Jak X: Combat Racing (2005): The Review
Overview
Jak X is a stylish and well-crafted combat racer that delivers plenty of content and replay value through its mix of robust single-player and online modes. The story mode adds surprising depth for the genre, giving the game a real sense of purpose. That said, the moment-to-moment racing can occasionally feel flat, with sudden difficulty spikes and uneven pacing that throw things off balance. Even so, those flaws don’t overshadow what’s ultimately a thrilling and satisfying entry in the Jak and Daxter legacy.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
The Positives ✅
Jak X: Combat Racing takes the wild energy of Jak 3 and jams it into a nitro-fueled blender of missiles, mines, and mayhem, and somehow, it works. Naughty Dog’s jump from platforming to combat racing might’ve sounded insane on paper, but the result is chaotic, flashy fun that never forgets its roots. The single-player campaign alone is impressively beefy, structured around a four-cup championship packed with dozens of events and difficulty spikes that keep you hooked. Between races, you’re treated to some genuinely stellar cutscenes, the kind of expressive, personality-rich storytelling Naughty Dog built its name on. These cinematic moments aren’t just filler; they’re your reward, a narrative carrot on a high-octane stick that keeps the grind engaging.
And speaking of content, Jak X has it in obscene quantities. Unlockable cars, performance upgrades, customization parts, bonus modes, it’s all here. From circuit races to deathmatches, time trials, turbo dashes, and even bizarre one-offs like Artifact Race and Sport Hunt, there’s a buffet of gameplay variety that few racing titles from its era can match. The sense of progression is solid, too; unlocking better vehicles and souped-up components gives that satisfying “just one more race” pull. And the online multiplayer (back when that was a luxury) was impressively smooth, complete with voice chat, clan systems, and stat tracking, an ambitious package that put most of its PS2 contemporaries to shame.
Visually, Jak X is also a treat. Kras City feels grimy, mechanical, and dangerous, exactly the kind of place where you’d expect your best friend to poison you for sport. The tracks are well-designed, with sweeping turns and high-speed straights that push you to balance risk and aggression. The industrial aesthetic fits perfectly with Jak’s darker tone, and the audio, from roaring engines to chaotic explosions, drives the adrenaline through the roof. Naughty Dog clearly put their production chops to work here, and it shows in every cinematic transition and engine roar.
The Negatives ⚠️
Unfortunately, Jak X’s “extreme” energy sometimes gets a little too extreme for its own good. The weapon system, while undeniably fun in its unpredictability, is also brutally unbalanced. Races that should reward skill often come down to who gets the right rocket at the right time. There’s nothing more soul-crushing than flying toward the finish line in first place, only to get vaporized mid-air and finish fourth. It’s thrilling for spectators, infuriating for players. The heavy reliance on luck over talent undermines what could’ve been a more skill-based racer, turning many victories into coin flips.
The “Turbo Dash” mode is another offender. The idea of charging and releasing boosts for points sounds fun, until you realize you’ll be holding the turbo button down constantly. It’s less of a high-speed thrill and more of a finger endurance test. Add to that a cluttered HUD that makes it hard to track items and boost meters mid-chaos, and you’ve got a racer that can occasionally feel exhausting instead of exciting.
Track design, too, could’ve used a little more flair. Some early levels lean too plain and sterile, lacking the environmental life and hazards that made the Jak series so visually dynamic. Later tracks improve things, but not every course reaches the same level of creativity or challenge. It’s a shame because when Jak X’s design hits, it really hits, but when it doesn’t, it feels like you’re driving through a long, pretty tunnel.
The Experience 🎮
Playing Jak X feels like diving headfirst into chaos, the kind of chaos that’s equal parts frustration and thrill. It’s not clean or fair, but it’s alive. The sense of speed is phenomenal, the weapon impacts are crunchy and satisfying, and when you manage to claw your way to a hard-earned win despite the madness, it feels like victory against the universe itself. The story ties it all together surprisingly well, absurd premise and all, with Jak and Daxter’s trademark banter giving it a tone that’s both grim and tongue-in-cheek. You’re not just racing for trophies; you’re racing for your damn life, and that absurd urgency somehow gives the whole thing weight.
What makes Jak X memorable is that it doesn’t settle for being a Jak spin-off or a Mario Kart wannabe. It’s its own beast, aggressive, moody, occasionally unfair, but consistently entertaining. It captures that raw PS2-era energy where studios took wild risks just because they could. Sure, it’ll make you scream when an overpowered rocket ruins your perfect lap, but it’ll also make you laugh, cheer, and come back for another round five minutes later.
Jak X may not be the most balanced racer out there, but it’s got soul, a messy, oil-slicked, turbo-charged soul that keeps it unforgettable. It’s Naughty Dog at their most reckless and experimental, and for that alone, it deserves its place among the PS2’s most gloriously chaotic classics.
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