The PS5 boasts incredible power, speed, and graphics, all of which combine to make for the perfect platform to release new video games and revive some old ones. This is especially true for franchises that didn’t get a sequel or reboot for years, as the new consoles can make those familiar universes and worlds feel more alive than ever. This is exactly what happened withRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The series made its debut in 2002, and after a bunch of mainline games, it culminated with the 2013 title calledRatchet and Clank: Into the Nexus.From there, it was basically put on the back burner in the years prior toRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart, with the exception being a 2016 re-imagining of the first game.
This is something that many fans have hoped would happen to theJak and Daxtersaga for years, and it seems like releasing a new installment on next-gen consoles could be the most natural way to bring it back. There was a time when Naughty Dog, the original developer ofJak and Daxtergames, thought about rebooting the series. It had started working on a few concepts before development onThe Last of Ushad yet to begin, though these ideas ultimately went nowhere. In 2016, rumors began circulating about a possiblenew entry in theJak and Daxterseries, but Naughty Dog stated that this hadn’t really been considered again.
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Why Jak and Daxter Should Come Back For Next-Gen Consoles
However, likeRatchet and Clank: Rift Apartproves, there is still plenty of room for familiar platformer games that feature a good story, character development, new lore, and some shooting. This is all fans would expect if it came to a newJak and Daxtertitle, with a continuation of the story that the original games left hanging also possible. As a matter of fact, this is exactly whatRatchet and Clank: Rift Apartmanages to do. Not only did the latestRatchet and Clankgame continue the narrative of previous installments, but it also ended on a cliffhanger that seems to suggest big things are planned for the series.
The last proper mainline game for theJak and Daxterfranchise was released all the way back in 2004, with more than enough time passing to warrant a new adventure with Jak and his ottsel friend. Since then, three games were released, starting withJak X: Combat Racing. This title was mainly a racing game with plenty of vehicles and characters, which were also unlockable through save data from the first three mainlineJak and Daxtergames.
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The other two games,DaxterandJak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier,further expanded the lore of the franchise. They also took the story in a different direction, which could be theperfect starting point forJak and Daxter 4. This sort of game would really shine on PS5 due to the SSD’s lighting-fast loading times and the enhanced performance that allows almost any game to run at 60 fps.
With that said, though, there arerumors about a sci-fi game from Naughty Dog, andThe Last of Us 3is not exactly off the table either. This makes a newJak and Daxterinstallment in the near future unlikely, though it should also be noted that mainline games skipped all consoles that came after the PS2. As such, here’s to hoping that this brilliant series will finally get its long-overdue sequel for the current generation of consoles.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apartis available now on PS5.
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