasing it. Fantastic job with the video! The shots using the freecam in debug mode were also great! Cheers!
PurpleMan98 Aw yeah dude, I love the feeling of having good food while watching a long UA-cam video I’m really interested in. It’s like popcorn and a movie :)
number 10. Jak II Sewers: People: Boooooooooooo Me (an intelectual): ah yes a unique set piece that constantly changes each time you visit...hmmmm very naughty those dogs were......hmmm (strokes beard and sips tea)
25:42 My life is a lie... I never saw this EVER in my like, 4 or so playthoughs of this game. What makes it even worse is that there's no secrets there! I feel like maybe even the developers forgot about this location, as the design of it looks pretty... unfinished? just food for thought.
Awh man, seeing bits of Jak and Daxter 2 jacking hover cars from people, the water slums, and the crossing the lava canyons from 1 really brought back a lot of found memories of playing the first and second games with my mom and with my dad when he'd come over. Love the video dude and I'm so happy you brought back such found memories of Jak and Dexter :)
UA-cam threw this in my recommended and I couldn't be happier. One of my favorite games growing up, and a franchise I still go back to fondly. Loved the video, you've made a fan out of me.
One hour and forty six minutes of nothing but Jak and Daxter? Hell yeah man! It's because of this kind videos that I subscribed 5 years ago, keep up the great work mate!
1:40:58 Sentinel Beach (2001) was probably my favourite "first level" until Central Yharnam (2015) in Bloodborne. Such a good entry level introducing the mechanics (and dangers!) of the game without feeling as oppressive as the Forbidden Jungle.
I LOVE this franchise! Great list and video! I think my favorite levels are Snowy Mountain from Jak 1, the Mountain Temple and Haven Forest from Jak II, The Stadium in Jak II, and the Stadium / Palace Ruins in Jak 3. Also, when you mentioned the camera man in the Kor boss fight, I lol'd, haha!
I was going to disagree about volcanic crater, but what you said actually convinced me otherwise. It really is lacking compared to the other villages in Precursor Legacy.
Super cool video man, gotta say i think rock village should be a bit higher up. The dialogue from all the characters makes up for the lack of physical content in the area imo. Keep up with videos like this ill definitely stay tuned!
I swear you are one of the most underrated UA-camrs I know! You got me into jack and daxter and now I’m sitting here watching the pure quality of this video while going through the many different jak games.
I just finished watching the entire video. Man it was such a nostalgia trip. Thank you for putting in what would have been a mammoth amount of writing, recording and editing. :) Once again thank you for your help in regards to my reviews. I recently did a review on resistance fall of man. While it's not perfect you help really did open my eyes to areas i could improve on. I was excited to release the project and was proud of what i achieved this time round. I know the next bar i want to reach in up coming reviews. Keep up the amazing work mate. You inspire a lot of people including myself.
There's something about the Jak II sewers that you didn't mention, and that's the environmental storytelling. I read this somewhere else but can't find it, so I'll summarize and add my own theories (spoilers btw): 1. On the first mission, the sewers are relatively safe. You're sent in there by Krew to destroy some turrets. But you also see some things, like the metalhead behind the fence that lunges at you, and metalheads hiding in darkness. Hiding from the turrets. Further on, you can see metalheads staring at a turret. They're not waiting for you...they're _studying_ the turret. They're trying to figure out how to get around it. Lucky for them, Jak swoops in and takes care of their turret problem for them. And what happens immediately after the turrets are destroyed? Two metalheads drop in on you to ambush you. They're no longer afraid, no longer forced to hide. And it's your fault! 2. On the second mission, Krew sends you into the sewers again to fetch the ruby key from the statue. But even though metalheads should be roaming free, there's not a soul to be seen. You go through the entire mission without encountering a single enemy. Later on, you learn that Krew used the ruby key to let the metalheads in. Sig even says as much when he mentions that it's like the metalheads were waiting for the lock to be opened before they came swarming in. And then it hits you: the reason you didn't see any metalheads in the second sewer mission is because they _wanted_ you to succeed. *They were using you.* 3. On the third mission, your past actions come back to haunt you as you play a difficult escort mission with metalheads swarming all over the place. And it's all your fault. The difficulty of this mission is the direct result of your previous actions. You have singlehandedly set the conditions for the sewers to become a haven for metalheads. Krew probably expected both you and the demo crew to die in there, since by that point, you've outlived your usefulness to him. The mission was to get the heart of Mar, but what does Krew ever use it for? His actual plan was to let metalheads swarm the city and set off the piercer bomb, killing everyone; metalheads, citizens, krimzon guards... you, if you survived the ambush. It builds not only a background for the evolution of the sewers throughout the game's story, but also a profile of Krew and his horrific plans. My theory is that Krew had no reason to kill everyone. He did what he did for the simple joy of weapons and the destruction they reap. He explicitly says this before the fight: He _loves_ weapons. Everything about them. To a fetishistic degree. He wanted to set off the piercer bomb because to him, it was the ultimate weapon. He knew it would destroy everyone and everything including himself, and that's _exactly_ why he wanted to set it off. Some people just want to watch the world burn. Even if they burn with it.
