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The Giant Beastcast: Episode 06
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consists of 6 releases.
Released Nov 09, 2004
So now we come to the meat of this guide - the actual walkthrough. Essentially, this is a step-by-step guide to completing all of the main story missions in Jak 3 and seeing everything that the game's plot has to offer. While Jak 3's narrative may not be the most groundbreaking storyline in gaming history, I'm a firm believer that a game's story is there to be experienced and not to be told about. As a result, I have made every effort to ensure that this guide strikes a balance between offering a decent description of any given strategy or task, without ruining the overall plot of the game.
I've split the walkthrough up into the three distinct Acts in the game, not-so-imaginatively titled Act One, Act Two and Act Three. I've then sub-divided those acts into individual missions, each with its own heading. Hopefully, you'll be able to instantly access the guide for any given mission using the Table of Contents over to the right. Bear in mind, this is currently Version 1.00 of the guide - an old-fashioned text-only walkthrough. In future versions, there will be a lot more stuff on offer. I'm working on incorporating maps, screenshots and videos into this guide, to cover all eventualities and help anyone who uses this walkthrough to quickly get to grips with the strategies I've described.
Jak 3 starts off with some pretty basic platforming, to allow you to get to grips with how Jak controls. This opening mission essentially involves nothing more than jumping and rolling around, collecting glowing balls of Eco. It introduces the fundamental concepts of jumping, rolling, punching and stomping, concepts you'll be using throughout the whole game.
First, hop up the steps, roll along the narrow pathway to your right and climb up the ladder. Double jump up to the next walkway, punching the dummy blocking your path to clear the way. Double jump across to the platform on your left, and from there to the next section of the arena. At this point, the counter on the screen showing the remaining Eco should read 14. Now, high jump up to the seemingly out-of-reach ledge, double jump over to the moving platform on the right and again onto the next section. From here, you'll have to long jump over the chasm to reach the other side.
By now, your remaining Eco counter should read 7. Jump onto the next moving platform and wait for it to reach a reasonable height (about level with the next ledge) before double jumping across. Use a stomp to smash through the breakable part of the floor, and hoover up the remaining Eco, double jumping across the last chasm. Once you've collected all the Eco, hop onto the newly activated elevator, ride it to the top and jump into the light to complete the mission.
Here's where things start to get interesting. You're given a new weapon in the form of the Morph Gun (complete with Scatter Gun mod) and thrown into a deadly arena full of sword-wielding enemies. Using your new gun, you'll have to take out 20 of these foes before you can walk free. While this in theory sounds pretty easy, it's a little harder in practice. These enemies won't think twice about sticking you with their blades, and each hit removes two spheres of Jak's life meter. Oh, and there's also the trivial matter of the arena periodically being flooded with deadly lava.
The Scatter Gun is at its most effective at close range, so try get in fairly close for guaranteed one-hit kills. When an enemy starts their attacking animation, you'll know you're near enough to deal a fatal blow. When the stage is about to flood, you'll be warned by an ominous alarm and not-very-subtle lava blobs. Use this opportunity to jump onto one of the four raised areas and patiently sit out the flooding, before returning to ground level and dealing some more punishment. If you should run out of ammunition, ammo crates will pop up on these raised areas which you can smash open for more rounds. Timing and patience are important in this challenge - running around mindlessly and firing at random is likely to get you killed.
When you have 5 enemies left to deal with, Jak will spontaneously transform into Dark Jak, opening up both positive and negative changes. As Dark Jak, your melee attacks will be stronger. You'll also be more resilient, taking half the damage from enemy attacks. On the downside, you won't be able to use weapons while Jak is in his Dark form, meaning you'll have to rely on melee combat. Use this opportunity to check out the capabilities and limitations of Dark Jak, and take out the last few enemies before jumping on the elevator and into the light. Completion of the mission earns you the first War Amulet, and a Blaster mod for your Morph Gun.
No sooner have you left the arena than another new face is on your back, offering you some work. Kleiver's his name, and he wants you to use a Leaper Lizard to take care of a Kanga-Rat problem plaguing the town. In return, he'll grant you access to one of his vehicles. First things first, hop on the Leaper Lizard and head town into the city. There are six Kanga-Rats roaming the streets, each one represented by a flashing red dot on the HUD map, so they won't be too difficult to find.
When you do locate a Kanga-Rat, it'll bolt and try to run away from you. Thankfully, your Leaper Lizard is a little bit faster than the critters, so you shouldn't have too many problems keeping up with them. When you do catch up to one, use the Leaper Lizard's charge attack to grab hold of the Kanga-Rat and watch your steed enjoying its snack. There are three Kanga-Rats in the east, one in the southeast by the desert gate, and two in the west. Repeat the process for each one - chase, charge, and chow down. After catching the last Kanga-Rat, Kleiver will send you a recorded message telling you you're free to take one of his cars for a spin sometime.
After polishing off the Kanga-Rats, you'll notice an icon spring up in the northwest part of town. Head over to meet Seem the monk and obtain your next task - unlocking the Precursor satellite using your dark powers. This is essentially a jumped up timing-based mini-game. There are four rings on the 'screen' moving in and out from the centre. At the same time, there are icons moving towards the centre of the screen, corresponding to the face buttons on the controller. In case it wasn't obvious, you'll have to press the correct button when an icon is lined up inside the circle. You need to successfully do this 75 times to complete the mission, and you're only allowed to miss five icons before you fail. Things start off pretty lenient, with only one or two incoming icons on-screen, but they can soon get overwhelming. Thankfully, the collision detection (for lack of a better word) is also kind to you, as the icon only has to be partially in the circle for the game to register a successful button press. After you nail the 75th icon, you'll complete the mission and earn yourself a Dark Eco Crystal.
The next mission is represented on the map by a clenched fist icon, located in the southwest of Spargus at the desert gate. Head on over there to trigger the next mission. You can head there on foot and admire the architecture, or you can hop on a nearby Leaper Lizard (the small grey dots on the map) to get there quickly. When you reach the gate, Kleiver will give you your next job - a desert race.
Before you can get down to business, though, you're provided with an introduction to the game's desert vehicles and a brief tutorial in driving them. You must hit a series of checkpoints (shown on the map as flashing green dots) out in the desert while fulfilling certain requirements. Accelerate through the first checkpoint, turn slightly right and brake, coming to a stop in the next checkpoint. Use the rear view while stopped to trigger the next checkpoint, which you must reverse through. The next checkpoint is surrounded by a ring of small boxes, which you must jump into. Next, drive towards the right-angled left turn and use a skid-turn to activate the penultimate checkpoint. The final checkpoint is located near the desert gate, and requires you to jump in place while turning the vehicle in mid-air.
After completing the tutorial, another green checkpoint will show up. This one, however, represents your grid position on the race track. Drive towards it to start the three-lap race. Littered around the track are orbs containing boost, which allows you to turbo-boost your vehicle for a short period of time. The course is fairly straightforward and the enemy AI is pretty rudimentary, so you shouldn't have too many problems winning as long as you pick up plenty of boost orbs and avoid crashes. From my personal experience, the best places to employ your boost are on flat surfaces such as the bridges near the start of the course and inside the cave, although experienced drivers will be able to boost their way around the entire track without losing control of their car on the undulating sand dunes. Also, try to keep clear of the AI drivers, as it's quite easy to get tangled up in their wheels and either lose speed or crash. As long as you drive carefully and make sensible use of boost, you should win the race comfortably.
After winning the race, you receive a less-than-friendly message from Kleiver who begrudgingly parts with the car. Be wary of his squad of drivers, though, who will hinder your trip through the desert. Keep an eye on your vehicle's condition (the bar in the bottom-left of the HUD, just beneath the boost orb icons) as you race back to the gate.
Damas is waiting for you at the gate, and he has a proposition for you. Now that a sandstorm is whipping up in the desert, he wants you to take your newly acquired car and collect the artefacts being unearthed by the strong winds. Essentially, it's a timed checkpoint mission. You'll start at the gate with forty seconds to reach the first checkpoint. Every checkpoint you hit will reveal the next artefact and also add a little more time to your counter. Naturally, it's not going to be that easy - Kleiver's heavies are still out on the sands, determined to stop you in your tracks and make your excursion a little more difficult. Thankfully the timer is pretty lenient and gives you a bit of leeway, so you can get away with a few hold-ups before things start getting tight.
There are twelve Precursor artefacts in total, all concentrated in the northeast corner of the desert map. When you pass through the final checkpoint, extra time will once again be added to the counter and a new green flashing dot will appear on the map representing the desert gate. You'll have to drive back to the gate in the remaining time, before the full extent of the sandstorm hits. Remember to watch out for the drivers, though - they're still keen on blocking you off and trapping you in the storm. Providing you've been quick about picking up the artefacts, you should have ample time left to return to the gate and complete the mission.
As a reward for completing the mission, you'll receive the Gauntlets. This armour increases your health bar, giving Jak an extra two spheres of health.
Once you've returned to Spargus, you'll notice Seem's icon is back on the map. He promises you a Light Eco crystal if you can beat him and his fellow monks in a Leaper race. You don't have to find a Leaper Lizard of your own - the monks will provide you with your own mount. This Lizard behaves a little differently to the ones you've controlled previously, though. It's in a permanently charging state, meaning it's a lot faster than the standard Lizard. You also can't dismount it during the race.
The race is a checkpoint race against three monks, and you'll have to jump through the currently activated checkpoint before the next one will open up. Active checkpoints are marked on the radar with a flashing green dot, and your opponents are shows as small red dots. There are forty-two checkpoints in total, and the "course" covers all of Spargus, moving from the east to the west. There is no time limit, but you are racing against fairly aggressive opponents so you can't afford to take a leisurely approach.
In terms of tactics to employ during the race, I can't really see a tried-and-tested method for guaranteed victory. The course is free of boundaries, meaning you can cut corners, but the checkpoints are so close together the benefit reaped from this tactic is negligible. The route is also full of ups and downs and you're more than likely to miss a few checkpoints on your first attempt. This race is likely to take a few attempts, before the route you have to take becomes familiar. As soon as it does, you'll find it much easier to break away from the pack and secure a victory.
After you pass through the final checkpoint, Seem hands over your first Light Eco Crystal, along with an ominous warning. Following the cutscene, you'll notice Kleiver's clenched fist icon has reappeared at the desert gate. Head over there to pick up your next job.
Kleiver has noticed wasteland Metal Heads are roaming the desert, and wants you to take them out in exchange for a little something. You now have access to the Sand Shark vehicle, so hop in and drive through the gate into the desert.
There are four Metal Head beasts in total, concentrated in the northwest part of the desert. Your newly obtained Sand Shark has mounted machine guns, which you'll need to use if you have any hope of taking down the beasts. Each one is pretty big,equipped with a powerful cannon, and can take a fair bit of punishment before falling. Your best bet when dealing with these enormous creatures is to deal with one beast at a time, keeping your distance and firing on them from afar. Try and make use of the skid-turn to keep your target in the line of your guns, Getting too close to them will result in your car becoming airborne, being thrown high and far by the Metal Head. Be sure to watch out for the cannons, too - your car can only withstand so much damage.
When a Metal Head had finally had enough, it'll collapse and stop moving, and the remaining Metal Head counter on the right hand side of the screen will decrease by one. Defeating all four will earn you your second Dark Eco Crystal, and a mysterious message. Your next task is to visit Damas, now represented by the crown icon on the map. Head back to the desert gate and through Spargus to meet with Damas, who is located in his throne room (accessible via the lift in the centre of Spargus). He will direct you back to the arena, and give you a Wave Concussor mod for your Scatter Gun.
Take the lift back down from the throne room and head to the arena (shown on the map as a sword icon) in the northeast of Spargus. Once inside, jump on the moving platform which will lower you into the combat zone. Smash the crates to begin your latest challenge - to defeat 30 enemies.
The crates are filled with Dark Eco, and the game prompts you to turn into Dark Jak and use the Dark Bomb ability. Doing so will instantly clear four or five enemies from the arena floor. From here on, the best tactic to employ is to take out the Wave Concussor, which proves to be devastating in this kind of combat situation. Try to position yourself in the middle of a crowd of enemies for the best effect, and remember that charging the wave will do much more damage than simply releasing an uncharged pulse.
Periodically during the fight, the section of the arena on which you are standing will begin to sink beneath the lava. As with the previous combat challenge, you'll be warned of this in advance by an alarm and tell-tale blobs of lava. When this happens, head for the edge of the platform and jump across to an adjacent section that hasn't already sunk, before repeating the process. When all 30 enemies have been defeated, another moving platform will appear. This platform takes you up to Damas' seat, where he grants you your second War Amulet along with a Beam Reflexor mod for the Blaster.
Upon leaving the arena you'll notice that once again Kleiver's icon is present on the map. Head back to the desert gate to take on the next mission.
Upon reaching the gate, Damas will give you your next task - to travel out into the desert and herd some Leaper Lizards into a transporter using your car. Hop into the Sand Shark and head out into the desert. Your destination is the abandoned city in the southeast part of the desert. On the way you'll have the usual drivers to contend with, but now your car has a mounted weapon they shouldn't pose much of a threat. Destroying an enemy driver with yield a boost orb, useful for clearing otherwise impassable obstacles and gaps.
