Jak 3, the final game in the Naughty Dog-birthed trilogy, has arrived in time for the holiday season, but it wasn't what I expected. The game features refinements in the series that fix the nagging problems of Jak II, and there are a couple of new items worth noting here that will make fans of the series giddy , but I played the game for several hours, bringing down wild beasts and kicking butt with the Dark Jak powers, and I still can't get into the game as deeply as I could with the Ratchet and Clank titles. Something held me back from enjoying the game. That doesn't make it a bad effort, mind you; it's just one that's really hard to connect with.

Following up to the story of Jak II, the game follows Jak and Daxter after they've been banished from Haven City and placed into a desolate desert. They're taken in and given new citizenship in an all new city, but soon find themselves involved in an ongoing war involving all kinds of dangerous enemies. Jak, who still can't get over the fact that he's now packing incredibly frivolous Dark powers, embarks on an adventure to set things right.

The first thing you'll notice about Jak 3 is the game's outstanding graphical achievements. There's zero loading time, and some of the environments are superbly designed, with better linear level construction so there are not so many annoying free-roaming moments to put up with. The animation is fluid, especially on some of the later enemies, and the lighting effects are top of the line, right down to the explosions. Sometimes the frame rate takes a nose dive to fit all the details in, but the visuals always look good.

Gameplay wise, a lot of Jak 2's gameplay tweaks have been thrown back in, including some vehicular stages that offer up lots of driving action across open terrain, the return of the hover board riding stages (which is still a bit trickier than it needs to be), and the ability to man a turret and gun down a barrage of enemies from time to time. Jak and Daxter's platform antics are also back, with melee team attacks and the ability to use different attacks, as well as the inclusion of Dark Jak powers, where he becomes a different being that allows him to become more destructive and versatile. What's new here are some Light Jak powers, including being able to fly with ease and heal damage, which comes in handy after a huge battle. There's not too much new stuff here, but the extra vehicles and Light Jak powers aren't too shabby.

In terms of sound, Jak 3 is kind of a mixed bag. The voice acting is on the mark, as Naughty Dog hired a good variety of actors to bring the characters life, and the sound effects are well done, particularly some of the awesome explosion sounds that are so loud they'll probably shake your shelves with the right speakers. However, the music's kind of off and on. Some tracks are awesome, others just lie there like background fodder.

There are also bonuses to uncover, like slick little mini-games that can be unlocked for just the right number of collected orbs, developer commentary during cinemas that's fascinating to listen to, and other little hidden items that can improve your general gameplay performance. However, multiplayer has sadly been left out, and this is a big element that could have worked in the game's favor, especially with vehicles.

So Jak 3 has presentation down pat, and some gameplay elements that sound fantastic. So why doesn't the game work as well as it should? Some people will find Jak 3's world welcoming and will be engulfed for hours. However, for me, I kept running into too many moments where it wasn't really as tremendously fun as it could have been. Item collecting gets somewhat dull, and there are a few ridiculously frustrating moments where you have to find a particular item in a certain amount of time, or you get stuck until it's finished. Who needs that when you want to destroy something?

Jak 3 is certainly not without its own collection of merits. It's still a well-designed game that is sure to keep fans packed in their seats until the finale unfolds (which was also a little disappointing, considering this is the final chapter), and it's got enough stuff in it to keep you trying. But some people may not connect to the experience like they were meant to, and it's a little frustrating. It's like going out on a luxurious date with a beautiful woman, and then, for the kiss good night, getting a little peck on the cheek instead of a full-on smooch. It teases you for so much more than it could have been, and there's no second date on the horizon. Fans will want to give it a look, but otherwise, you might want to check out Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal instead. Now THAT'S an epic conclusion.