Wow thanks for taking the time to go through all these levels. The amount of nostalgia I felt! Especially for Precursor Legacy levels. Forbidden Jungle will always be my all-time fave.
Even if I've never played a Jak game before or have too much interest in it, the work placed into covering multiple games, just like the Crash and Tony Hawk videos is admirable and deserves a like at the least. Great work.
Oh my god, THAT was absolutely amazing, my lad. What an impressive work you've done! Although I may disagree in certain positions, it's the sheer existence of this tremendous ranking that makes me so happy. I feel the Jak and Daxter community is starting to reactivate and grow, slowly but constantly, and every single piece of content like this video is just brimming with love and passion for this series. Hell, when you were reaching the Top 3 I was like 100% sure you were going to rank THOSE levels in that specific order and was just so satisfying and great. Really well done, Jak, thanks a lot for making stuff like this!
This video is a gold mine for anyone interested in making games. Articulate and succinct explanation of game design principles in the context of each level. Thanks for making this!
I really liked your perspective about these levels. The Forbidden Jungle and the Lost Precursor City are my favourite ones. I remember playing the Forbbiden Jungle as a child and unlocking this ancient blue eco source, and being astonished by it. I'll never forget that sense of discovery!
That's the plan! Mostly going to use them as a finale for series reviews once I've covered all the games, because that's where the most work is. Just look at Hawktober and the THPS ELR.
I only discovered the Lava Tube shortcut because I missed a scout fly and tried to kill myself, only to find what's probably the game's best kept secret.
Fun fact: in the seal retrieval mission in the water slums, if you have Dark Jak saved up, you can Dark Jak Bomb the turret underneath the pier and swim/Jetboard to safety to easily clear the mission
I've been playing this game for seventeen years and my NTSC disc has always played the Mar's Tomb/Palace BGM for the Weapons' Factory. I wonder if that's a glitch or region-specific? How interesting. I personally would have picked the Fortress music for the Weapons Factory. Great video, loved it!
@@SquareEyedJak no worries man! You deserve all the respect in the world. You really take pride in your videos. I can tell. The effort is an easy 100/10
Also palace ruins is so depressing. Especially the music. You just feel the helplessness of the countless people watching as the spires fall on them. You get a chill down your spine as you can feel the lost souls around you.
This is a series that desperately needs a remake. With a remake, and by remake I mean reimagining of the series, they could fix all of the things that they messed up or underdeveloped in the previous games. They could flesh out Rock Village and they could fix the Volcanic Crater. They could improve the lackluster missions in 3 and completely erase Last Frontier from existence. I’ve played all of these games repeatedly and the reason I go back to it is because of atmosphere. The atmosphere and the idea of this fantasy world where things are powered by eco is extraordinary, but like anything you enjoyed in your childhood the mistakes become glaring as you get older. I love the idea of these games, but with the right team they could revitalize the series into something fantastic.
I always think I want a remake, but remakes almost always leave some level of disappointment. I agree with all of those things you said, but the things we want rarely overlap with what devs end up implementing in remakes. I would be incredibly surprised if there was ever a J&D remake that covered all of those bases. On top of that, remakes usually end up "fixing" things that didn't need any changes in the first place. I want remakes for games that had potential, but ultimately fell flat in some way. Sleeping Dogs, for example, needs a remake. J&D is already so close to perfection that I would be more worried than excited if they announced a remake. Remake. Mlem. I typed and read the word so many times that it's starting to lose meaning haha.
First time in this timeline? Yeah, it would be incredible if developers would remake shit that we actually want remade. If you get to that timeline, bring me with you!
Hey man, I never even played Jak and Daxter back in the day but I still gotta drop by with a like cause these ranked videos are amazing, I imagine a lot of effort goes into them so I gotta give a like and praise the good content man 👌🏻
Awesome video, never see many people go into this much detail about my favorite franchise! You’ve earned my like and sub. Also FYI, you forgot mountain pass and sandover village!
82 - Worst Lost Frontier level 81 - Worst Precursor Legacy level 80 - Worst Jak II level 77 - Worst Jak 3 level 67 - Worst Daxter level 48 - Best Lost Frontier level 14 - Best Daxter level 6 - Best Jak II level 3 - Best Jak 3 level 1 - Best Precursor Legacy level
I love these! I just recently got into the jak and daxter series. I finished the first one 100% trying to beat jak 2 but that game is hard as hell. You are by far one of my favorite youtubers. Your funny, your videos are extremely entertaining, and your just awesome. I look forward to all your content. Everytime there's an upload i stop what I'm doing to watch lol. Im a huge fan of your work. Ive watched every review youve done and all game testing episodes. Next is top 10s.
The atmosphere for the Jak and Daxter levels was amazing. When I went into lost precursor city for the first time I really felt the scale of it and how I’d almost feel trapped when I got to the deeper parts of the level, just some brilliant design!
I've played... The precursor legacy... COUNTLESS times! As a kid, teen, and adult. And today, I am JUST now learning about that shortcut in the lava tube level @25:30
Huge fan of Jak and Daxter and new to your channel, first of all I watched the whole thing and love your take on the levels and experiencing them again through your point of view. I do think you're sleeping on #53 though, Mar Memorial stadium was where you got first got access to the hoverboard and it's course along with it. Also meeting keira for the first time since going through the portal. Looking forward to watching more of your videos!