When you reach the abandoned city, a counter indicating the number of Leaper Lizards you've trapped will appear on the right side of the screen. Leaper Lizards themselves are portrayed as small red dots on the map. To capture a Leaper, you'll have to drive up close to one. When you are close enough, Daxter will launch from the car onto the Leaper and control will shift to Daxter's perspective. You'll now have to jump and steer the panicking Leaper towards the transporter. Be warned, controlling a frantic Leaper is by no means easy, and collision with a wall or cacti will result in a failed attempt, with control returning to Jak behind the wheel. When you successfully guide a Leaper into the transporter, you'll be rewarded with a brief cutscene before starting the hunt for the next one.
When you guide the third Leaper into the transporter, Kleiver will turn up and grant you access to another of his vehicles - the Dune Hopper. This car has the ability to jump much higher and further than the other ones you've driven so far. Hop in and take it for a spin!
A Fork in the Road
The game now gives you two options - you can either head back to Spargus and speak with Damas, or you can investigate the Monk Temple on the island in the southeast. This guide is going to explore the Monk Temple first. If you'd prefer to meet with Damas, skip ahead to the mission, "Rescue the Wastelanders", then return here when the mission strand becomes available once again.
You can only reach the Monk Temple by using the newly acquired Dune Hopper. The Temple itself is located on the island in the southeast corner of the desert map, which can only be accessed by jumping across the gaps in the fragmented pathway leading up to it. This is where the Dune Hopper comes in - with its vastly superior jumping capability, the new vehicle can leap across the gaps and take you to the previously inaccessible island.
When you reach the centre of the island, leave the Dune Hopper behind and enter the Temple to trigger a cutscene. As the silver eye is preventing you from making any further progress at ground level, What follows is a series of jumping puzzles. Hop onto the unlit torch, and from there onto the awning, using it to spring up to the next level. Once you're on the next platform, use the two poles to ascend further and reach the next set of platforms. Move swiftly across these to another pair of poles, and use them to get to another string of platforms. Some of these are unstable and will collapse, so move quickly from platform to platform until you reach an inlet in the wall.
Ascend the staircase to reach yet another series of plaforms which must be navigated. Watch out for the last two platforms in this sequence, which will break. Once again, use the series of poles and platforms to ascend to the next level. Hop across these platforms, using the spin attack to "float" and gain more length out of your standard double jump, then (can you guess what's coming here?) use the two poles to reach the next set of platforms. Jump across them, as always watching out for the collapsing plaforms, and swing round the final two poles to reach the very top of the temple. Your reward for the investment of time and patience - a Glider!
When you reach the top, a short cutscene will ensue before the next mission automatically commences. As you might have predicted, Jak has decided to take the new Glider for test flight. The destination - the volcano.
Maneuvering the Glider is pretty tricky. You'll have to steer it into the floating Precursor rings to ensure you maintain enough momentum (represented by the bar at the bottom of the screen) to reach the volcano. Most of the rings are stationary, but some will move, either from side to side, or up and down. Occasionally, a ring will be closed, and you'll have to quickly fire at it with the Blaster to open it in time to fly through. The course consists of 49 rings and covers most of the desert. After completing the course, you'll land (somewhat) safely inside tthe volcano, minus a Glider.
Once you're inside the volcano and back in control of Jak, whip out the Scatter Gun and head on round the corner. As you hop up the next few steps, hordes of scorpion-like Metal Heads will emerge from under the ground. Use the Scatter Gun to fend them off and push on, remembering to pick up their Skull Gems after defeating them. Continue ascending the step-like cliffs until you reach the top, where a scene involving a Leaper Lizard will trigger. Smash the crates for ammo and follow the critter, taking care when you reach the gap in the path (the ground is unstable and will give way).
On the other side of this gap, more Metal Heads will burst out of the ground. Switch over to the Blaster and take them out, giving the dragonfly-like Metal Head a fairly wide berth to avoid its long-range attack. Across the next jump are three more Metal Heads that can all be easily subdued with shots from your Blaster. The next area is full of small, spiky creatures that roll towards you. Silence them with the Scatter Gun and continue chasing the Leaper Lizard. By now you should be in an area with a path surrounding a small lake of lava. Here you'll be able to catch the Leaper and mount it.
The next segment involves some Leaper Lizard-oriented platforming. Jump up the next couple of ledges and wait for the lava ball to disappear before double jumping across to the far-off outcrop. Your next target is the moving platform - again, wait for the lava ball to vanish before making the jump to the moving platform, and from there to the next piece of solid ground. Navigate your way patiently across the next three moving platforms, past the lava balls and onto the next ridge. Follow the ridge round to the next lava pit, hop to the moving platform and wait for it to rise before jumping over to land on terra firma once more.
Use the Leaper's charge attack to take care of the enemies here, dismount and climb up the ladder. Watch out for the crumbling ledge as you jump across the gap to trigger a cutscene. When the game resumes, you'll be in control of Daxter. Follow the path set by the overhead netting, taking care to avoid the lava balls as you do. When you reach the end of the netting, continue along the pathway, jumping across the gaps only when the lava stops flowing. There are Metal Heads laying in wait, but they can be neutralised with a single punch or spin attack. After defeating them, ride the swinging platform across the chasm to the next ledge. There's some more overhead netting here, and the same rule applies - move forward slowly, avoiding the lava ball.
Upon reaching the other side, another cutscene will start. Walk Daxter back to where Jak and normal control will resume, with Jak now able to make progress. Head up the rock Daxter just knocked down and high jump up to the ledge with the crates. There are Metal Heads up here, so whip out the Blaster and take them out. Follow the narrow pathway down, keeping the Blaster handy to take out the Metal Heads that appear. When you reach the end of the slope, use your melee attacks to knock the stone slab over the geyser. Jump onto the stone and ride it up to the next ledge. Once again, there are Metal Heads around, so have the Blaster at the ready.
Follow the spiralling path around the rock face, jumping across the gap and shooting any enemies in your path. When you reach the top, long jump across the chasm. Be careful - the edge of the cliff will give way, so be ready to make another jump immediately. Take out the Metal Heads below and follow the path down between the cliffs, keeping the Blaster ready to deal with any enemies that appear. When you reach a certain point a cutscene will occur and you will once again take temporary control of Daxter.
This section involves sliding down a chute. It's a very short and pretty straightforward segment - you can use the left analog stick to shift Daxter's weight, and you can also jump over the gaps in the chute. When you reach the end of the slide, head up the hill to your right and climb onto the stone. From here you can jump onto the sheets and use them to bounce up to the next level. There are some enemies here, but they can easily be taken down with melee attacks. After you've dealt with them, repeat the process - hop on the stone, across to the sheets, bounce to the top. Defeat the two enemies up here and navigate the last set of sheets to reach the highest point. Walk towards the stone to trigger another cutscene and regain control of Jak.
Use melee attacks to push the fallen stone onto the geyser and then ride it to the next ledge. Use melee attacks to take care of the enemies and whip out the Blaster to deal with the dragonfly Metal Head. In the next area, four Metal Head burst out of the ground, so be prepared and have your Blaster at the ready. After you've finished them all off and collected their Skull Gems, use melee attacks to cover the two working geysers with stones. This will activate the third geyser, allowing you to reach the next series of stair-like platforms. Hop across them, using the Scatter Gun to take out any enemies, until you come to the next ledge. Here, ascend the zig-zagging path, keeping the Scatter Gun equipped to deal with any small spiky creatures you run into. When you reach the end of the path, jump across the river of lava using the floating platforms and climb the ladder. Doing so will trigger a cutscene and earn you a new Dark power - Invisibility.
After watching the cutscene, hop off the ledge down onto one of the platforms floating in the lava. Ride it to the end of the lava river and jump onto the grassy ledge with crates to your left. Follow the pathway down and round, pulling out your Blaster to deal with any annoying Metal Heads that pop up. The long, winding route leads you back to the volcano entrance. Here, you can put your new Invisibility power to good use. Approach the Dark Eco device in the cave and activate your Invisibility. Now, you can sneak past the watchful silver eye and use the teleporter to return to the Monk Temple.
When you arrive back in the Temple, run over to the wall opposite and activate your Invisibility once again using the Dark Eco device. Use long jumps to move quickly towards the eye and get past it before you become visible again. When the door opens you'll be greeted by several nasty-looking spiders. They'll quickly fall when faced with a Scatter Gun blast, so take them out and move on down the long stairway to your right. At the bottom you'll find a Dark Eco fountain. Stepping into the flow of Eco will instantly fill your Dark Eco meter. Continue through the corridor to the Oracle's room.
There are several sentries stationed in the centre of the room, none of which will hesitate to electrocute you before you can reach the button they are guarding. Move around the edge of the room, sticking to the wall to ensure the sentries don't spot you. Directly beneath the Oracle is a Dark Eco device - use it to activate your invisibility. Move to the very centre of the room, transform into Dark Jak and use the Dark Bomb power to take care of the sentries. This will also activate the button you're standing on, opening the doorway leading to your next destination. Several spiders will begin to pour through the now-open door, so equip your Scatter Gun and wipe them out while pushing forward into the next room (these spiders will constantly respawn until you reach the end of the corridor).
As you enter the room, several gates will rise and block your path. Move round to the left, taking care of any remaining spiders with your Scatter Gun. There are some moving horizontal poles here, but if you approach them in your current state they will be electrified by the silver eye at the opposite end of the room. The solution is to use the nearby Dark Eco device to activate your Invisibility once more, and swing your way round the poles and across the gap. You'll have to time your releases correctly to ensure you make the next pole, but make sure you're quick about it. If you're not, the Invisibility will fade, and you'll be electrocuted. As you're invisible, it can be difficult to judge the correct timing. The solution is to use audio cues - release the bar as soon as you hear the "whoosh!" sound.
There are four sets of these poles to clear, and all should be approached in the same way - use the Invisibility power and make your way across quickly, timing your releases carefully. Be aware that while you shouldn't have any problems with the first set of poles, when tackling the subsequent sets you should only release the current pole when the next one comes into reach. When you make it past the fourth set of poles, the gates will lower once again, granting you free passage through the room. Step into the nearby Dark Eco fountain to fill your meter and enter the next corridor.
As you set foot in the newly opened passage, you'll be greeted by more spiders. As with the previous horde, blast them away with the Scatter Gun and push forward (these spiders continuously respawn too). Walk into the main chamber to trigger a brief cutscene involving Seem, and then step into the light to start a more informative cutscene featuring the Oracle you've been searching for. Your reward for coming this far is your first Light Power - Regeneration. After the cutscene, check out your new power. A Light Eco fountain will start to flow in the previous chamber. Hop into the teleporter to return to the entrance to the Monk Temple. There's nothing more to do here, so you're free to return to Spargus and consult with Damas if you haven't already.
Damas' crown icon is back on the map, so head back to the desert gate and into Spargus. Once again, Damas is in the throne room, so take a ride on the lift up to where he is and approach his throne to get your next mission. Apparently there's a storm brewing, and some of the wastelanders still haven't made it back to the relative safety of the city. Damas wants you to find them and bring them back. Don't waste any time - get over to the desert gate and hop into the Sand Shark. Drive out into the desert to trigger the mission.
There are four wastelanders to rescue in total, scattered across the western side of the desert map. Each one must be picked up and returned to safe transportation vehicles in the centre of the desert, all against the clock. Naturally, you'll have the usual ranks of irritating drivers on your back trying to gun you down. Don't be afraid to fight back - remember, destroying cars yields boost orbs which may prove very valuable in this timed mission. Be opportunistic, but don't get hung up on vehicular combat or you'll definitely run out of time. The stranded wastelanders are your first priority. Also, keep an eye on the condition of your car. You won't be able to rescue wastelanders without a vehicle, so try to keep it in good nick for as long as possible.
When you reach the final wastelander in the southwest corner of the desert, you'll trigger a cutscene which will earn you your third Dark Eco Crystal. Unfortunately, it'll also attract some unwanted attention and pit you against your first boss in the form of a dark Precursor satellite. This unpleasant enemy is the first one you'll have to employ a specific strategy against. As if that wasn't enough, with the storm setting in, you're still under the pressure of time. Follow the tips below to guarantee a quick victory.
BOSS BATTLE - Dark Satellite
In its initial state the Dark Satellite is protected by an energy field, so don't bother wasting any ammo for the moment. In this state it'll surround you with electric beams using its tentacles to try and shock you. Stay directly under the Satellite by standing in its shadow and follow its movements to ensure you don't fall prey to this attack. After a few seconds the Satellite will give up with this strategy and dig into the ground, releasing a shockwave capable of causing damage. This wave can be easily avoided by jumping over it. The Satellite will then bring out a whip-like tentacle and spin round, trying to trip you. Again, this can easily be avoided by jumping.
When it's rooted in the ground, it becomes vulnerable to attack, so whip out your Blaster and fill it with as many bullets as you can before it reverts back to its initial state. When it does, just rinse and repeat the process. You'll have to follow this pattern three times. Each time, the Dark Satellite will become more aggressive with its strategy. The circle of electric beams will become tighter, it will send out an increased number of shockwaves, and each stage will bring with it an extra tentacle in the Satellite's grounded state. By following this tactic you'll be able to defeat the boss easily and press on with the mission at hand.
When the satellite falls, hop back in the Sand Shark. Your next destination is the desert gate, and once again you're racing against the clock. If you were efficient in dealing with the satellite, you should have around three minutes to get back to Spargus - ample time providing you drive sensibly and avoid too much confrontation with the other drivers on the sands.
