Summary
TheJak and Daxterseries marked a turning point for Naughty Dog’s storytelling. Over the course of this iconic PlayStation 2 trilogy, the plot moved away from simple themes of good versus evil towards more mature and complex narratives and, of course, the characters.
As the series went on, the Jak and Daxter characters were given more and more dimensions by the writers. And yet, despite these added layers, they never stopped being exceptionally entertaining and a joy to spend hours and hours with as you explored the streets of Haven City or the endless sand dunes of the Wasteland.
10Damas
The Battle-Hardened Warlord With The Tragic Past
Damas is the hard-nosed, battle-weary leader of Spargus — the city of outcasts and the forgotten. He doesn’t have much time for the weak, which is why he’s so keen to make use of Jak’s warrior abilities at the start of the third game.
However, as the game goes on, a bond begins to form between Damas and Jak—a father/son type bond, you may even say. Damas’ past has a far greater affect on the overall lore of the series than you originally suspect, promoting him as a hugely consequential character who is also at the centre of one of gaming’s most tear-jerking death scenes.
9Errol / Cyber Errol
The Character Everyone Loves To Hate
Every hero needs a good rival, and Errol fills those boots with all the snark and malice you could ask for from a character you love to hate. Errol is the commander of the Krimzon Guard in Jak 2 and spends much of the game being as much of a nuisance as possible.
He returns in Jak 3 as Cyber Errol and attempts to take over the world by collaborating with a menacing alien force. Even though he’s now half robot, he’s still a fully formed pain in the backside, which is why he endures as such a deliciously entertaining foil villain for the series.
8Torn
Those Razor Sharp Ears Mean Business
Can you have a strong underground resistance without a leader who commits everything to the cause? Torn is determined to take back Haven City from the oppressive rule of Barron Praxis in Jak 2 and his hot-headed, no-nonsense personality is the perfect fuel to build the fire of the resistance.
He also grows to be a reliable friend of Jak and Daxter and his on-again/off-again relationship with Ashelin makes for an endearing side romance. Every time you hear the gravelly voice of Torn in a cutscene, you know it’s going to be a memorable one.
7Kor
A Twist Villain Done Right
When you first meet Kor in Jak 2, all you see is a kindly old man who seems genuinely concerned with helping the underground resistance. It’s a shame that, in reality, he’s actually a power-hungry monster who wants nothing more than to feed off the power of the Precursor Stone.
Kor is a great twist villain because the big reveal of his malevolent nature feels both shocking and well-earned. In subsequent playthroughs, you can pick up on the bread crumbs of his true identity, showing a villain that clearly had a lot of time and care given to them by the writers.
6Count Vegar
Be Careful What You Wish For
While Errol and Kor are great villains in their own right, neither of them quite elicits the same feelings of utter disdain as Count Vegar. Vegar is a high-ranking official in Haven City who spends most of Jak 3 asserting his elitist ideals and snobbish personality in the worst places, at the worst times.
Nowhere is this more evident than during the emotional final scene between Jak and Damas. After saying a tragic goodbye, Jak is then forced to listen to Vegar’s horribly condescending remarks. Thankfully, Vegar ends up with one of the most hilarious comeuppances for any video game villain, cementing his place as an endlessly memorable figure of this series.
5Samos
Every Hero Needs A Great Mentor Figure
Samos is Jak’s mentor, Keira’s father, and Daxter’s… well… he mostly just throws playful insults at Daxter. Whatever role he fulfils in the story, Samos always leaves behind a big impression thanks to his immense power and cheeky sense of humour.
As the green eco sage, Samos usually plays a pretty big role in the story — whether he’s trying to protect the other sages or helping to win back Haven City under the alias of ‘The Shadow’. But despite his plot significance, his primary role is to help Jak navigate his destiny and fulfil his true potential. And, of course, to insult Daxter.
4Keira
The Girl Next Door
Other than Jak, no other character in the series goes through as much development as Keira. In The Precursor Legacy, she’s a fun, flirty love interest for Jak while also being good with mechanics. However, in Jak 2, she is forced to grow up, put aside some of her idealism, and use her expertise to help the resistance take back Haven City.
If only Keira didn’t get relegated to such a background character in Jak 3, then she may have been even higher on this list. As it stands, she is a favourite among Jak and Daxter fans, and for good reason as well.
3Ashelin
The Daughter Shall Not Carry The Sins Of The Father
Ashelin may be the daughter of one of the main villains of Jak 2, but there’s no questioning her status as one of the series’ most magnetic heroes. While she’s sometimes theromantic love interest of Jak or Torn, her character stands out for her unwavering determination and natural leadership abilities.
Underneath all that hard exterior is a big heart that cares deeply for the wellbeing of her friends. Ashelin may not be in all the Jak and Daxter games, but her presence is so strong that you quickly fall in love with her.
2Daxter
Still Great, Even After Having His Name Dropped From The Title
Daxter doesn’t grow much as a character throughout the series. Instead, the series grows around Daxter as the tone shifts to be more in line with the orange Ottsel’s snarky sense of humour and occasionally mature one-liners.
And even if he is too cowardly to be the hero of the series, Daxter nails the sidekick role by always finding the humour in even the tensest of moments and providing Jak with constant emotional support. That is, until you game over, in which case Daxter will let you know exactly how bad you are at video games.
1Jak
A Hero We Deserve
Jak goes through one of the biggest transformations of any main protagonist in a video game series. He starts out as a wide-eyedsilent protagonistwho doesn’t have many defining character traits other than being a nice guy. However, after spending years being corrupted while in prison, he emerges as a complex character who will stop at nothing to get back at those who wronged him.
And yet, even after going through this drastic change, there’s still that innocent boy deep inside who just wants to do what’s right. Jak goes on such a monumental journey and deserves to be the main hero of this series.