You're an absolute goddamn madman, I don't know how you compile these lists but good job! This shows how much depth this series really has that personally, I don't think enough people give it credit for. My favorite game overall in the series is Precursor Legacy, which also happens to be my favorite PS2 game of all time. This only makes me crave a Jak IV more than ever, but Sony doesn't seem to care enough outside of milking re-releases of the games. Jak and Daxter is more than just a game series, it's a way of life.
The Westside Hotel in Daxter will always be one of my favorite levels across the Jak & Daxter series. The simplicity of the level design, the bright colors and music will never cease to give me nostalgia.
Legitimately a series unlike any other. All these levels and their intertwining details and significance prove it. And I agree: Jak & Daxter is a series that absolutely can still survive in today’s modern market if any developer is willing to treat a future endeavor with care, craft, & respect. (Oh and of course the great characters fantastically animated cutscenes)
great video! really appreciate the effort you put in here. The weapons factory in jak2 is supposed to have the mars tomb music theme playing in the background, but it only works about half the time for me. Maybe a misstep from the devs
This was EPIC! ❤️ Inspired me to load up Jak and Daxter and give it a play again. Such an iconic game that is equally ahead of its time and a prime example of the 3D platformer collectathon.
Hey great video man, as a kid I absolutely loved these games (well excluding lost frontier and daxter, I never owned them) and replaying them again in recent years really made me appreciate just how amazing they all are. Your videos have continued to show me just that exactly, I'm glad that so many others share the same perspective! Keep up the good work as always!
This video has quickly become one of those vids I just return to again n again n again, whether I watch or have it in the background. I love J&D so illegally much
@@sculptchard I can see the drastic mining of eco having another effect on the world aspect but did naughty dog really come up with sky pirates as the path forward?
I was astonished when you put Gol & Maia's Citadel and Misty Island lower down on the list before seeing Sentinel Beach and even more so at where it ended up. I thought of the level as being rather straight forward, just a jog along the beach, but then I remembered the visuals of the level and the fun easy-going atmosphere. I'm convinced now and you've done a great job putting this together. Also, finding that exploit at the Slums ambush in Jak 2 with dark Jak, I bet the developers are furious they didn't put in a second security robot in half way through.
1:40:38 Sentinel Beach really showed the "openness" of the game, I think. Particularly, going from the first "hub world" and walking there without any load times.
It would be awesome to see this list for Ratchet and Clank someday! Maybe start with the OG trilogy with Gladiator/Deadlocked? P.S keep up the awesome work dude!
DUDE y'all going back keeps me replaying this game. Literally will not ever give up my PS2 and Jak & Daxter; first game my mom ever randomly bought me. idk how she even knew i'd like it ...
You also escort korn who blows up the metal head tower entrance with the Super Nova I believe, you also learn the dark eco kamehameha attack in this area.
I've played through Jak 1 millions of times, and I've never ever known about the shortcut in the Lava Tube until now!
Dude isn't this crazy. I just found out about that short cut after this video. Wtf...
same. I must have played through it a half dozen times at least and just learned about it from this video.
I played it as much as you and never saw it either! HOW?!
My favourite is Jack and daxter 3
@@jonathangarcia1594 theres no jak and daxter 3. its just jak 3
3:19 82 - Aeropa (The Lost Frontier)
5:22 81 - Volcanic Crater (The Precursor Legacy)
6:32 80 - Main Town (Jak II, Jak 3)
7:23 79 - Skyheed Finale (all III parts; The Lost Frontier)
8:39 78 - Sector Zero (The Lost Frontier)
9:39 77 - New Haven (Jak 3)
10:12 76 - Gardens (Jak II)
10:45 75 - Bazaars (East & West; Jak II)
11:37 74 - Metal Head city (Jak 3)
12:33 73 - Destroy the Towers (The Lost Frontier)
14:06 72 - Phantom Blade (The Lost Frontier)
15:14 71 - Aeropa Warzone (The Lost Frontier)
16:23 70 - Brink volcano (The Lost Frontier)
17:05 69 - Freedom Plaza (Tony Hawk's Proving Ground)
17:09 69 - The Lab (Crash Bandicoot)
17:28 69 - Metal Head Tower (Jak 3)
18:19 68 - Rock Village (The Precursor Legacy)