Upon your return to Spargus you'll notice Kleiver's icon is back on the map. He's in the northwest part of town by the coastal gun turret, so head on over there to speak with him. He boasts about his prowess with the city's defences, and challenges Jak to try and match his ability. Jak accepts the challenge, bringing us to our next task. Head up towards the ladder and climb it, then jump up to the turret itself to start the challenge.
This mini-game plays out like a target-shooting exercise. From a first person perspective, you'll have to maneuver the turret, focus it on the targets rising out of the water and shoot them. Every successful shot earns you points, and you'll get more points for taking out targets quickly. You're allowed an infinite number of missed shots, but if you miss ten targets, the game ends. There are three kinds of target - red (worth the least), blue (worth more) and green (worth the most). Try not to panic if you miss a target with your first shot. Just keep a level head and take aim again. Remember, you can hit a target when it's coming down just as easily as when it's going up.
Kleiver's top score is 7000 points, so you'll have to work hard to beat him. As soon as you overtake his score, Jak will automatically hop out of the turret and a cutscene will play in which Kleiver hands over your second Light Eco Crystal.
After beating Kleiver's challenge, a sword icon will appear on the map. Head over to it and enter the arena, jumping across to the glowing light to trigger a cutscene. You're given a new mod for your Morph Gun in the form of the Vulcan Fury, a heavy machinegun-style weapon. Ride one of the platforms on either side down to the ground level of the arena, and move into the light to start the mission.
Once again, you're required to use your weaponry to take out 30 enemies in the arena. This time the arena consists of a grid made up of narrow walkways, and as usual, it will periodically be flooded with lava. When this happens, islands will rise out of the lava and you can safely take refuge on these until the lava level lowers again. While you've been given a new gun immediately prior to this mission, I find the best weapon to use in this situation is the Blaster, or to be more specific, the Beam Reflexor mod. The Vulcan Fury takes a little too long to warm up to be useful here, and the Beam Reflexor's ricocheting bullets can be a big help when taking on seveal enemies on the narrow walkways.
The most important thing with this mission is to keep moving. Enemies will be coming at you from all directions, so stay active, using the Beam Reflexor to clear yourself a path if enemies start to overwhelm you. When you're down to the final opponent, a cutscene will play introducing an old friend you may recognise if you played Jak II.
After being reprimanded for the stunt you pulled in the arena, Damas will assign you with your next mission - to enter a Metal Head nest and eradicate all traces of any creatures you may find. Take the lift from the throne room back down into Spargus, and head for the desert gate. There, a new vehicle is waiting for you. Jump into Sig's Gila Stomper and drive out into the desert. The nest you're looking for is located at the base of the volcano, and can be accessed from the southeast region of the desert. The Gila Stomper is an incredibly durable car, and is equipped with a heavy machinegun, so it can more than hold its own against the desert drivers.
When you arrive at the nest, a short cutscene will play, following which you'll have access to the nest. Drive into the cave and follow the winding path within. Don't pay any attention to the little creatures running around inside - they pose no threat to you and quickly succumb to the wheels and gun of the Gila Stomper. Eventually you'll come to the first nesting site, home to five Metal Head eggs that you'll have to destroy. The eggs are attached to cords that hang from the ceiling and aren't very durable, but have a deadly defence mechanism - they can fire green balls of energy in your direction, with a very impressive range and level of accuracy. There are also winged bat-like creatures intent on halting your progress. The best tactic to employ is to keep moving, driving directly towards an egg and shooting at it to quickly put it out of action.
When all five eggs in this area have been destroyed, a rock will fall, granting you access deeper into the nest complex. Follow the short path, looking out for flying beasts as you go. Pretty soon you'll arrive in the second nesting site, where there are five more eggs to find. Follow the same strategy as before, taking them out as quickly as possible. Watch out for the pools of water, too - they're not deadly, but they will slow down your car considerably and make you more vulnerable to attacks.
When the last egg is destroyed, a three-minute timer will start and the nest will fill with a green gas. Make a break for the exit, following the winding path back through the cave towards the entrance. The time limit isn't too taxing, and with a clean run you could easily make it out of the cave in just over a minute. When you're clear of the nest, Damas will send you a congratulatory message, along with his forgiveness for the incident in the arena. Back out in the open desert, head for the desert gate.
When you arrive at the desert gate, you'll receive a message from Ashelin asking you to meet her at the Oasis. Hop in a vehicle (preferably the Dune Hopper, as it'll come in handy after finishing this mission) and head back out into the desert. Ashelin's waiting for you at the Oasis in the southwest, marked on the map by the palm tree icon. When you reach the Oasis, Jak will automatically hop out of the car. Run over to Ashelin to trigger a very informative cutscene. Sadly, the reunion is cut short when a band of desert pirates launch an ambush. Looks like Jak'll have to do some more fighting.
This is a pretty hectic fight. Thankfully, Ashelin's around to offer some support. Her AI isn't fantastic, but she does a pretty good job of keeping herself safe, so as long as you check up on her occasionally and support her in the unlikely event she's overwhelmed, you shouldn't have to worry about failing the mission on her account. Instead, focus on your own wellbeing. Once again, the Beam Reflexor feels like the best choice of weapon for this situation. The amount of time you have to wait for the Vulcan Fury to warm up will result in more harm than good, as it provides enemies with a chance to get close and gang up on you. The Beam Reflexor is more reliable, less of an ammo drain, and the ricocheting bullets can cause useful collateral damage to other enemies. If your health should start to suffer and your Light Eco meter is full, use your Regeneration power to get back into safe territory. Most importantly, try to stay active - moving around will make it harder for the enemy to hit you.
You'll have to take out 60 enemies and destroy all their cars to clear the mission. When you do, you're rewarded with another cutscene in which Ashelin presents you with your old JetBoard and the Seal of Mar. As soon as the cutscene is over, hop back in your vehicle. If you don't, you risk being killed by the drivers still roaming the desert.
If you took heed and brought the Dune Hopper along to the meet with Ashelin, your next destination will be the Monk Temple on the southeast island. If you didn't, you'll have to make a detour, going via the desert gate to pick up the spring-loaded dune buggy. The temple shows up on the HUD map as a red man-shaped icon, and as before can only be reached using the Dune Hopper's jump ability.
When you arrive at the Temple, retrace your steps to the room full of sentries you visited earlier (be warned, as new creatures have taken up residence in the Temple - namely several dragonfly Metal Heads). Opposite the door you went through previously is a sealed entrance, emblazoned with marks similar to the Seal of Mar. Approach it to trigger a brief cutscene in which the door opens. Head through into a corridor, Blaster at the ready to deal with any troublesome Metal Heads. Eventually, the corridor will open out into a room filled with water. You'll have to whip out your trusty JetBoard and collect several floating seals to open the door. There are 18 of these seals, and they're all fairly easy to find. A few are floating above the surface of the water, while you'll have to explore the corridors leading off the rooms to find others.
When all 18 seals have been collected, the door will open. Use a launch jump to reach the ledge where the door is and follow the corridor through to the next chamber. In here resides another Oracle. Step into the light to start another cutscene, in which you'll be granted your second Light Power - Flash Freeze. Fill up your Light Eco meter at the fountain if necessary, and use your new power. It will dramatically slow down time, allowing you to jump across the platforms in front of the Oracle towards the chamber's exit. Follow the passage round, and when you come to the rail, pull out your JetBoard and grind across it. Continue through the next section of corridor on your JetBoard, using it to navigate the pitfalls and grind across the rail in this passage. Once again, you will come to an elevated rail which you must grind across to proceed. Be careful - this one has a gap in it, so be ready to jump and resume your grind upon landing.
The next chamber you come to has a Light Eco fountain, and features a rotating pole adorned with deadly blades. Fill up with Light Eco and use Flash Freeze to slow down the pole's rotation. This will allow you to cross it safely. Be aware - Flash freeze does not stop time, it only slows it down. You will still have to watch out for the blades and keep your balance on the rotating pole. There are three of these poles to cross, each one preceded by a Light Eco fountain. Don't worry too much if you fall of the second or third pole, though. You will respawn immediately in front of the pole you're currently attempting to cross.
After you successfully cross the third and final pole, you'll come to a large bridge. Attempting to cross it conventionally will result in instant death, as it crumbles and falls away. Instead, use your Flash Freeze power to slow down time, which will enable you to jump across the pieces of falling bridge to reach the other side. Be careful, though, as the collapse still happens pretty quickly and you'll get dragged down if you're not nimble. When you end up on the other side of the bridge, step on the lift to travel down to the Catacombs and complete the mission.
Approach the Subrail car to trigger a cutscene. When it's over, hop into the car and prepare for a bumpy ride!
The Subrail is a dangerous route littered with debris and full of deadly explosives. The car you're in runs on the Subrail surface, and can hover over any part of the cylindrical tunnel. In this challenge, you'll need to manipulate the position of the car to avoid the many obstacles in the tunnel. These obstacles range from physical objects blocking your path, to holes in the Subrail surface. In theory it sounds easy. In practice, it's really not. The car moves quickly, making it difficult to premeditate your movements based on the track. Some of the objects, particularly the holes, are pretty difficult to spot. You have a weapon attached to the car, which is assigned to the R1 button, which helps in clearing some of the obstacles. The rest is unfortunately a frustrating amalgamation of trial-and-error and luck. Sadly, there isn't really any advice I can give you at this point.
The Subrail's only saving grace is its brevity. The whole experience, when successful, lasts little more than a minute. When you emerge at the other end of the Subrail, a cutscene will play and Jak will gain another new Light Power - Shield. When you've tried it out, step on the nearby lift, which will take you up to the Eco Mine.
When the lift stops, head round the corner and follow the path until you reach the Light Eco fountain. Top up your meter if necessary and smash the crates for some ammo. Jump up the stair-like stones to the next ledge, and walk forwards to trigger a brief cutscene. To your right is a raised bridge, which you can lower with a shot from your Blaster. Cross it, dispatching the enemies on the other side. A little further on, there are two more bridges you must lower. Keep your gun at the ready, as there are plenty of enemies around here. The Beam Reflexor is once again a great choice of weapon here, thanks to the high walls giving plenty of opportunities for ricocheting bullets to find a mark.
Cross the bridges and silence the enemies in your path. Head down the partially hidden steps to your left and hop on the moving platform, which will take you down to a lower level of the mines. Shoot the raised bridge as you descend towards it, because the platform will break away from the wall after a couple of seconds. Hop across quickly and follow the path round past the rusted mechanism, shooting any enemies you happen to come across. In the next enclosed space, you'll have three aggressive Metal Heads to contend with. The Beam Reflexor is perfect for this situation, as the shots will bounce off the high walls and it's highly likely you'll cause some collateral damage.
When the Metal Heads have been defeated, lower the bridge to your right and jump onto the moving platform. Like the last one, it will break away from the wall, so be ready to jump onto the solid ledge when you reach it. Take out the Metal Heads in this area and continue to follow the path laid out for you. The next area is full of flying manta ray-like creatures, so take them out quickly to avoid taking any lasting damage. The path hugs the wall here and winds round to the right, leading to some platforms. Beyond these platforms are several gecko-like creatures clinging to the wall, so watch out for them as you hop across the platforms. Pass between the rock and the rusted silo to your left to continue. There's another enclosed space beyond this area, and it's populated with more Metal Heads so have your Beam Reflexor at the ready.
Step onto the next moving platform, shoot the raised bridge and jump to it before the platform you're on breaks away from the wall. There are more enemies in this next area, but they're no match for your Beam Reflexor. When all the enemies have been defeated, step on the huge orange circular platform to ride the lift going deeper into the mines. After reaching your destination, top up your Light Eco meter in the fountain (if you need to) and smash the crates for some ammo and health. When you're ready, ride the platform down into the next section.
Take out the enemies laying in wait here (the Wave Concussor is a good choice to deal with the green creatures, while the Beam Reflexor is as always a reliable all-round weapon). There's an orange rabbit-like creature sitting near the edge of the area. Use melee attacks to "herd" it into the giant rodent wheel nearby. Doing so will reveal three new platforms, allowing you to move to the next area. Follow the path round, keeping the Wave Concussor equipped to deal with the green creatures blocking your path. You'll soon come to another rodent wheel and more orange creatures. Punch one into the wheel to activate the next set of platforms and gain access to the next section of the mine.
Take care of the creatures at the top of the newly formed steps using the Wave Concussor, then switch back to the Beam Reflexor to deal with the manta rays. Ascend the zig-zagging path, using the Wave Concussor to deal with the threat posed by the green creatures at the top. There's another rodent wheel here, and you should know the drill by now - knock the rabbit-thing into it to bring the next set of platforms to life. Move across the drill platforms with a series of timed jumps, and have your Wave Concussor ready to deal with the green creatures in the next section. There's another rodent wheel here, so you know what to do.
Hop on the first rotating wheel and ride it to the other side of the chasm. Dispatch the enemies with a shot from your Wave Concussor and ride the second wheel across to the next ledge. Wipe out all the enemies in this area before attempting this next part. You'll notice there are rabbit-things at the bottom of the zig-zag path, but the rodent wheel sits at the top. The trick here is to get the rabbit-things to follow you up the zig-zag path, and then knock one into the wheel. It's a lot easier and a lot less frustrating than attempting to punch one up the path. Head up the newly raised steps and examine the wall in front of you to obtain the Legging Armour. These greaves will increase Jak's health by a further two spheres.
Head right, through the gap in the rocks, and collect all the items from the crates in the next area before you step into the light. Punch the lever to end this mission and begin the next.
