10 Big Leaps Between Video Game Sequels

Capable of displaying at 480p and 16:9, Jak II is part of an elite crew of PlayStation 2 games that squeezed more out of the console in this way. Whilst the first game was plenty pretty, this push in the sequel is shown in the great texture work, lighting and number of enemies on screen at once.

But Jak II's place on this list isn't about its graphics so much as the leap it made stylistically.

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy released in 2001, in the months following the unmatched sea change that was Grand Theft Auto III. Whilst the game is considered a cult hit, it struggled to find its audience at a time when gaming was changing. It isn't facetious to say that the impact that GTA3 (which of course would also have been a great pick for this list if it wasn't so painfully obvious) had on the industry came full circle for Naughty Dog when approaching Jak II.

Whilst the platforming and collect-a-thon elements were still present, the sequel takes its heroes in a darker direction: giving them firearms, letting them cuss more frequently and following a more mature story. It was a divisive choice to be sure - as nobody saw it coming - but it certainly stopped the fledgling franchise from being left in the dust of the industry's change.