19:39 67 - Breezy Valley (Daxter)
20:01 66 - Emerald Isle (Daxter)
21:04 65 - Dark Maker Ship (Jak 3)
22:05 64 - Abandoned Research Rig (The Lost Frontier)
22:47 63 - Construction Site (Jak II (appears in a cutscene) & Daxter)
23:59 62 - Catacomb Subrails (Jak 3)
24:43 61 - Fire Canyon (The Precursor Legacy)
25:08 60 - Lava Tube (The Precursor Legacy)
26:14 59 - Water Slums (Jak II)
28:37 58 - Underport (Jak II)
29:21 57 - Arena of Death (Jak 3)
30:19 56 - Palace Tour (Explore Palace; Jak II)
31:15 55 - Old Aeropan Barracks (The Lost Frontier)
32:06 54 - Haven Forest (Jak II)
33:13 53 - Mar Memorial Stadium (Jak II, Jak 3)
34:16 52 - Geyser Rock (The Precursor Legacy)
35:21 51 - Fortress (Daxter)
36:26 50 - Far Drop (The Lost Frontier)
37:32 49 - Dark Daxter levels (The Lost Frontier)
38:32 48 - Brink Island (The Lost Frontier)
39:46 47 - Industrial Section (Jak II, Jak 3, Daxter)
41:22 46 - Westside Hotel (Daxter)
42:17 45 - Distillery (Daxter)
42:55 44 - Slums (Jak II, Jak 3)
43:58 43 - Fortress (Jak II, Daxter)
45:22 42 - Weapons Factory (Jak II)
47:08 41 - Precursor Basin (The Precursor Legacy)
48:11 40 - Mountain Pass (The Precursor Legacy)
48:54 39 - Sandover Village (The Precursor Legacy)
50:10 38 - Eco Tanker (Daxter)
51:17 37 - Haven Palace (Daxter)
52:19 36 - Metal Head cave (Jak 3)
53:22 35 - South Haven Forest (Jak II)
54:30 34 - Boggy Swamp (The Precursor Legacy)
55:48 33 - Drill Platform (Jak II)
56:55 32 - Dig Site (Jak II)
58:06 31 - Metal Head nest (Jak II)
59:42 30 - Spargus (Jak 3)
1:00:54 29 - Wasteland (Jak 3)
1:02:45 28 - Temple Climb & Glider (Jak 3)
1:03:40 27 - Great Volcano (Jak 3)
1:04:24 26 - Mountain Temple (Jak II)
1:05:37 25 - Fish Cannery (Daxter)
1:06:37 24 - Misty Island (The Precursor Legacy)
1:07:53 23 - Gol and Maia's Citadel (The Precursor Legacy)
1:09:17 22 - Haven Sewers (Jak 3)
1:10:22 21 - Lumber Mill (Daxter)
1:11:18 20 - Dead Town (Jak II)
1:12:41 19 - South Haven Port (Jak II, Jak 3, Daxter)
1:14:17 18 - Transit System (Daxter)
1:15:29 17 - KG War Factory (Jak 3)
1:17:00 16 - Strip Mine (Jak II)
1:18:20 15 - Strip Mine (Daxter)
1:19:42 14 - Brewery (Daxter)
1:21:36 13 - Tomb of Mar (Jak II)
1:23:14 12 - Palace Support Cable (Jak II)
1:24:33 11 - Monk Temple (Jak 3)
1:26:41 10 - Haven Sewers (Jak II)
1:29:23 9 - Eco Mine (Jak 3)
1:30:55 8 - Spider Caves (The Precursor Legacy)
1:32:45 7 - Terraformer (Jak 3)
1:34:16 6 - Pumping Station (Jak II)
1:35:57 5 - Lost Precursor City (The Precursor Legacy)
1:37:32 4 - Snowy Mountain (The Precursor Legacy)
1:38:23 3 - Stadium/Palace Ruins (Jak 3)
1:40:38 2 - Sentinel Beach (The Precursor Legacy)
1:42:00 1 - Forbidden Jungle (The Precursor Legacy)
Guide to Every Tony Hawk Level Ranked: ua-cam.com/video/0rZGwyZPggQ/v-deo.html&lc=Ugz7HfsFqeo2-eIFIrx4AaABAg
Guide to Every Crash Bandicoot Level Ranked: ua-cam.com/video/VhO_skt9LD0/v-deo.html&lc=UgyVKBgna6nRA3ysXvd4AaABAg
I'm currently playing through the first game for the first time. Does the series seriously not get better than Sentinel Beach and Forbidden Jungle? That's pretty disappointing.
Also, I *hated* the Lost Precursor City.
Tim Yac it gets a lot better I was surprised those were ranked as best
@@timyac Dude you can’t have such strong feelings for only playing it for the first time lol.
1:23:10 I also like how you can see the textures of the obstacles on the other support beams, showing that this is a security system on the whole tower and not just a gameplay segment on that one support beam
YES absolutely. I should have mentioned that but I forgot, cheers!
@@SquareEyedJak The problem with the sewers isn't the difficulty, it's the baffling lack of checkpoints that makes it truly annoying.
And in the night, you can see the lights of the vehicles flying through the city.
@@SquareEyedJakCan I ask you a few question? I’m writing a fan-fiction story that takes place within a new jak and Daxter game and I could use a second opinion
Huge respect for the effort these take mate, keep it up
Cheers dude!
Thank you
@@elliotkason2981 Bot
@Allan Ray Partner-in-crime bot
@@SquareEyedJak To this day I still look up rumors to see if there's any chance of it coming back. What do you think? I admit I have my doubts.
Jak 1 is one of the few games I 100%ed. Seeing the ending on the big CRT was pretty sweet, still riding that high.
Man I was so disappointed when I did all that just for a white light and a cliffhanger 😂
25:40
How have I never noticed this shortcut before!?!? It's honestly pretty cool looking, so thanks for showcasing it. Fantastic job with the video! The shots using the freecam in debug mode were also great! Cheers!