This is a timed mission, and a fairly challenging one at that. Bring your Blaster/Beam Reflexor along, as it's going to be the most useful gun for this job. Now that you've activated the bomb train, you'll have to follow the route it takes and ensure it reaches its destination safely. At various points the track dead-ends, and you'll have to lower the raised sections of track by shooting the targets beneath them, thereby granting the train safe passage. If you fail, the bomb train will blow. As if that wasn't enough stress, you'll also have the occasional swarm of enemies to worry about.
First things first - fire at the two red targets beneath the raised sections of track directly in front of you. Run along the gangway to your right, ignoring the manta rays, and take aim at both targets beneath the section of track to your right. Now get out your JetBoard and follow the path, grinding along the rails you'll come to. Beyond these are two more targets, so put the JetBoard away and shoot them with your Blaster to buy some more time. The enemies start to become more frequent (and thus more of a threat) around this area, so don't be afraid to empty some ammo into them. Just don't hang around to fight - doing so will waste precious time that you can't afford to squander.
Follow the pathway round further, hugging the wall, and jump across to the next ledge using the hydraulic platform. Run down past the electric field, across the tracks, and stick to the route running alongside them on the left hand side. Leap across the platforms and take out the manta rays lurking here, then turn your attention to the raised track sections in front of you. Continue to hug the wall, jumping down the hydraulic platforms and back onto the path. Shoot the target to lower the track and cross over the rails to the other side. Pull out the JetBoard and grind across the poles to the other side and jump across the next set of hydraulic platforms. Lower the final two sections of track to trigger a cutscene. The only thing that remains to be done is to enter the now open hangar and ride the turntable-lift down into a hidden chamber.
As you enter the chamber you'll be treated to an interesting cutscene involving Count Veger. He leaves you a parting gift to play with - a revived Precursor Robot! Time to get down to business!
BOSS BATTLE - Precursor Robot
The battle against the Precursor Robot is split into three distinct phases. I'll cover each phase in its own dedicated bullet point. Essentially all three phases follow the same pattern, with minor changes to the tactics used.
Your reward for seeing off the Precursor Robot comes in the form of an Arc Wielder upgrade for the Vulcan Fury. Beating the boss also brings Act One to a close.
After defeating the robot, head through the door in front of you and take the lift up to the surface. What awaits on the other side of the door is a site that players of Jak II will no doubt find both familiar and foreign. You're back in Haven City, but it's not the Haven City you'll remember from the previous game. Most of it has succumbed to rioting and Metal Heads. For now, hop on your JetBoard and head for your friends' hideout (represented on the HUD map by a Samos icon). When you arrive, a cutscene will play illustrating the reunion between Jak and his friends. Samos will provide you with your next task - to use the sewer network to get to the city's port. Take out your JetBoard once more and head in the direction of the circular grey icon on the map. Remember to watch out for Metal Heads while en route.
When you arrive at the sewer entrance, a lift will take you down into the sewers themselves. You'll be greeted by some flying Metal Heads equipped with cannons, so be ready to whip out the Beam Reflexor and let 'em have it. Follow the pathway around the perimeter of the sewer, taking out any Metal Heads who get in your way, until you reach the half-pipe. Take out the JetBoard and use it to exit the half-pipe on the left side, landing in a small passageway. Continue down the corridor on foot, equipping the Wave Concussor to deal with the green creatures beyond the next door. Once again, equip the JetBoard and use it to navigate the pipes. Avoid the toxic pools to the left and right, then slip through the small side exit on the left. You'll end up in another big pipe, with a second small pipe leading off of it.
Enter this second small pipe and you'll emerge in the middle of several enemies. Use the Wave Concussor to deal with the small green guys, then whip out the Beam Reflexor to take care of the Metal Heads. Defeating them all will open a gate allowing you to access the next section of the sewer. Bring out the JetBoard and ride up the water chute, through the newly opened gate and into the next area. Watch out in the next couple of areas, because there are explosive fish-like creatures in the water. Turn right and grind across the pole, jumping into the other side of the tunnel. On the other side, temporarily jump off your JetBoard and destroy the fans blocking your path with gunfire. Take the JetBoard back out, turn left and ride up the slope against the flow of the water.
Soon you'll come to a whirlpool. Veer off to the right, staying away from the centre, and ride the water chute down into the next area. There are loads of enemies down here, so follow the usual pattern by clearing the smaller creatures with the Wave Concussor and then picking off the bigger Metal Heads with the Beam Reflexor. Defeating all the enemies here will lower a railing nearby, allowing you to grind into the next area. Taking care to avoid the numerous whirlpools in this area, head to the right and up the slope, then take a sharp left and destroy the fans using the same technique as before. Move round the whirlpool on the left in the next area and head up the small slope.
Get off the JetBoard and jump out of the water onto the nearby ledge. Follow the path towards the next water slope, taking care of any Metal Heads standing in your way with the Beam Reflexor. There are other Metal Heads standing on a higher ledge nearby, and they'll try to suppress you with long range attacks. Ignore them as best you can and press on - we'll deal with them in a moment. Use your JetBoard to head up the slope and turn left. You're now on the same level as those other Metal Heads, so take them down with some heavy firepower and continue along the ledge. Remember to hop on your JetBoard to cross the rushing water, or you'll be swept back down to ground level and have to start the area all over again.
When you reach the end of the ledge, turn left and head through the door. Be sure you have your Beam Reflexor at the ready, because as you enter the next room you'll be swarmed by several airborne Metal Heads. After defeating them, follow the path as it branches to the left and leads you to the lift that'll take you out of the sewers.
When you arrive on the surface, you'll notice there's a glass icon located on the west side of the port. This represents the Naughty Ottsel bar, your next destination. You can run there, use your JetBoard, or even hop on one of the countless vehicles you see occupying the city skies and drive there. When you enter, you'll be greeted by another old friend from the previous game. After the short greeting, you'll be given your next mission - to take care of the Blast Bots that have the Resistance's forces pinned down.
There are three Blast Bots terrorising the port - two on the bridge crossing the water, and one coming in from the town. You'll have to destroy all three if you want to successfully complete the mission. If any of them reach the Naughty Ottsel, you will fail the mission. The best way to take the Bots on is to approach them in a certain order, and finish off one before moving on to the next. The Vulcan Fury is inarguably the best weapon to use in this mission, due to its high rate of fire and impressive stopping power. Ammo shouldn't be an issue either, because the fighting between the Resistance and the Krimzon Guard yield plenty of the stuff. When fighting a Blast Bot, maintain a safe distance between yourself and the Bot. They are equipped with deadly laser cannons and will periodically release bombs, so a long range offensive is your best option. When a Bot has had enough, its legs will give way and it will explode (try not to get caught in the blast).
The Blast Bots aren't the only threat in this mission. For one thing, you'll be on a zoomer, a new kind of vehicle with an impressive top speed, but not-so-impressive durability. Thankfully, if your zoomer does get destroyed, there are plenty more dotted around the port for you. However, having your zoomer destroyed will slow you down temporarily, so if possible try to switch zoomers before your current one explodes. You'll know if its in bad condition, as the zoomer will start to spew flames and smoke. There's also the Krimzon Guard issue to deal with. While they're often busy fighting the Resistance, they won't hesitate to take the occasional pop at you. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the Krimzon Guard, don't hesitate to turn your Vulcan Fury on them.
Hop on the nearby zoomer, follow the west path round the perimeter of the port and turn left onto the bridge. Stay in the lower flight zone for the duration of this mission - it makes navigation a little easier. The first Bot is heading your way, so have your Vulcan Fury at the ready. Be careful, as this one is coming towards you, so it's a little harder to keep your distance from it. When it collapses, continue zooming eastwards across the bridge to reach the second Bot. From here it gets much easier to maintain that safe distance, as you're launching attacks from behind the Bots. When the second one is defeated, zoom to the end of the bridge, where it connects with the east side of the port perimeter, and turn left, as if you've just done a full lap of the port and are heading back to the Naughty Ottsel. The final Bot will be somewhere along this stretch. Destroy it to complete the mission.
Torn will send you a message of thanks, and ask you to come back to the Naughty Ottsel. Waste no time in heading back to the glass icon for your next job.
Back at the Naughty Ottsel, Torn has another mission for you. He wants you to destroy the barrier using a missile the Resistance have procured. Head over to the missile launcher outside, triggering a cutscene.
You're now in control of Daxter, who's riding the missile as it skims across the water's surface. For all intents and purposes, this is a checkpoint race. You have to steer and jump, guiding the missile through a series of checkpoints, marked on the map by flashing green dots. Each checkpoint you pass through will increase the power of the missile, as illustrated by the bar in the bottom left corner. Naturally, this isn't easy. You can't afford to collide with any solid surface, as doing so will result in an explosive end to everyone's favourite Ottsel. Furthermore, every checkpoint you pass through will not only increase the power of the missile, but also its speed. Thus, with every extra bit of power you collect, the harder it becomes to effectively steer the missile.
You'll have to pass through a total of thirty checkpoints to fully power up the missile. Naturally, that's a lot to manage in one attempt, so if you fail the second half of the course you can recommence from the halfway point. The course will lead you all over the port, and places several obstacles in your path that you'll have to either steer round or jump over. When you finally reach the end of the course, a cutscene will play showing the destruction of the barrier and the completion of the mission.
Split Ends
Once again the game presents you with a choice of two missions at this point. You can either head back to the Naughty Ottsel for more work from Torn, or you can head over to the gun course where Tess is waiting for you. As before, you'll have to complete both missions to progress, so it's completely up to you which one you decide to take on first. This guide is going to visit the gun course first. If you choose to head over to Torn, skip ahead to the mission "Destroy the Sniper Cannons", then return to this part of the guide when you're ready to tackle the gun course.
Over at the gun course, you'll be greeted by another old friend (or at least, an old friend of Daxter's). Tess has a new gun mod for you, but only if you prove your worth by taking on the gun course challenge.
The course is designed to be tackled with your Blaster, and that's probably the best way to do it. You may have been expecting me to recommend the Beam Reflexor, but that's a bad idea on the gun course and I'll tell you why in a minute. Using your gun, you'll have to follow the course round, taking out the cardboard cut-outs that pop up in front of you in order to earn points. There are two main kinds of cut-outs - enemies and civilians. Taking out enemies will boost your point count, and every now and again a Golden Metal Head cut-out will appear, which will earn you a nice helping of extra points. Hitting civilians, on the other hand, will lower your point count, and this is why the Beam Reflexor is a bad idea on this course. A ricocheting bullet could quite easily smash a civilian cut-out, unnecessarily costing you points.
You have to get 10,000 points to complete the mission, so you'll need a quick trigger finger and even quicker judgement to win your prize. The best advice I can give you is to be fairly selective about what you shoot. Remember that missing an enemy isn't as costly as hitting a civilian. That being said, you'll still have to hit a fair few targets to reach the target score. Try to memorise when and where the Golden Metal Heads show up, and hit as many of them as possible to significantly boost your score. When you complete the mission, Tess will hand over the Gyro Burster mod for your Blaster.
Assuming you haven't skipped ahead of the guide, it's now time to return to the Naughty Ottsel and receive your next assignment from Torn. He wants you to head to the industrial sector and disable the Krimzon Guard's Blast Cannons.
Get hold of a zoomer and hightail it over to the industrial sector, represented by the flashing red dot on the map. As you move in closer, the red dot will split into five seapate, indicating the locations of the Cannons you need to put out of action. They're located up on the raised walkway that runs through the sector, and they're pretty dangerous bits of kit. To disable each Cannon, you'll have to stomp on the nearby buttons to reveal its power core, and then take out the core itself with a melee attack or gunshot. However, the buttons are on a timer, so you'll have to be quick about destroying the power cores.
When assaulting each Cannon, the camera perspective will shift and a target reticle will appear on the screen. This is what the Cannon currently sees, and it will periodically fire at you while you're trying to disable it. The walkway is linear so you don't have to worry about backtracking to find Cannons you may have missed - simply follow the path in front of you. Also, watch out for the mini Blast Bots roaming the streets. The Scatter Gun is a great weapon to wield in this mission, as it's very effective against these mini Bots should they get too close for comfort.
The first three Cannons are fairly straightforward to disable. Because the cores are next to the furthest button, you can simply stomp the buttons in the order you find them, and then quickly disable the core. The only difference between them is the number of buttons you'll have to stomp - the first Cannon has two buttons, the second has three, and the third has four. The fourth and fifth Cannons, however, require a different tactic. They both have three buttons, and the core is next to the nearest button. To destroy each of these Cannons, you'll have to start by stomping the furthest button and working your way back to the button nearest the core. You can then quickly destory the power core and disable the Cannon. When the last Cannon falls, the mission is complete.
Torn has yet more work for you, so hop on a zoomer and head back to the bar. He wants you to head down into the sewer and pass through to the Metal Heads' base of operations.
Take a zoomer to the sewer entrance in the industrial sector, represented by the grey circular icon on the HUD map. Once you arrive, take the lift down into the sewers themselves. Head out into the first area and follow the path to the right (the door to the left is locked right now). Perform a series of timed jumps over the vent platforms, avoiding the clouds of toxic gas, and you'll soon come to another door. Equip your trusty Beam Reflexor and move through into the next area. There are some armour-wearing enemies in this passage, but they're nothing you won't be able to handle at this stage in the game.
