From Batman's Robin to Late Night's Andy Richter to the supporting cast of Seinfeld, history has shown us that when sidekicks get their shot at going solo, it usually doesn't turn out too well. The latest to rebuke second fiddle is Jak's wisecracking partner in platforming, Daxter. His very own portable adventure bridges the gap between Jak and Daxter and Jak II, explaining why it took the pint-sized ottsel (half-otter, half-weasel) two years to free his better-known buddy from torture and imprisonment. Turns out he was busy ... swatting bugs. But don't be too quick to judge—these are pretty nasty bugs.
Daxter's adventures in extermination offer nonstop thrills, a variety of gameplay and visual splendor that raise the bar for PSP titles. This could've been a major PS2 release with virtually no tweaking. The story is less brooding and self-important than other chapters in the Jak saga, but that's primarily due to the absence of the brooding and self-important Jak. Daxter's made the most of his rare chance to shine, so don't be too surprised if the next chapter has Jak sitting on Daxter's shoulder.
FINAL FIGHT: STREETWISE by Capcom (1 star)
Platforms: PlayStation 2.
Rated: M.
Cody, star of the original Final Fight, has gotten too old for fighting, and it seems his series has passed its prime as well. But unlike Cody, the franchise is refusing to quit, opting instead to chronicle the battles of Cody's annoying younger brother, Kyle. The story goes like this: Kyle punches people, and sometimes they're smart enough to punch back, but not often. Let's hope this Final Fight lives up to its title.
PURSUIT FORCE by Sony Computer Entertainment (4 stars)
Platforms: PlayStation Portable.
Rated: T.
If you assembled only the unlikeliest stunts from every absurd action movie in Jerry Bruckheimer's repertoire, you'd wind up with Pursuit Force. As the sole member of the titular team, you'll chase enemy vehicles, jump onto them, shooting the bad guys in midair (in stylish slo-mo), kick their corpses to the curb and continue the chase in their vehicle. It's awfully stupid, but awfully fun.
STREET SUPREMACY by Konami (1.5 stars)
Platforms: PlayStation Portable.
Rated: E.
The biggest problem with this game is that it's mistakenly targeted at street-racing enthusiasts. It really ought to be aimed at load-screen enthusiasts, since the loading times frequently last longer than the races. What's that? There's no such thing as a load-screen enthusiast? Then since PSP discs are too small to function as coasters, this game serves no purpose at all.
Matthew Scott Hunter has been known to mumble, "Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start" in his sleep. E-mail him at
[email protected].