I KNOW RIGHT??!! Can not believe I only stumbled it upon it now, shame it serves no purpose at all. 😂
@@SquareEyedJak i think its if you were going backwards from the citadel to the red sages hut.
I’m shocked so many people didn’t know about it! Me and my brother always used the shortcut believing it was useful
THERES A SHORTCUT!?!?!?!
THIS IS MY FAVORITE IN THE HISTORY OF GAMING, HOW DID I NOT KNOW THAT!!??
An hour and 40 minutes of pure jak and daxter content I'm gonna love this bro good work!
Dude, almost two hours??
About to watch the whole shit! ✊🏼
Yeah buddy, got some Turkish Pida and a can of Monster, Epico
PurpleMan98 Aw yeah dude, I love the feeling of having good food while watching a long UA-cam video I’m really interested in. It’s like popcorn and a movie :)
@@SUPERPIXELPLANET Same man, i agree :)
Ok you didnt have to call it shit
number 10. Jak II Sewers:
People: Boooooooooooo
Me (an intelectual): ah yes a unique set piece that constantly changes each time you visit...hmmmm very naughty those dogs were......hmmm (strokes beard and sips tea)
25:42 My life is a lie... I never saw this EVER in my like, 4 or so playthoughs of this game. What makes it even worse is that there's no secrets there! I feel like maybe even the developers forgot about this location, as the design of it looks pretty... unfinished? just food for thought.
Your pfp is making me wanna replay mmbn1-6 again, such an underated battle system and underated games.
44:48 LMAO that is literally my childhood right there. That part right there is engrained in my memories forever
Awh man, seeing bits of Jak and Daxter 2 jacking hover cars from people, the water slums, and the crossing the lava canyons from 1 really brought back a lot of found memories of playing the first and second games with my mom and with my dad when he'd come over. Love the video dude and I'm so happy you brought back such found memories of Jak and Dexter :)
UA-cam threw this in my recommended and I couldn't be happier. One of my favorite games growing up, and a franchise I still go back to fondly. Loved the video, you've made a fan out of me.
One hour and forty six minutes of nothing but Jak and Daxter? Hell yeah man! It's because of this kind videos that I subscribed 5 years ago, keep up the great work mate!
An hour and 46 minutes of sweet, nostalgic indulgence!! You've clearly worked so hard on this so Thank you. 😍
1:40:58 Sentinel Beach (2001) was probably my favourite "first level" until Central Yharnam (2015) in Bloodborne. Such a good entry level introducing the mechanics (and dangers!) of the game without feeling as oppressive as the Forbidden Jungle.
Central Yharmam is a great and respectable contender pick tbh
It's hard to imagine a better way to start my day than seeing a new Jak's 100+ minutes ranking video that you weren't expecting. Totally gonna watch!
I LOVE this franchise! Great list and video! I think my favorite levels are Snowy Mountain from Jak 1, the Mountain Temple and Haven Forest from Jak II, The Stadium in Jak II, and the Stadium / Palace Ruins in Jak 3.
Also, when you mentioned the camera man in the Kor boss fight, I lol'd, haha!
I was going to disagree about volcanic crater, but what you said actually convinced me otherwise. It really is lacking compared to the other villages in Precursor Legacy.
when he said if you can hear this image then you know why had me think a second i now agree
At least the Red Sage got a "village" technically. Apparently, the Yellow Sage's is just next to the Lava Tube and Gol and Maia's Citadel lol
The madman has done it again.
Amazing hard work and content
Super cool video man, gotta say i think rock village should be a bit higher up. The dialogue from all the characters makes up for the lack of physical content in the area imo. Keep up with videos like this ill definitely stay tuned!
Haven't been able to play any jak and daxter games but I'm still gonna watch this huge respect
use a ps2 emulator on ur pc PCSX2. It works like a charm
@@insert_username9003 can't because the whole thing is fucked and I don't wanna look at pitch black eyes of daxter and play at 10fps
Pishy Province available on ps store
It's on PS3 & PS4 aswell
I absolutely adore the Ranking Series! Keep it up dude!
The bassline of Precursor Basin just plays in my head whenever I concentrate
I appreciate you for being fair and unbiased including TLF and not just cramming every level at the start
I swear you are one of the most underrated UA-camrs I know! You got me into jack and daxter and now I’m sitting here watching the pure quality of this video while going through the many different jak games.
I just finished watching the entire video. Man it was such a nostalgia trip. Thank you for putting in what would have been a mammoth amount of writing, recording and editing. :) Once again thank you for your help in regards to my reviews. I recently did a review on resistance fall of man. While it's not perfect you help really did open my eyes to areas i could improve on. I was excited to release the project and was proud of what i achieved this time round. I know the next bar i want to reach in up coming reviews. Keep up the amazing work mate. You inspire a lot of people including myself.
There's something about the Jak II sewers that you didn't mention, and that's the environmental storytelling. I read this somewhere else but can't find it, so I'll summarize and add my own theories (spoilers btw):
1. On the first mission, the sewers are relatively safe. You're sent in there by Krew to destroy some turrets. But you also see some things, like the metalhead behind the fence that lunges at you, and metalheads hiding in darkness. Hiding from the turrets. Further on, you can see metalheads staring at a turret. They're not waiting for you...they're _studying_ the turret. They're trying to figure out how to get around it. Lucky for them, Jak swoops in and takes care of their turret problem for them. And what happens immediately after the turrets are destroyed? Two metalheads drop in on you to ambush you. They're no longer afraid, no longer forced to hide. And it's your fault!