There are more vent platforms in this area, leading across the chasm to another ledge. Navigate your way across them, then destroy the fan to grant yourself safe passage across to the next ledge. There are more enemies up here, so turn your Beam Reflexor on them and press on to the next pair of vent platforms. Time your jumps across them into the next recess. Turn right and head down the corridor, taking out the flying enemies, and jump onto the nearby platform. The platform will start to move along the rails, passing under a few beams of electricity, so be ready to jump over them as you reach them.
When you reach the other end of the rails, jump off the platform and silence the enemies, then head round the corner to the left. In this next area a pair of electric barriers will activate, blocking the exit and forcing you to fight a horde of flying enemies. Both the Beam Reflexor and the Arc Wielder work well in this scenario, but your new Gyro Burster is the best option. When all the enemies have been defeated, the barriers will be disabled and you can continue on your way. The next area is full of several mini Blast Bots, so equip your Scatter Gun to fend them off. When you've defeated them all, the next electric barrier will be lowered, granting you access to the next section of the sewer.
Hop on the moving platform and jump over the beam of electricity. At the other end of the chasm, a machinegun with begin firing at you in a strafing pattern. You'll have to time your jumps to avoid the waves of bullets coming your way. When you reach the other side, jump off the platform and the machinegun will cease firing. There's a short corridor to your left which you can cut through into the next area. Dropping down to the lower level will trigger a battle against lots of crocodile-like Metal Heads. It's nothing you can't deal with using the Beam Reflexor or Arc Wielder. When all the Metal Heads have been defeated, jump into the water and dive under the barrier preventing you from going any further.
As you pass under the barrier, more Metal Heads will jump into the water, so quickly get out onto the ledge on the right and equip yourself. When you've eliminated the enemies, stomp the button to open the gates blocking your path. Two more Metal Heads will enter the room at this point, so dispatch the before you move on through the gate. In the next area is a large, grid-like structure. Navigate the moving platforms or use your JetBoard to search for holes in the grid and move into the centre, watching out for the deadly blades of the red machines patrolling the waterways. There is a hole on the north face of the outer grid, and another on the south face of the inner grid. At the centre is a button which you'll have to stomp to open the gate blocking the exit. Move back outside the grid and locate the exit in the southwest corner of this room. Use a launch jump while on the JetBoard to access the next corridor.
Press on through the gate and into the final part of the sewer, but be warned - there are more flying enemies here. Equip the Beam Reflexor and follow the path round to the exit, riding the lift up and out of the sewer to complete the mission.
You'll emerge on the other side of Haven City, deep in the Metal Head base. Ashelin will send you a message revealing your next task - to destroy the Dark Eco tanks the Metal Heads are using.
You'll need your JetBoard for this mission. This being the Metal Head base, there are also a lot of Metal Heads around too, so be prepared to pull out your Scatter Gun at any time. The Dark Eco tanks you're looking for are fairly noticeable, which helps. Not only are they illustrated as flashing green dots on the map, they also have a pretty distinct appearance, resembling glowing purple crystals. My final word of warning to you is to steer clear of the green sludge that makes up most of this area. Touching it means instant death.
First things first, head to the left, taking out the Metal Head in your way. Use your JetBoard to grind across the thin purple wire hangin out over the sludge. From the platform you come to, you should be able to jump up to the first Dark Eco tank and smash it with a melee attack. Jump back down onto the previous platform and grind across the second purple wire towards the next platform, which houses a rather odd-looking flower. Jump on it and it will propel you across the sludge-river to another platform.
Grind along the next couple of purple wires, jumping over the electric charges in the middle of them, and then jump across to the propulsion flower on the next platform. There are another pair of purple wires to grind here, which will take you to the platform where the second Dark Eco tank resides. Use the propulsion flowers to reach the top tier of the platform and smash the tank with a melee attack.
Jump across to the next platform and propel yourself onward with the help of another flower. Grind along the purple wires, dodging the charge as always, and you'll find yourself back on the bank of the sludge river. Beware of Metal Heads and keep the Scatter Gun handy as you push on to the next propulsion flower a little further down the bank. This flower will launch you right across the sludge river to the opposite bank, where you'll find another flower that'll throw you up to the platform housing the third Dark Eco tank. Climb up to the top tier and destroy it as before. There's another propulsion flower atop this platform that will launch you back down onto the sludge river bank.
This next section essentially just involves moving back and forth across the river using the propulsion flowers. The sequence is made up of four flowers - the one on the left bank of the river that you just landed in front of will propel you over to a flower on the right bank. At this point, you can opt to progress on foot instead of using the flowers, but that involves an increased risk of being surrounded and killed by Metal Heads. Instead, use the next two flowers to quickly move on to the fourth flower. This flower will launch you over to the platform where you'll find the fourth Dark Eco tank. Ascend to the top tier and destroy it in the usual way.
The flower at the top of this platform will propel you onto a stone in the middle of the sludge river. Hop across the stepping stones very carefully (remember, sludge means instant death) until you come to another large propulsion flower. This will throw you onto the platform where the fifth Dark Eco tank is located. Ascend to the top tier and smash it. Use the propulsion flower to launch yourself back onto the bank and approach the previously unmarked Dark Eco crystal waiting in front of you. Attack it to trigger a cutscene in which Jak gains a new Dark Power - the Dark Punch. Use your new ability on the huge purple wall in front of you to clear a path back into the city and complete the mission.
When you finish your business involving the Dark Eco tanks, Samos will send you a message asking you to check out what's happening in the forest. Hop on your JetBoard and follow the west bank of the sludge river to reach the forest entrance (the mushroom icon on the HUD map). Be on the lookout for Metal Heads en route, as there are still a lot of them around. When you arrive at the entrance, head up the slope and through the gate to enter the forest.
As you walk through the door, Keira will send you a message briefing you on your next mission. Using your JetBoard, you'll have to scatter Green Eco over the dark plants that are sprouting up in the forest. To do this, hover over one of the many Green Eco fountains littered throughout the forest, and then ride your JetBoard over as many dark plants as you can before you lose your Eco charge. When the charge runs out, just head over to the nearest fountain to recharge and repeat the process. This isn't a challenging mission. There are no time constraints or other pressures, so you can take the challenge at your own pace. It feels like it leans more towards a gentle break from the recent gunfire and destruction, as beyond the small creatures that occasionally pop up to annoy you there isn't really any penalty involved.
When you've gotten rid of all the dark plants, a platform will rise out of the centre of the forest lake. Step onto it to complete the mission and receive the Shoulder Armour, adding another two spheres to your health meter.
As you move away from the platform, Torn will send you a message detailing your next mission. He wants you to help somebody named Jinx to disable the Eco Grid. Head for the forest exit in the northeast corner of the map to return to Haven City. Jinx is waiting for you in a parked vehicle just outside the forest.
The mission involves driving Jinx to various targets in the city, shown as flashing green dots on the map. When you reach a target, Jinx will hop out of the vehicle and start to attach a bomb to it. Unfortunately, he can't just do this freely - enemies will approach while he's working, injuring him and stopping him from making any progress. It's therefore up to you to keep him safe while he's busy by providing covering fire. The best weapon for this job is the impressive Arc Wielder. The wave of electricity it spews forth is enough to stop the attackers in their tracks, leaving Jinx free to set the charges.
At each target, try to stand in a place where you can see both Jinx and the incoming enemies. This way you can ensure he is safe. When Jinx has set the timer for each bomb, he'll hop back into the vehicle. This is the other important aspect of keeping an eye on him - seeing him step away from the target is your cue to jump back into the vehicle too. As long as you stay vigilant and make good use of the Arc Wielder, you shouldn't have any problems with this mission.
There are four targets where Jinx will have to place his bombs. The first is on the periphery of the Metal Head base, to the south of your starting position, and you'll have to stave off a steady stream of Metal Heads. The second target is tucked away in a cul-de-sac on the perimeter of the port, where Metal Heads are also the threat. The third and fourth are hidden in corners in the industrial sector, where you'll have the Krimzon Guard's robots to deal with. When Jinx finishes setting the final bomb, a cutscene will play in which Jinx tosses Jak a Needle Lazer mod for the Vulcan Fury. Mission complete!
Immediately after completing the last mission, Ashelin will send you a message. The Resistance has located an Eco vehicle and if you can procure it, it would really help the war effort. The vehicle is in the northern part of the industrial sector, so hop on a zoomer and head towards the flashing green dot on your map.
As soon as you hop on the vehicle, a nearby missile launcher fires heat-seeking missiles in your direction. Your only option is to outrun them. The Eco vehicle is fast and handles incredibly well, but it lacks in durability. One bump is enough to set off the Eco cargo and send Jak to meet his maker. Thankfully, the excellent handling should ensure you don't crash into anything.
The first part of the escape involves flying drom the industrial sector to the port. This is fairly easy providing you don't hit anything, as there are on-screen arrows to point you in the right direction. When you reach the port, however, things get interesting. You have 90 seconds to shake the missiles, and to get rid of them you'll have to use the decoys scattered around the port. To activate a decoy, simply shoot it (preferably with the Blaster) and fly towards it. Each decoy activated will get one missile off your tail. When all but one of the missiles is destroyed, Torn will call you over to the Naughty Ottsel. Head for the huge Ottsel statue (the flashing green dot on the map) to complete the mission.
Take Your Pick
Once again, the game forks at this point. You can either head back to the Naughty Ottsel and get another mission from Torn, or you can hitch a ride back to Spargus and meet with Sig. The choice, as ever, is yours. For the sake of simplicity, this guide will be covering Torn's mission first. If you choose to head to Spargus, use the Table of Contents to skip ahead.
Back at the Naughty Ottsel, Torn has a big job for you. Both the Krimzon Guard and the Metal Heads are launching a joint offensive on the port against the Resistance, and Torn wants you to stick it to them.
After the cutscene, the game places you in the centre of a fixed screen, equipped with a Blaster with infinite ammo. Enemies will approach from both sides and you'll have to defend yourself against the advancing hordes. Periodically, weapon bonuses in the form of other gun mods will appear on screen, allowing you to use another weapon for a limited time. It may sound easy but in practice, with several enemies on screen and a default weapon without rapid fire, things can get pretty difficult. The best tactic is often to retreat to the very top of the screen and pick off enemies one at a time. When you're overwhelmed by enemies, long jump down to the bottom of the screen and repeat the process from there.
There are a total of __ screens to complete. The first two screens pan out almost identically - you'll be attacked by a steady stream of enemies, with the occasional weapon power up appearing. The only real difference between these screens is the enemies you'll be facing (Krimzon Guard on the first screen and Metal Heads on the second screen). On the third screen, you'll have three civilians to protect from both the Krimzon Guard and Metal Heads. While there seem to be a lot more enemies on this screen, there are also a lot more power-ups, making the third screen feel somewhat easier than the first two.
The fourth screen features less enemies and no power ups. It may sound easy, but you'll also have two enormous Blast Bots to contend with! The best tactic to employ here is to clear the normal enemies off the screen, then target the Blast Bots. Seeing as you're only equipped with a Blaster they can take a lot of punishment before they collapse. As in the previous Blast Bot mission, try to launch your attacks from behind the Bots and keep your distance if they release any bombs. Thankfully, you'll only have to defeat one at a time, and the second proves much easier to destroy as you'll receive help from some Resistance members. When the second Blast Bot falls, the mission is complete.
Another mission has become available at the gun course, so head for the green target icon in the port area. Tess has crafted another gun mod, but she won't let you have it until you check out the newly programmed course she's been working on.
This mission plays out very similarly to the first gun course mission. The only real difference is that instead of being restricted to the Blaster and Beam Reflexor, you can only use the Scatter Gun and Wave Concussor on this challenge. Personally, I prefer using the Wave Concussor due to its vastly superior range. Other than that, the tactics are pretty much the same as before - hit the enemies, avoid the civilians and try to get as many Golden Metal Heads as you can. The target score is 11,000. When you successfully beat the score, Tess will hand over the Plasmite RPG mod for the Scatter Gun.
Once again, Torn is waiting for you at the Naughty Ottsel. It turns out Jinx has commandeered a Blast Bot, filled it with explosives and hooked it up to a remote control. Torn wants you to steer it into the enemy territory and use it to destroy the barrier between the industrial sector and the slums.
The Blast Bot is pretty cumbersome to control, but it comes equipped with a deadly laser cannon and can withstand a lot of damage. You'll take control of it in the port area, on the border of the industrial sector, and you'll have to navigate it throught the Krimzon Guard defences to the barrier (represented by a flashing green dot on the HUD map). Of course, it's not as simple as it sounds. The Krimzon Guard have filled the industrial sector with robots of their own to prevent you from reaching your destination. They've even deployed a few Blast Bots of their own. This won't be easy.
The route you have to take is straightforward and shouldn't cause you any trouble. The difficult part is keeping the Blast Bot in one piece. This becomes especially difficult when you're dealing with enemy Blast Bots. To try and avoid this, the best way to approach Bot-on-Bot combat is to adopt one of the same strategies you'd use if you were Jak - keep your distance. Fire on enemy Bots from afar to avoid being targeted and torn apart yourself. Strafing is also a useful tactic to employ, presuming you have the space to do it. Thankfully, the Blast Bots don't hold up very well against your laser cannon.
When you reach the barrier, the Blast Bot will detonate and a cutscene will return the perspective to Jak and Torn at the Naughty Ottsel. As a reward, Torn presents you with the Peace Maker mod for your Morph Gun.
Another Divide
At this point, you can work with the Northern Front, another sub-section of the Resistance. However, this guide is going to temporarily postpone this mission strand and cover the return to Spargus next. If you intend to continue fighting for the Resistance at this point, continue from the mission "Defend the Head Quarters From Attack".
