Radical Jak sequel abandoning the naïve tone for urban Dark Fantasy. New gunplay mechanics, vehicles and Haven City world are brilliant. A significant franchise turning point that dared an audacious and successful change of direction.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player12+
Description
Korean edition of Jak II released in 2003, the second entry in Naughty Dog's trilogy. Same platforming, shooting and urban open-world mechanics (Haven City) as the Western and Japanese versions, with Korean localization provided by SCEK. A major dark turn for the series after the first game.
Jak II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Taking a darker, more heavily armed turn, this chapter grafts gunfights and city joyrides onto platforming that stays pixel-perfect as ever. The variety of missions and the vehicle driving across an open world tighten the pace without sacrificing any of the joy of the jump. A few difficulty spikes still grate, but the mechanical richness and the fluidity of the action remain remarkable.
The Korean edition of this entry of Naughty Dog's Jak saga, from a market with narrow physical distribution, which makes it markedly rarer than its Western counterparts. This local release appeals to collectors attentive to thinly documented regional runs of a well-liked line. Its desirability rests mainly on this geographic scarcity rather than on the game's distribution.
Is Jak II still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2003 on PS2, Naughty Dog's sequel takes a radical turn by dropping Jak into Haven City, an oppressive metropolis inspired by the urban open world. The hero grows up, gains firearms and a dark side tied to black Eco. The timed missions and the steep difficulty left a mark, sometimes to the edge of frustration. The dystopian art direction and the more mature writing remain strong, and the hovercraft driving energises exploration. Recommended for seasoned action platforming players and for trilogy fans ready for its most demanding turn on Sony's second home console hardware globally.