2. On the second mission, Krew sends you into the sewers again to fetch the ruby key from the statue. But even though metalheads should be roaming free, there's not a soul to be seen. You go through the entire mission without encountering a single enemy. Later on, you learn that Krew used the ruby key to let the metalheads in. Sig even says as much when he mentions that it's like the metalheads were waiting for the lock to be opened before they came swarming in. And then it hits you: the reason you didn't see any metalheads in the second sewer mission is because they _wanted_ you to succeed. *They were using you.*
3. On the third mission, your past actions come back to haunt you as you play a difficult escort mission with metalheads swarming all over the place. And it's all your fault. The difficulty of this mission is the direct result of your previous actions. You have singlehandedly set the conditions for the sewers to become a haven for metalheads. Krew probably expected both you and the demo crew to die in there, since by that point, you've outlived your usefulness to him. The mission was to get the heart of Mar, but what does Krew ever use it for? His actual plan was to let metalheads swarm the city and set off the piercer bomb, killing everyone; metalheads, citizens, krimzon guards... you, if you survived the ambush.
It builds not only a background for the evolution of the sewers throughout the game's story, but also a profile of Krew and his horrific plans. My theory is that Krew had no reason to kill everyone. He did what he did for the simple joy of weapons and the destruction they reap. He explicitly says this before the fight: He _loves_ weapons. Everything about them. To a fetishistic degree. He wanted to set off the piercer bomb because to him, it was the ultimate weapon. He knew it would destroy everyone and everything including himself, and that's _exactly_ why he wanted to set it off. Some people just want to watch the world burn. Even if they burn with it.
I was just about to go to bed ffs
Fucking same bro...
you earned a sub man! Jak and Daxter was the first-ever video game I have ever played. I learned a lot in this video which was surprising!
Never knew you could destroy the bot that insta kills you in the slums ambush with Dark Jak
Wow thanks for taking the time to go through all these levels. The amount of nostalgia I felt! Especially for Precursor Legacy levels. Forbidden Jungle will always be my all-time fave.
I absolutely love New Haven. I think it's so beautiful. I only wish there were more challenges in there, like the short orb hunts on the jet board.
Even if I've never played a Jak game before or have too much interest in it, the work placed into covering multiple games, just like the Crash and Tony Hawk videos is admirable and deserves a like at the least.
Great work.
Oh my god, THAT was absolutely amazing, my lad. What an impressive work you've done!
Although I may disagree in certain positions, it's the sheer existence of this tremendous ranking that makes me so happy. I feel the Jak and Daxter community is starting to reactivate and grow, slowly but constantly, and every single piece of content like this video is just brimming with love and passion for this series. Hell, when you were reaching the Top 3 I was like 100% sure you were going to rank THOSE levels in that specific order and was just so satisfying and great.
Really well done, Jak, thanks a lot for making stuff like this!
Bro, I LOVE Jak and Daxter. I appreciate this video a lot, great work :)!
This video is a gold mine for anyone interested in making games. Articulate and succinct explanation of game design principles in the context of each level. Thanks for making this!
I really liked your perspective about these levels. The Forbidden Jungle and the Lost Precursor City are my favourite ones. I remember playing the Forbbiden Jungle as a child and unlocking this ancient blue eco source, and being astonished by it. I'll never forget that sense of discovery!
Please make this a long-lasting series, Jak, they're a lot of fun!
That's the plan! Mostly going to use them as a finale for series reviews once I've covered all the games, because that's where the most work is. Just look at Hawktober and the THPS ELR.
Lost precursor city from jak and daxter is probably one of the best platformer level designs I have ever seen. Still to this day its unmatched.
It feels like every area you enter is fresh and not repetitive
I only discovered the Lava Tube shortcut because I missed a scout fly and tried to kill myself, only to find what's probably the game's best kept secret.
Fun fact: in the seal retrieval mission in the water slums, if you have Dark Jak saved up, you can Dark Jak Bomb the turret underneath the pier and swim/Jetboard to safety to easily clear the mission
I would love if you do this also for ratchet and clank and spyro the dragon Whenever you get some time.
I would too , but who knows when something like Ratchet and Clank will happen.
definitely spyro
Sonic would be funny because I have a feeling Jak hates, or is indifferent to, over 50% of the games!
Ratchet and clank would probably be like 7 hours long
@@roseolivas08 yeah that's a mammoth task lol even if he did the original trilogy or something that would be good
I've been playing this game for seventeen years and my NTSC disc has always played the Mar's Tomb/Palace BGM for the Weapons' Factory. I wonder if that's a glitch or region-specific? How interesting. I personally would have picked the Fortress music for the Weapons Factory. Great video, loved it!
The effort put into these videos is incredibly mindblowongm congrats, man. I respect you
Thanks so much dude!