When you're ready to head back to Spargus, head for the transportation vehicle hovering over the port bridge (shown on the HUD map as a blue and yellow icon). Boarding this vehicle will take you back to the desert, dropping you just outside the desert gate. When you enter the gate, Sig will be there waiting for you. Apparently another storm is brewing, and it's brought another chance to seize more artefacts from the desert.
This mission plays out almost identically to the Race For Artefacts mission in Act One. There are some differences, although they are slight. For one thing, the time limits are much stricter now. For another, the scope of the challenge has increased - you'll have to find 28 artefacts this time, spanning the whole west side of the desert. Other than those minor differences, the concept and the tactics remain the same. Completing the mission will earn you the Holo Cube, one of five very important Precursor artefacts you'll need to progress in the game.
When you arrive back at the desert gate, Sig will get in touch and ask you to meet him at the Metal Head nesting site from earlier. Head out into the desert, towards the cave icon on the map. Sig is waiting for you at the nest entrance. Drive towards him to trigger a cutscene and begin the mission.
You'll join Sig in the Gila Stomper for this mission, which starts out in a fashion very similar to the earlier mission, "Destroy the Eggs in the Nest". Drive into the cave and follow the path through to the first main chamber. As you approach, a counter indicating the number of Metal-pedes remaining will appear on the right hand side of the screen, including the health bar of the one your currently fighting. When you enter the chamber, you'll catch your first glimpse of a rather unpleasant-looking Metal-pede.
You'll have to use the Gila Stomper's mounted machine gun to attack the Metal-pedes here. The Metal-pedes themselves have very tough outer shells that your bullets won't be able to penetrate. Instead, you'll have to aim for its vulnerable belly when it emerges from underground. Watch out, though, as the Metal-pedes have the ability to counter-attack with a deadly laser beam. After you successfully defeat the first Metal-pede, press on deeper into the cave, following the path you originally travelled on in the earlier mission.
There are a total of five Metal-pedes in the cave. The second Metal-pede is in what was formerly the second egg chamber. After defeating it, you'll have to backtrack to the first chamber to take on the third Metal-pede. Battling the fourth will require a trip back to the second chamber, and the fifth Metal-pede resides in (you guessed it) the first chamber again. Upon killing the fifth Metal-pede, it will drop a Light Eco Crystal. Pick it up, making it your third, and retrace your steps to the cave entrance. Don't worry about speeding though the caves this time, as there's no gas to escape. As you approach the mouth of the cave, a cutscene will kick in, revealing some more of the story.
Now that you're out of the cave, you'll notice Kleiver's familiar fist icon waiting for you at the desert gate. Head back there to trigger another cutscene. Turns out he traded a rare Precursor artefact with some Metal Heads not too long ago. Looks like you're going to have to hunt them down.
This mission plays out like an on-rails shooter. Sig will be driving the car while you man the machine gun and take down the Metal Head beasts roaming the desert. You'll probably recognise the creatures from the Act One mission, "Destroy the Metal Head beasts". Sig's driving, so you don't have to worry about getting too close to them. The cannons on their backs, however, remain a threat. Thankfully, you can shoot down the balls they fire at you, so be sure to take care of them in between filling the beasts with lead.
Initially the game only throws one beast your way at a time. After the first couple of beasts have fallen though, things start to get a little more hectic. You'll soon have multiple beasts to worry about, coming at you from all angles. This may seem like a cause to panic, but it isn't when you consider the only threat they pose is with their cannons. As a rule, prioritise dealing the beasts that are nearest to you, as they're the ones who are most likely to strike a successful blow with their cannonballs. As long as you abide by this strategy, you shouldn't run into any problems.
At some point, the game introduces flying beasts into the mix. The same tactics apply here - the ones nearest to you are the ones that pose the most threat to your vehicle, so deal with them first. Eventually, the "expedition" will come full circle, bringing you back to the desert gate. The final beast you slay will drop the artefact Kleiver was talking about - a Quantum Reflector. Pick it up, and Pecker will let you know it's one of the five artefacts you'll need to take back to the forest later on.
Head back into the city of Spargus through the desert gate, and head up to Damas' throne room. In the cutscene that ensues, you'll learn more about the King of Spargus and also receive your next mission. Apparently marauders are threatening to break through the desert gate into the city, and Damas wanrts you to help prevent a breach.
Mount a nearby Leaper and ride it to the desert gate. Hop into the Gila Stomper (which, with its durability and firepower, is the car best suited to this mission) and drive through the gate to start the mission. Two new indicators will appear in the HUD. The first of these is a counter revealing the remaining number of marauder tanks, positioned on the top right corner of the screen. The second is a health bar of sorts, indicating the strength of the gate, which can be found in the top left corner. If this bar empties, you will fail the mission.
There are two primary kinds of threat to the gate's structural integrity - marauder tanks and kamikaze cars. Of these, the marauder tanks (shown as large red dots on the HUD map) are the greatest threat. If left for too long, they will unveil catapults and batter the gate with a barrage of stone causing crippling damage. It's therefore imperative you take care of the tanks as soon as possible. The kamikaze cars (large orange dots on the map) are a flaming variant on the standard marauder car. These will also damage the gate by driving into it and exploding, although the damage caused is minimal and certainly much less of a threat than the tanks. In short - ignore all cars and focus all your firepower on the incoming tanks.
The mission ends after you put 13 marauder tanks out of commission. The last tank will leave behind a Beam Generator - the third crucial Precursor artefact you've been looking for. Seem will also get in contact after this mission, asking you for a favour.
The first thing you'll have to do is visit the desert gate and trade the Gila Stomper for the Dune Hopper. Your destination is the marauder stronghold, located in the south of the desert on an isolated island in the middle of the bay. You'll have to jump across the fragmented path leading up to the hideout using the Dune Hopper.
As you drive into the stronghold, you'll be locked in and ambushed by the marauders. To make matters worse, catapults are launching fiery rocks into the stronghold. This fight plays out a lot like the arena battles from Act One. You'll have to defeat a specific number of enemies (60 in this case) whilst avoiding deadly obstacles. Ironically, the combat in this mission is somewhat easier than the earlier arena battles, and that's largely thanks to the Needle Lazer mod you acquired earlier. With this alternative version of the Vulcan Fury, the battle becomes a breeze. Not only do the bullets home in on targets in front of you, they can also hit targets behind you, too. This effectively negates all the worry of being overwhelmed from behind, leaving you free to focus your attention on avoiding the fireballs. Providing you keep moving, it's more than possible to see this battle through without even sustaining a scratch.
After you defeat the required number of marauders, those remaining hop into cars and escape. Quickly jump into the Dune Hopper and follow them. You're on a time limit here, so you'll have to be quick off the mark. Thankfully, the fleeing marauders have lowered the drawbridges, granting you safe access off the island. There are four escaping marauder cars, and defeating one will grant you three full boost slots and extra time to catch up to the next. The only significantly challenging marauder to catch is the first, due to the stricter time limit. After you catch up to him, you should be able to defeat the other three with little trouble. You aren't even given a time limit to catch up to the final escapee.
Your reward is the Prism, the fourth Precursor artefact you need to take back to the forest. There's nothing more to do in Spargus for now. so head back to the transportation vehicle in the northeast region of the desert and fly back to Haven City.
Back in the city, your next destination is the Freedom head quarters in the north. To reach the HQ, you'll have to travel from the port, through the industrial sector and the war-torn slums, into the newly refurbished water slums (players of Jak II will most likely be impressed by the rejuvenation project that's gone on in this area). The HQ icon is a blue and yellow shield. When you reach the building, take the lift up to the planning room to trigger a cutscene. Once again, the reunion is cut short by some unpredicted hostility.
There's a Krimzon Guard transportation vehicle outside, and it's your job to get rid of it. The vehicle has two alternating phases of attack. In one phase, it will release Krimzon Guard robots to attack you. In the other, it will deploy a number of missiles that can easily be avoided by staying clear of the target reticles that appear on the ground. A good tactic to use here is to deal with the robots with a weapon like the Beam Reflexor or Needle Lazer, then switch to the Plasmite RPG to attack the vehicle itself. A few well-placed Plasmite RPG rounds can make very short work of the vehicle. Failing that, the Needle Lazer makes a great second choice.
Not long after the first vehicle goes down, you'll soon be greeted by two more. The tactics you should employ are exactly the same here, albeit with a few minor differences. These vehicles have an optional third attack phase in the form of revolving beams of electricity, so be prepared for this and to jump over the beams if necessary. The best way to deal with these vehicles is to focus your firepower on one vehicle at a time. Concentrating your firepower like this will remove one vehicle from the equation quickly, ensuring the battle doesn't drag on for too long. When all three vehicles have been destroyed, the mission will end. Ashelin will send you a message after this mission, asking you to come back to HQ.
Return to the planning room and approach the conference table to start an interesting cutscene, following which you'll be given your next mission. There's a switch down in the sewers that Ashelin needs somebody to throw, and it seems you're the right guy for the job.
Take the lift back down to ground level and head outside. Your destination is the familiar grey circular icon that represents the sewer, this time located in the eastern section of the water slums. Take the elevator down into the sewers and get ready to begin your search for the switch. Have your Beam Reflexor at the ready for when the door opens, as there are plenty of robots to take out in this first area. After you've dealt with them all, follow the path round the edge of the circular room, jumping over the vent platforms to get to the next corridor. Once again, there are robots through the door here so destroy them using the Beam Reflexor. The Arc Wielder and Needle Lazer also make good weapon choices throughout this sewer.
Follow the corridor as it bends right, then left, taking care of any enemies you encounter. You will have to get past two sets of electric beams, both of which can be avoided easily with a double jump. In the next open room, several small robots will emerge from the water. You can easily wipe them out with the Scatter Gun or Wave Concussor. After they've been dealt with, equip the Beam Reflexor and follow the path round to your right - there are two more enemies waiting for you here. Hover across the water with your JetBoard and climb up the steps onto the high ledge. There are more robots up here, so have a weapon ready to deal with them.
Follow the ledge round to the right, watching out for the flying enemies that appear. There are three more electric beams to get past here, and on first glance they seem difficult to overcome. The trick is to let the top beam pass over your head, and then double jump over the other two to safely reach the other side. Dispose of the enemies here and continue along the ledge. You'll soon come to another enclosed corridor full of robots, a situation where you can put the Beam Reflexor to good use. In the next partially-flooded area, you'll have to get past a security device to activate a button and open the gate leading deeper into the sewer. It has two means of defence - a shockwave pulse and a trio of revolving electrical beams, both of which can be avoided with well-timed jumping. When you reach it, activate the button with a melee attack.
Hitting the button will open the gate blocking your path, but it'll also release three flying robots into the room. Take them out with your preferred weapon and move on through the newly opened gate to trigger a cutscene. When you regain control of Jak, jump out of the water and use the Wave Concussor to clear the room of small green creatures. It would appear you have to jump up a set of retracting platforms to reach the next area, but you can bypass this jumping puzzle - simply ride up the watery slope on your JetBoard. Get rid of yet more small green enemies with the Wave Concussor. Swim under the barrier to gain access to the next area. There are more robots in here, so have your weapon of choice at the ready.
Unfortunately, there's no way to navigate these steep slopes with your JetBoard. You'll have to ascend using the conventional method (there are moving platforms at the far end of the room, which you can use to climb up). On this level, you can choose to either jump across the raising platforms or bypass them using the JetBoard to reach the opposite end of the ledge, then ascend to the next level using the moving platforms as before. There are plenty of enemies in this room, so always be ready for a firefight. Once again, you have the option to cross the rushing water by either jumping from platform to platform, or zooming across it on your JetBoard. When you reach the other side, hop up into the next corridor to find the switch. A cutscene will be triggered when you approach it.
After powering down the shields, Pecker will relay a message of congratulations to you. Head through the door to your right into the next room, follow the path round the edge of the room and into the centre. There, a lift will be waiting to return you to the surface.
You'll re-emerge in the industrial sector. Your next destination is the newly opened power room, located in the southeast corner of this sector. Enter the building to trigger a cutscene in which you be reacquainted with yet another old friend from the previous game. You'll also trigger the next mission.
This short, mini-game style mission plays very similar to the arcade classic, Pac-Man. You'll have to guide Daxter around the grid, chomping up pellets as you go while avoiding the Precursor AI attempting to track you down. The game helps you with this by providing you with a red line representing the AI's current course. If the red line appears on your path, it's a signal for you to change lanes. There are also pesky rogue AI, which will occasionally appear and travel round the grid, leaving fresh pellets in their wake. When one of these rogue AI appear, you should make it your top priority to destroy them before they can undo too much of what you've achieved. They can be stopped by tracking them down and eating them just as if they were a pellet. When you successfully eat all the pellets, the cypher you want will appear in the centre of the grid. Collect it to complete the mission.
For now, the only mission available to you is the one in the forest. Jump on a nearby zoomer and fly to the mushroom icon on the map.
When you arrive in the forest, you'll notice a glowing light near the entrance. Approaching it will trigger a small oracle statue to rise out of the ground. Punching it will trigger your first ring challenge. A beam of light will shoot out of the oracle, spawning a checkpoint ring which you must pass through under a strict time limit. Doing so successfully will spawn another ring nearby which you must pass through, and so on until you hit the final ring in the sequence (easily identifiable thanks to its reddish colour). You'll have to quickly hop on your JetBoard and pass through the rings in sequence to complete the challenge. Bear in mind, there is no HUD map, so you'll have to follow the beam of light to reach the next ring in time.
