PSP get's it's first true killer app.?
Daxter is in essence a Jak game with greater emphasis on platforming making it feel a little more like the first instalment than Jak 2 or 3. It fits in nicly with the storyline right between Jak and Daxter and Jak 2 leading up to the rescue of Jak in the begining of the second game.
It is a platformer in it's truest form. That said the controles are one of the many things that can make or break the game. Luckily it's one of the best controling games on the PSP. The analog is used for movement and feels just a presice as the PS2 analogmaking for pin-point accurate movement. The game is set in haven City and although it may feel quite a bit smaller now and there may not be quite as much to see and do (no more random people walking the streets, only zoomer flying overhead, none of which you can highjack and no more wandering crimson Guards) it still looks great, especially for a PSP game. The city is basically a hub area with a few scattered secrets, but mostly it's just a method of getting from one world to another much like the Castle from Mario 64. there are quite a few worlds to visit and explore and of course lots and lots of precursor orbs to collect (used to unlock some great extras). Basically you're a bug exterminator now traveling from area to area on extermination jobs with some of the biggest nasties bugs you'll ever meet. You start off with only the lowly electric fly swatter but eventually over time obtain lots of new gagets to cause all sorts of pain for the monsterous bugs you'll be combating. The worlds are varied and all of them are a lot of fun. The only real problem with the game is its camera. you can shift it left and right with the triggers but there's no option to simply lock it behind you and you can get into some very awkward possitions and there's nothing worse than dieing because of an off-screen bug you never knew exsisted. The game is also a bit on the easy side mainly because you have unlimted lives which means you will never get a game over only sent back to one of the (plentiful) checkpoints.
there is alos a light multiplayer minigame where you collect bugs in the main quest and upgrades for them. You can later dual your bugs with a friends in a rick/paper/sissors style battle. It's simple and you may not spend hours on end battleing friends but it's a nice extra.
Overall the game has a level of polish that is all but unheard of in portable games. This could easily have been a PS2 game but the fact that it's portable makes it just that much better.
As far as the graphics go this game has no rival. Easily one of, if not the, best looking portable games ever made. The environments are massive and are impessive right down to the most insignificant detail like leaves falling from trees or dust being kicked up after blowing out a wall of rock. Even durring cinematics you can see each of daxters hairs thanks to the fur effect engine (but this is only durring cut scenes). On top of that there are virtually no load times once you start playing. The only real drawback is some extremely minor framerate drops in some areas of the city where its particulalty big and open, but monstly only while it's steaming data to load the next area (which it does while you play). No PSP game thus far has done it better and it proves PSP really can pull off a console experiance in your pocket.
If you played any Jak game before you should know what to expect from the voice overs and music quality. Just like everything else it shines bright as ever with some great music and even better speech.
Overall I would have to say that this is THE PSP game to own period. Not only because it's a great game on it own, not only because it's a perfect example of what the PSP can really do but simply because it's easily one of the best platformers I've played in a long long time. Anyone with any interest in Platformers or adventure games must own Daxter. Finally PSP is getting the kinds of games it was made to play.