@@SquareEyedJak no worries man! You deserve all the respect in the world. You really take pride in your videos. I can tell. The effort is an easy 100/10
Also palace ruins is so depressing. Especially the music. You just feel the helplessness of the countless people watching as the spires fall on them. You get a chill down your spine as you can feel the lost souls around you.
This is a series that desperately needs a remake. With a remake, and by remake I mean reimagining of the series, they could fix all of the things that they messed up or underdeveloped in the previous games. They could flesh out Rock Village and they could fix the Volcanic Crater. They could improve the lackluster missions in 3 and completely erase Last Frontier from existence. I’ve played all of these games repeatedly and the reason I go back to it is because of atmosphere. The atmosphere and the idea of this fantasy world where things are powered by eco is extraordinary, but like anything you enjoyed in your childhood the mistakes become glaring as you get older. I love the idea of these games, but with the right team they could revitalize the series into something fantastic.
I always think I want a remake, but remakes almost always leave some level of disappointment. I agree with all of those things you said, but the things we want rarely overlap with what devs end up implementing in remakes. I would be incredibly surprised if there was ever a J&D remake that covered all of those bases. On top of that, remakes usually end up "fixing" things that didn't need any changes in the first place.
I want remakes for games that had potential, but ultimately fell flat in some way. Sleeping Dogs, for example, needs a remake. J&D is already so close to perfection that I would be more worried than excited if they announced a remake.
Remake. Mlem. I typed and read the word so many times that it's starting to lose meaning haha.
I’d love a “re-imagining” of J&D with all the concepts of levels they didn’t have the time and space to add to the original. We have the hardware now
First time in this timeline? Yeah, it would be incredible if developers would remake shit that we actually want remade. If you get to that timeline, bring me with you!
Hey man, I never even played Jak and Daxter back in the day but I still gotta drop by with a like cause these ranked videos are amazing, I imagine a lot of effort goes into them so I gotta give a like and praise the good content man 👌🏻
Now this is Square eyed Jak content I signed up for
Awesome video, never see many people go into this much detail about my favorite franchise! You’ve earned my like and sub. Also FYI, you forgot mountain pass and sandover village!
Mountain Pass & Sandover Village - 48:06
82 - Worst Lost Frontier level
81 - Worst Precursor Legacy level
80 - Worst Jak II level
77 - Worst Jak 3 level
67 - Worst Daxter level
48 - Best Lost Frontier level
14 - Best Daxter level
6 - Best Jak II level
3 - Best Jak 3 level
1 - Best Precursor Legacy level
So to be clear:
*The Precursor Legacy:*
Best: Forbidden Jungle (No. 1)
Worst: Volcanic Crater (No. 81)
*Jak 2:*
Best: Pumping Station (No. 6)
Worst: Heaven City (Main town) (No. 80)
*Jak 3:*
Best: Stadium/Palace Ruins (No. 3)
Worst: New Heaven (No. 77)
*Daxter:*
Best: Brewery (No. 14)
Worst: Construction Site (No. 67)
*The Lost Frontier*
Best: Brink Island (No. 48)
Worst: Aropa (No. 82)
@@idontknowhowtonamemyself7414 You're missing a few names there.
@@tabreezsiddique I know I edit my comment cuz i didnt know every ranking inside out. Now it is finished :)
I love these! I just recently got into the jak and daxter series. I finished the first one 100% trying to beat jak 2 but that game is hard as hell. You are by far one of my favorite youtubers. Your funny, your videos are extremely entertaining, and your just awesome. I look forward to all your content. Everytime there's an upload i stop what I'm doing to watch lol. Im a huge fan of your work. Ive watched every review youve done and all game testing episodes. Next is top 10s.
The atmosphere for the Jak and Daxter levels was amazing. When I went into lost precursor city for the first time I really felt the scale of it and how I’d almost feel trapped when I got to the deeper parts of the level, just some brilliant design!
How in the hell is this guy not a bigger UA-camr. Content is so well organized and executed. Great presenter as well.
I've played... The precursor legacy... COUNTLESS times! As a kid, teen, and adult. And today, I am JUST now learning about that shortcut in the lava tube level
@25:30
Huge fan of Jak and Daxter and new to your channel, first of all I watched the whole thing and love your take on the levels and experiencing them again through your point of view.
I do think you're sleeping on #53 though, Mar Memorial stadium was where you got first got access to the hoverboard and it's course along with it.
Also meeting keira for the first time since going through the portal.
Looking forward to watching more of your videos!
Guess all we need now is “Every Sly Cooper Mission/Level ranked.”
And Spyro... And Mario... And sonic... Oh he could go on forever and I'd stay entertained haha
And Ratchet & Clank, Tomb Raider, Dino Crisis and Resident Evil (maybe even Silent Hill.)
Nah, "Every Croc Level RANKED!" is what we really need!
@@legorobot2369 this. This is what the people require
Every Ty level ranked
My most Favorite Video on UA-cam. Thx for this Ranking :)
I was gonna watch a movie or play some video games but then this just came up so I guess this is got my attention for the next like 2 hours.