There are five of these challenges in total, and each one pans out in the same way. The only differences are the ring sequences themselves, as each sequence is longer and less forgiving than the previous one. For each challenge you complete, the oracle will explode and a pillar will rise in the centre of the lake. You must complete the current challenge before you can move onto the next. When you've completed all five challenges, head over to the lake and ascend the pillars. When you reach the top, a cutscene will play. Afterwards, Samos will send you a message, revealing more of the story.
Your next destination is the Resistance head quarters in the water slums. Leave the forest by the northeast exit, hop on the zoomer parked outside and head for the shield icon on the map. When you reach the planning room, Torn will give you your next mission. He wants you to get inside the Krimzon Guard factory and find out how they're making so many robots. Naturally, this kind of mission appeals to Jak.
Head round the back of the building and enter the hangar to get the Hellcat Fighter. After the brief cutscene, you'll gain control of the Fighter and start the mission proper. Your task here is to destroy the glowing orange cores powering the factory defences, shown as yellow dots on the HUD map. If you're used to handling the flying vehicles by now, then this mission shouldn't cause you too many problems. The enemy jets aren't much of a threat at all, and the Fighter can take a lot of damage before it explodes, so you shouldn't have to worry about your vehicle's condition.
There are 32 cores in total. The first wave of 16 are located on the towers in the four corners of the complex and are pretty easy to destroy. When the first wave has been taken care of, the second wave of 16 are unveiled. Here things become a bit more challenging, not because the enemy steps up their game, but because of the architecture. The second wave of cores are scattered across the complex in very unorthodox positions. You'll risk nasty crashes going for some of them. When you manage to take these out, new targets will spawn - four turbines with built-in turrets. Now is the ideal time to make use of your bombs, as they make short work of these turbines and simplify what would otherwise be a hard slog.
When all the turbines have been destroyed, a cutscene will play showing Jak sneaking into the complex. The mission is complete, but the next one will start immediately, so don't rest on your laurels.
Hop on the lift and ride it down into the heart of the factory. There are some robots waiting for you at the bottom, so take them out with the Arc Wielder or Needle Lazer (these guns work better that the Beam Reflexor in this fairly open space). Follow the path round to the right and up the conveyor-belt slope into the next room. In here, there's a little niche to the right, with a grate on the floor that you can stomp through. Continue along the route here and you'll come to a set of spinning fan blades blocking your path. Control will shift over to Daxter here, so move along the overhead grid and drop down onto the ground. You're on the other side of the blades, and there's a lever here. Hit it to stop them from spinning, then return to Jak.
Back in control of Jak, run past the stationary blades and high jump up to the next ledge. Destroy the robots up here with the Arc Wielder and press on. There is a pod here that will continuously spawn flying robots, so don't waste too much time here - head round to the conveyor-belt and run down to the moving platform. Ride across to the other side of the gap, wipe out the enemies here and dash up the next conveyor-belt. Follow the path round to the next area, which features an out-of-order moving platform. Once again, Daxter will spring into action. Follow the route dictated by the overhead grid, waiting for the energy beams to die away before passing them. There's another lever here. Punch it to get the platforms working, then ride them back to Jak.
As Jak, use the platforms to return to where Daxter just came from and smash the cracked pane of glass with a melee attack. In this room are more spawning pods. You'll have to defeat a set number of the flying robots to lower the energy barrier, but as soon as you do, waste no time in running to the floor grate and stomping through to the next level. There are three robots waiting for you down here, so take them out with the Arc Wielder. Ride the moving platforms over to the conveyor-belt and follow the path to the top.
There's another set of spinning blades here, and yet again it comes down to Daxter to stop them. Navigate your way across the overhead grid, avoiding the flames and energy beams, and punch the lever when you come to it. Jump down from the ledge and control will switch back to Jak again. Run past the blades and follow the corridor to the left, smashing the floor grate when you reach it. The next area features Daxter's fourth trip across an overhead grid. As before, follow the path set by grid, avoiding the hazards littering the path, and flip the lever when you reach the other side. It will cause some platforms to line up, giving to access to the next part of the compound. Jump down onto Jak's shoulder to assume control of him again, and head out towards the conveyor-belt. There's a red car parked here, so take out the robots guarding it and hop in.
This segment is fairly straightforward. Take the car onto the conveyor-belt and drive along it, crossing the platforms you just moved into place with Daxter. From here, head up the next conveyor-belt and proceed to plow your way through the enemies and gates blocking your path. Smash through the first gate and keep left, carry on through this room and continue straight on, smashing through the next two gates. Take the right fork from here, following the path and charging through the gates in your way. The route takes you to another lift, so hop on and ride it up to your next destination.
This lift takes you up to an unoccupied corridor, at the other end of which is an arena. Enter to trigger a story-motivated cutscene, after which you'll be faced with the next boss - Cyber-Errol.
BOSS BATTLE - Cyber-Errol
The fight against Cyber Errol is split into four phases. Each of this phases is described in a bullet point below.
After beating Cyber-Errol, a cutscene will play in which Jak will obtain the fourth and final Light Eco Crystal. This brings Act Two to a close, and sets up the game for its final stages.
Back at the head quarters, more of the storyline is revealed, and Jak receives the Mass Inverter mod for the Peace Maker. As you take the lift down from the planning room, Seem will send you a message saying he and his monks are in trouble at the Temple. Hop on a zoomer and head south to the port. There's a transportation vehicle there that will take you back to the desert.
When you touch down, head for the desert gate and get into the Dune Hopper. Your destination is the Monk Temple you visited twice in Act One, so you should be familiar with getting to it by now. Upon entering the Temple, you'll be greeted by a band of Darkmakers. Use the Mass Inverter to incapacitate them, and follow it up with the Beam Reflexor to finish them off. Once all the Darkmakers are defeated, press on deeper into the temple. As you head down the stairways in the next corridor, more Darkmakers will attack you. The confined space makes the Beam Reflexor an ideal weapon to take them on with. When you reach the bottom of the stairways, top up your Dark Eco meter in the fountain if necessary and continue into the next corridor.
In the next room, more Darkmakers will appear. Repeat the previous tactic, using the Mass Inverter followed by the Beam Reflexor, and you should be fine. Another option is to make use the ready supply of Dark Eco, turn into Dark Jak and use your Dark Strike technique to take the Darkmakers down (they seem to be very susceptible to this). When you've defeated them all, use the Dark Strike to smash through the door to the south into the next room. There are even more Darkmakers in here, so repeat the tactics to get rid of them. When the room is clear, you'll have to use the Dark Strike again to open another path on the east wall, nestled in between the Dark Eco devices.
Squeeze through the small corridor into the next room, with an extremely fragmented floor. Here, you'll be doing battle against a steady stream of constantly respawning Darkmakers. There's a Dark Eco fountain nearby, so the best tactic is to adopt the Dark Strike strategy. Bear in mind, though, that there is no way to stop the Darkmakers from respawning in this area. Your primary goal is to get to the other end of the room in one piece, so use the Dark Strike as a defensive measure if the Darkmakers get too close for comfort. When you reach the other end of this area, head through the corridors (topping up on Light Eco at the fountain if you're running low) and step into the light at the base of the Oracle.
In the ensuing cutscene, Jak will be granted his final Light Power - Flight. Use it to reach the platform in the Oracle's left hand (on the right from your perspective) and then fly to the nearby ledge. Follow the corridor as it slopes up towards a door and run through it to find yourself above the room with the fragmented floor you were in earlier. Use Jak's new ability to fly from pole to pole and reach the ledge on the other side of the room. Seem is waiting here for you. Approach him to trigger a cutscene in which Seem presents you with the fifth and final artefact you need to take to the forest. When the scene finishes, jump into the teleporter to return to the Temple entrance. As you head for the temple exit, you'll get a message from Damas. He wants you to return to Spargus immediately.
Get in the Dune Hopper and make your way back to the desert gate. Your next destination is the coastal gun turret in the northwest part of the city. En route, you'll no doubt notice that Spargus has been infiltrated by the Darkmakers, and civilians are engaged in combat with them everywhere you look.
When you arrive at the turret's location, climb up the ladder and jump into the seat of the gun. You should be familiar with the mechanics of the turret from the Act One mission "Beat the Turret Challenge". However, instead of shooting at targets, this time you'll have some real enemies to aim at. Darkmaker machines will fall from the sky into the ocean, and begin an assault on your turret. The machines are nowhere near as dangerous as they seem, as they never get any closer than the island out in front of you. They have a weapon, but it fires cannonballs similar to those used by the Metal Head beasts in the Act Two mission, "Chase Down the Metal Head Beasts". All you have to do is shoot the balls before they reach the turret and you'll stay safe.
In order to take down a machine, you'll have to aim at its legs and target the five weak points, each one highlighted by a red ring. When you deal sufficient damage to all the weak points, the machine will fall. You'll have to face three waves of these machines coming in from the ocean, followed by a single wave on land. When you've destroyed all four waves of machines, the mission will end and a cutscene featuring Damas will play. As a reward, you'll be given your third War Amulet and the Chest Armour. This final piece of armour will expand your health meter by another two spheres.
After you see off the Darkmaker machines, Samos will send you a message telling you to head back to the forest. Leave Spargus through the desert gate and ride back to Haven City in the transportation vehicle. When you arrive at the port, procure a zoomer and fly back to the forest entrance, represented as always by the mushroom icon on the map.
Dark plants have infested the forest once again, and this time there are Darkmakers here protecting the newly grown flowers. Your task is to use the Darkmakers' turrets to destroy these flowers, and it won't be easy. Approaching a turret is difficult, as nearby Darkmakers will mount it and use it against you. The best way to get around this is to shoot the offending enemy from a distance using the Beam Reflexor, causing them to fall off the turret and leaving it open for you to mount. You can then turn the turret on any nearby flowers and destroy them. Be warned though - Darkmakers don't take kindly to this and will attack you, causing damage to the turret. The best way to deal with the threat is just to keep the turret trained on the flowers. The Darkmakers constantly respawn, so it's a waste of time concentrating on them. As long as you're quick to deal with the flowers, you shouldn't have to worry about turrets being destroyed.
There are a total of nine flowers (the flashing red dots on the map) and three turrets (the small green dots), with three flowers within shooting distance of each turret. When you've destroyed three flowers with a turret, you can jump out, move on to the next turret and repeat the process. After you have killed all the flowers in the forest, the pillars in the lake will rise to their original position, allowing you to reach the top. Step into the glowing light to trigger a cutscene and automatically begin the next mission.
After the cutscene you'll gain control of a robot on board the Darkmaker ship. By manipulating the robot, you'll have to navigate your way through the ship and disable its shields.
From your starting position, head down the slope to your left and use melee attacks to take care of the Darkmakers in this room. Your robot has limited "health", as shown by the bar at the top of the screen, so be sure to make liberal use of the shield function while fighting. When all the enemies have been defeated, a door will open granting you access to the next room. Here, you'll find a Darkmaker generator blocking the entrance to a tunnel, and a mine. Use your melee attack to hit the mine towards the generator and wait for it to explode, taking the generator with it. Approach the tunnel entrance and smash the damaged wall with a melee attack to progress.
This tunnel is full of rotating laser beams, so time your movements carefully and advance slowly through the tunnel until you reach the smashable wall at the other end. There are two Darkmakers in here, so take them out. There's another generator in here, so blow it up with a mine and drop down into the hole left behind. Head through the short tunnel and defeat the Darkmakers waiting for you. Launch a mine off the ledge and onto a generator on the left to release two moving platforms, allowing you to cross the chasm. Do the same thing on this next ledge, destroying the nearby generator with a well-placed mine and crossing the chasm using the moving platforms that appear.
There are more enemies waiting for you on this platform, so take care of them before pressing on. Follow the path round to the first ledge, pick up the block and jump up to the raised ledge. Knock a mine onto the generator here to open the door blocking your path. Hop off the ledge, pick up the block and carry it round to the second ledge. Do the same thing as before - use the block to reach the raised ledge and knock a mine onto the generator. This will activate two more moving platforms, allowing you to access the door you just opened.
There are four more Darkmakers in this next area. Silence them all to open the next door - the entrance to the shield power room. There's one enormous generator here, surrounded by three floating orbs. In order to disable the shields, you'll have to destroy all of these orbs. Watch out for the occasional bursts of electricity that crawl along the ground here, and be ready to jump over one when it appears. When you successfully destroy the generator, another cutscene will play signalling the end of the mission.
Head for the exit in the northeast corner of the forest. Your next destination is the Resistance head quarters, so hop on a nearby zoomer and follow the blue shield icon to the water slums. When you arrive, take the lift up to the planning room to trigger your next mission. Torn and Jinx are taking a vehicle loaded with explosives deep into Metal Head territory, and Ashelin wants you to escort them.
This mission is another rail shooter, similar in style to the mission "Chase Down the Metal Head Beasts". Torn is driving the vehicle packed with explosives in front of you, while Sig and Jak bring up the rear. Jak's got control of the mounted cannons on Sig's vehicle, and you'll have to use them to take out any potential threat to either vehicle. These threats appear in the form of Krimzon Guard robots, Metal Heads, Blast Bots and even heat-seeking missiles. The condition of your vehicle is represented by a bar in the bottom left of the screen, and Torn's vehicle's status is illustrated by the bar in the top right. The flight path you'll take leads you out of the water slums, through the slums and industrial sector, over the port and finally deep into the Metal Head area.
