Review : Jak X: Combat Racing [PS2]

Review

Jak X: Combat Racing

By Bones
October 18, 2005 17:32 PM PST
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Buckle up and get ready--Jak X DR brings a playful dose of chaos to the racing arena.

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Jak X Destruction Racing fits nicely into the action/racing niche carved out by games like Crash Nitro Kart and the immortal Mario Kart by attempting to improve upon the genre standards with a host of creative play modes and customizable options. But while the action is fast and the track design is refreshingly creative, things begin to feel a little repetitive after a while.

Race or Die
As far as racing games go, Jak X: Combat Racing manages to succeed in most areas of essential gameplay. A high number of unique, lengthy tracks set in distinct areas with over 10 different racers give the game a nice cushion of replayability. The cool customization features (that let you fine tune everything on your ride from the gearbox to the hue of the paint job) also adds a nice layer of depth. The cast of excellently voiced characters and funky weapon types will be instantly recognizable to any Jak and Daxter fan. Combat Racing also boats the terrifically stylish presentation gamers expect from Jak titles (including a surprisingly cool soundtrack) with over 40 minutes of cinematic sequences (a possible genre first).

Dead Man's Turn
Still, there are a few weak points in Jak's racing debut. The adequate but underwhelming graphics won't drop any jaws, and the familiar cartoony Jak universe probably won't appeal to post-puberty gamers looking for a vicious racing fix. The controls also suffer a bit thanks to the floaty physics and awkward use of the shoulder buttons for boosting and attacking simultaneously. And, despite the admirable number of competitive solo and multiplayer race modes, things can begin to feel a little stale after a while since some game types (like the destruction arenas) resemble bad Twisted Metal flashbacks. But even if Jak X: Combat Racing isn't the perfect game on four wheels, it still has hours of high speed shooting and enough unlockable features and secrets to keep racers and Jak and Daxter fans more than happy. Don't let the cutesy stylings fool you--this happy little racer should satisfy most speed demons, if only for a while.