You're an absolute goddamn madman, I don't know how you compile these lists but good job! This shows how much depth this series really has that personally, I don't think enough people give it credit for. My favorite game overall in the series is Precursor Legacy, which also happens to be my favorite PS2 game of all time. This only makes me crave a Jak IV more than ever, but Sony doesn't seem to care enough outside of milking re-releases of the games. Jak and Daxter is more than just a game series, it's a way of life.
How fitting, as this video came out as I just finished 2. Bloody nightmare that was, hopefully 3 is better. Good upload as always, Captain Jak!
The Westside Hotel in Daxter will always be one of my favorite levels across the Jak & Daxter series.
The simplicity of the level design, the bright colors and music will never cease to give me nostalgia.
Legitimately a series unlike any other.
All these levels and their intertwining details and significance prove it. And I agree: Jak & Daxter is a series that absolutely can still survive in today’s modern market if any developer is willing to treat a future endeavor with care, craft, & respect.
(Oh and of course the great characters fantastically animated cutscenes)
great video! really appreciate the effort you put in here. The weapons factory in jak2 is supposed to have the mars tomb music theme playing in the background, but it only works about half the time for me. Maybe a misstep from the devs
This was EPIC! ❤️ Inspired me to load up Jak and Daxter and give it a play again. Such an iconic game that is equally ahead of its time and a prime example of the 3D platformer collectathon.
Hey great video man, as a kid I absolutely loved these games (well excluding lost frontier and daxter, I never owned them) and replaying them again in recent years really made me appreciate just how amazing they all are.
Your videos have continued to show me just that exactly, I'm glad that so many others share the same perspective!
Keep up the good work as always!
Everytime he says "Bug Extermination", it loudly echos in my head...🐝🦟
I’m surprised he didn’t bring that old meme back
This video has quickly become one of those vids I just return to again n again n again, whether I watch or have it in the background. I love J&D so illegally much
Dude I never knew about that lava shortcut! It's so damn cool!
Ayye this is dedication! One of my favorite series too, props!!
"Go to the Slums. Ask for Torn; he can help you." - Famously Fatal Words.
This is simply one of my favourite videos on youtube. Amazing job!
Remember folks last frontier was not naughty dog and should be forgotten
Except the idea and original concept came from naughty dog soo 🤷♂️ regardless the game was a mistake all around
@@sculptchard I can see the drastic mining of eco having another effect on the world aspect but did naughty dog really come up with sky pirates as the path forward?
It felt like I was battling Captain Hook sometimes and that felt alien compared to the series and Jak 3's ending.
@@cougarknife6224 The Lost Frontier was written by Neil Druckmann.
cougar knife, I will not forget the lost frontier. It was the first jak i ever played
Jak and Daxter is a series that is criminally overlooked in games today
An every Ape Escape level ranked would be amazing considering how vastly different each of them are across the 3 games
I wholeheartedly agree!
I was astonished when you put Gol & Maia's Citadel and Misty Island lower down on the list before seeing Sentinel Beach and even more so at where it ended up. I thought of the level as being rather straight forward, just a jog along the beach, but then I remembered the visuals of the level and the fun easy-going atmosphere. I'm convinced now and you've done a great job putting this together. Also, finding that exploit at the Slums ambush in Jak 2 with dark Jak, I bet the developers are furious they didn't put in a second security robot in half way through.
Lots of nostalgia in a single video
1:40:38 Sentinel Beach really showed the "openness" of the game, I think. Particularly, going from the first "hub world" and walking there without any load times.
You’ve gone and done it again! That’s what you call commitment! Looking forward to this mate 😁
You maniac, you legend. Keep up the fantastic work.
It would be awesome to see this list for Ratchet and Clank someday! Maybe start with the OG trilogy with Gladiator/Deadlocked?
P.S keep up the awesome work dude!
This is incredible work!
You absolute hero! Great video Jak :)
DUDE y'all going back keeps me replaying this game. Literally will not ever give up my PS2 and Jak & Daxter; first game my mom ever randomly bought me. idk how she even knew i'd like it ...
I was just watching the Crash bandicoot level ranking video yesterday , so this is definitely a pleasant surprise.😄
So much effort to create content like that. I really respect that kind of work from people who really enjoy the series.
Another awesome video mate! By the way what is that music playing during the outro?
45:41 From my experience, when I saved my game here and loaded it, the Weapons Factory shares its music with the Palace and the Tomb of Mar.
27:39 YOU CAN DESTROY THAT?!
My favorite Jak II level is the Mountain Temple and Haven Forest followed by The Dig and Dead Town. Mostly because they are similar to Jak 1 levels!
5:35 “if you can hear this image” Proceeds to play video lol
Huge Props man loved the video. Love all the effort put in.
The Beam Reflexor is god in the Eco Mine, especially the Bomb cart section. I hit nearly half the targets in one trigger pull.
The Water Slums was one of my favorite Jak 2 levels. It's such a contrast to the rest of the city.
Super underrated series
My favourite level in Jak 2 is definitely Mars Tomb. I love it and i can play jak 2 and 3 over and over again and it never gets old
Gotta love when a youtuber cheeses it to pass the 10min mark
Oh my god yes. You sir just got yourself a new subscriber!
They need to make a new Jak and daxter for PS5
You also escort korn who blows up the metal head tower entrance with the Super Nova I believe, you also learn the dark eco kamehameha attack in this area.