Most of the challenge in this mission originates from the fact that Torn's vehicle is constantly in front of you. This means that enemies will see him before they see you, meaning they'll often open fire of Torn before they come into your field of vision. Thankfully, every threat is highlighted by an orange circle that will help you to quickly identify what needs to be shot. You don't have to worry about Torn's vehicle taking any damage through friendly fire, so feel free to keep the trigger held for the duration of the mission. Furthermore, should you fail, there are checkpoints placed at certain points in the course so you don't have to worry about starting the whole sequence from scratch. When you're deep enough into the Metal Head area, a cutscene will play in which Jak is given the Super Nova mod for the Peace Maker. The next mission starts immediately after this one, so be prepared.
After the cutscene, head through the entrance into the tower. Smash the crates and top up on Light Eco using the fountain if need be before going into the next room. There are a lot of Darkmakers in here, so have a weapon at the ready (the Beam Reflexor, Arc Wielder and Needle Lazer are all great choices for the duration of this mission). When you've defeated them all, a platform will move into place and more Darkmakers will spawn on it. Kill them to bring another platform down, presenting you with three more Darkmakers to deal with. From here, you can jump up onto the next ledge.
Follow the sloping path, taking out the small Darkmakers using the Wave Concussor or the Arc Wielder, and hop up the steps to the next area. There are more enemies here, so take out your preferred weapon and fill them full of holes. Watch out for the moving tentacles too - they won't hurt you, but there's a high chance they'll push you into an attacking enemy. Press on through to the next area and step into the Light Eco fountain to fill your meter if necessary. Transform into Light Jak and use your Flight power to fly across to the next ledge. More Darkmakers will spawn here, so take out your weapon. Alternatively, you can transform into Dark Jak and use the Dark Strike to take care of them. As before, watch out for the tentacles.
When you've defeated all the Darkmakers here, head up the slope. There are more enemies here, and defeating them all will cause a bridge to materialise, granting you access to the next area. Smash the crates on the other side of the bridge and run up the next slope. From here on, a great tactic to employ is to use the Mass Inverter/Beam Reflexor combo found in all the Bring out your weapon to silence all the enemies on this ledge, which will move a platform into position and grant you access to the next area. Double jump from the platform up to the raised ledge, and run up the slope to the next area.
As you can probably guess, there are more Darkmakers lurking up on the next ledge. Kill them all to reveal another bridge. There are loads of small Darkmakers on the other side, so take them out with the Wave Concussor or Arc Wielder and then switch back to your chosen weapon to deal with the larger Darkmakers coming down the slope. At the top of the slope, you'll be faced with the biggest horde of Darkmakers you've seen so far. You can choose to stick with conventional tactics (Mass Inverter/Beam Reflexor, or Dark Jak), but this is also the ideal place to put your new Super Nova to the test.
When you've defeated all the enemies on this final level, a platform will rise from below. Step onto it to trigger a cutscene in which Jak obtains the fourth and final Dark Eco Crystal and the Eco Power Sphere. Sig will set you back down in the Hellcat hangar at the Resistance HQ in the water slums.
Your next destination is Onin's tent, located in the west of the slums and shown on the HUD map as a green tent icon. When you arrive, Samos will give you your next mission. He wants you to go down into the catacombs.
Hop on a zoomer and head for the destroyed stadium area in the northwest of the city (the destroyed building icon on the map). You'll eventually come to what looks like a dead end. There's a long pole here that you must grind along using your JetBoard, granting you access to the wrecked stadium. Walk through the makeshift tunnel to trigger a cutscene. After you regain control of Jak, head down into the stadium area and take out the hordes of Metal Heads you encounter. As always, the Beam Reflexor is a great choice of weapon here, as is the Arc Wielder. The Mass Inverter can also be useful if the jumping Metal Heads are causing you problems.
Follow the path round to the right and head forwards along this route, taking care of any enemies that get in your way. When you reach the impassable chasm, head up the steps to your right and continue along this route. Take out the Metal Heads here, then top up on Dark Eco in the fountain if you're short. Transform into Dark Jak and use the Dark Strike to smash through the barrier blocking the path, then revert to normal and continue through the gap. There are more Metal Heads along this path, and unfortunately due to the open nature of the environment the Beam Reflexor isn't quite as useful as it was earlier. Use the Mass Inverter to hold up the jumping Metal Heads if you find you're struggling to hit them.
Press on along this path, taking out the Metal Heads, until you reach the Light Eco fountains. Fill your meter if necessary, transform into Light Jak and use Flight to reach the thin strip of walkway to the south. There are yet more Metal Heads along this section, so keep your Beam Reflexor equipped as you follow the path. You'll soon come to another Light Eco fountain, so top up if need be, double jump up onto the piston to your right and use Flight to reach the next ledge. As you walk into the next room, hordes of Metal Heads will appear, so have your weapon ready. When you've cleared the room, fill up on Dark Eco at the fountain, turn into Dark Jak and use the Dark Strike to smash through the barrier in the far corner of the room.
Revert to your normal state and follow this newly opened passage to the end. Hop down the platforms (be very careful and quick, as they crumble away) to the next piece of solid ground and smash the crates for ammo. Jump across to the next crumbling platform, then onto the path to your right. Be careful here - jumping Metal Heads are on the attack, and it's quite easy to lose your footing on this awkward surface. The next two chasms can be crossed by grinding along the fallen poles using your JetBoard. When you reach the other side, continue to follow the path, watching out for Metal Heads.
When you reach the end of this path, jump across to the crumbling platforms and quickly onto the next bit of solid ground. There's another barrier here that can only be destroyed with a Dark Strike, so fill up on Dark Eco if you need to and take care of it. Take out the Metal Heads beyond the gate and jump across the gap to the next area. More jumping Metal Heads will attack here - just use your Beam Reflexor to take them out. In order to cross this next chasm, you'll have to whip out your JetBoard and grind along the metal rails. There are two jumps you'll have to make from rail to rail to reach the other side.
Jump across to the next ledge via the crumbling platforms, taking out any Metal Heads you encounter. There's another rail for you to grind along to reach the next area. When you reach the other side, you'll be greeted by a large number of jumping Metal Heads. Conventional tactics will once again pay off here, so stick with the tried-and-tested strategies listed so far. There are more crumbling platforms to your left, which you'll have to use to climb up to the next level. Silence the Metal Heads and head up the nearby slope. There's one last barrier on the south wall here, so transform into Dark Jak and bust it open with a Dark Strike. Head through the gap in the wall to trigger a cutscene and move on to the next mission.
You'll spend the duration of this mission in Damas' Ram Rod car. This vehicle is incredibly durable, is equipped with a devastating cannon and features a front-mounted battering ram to break through obstacles. In addition, it also features infinite boost for this mission.
This mission is essentially little more than a flat-out drive from the start of the course to the finish, periodically stopping to break through sealed gates and other obstacles in order to clear a path for yourself. Because the course is linear in design, I won't give you directions. Instead, I'll just point out how to overcome the various obstacles you'll encounter. There are Darkmakers who will attack you, but your vehicle is so durable that providing you keep them suppressed with a steady stream of bullets from your cannon, there is virtually no threat to you in this mission. The only real danger is the barrage of flaming boulders dropping from the sky, but as long as you keep moving they shouldn't be any problem.
Follow the course until you come to the first obstacle - a gate blocking your path. Use your boost to burst through it and continue on your way. The next obstacle is a forcefield which must be shut off. To do this, drive into the two generators here (there's one on either side of this area). Continue along the course, boosting into the towers to knock them down and convert them into bridges you can cross. You'll soon reach another forcefield, preceded by a generator which must be destroyed before you can pass.
Continue on your way, following the course as it twists and turns. You'll eventually come to another gate which must be knocked down, followed by a third forcefield. Destroy the generator nearby to cut the power and proceed through the gate. The next obstacle you'll encounter is also a forcefield, and you must locate and disable two generators before this one will power down. In the next part of the course, there are three generators, all of which must be destroyed to disable the fifth forcefield. The last forcefield is a little trickier, though.
Head to the northwest corner of this final area and destroy the first generator. Drop down into the ditch and smash through one of the two gates. There is a slope beyond them - drive up it, smash through the gate to the left and drive straight on to smash the second generator. There are two towers here that must be knocked down to reach the remaining generators. Hit the northmost tower first, drive across the bridge and destroy the generator. Head back across the bridge and repeat the process with the southern tower. The fourth generator lies in wait across this bridge. The final tower is on this island, so knock it down and drive across it to reach the fifth and final generator. Smash it to disable the forcefield, and pass through the gate to trigger a tragic and emotional cutscene in which you'll learn a lot more about Jak and Damas.
This mission plays out almost identically to the earlier mission "Travel Through the Catacomb Subrails". Once again, you'll be in a Subrail car and navigating the dangerous underground Subrail network. If you need a refresher on the concept and suggested strategies, use the Table of Contents to return to the aforementioned mission (it's near the end of Act One), as there aren't enough differences to warrant putting any new tactics in this part of the guide. The only real changes to speak of are the number of obstacles, which has increased significantly since your last Subrail trip.
When you reach the end of this course, another long story-related cutscene will play, revealing some unexpected secrets about the Precursors. At the end of this sequence, the next mission will begin immediately.
You should recognise the area you end up in - it's the Darkmaker ship, the same location you guided the robot through in the mission "Destroy the Dark Ship Shield". You'll be taking a different path through it this time, with the ultimate aim of blowing it up. You have a five minute time limit to make it to your destination and shut down the ship once and for all.
Take out all the Darkmakers in this first room. Doing so will open a door leading into the next section of the ship. There are some flying Darkmakers in here who will make this next part more difficult than it already is if you don't kill them, so whip out the Beam Reflexor and take care of them. You must then perform a series of jumps across the bridge, waiting for the segments of the bridge to rotate into a position where they're safe to stand on. Climb up the steps and push on into the next room, taking out any Darkmakers that get in your way. When you've cleared the area head through the tunnel to reach the next room.
In this room you'll have more Darkmakers to contend with so keep your weapon at the ready. To progress through this room you'll have to wait for retractable poles to emerge from the walls, and then use the limited timeframe to jump to them, swing round and release to propel yourself to the next ledge. When you defeat all the Darkmakers in this room, the door blocking the exit will open. Head through the tunnel, taking out any enemies you encounter, until you come to a Light Eco vent. Fill your meter up and use Light Jak's Flight power to glide from platform to platform until you reach the next tunnel.
You'll soon come to another gap in the ground. Use Flight to get across this chasm and take out the Darkmakers on the other side to open the final door. Step onto the lift in this room to travel down to the core of the ship. Step out into the vast room to trigger a cutscene. After the events unfold, you'll need to make your escape from the ship. Sprint along the bridge in front of you, watching out for loose flooring and dodging any obstacles that come flying towards you. When you reach the teleporter at the other end of the bridge, another cutscene will play out.
So this is what it's all been building up to. You'll regain control of Jak inside the Sand Shark, just outside the desert gate. Head for the multitude of flashing red dots in the northwest corner of the map, signifying the location of the final boss.
BOSS BATTLE - The Final Boss
First Phase - In the first phase of this "battle", you'll have to destroy several energy cores located on the legs of the boss. There are 14 of these purple cores (each represented by a flashing red dot on the HUD map) and you'll have to use the Sand Shark's guns to destroy them. Of course, there's more to it than that. You'll also have to watch out for the boss' feet and the mines it drops in its wake, both of which can cause a lot of hurt to your vehicle. The best way to approach this is to try and focus on one leg at a time, to save any unnecessary to-ing and fro-ing between legs when searching for the final cores. It's also a lot harder to hit the cores on the front of the leg than those on the back of the leg. A good technique to use is to boost to overtake the leg, and then skid-turn to face the core before firing on it.
Final Phase - When all the cores have been destroyed, another cutscene will play, after which the second and final phase will begin. You're now on top of the boss, and must ascend to the top of the pyramid to finish it off once and for all. Killing all the enemies on a level will reveal a platform that will raise you up to the next. Repeat this process on all the levels until you reach the top.
Here, you'll encounter the boss proper. You must destroy the tentacles, then take on the enemies on the top of the pyramid until none remain. After this, the boss will use a tracking laser beam, which you can avoid by fleeing towards the back of the arena. When you achieve this, two fountains will appear (a Light Eco fountain and a Dark Eco fountain), and the boss will begin sliding a horizontal laser beam across the top of the pyramid - this can be avoided by jumping over it. Use this opportunity to heal using the Regeneration power, then transform into Dark Jak. You'll notice that after the boss uses its laser beam attack, it turns its head away from you. Use this opportunity to hit the back of the boss' head with a Dark Strike. After this, the boss will slam its head on the top of the pyramid (?????) and the phase will start over.
Naturally, the boss will use ever stronger variations of these tactics each time you hit it. You'll have to face greater numbers of enemies in each wave, and the boss will even start to mix tactics (using its tracking laser beam while you're fighting, for example). You'll have to land four successful hits on the boss to defeat it and complete the game's final mission.
Congratulations, you've beaten Jak 3, one of the PS2's greatest platformers. After that gruelling final fight, all that remains is to sit back and watch the closing cutscenes. Don't be in a rush to turn off your console during the credits, though. There's a lot more to do in the game beyond the main story missions this guide has covered. There are side missions to complete, Precursor orbs to find, and secrets to purchase. A ton of extra content is still at your fingertips, so do some exploring. Who knows what you'll find...
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