Daxter
	Developer Ready at Dawn Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment Release date North America: March 14, 2006 Europe: April 13, 2006 Australia: April 28, 2006 Genre Platformer Modes Singleplayer/Multiplayer Ratings ESRB: Everyone 10+ (E10+) PEGI: 7+ OFLC: PG USK: 6 Platforms PSP Media UMD, Download (Playstation Network) Preceded by The Precursor Legacy Followed by Jak II

Daxter is the title of the fifth game in the Jak and Daxter series. It is the only game in the series featuring Daxter as the main protagonist, with Jak making only a few cameos. It was released on the PSP and was developed by Ready At Dawn studios.

Sypnosis

Setting

Daxter is set in Haven City, only a little before Jak II. Daxter visits many previously unseen parts of the city, as well as areas that were available in Jak II.

Plot

The story begins during the first cutscene in Jak II. It shows Jak being captured by Erol and the Guards, and Daxter's lucky escape. Almost two years later, Daxter is in a bar telling one of his tall tales to a group of men. After almost everyone leaves, an old man listening in on Daxter's story asks him to tell him "the one about how he can knock guards silly with a single blow". The man then introduces himself as Osmo who works for the Kridder Ridder Extermination Company and asks Daxter if he'd like a job working for him. Daxter refuses but Osmo gives him the job anyway.

After a successful job at the Westside Hotel, Daxter meets Taryn at the Construction Site and she gives him a Spray Pack. After completing a few more jobs (including an encounter with a Hive Queen), Daxter sees Jak in a Prison Transport Zoomer. He attempts to rescue Jak, but the Prison Zoomer leads him straight into a group of Krimzon Guards. Luckily, Ximon, Osmo's son, rescues Daxter and explains that there is "something brewing" at a tanker ship in the port. Witnessing this conversation was Kaeden, the man who had been trying to shut down every Extermination Company in Haven City so the Metal Heads and Metal Bugs could get into the city under the command of Metal Kor, the Metal Head leader.

After cleaning up the Tanker, Daxter meets Tik, who becomes a sort of sidekick to the Ottsel. In the port, Daxter meets with Taryn, who gives him a second Sprayer upgrade: a Flamethrower attachment. Taryn tells Daxter that if he could clean up the Distillery and Fish Cannery, they would consider each other even. After that and several other jobs, Daxter sets off some alarms during his return visit to the Tanker. He finds out that the ship's Eco cargo was meant to be delivered to the Baron's Palace.

At the entrance of the palace, sneaking in using an Exterminator Suit, Daxter and Ximon encounter Erol, who, after a dubious explanation by Daxter, tells them to be quick with their exterminating. Along the way, Daxter finds the map to Jak's cell, and some new clothes for him. Back at The Kridder Ridder shop, an argument with Osmo and Kaeden results in the killing of Tik. Kaeden walks out of the shop with Daxter following in rage. Unbeknownst to Daxter, Kaeden had planted a bomb in the shop, which soon explodes while Osmo is still inside. Luckily, Osmo survives, but his business is now gone. Daxter swears revenge on Kaeden, but he has to go save Jak first. With help from Ximon, he infiltrates the fortress, beginning his quest to save Jak.

Meanwhile, Metal Kor tells Kaeden that Daxter must not be allowed to rescue Jak. However, he mentions that, should Kaeden fail, he could still meet them outside the Prison in the guise of a human Kor. After sneaking through the Krimzon Guard-infested prison, Daxter is about to rescue Jak when Kaeden arrives and asks if he likes killing Metal Bugs. Before Daxter could answer, Kaeden transforms into Metal Kaeden and attacked. After an intense battle, Kaeden says that whatever happened, the city will be theirs anyway, and dies. Daxter then heads off to save Jak. The scene then cuts to the cast of Jak II listening to Daxter's story in the Naughty Ottsel. Taryn arrives at the door and winks at Daxter, and the game ends.

Gameplay

Much like his sidekick, Daxter plays like a platformer. You have to move around levels, fight enemies, collect items and often use your size to get around. Since Daxter is so small he can't do a lot of complicated moves, instead he relies on his spray gun to get around and fight enemies together with the bug swatter that doubles as the default weapon. In return he can use his size to crawl through small tunnels, move vertical over grates and nets and such.

The game still progresses with the use of missions, a character sends a request and you travel to a specific level (via the sandbox-like overworld) where you usually have to fight Metal Bugs. You still collect items such as Precursor Orbs and Skull Gems, new are the Masks hidden throughout some of the levels and the Bug Combat items for the minigame.

The world

Just like the main series; Daxter primarily puts you in and around Haven City, albeit only two districts (the Industrial Section and the Port) though it feels larger due to Daxter's size. Both districts aren't completely identical to the ones you see in Jak II however, there are some extra buildings and both are still under construction (this explains the lack of civilians walking around). Once you get the scooter you can use it to move around easier.

Throughout the city you can access several areas, such as a metro system, hotel, brewery, fish cannery, tanker. Aside from these you can use Teleport Gates to access some other areas as well and in the end-game you'll access the palace and prison to try and rescue Jak.

Spray gun

While Daxter does have an Electric Bug Swatter, his most useful weapon and tool is the Spray Gun. Normally you can only use it to stun enemies, but with the Pressure Boost Attachment Daxter is able to use it to hover over long gaps. Using fire such as candles or lanterns in the field can turn it into a powerful flamethrower, though this effect can be done manually once you get the Flamethrower Attachment. This one will also boost your spray distance so you can hover higher. Finally there's the Ultrasonic Attachment, an experimental upgrade which shoots a very strong projectile attack with radial damage.

Minigames

There are two common minigames in Daxter. One is the Dream Mode game, in here Daxter will turn into a popular movie character and play in a minigame similar to said movie. In example you'll have to fight the balrog in Lord of the Rings as Gandalf or fend off the Uruk-Hai horde as Gimli, you'll also be able to play as Neo in two Matrix minigames, the main character in Braveheart and as Indiana Jones. All minigames are timed button-press games and costs precursor orbs to play, they'll reward you with new moves and more health.

The second game is Bug Combat, a more in-depth version of rock, paper, scissors with bugs you collect in the game. You can use special vials to make your bug stronger, like raising it's attack or defence. There's also special tokens, which can do things like blocking an attack or changing your own attack.

Notes

• If you link up to Jak X: Combat Racing you get the option to put Daxter's Goggles down.
• If the Jak X save file has 100% completion, you unlock a modified scooter.
• Strangely in the intro scene to Daxter when you see Jak being confronted by Erol, Jak's hair is dark green. He usually has blonde or yellow hair with a few green highlights at the bottom of his hair closer to his head.
• It is worth noting that the logo for Daxter is the only one in the series to be a colour other than orange.