I saw the game's introductory cinematic, then played two levels of Daxter: the game's first level, and a level entitled "Dream Sequence." Set before Jak II, the franchise's hero is captured but his wisecracking partner escapes. After accidently knocking out a guard in his frantic dash to escape, Daxter is noticed by an old man who runs an insect extermination business. Daxter is eventually hired by the man as an exterminator and receives a backpack-mounted bug spray cannon.

The most surprising moment I had in the game was when I realized of what other game it was reminding me: Super Mario Sunshine (GCN). If you've played that title you'll have a good idea of what to expect from the bug sprayer. Daxter can shoot the weapon for a certain distance in front of him--in this game it will very briefly stun enemies--and can also fire it in a downward direction in order to gain some extra distance while jumping across gaps. One nice touch is that the cannon will auto-lock on a target when firing at an enemy, which allows you to circle strafe around the enemy; the only problem is that sometimes you'd rather spray several enemies in sequence. The multi-use bug spray will also be used to help Daxter progress pass certain obstacles. A feature list that popped up after completing the demo noted that the bug sprayer will be "upgradable," though it did not specify in what capacity.

The first level is a straightforward cavern-crawling linear affair, scattered with spider-like enemies that must be exterminated. It wasn't particularly difficult, though the larger spiders did give me a bit of grief. The game uses an invisible checkpoint system and, at least for this demo, has infinite "lives." The environments and models are vibrant and well-realized, and the PSP's hardware is obviously put to good use. Daxter himself is well modeled and well animated, an important element in a character-centric game. He's got his trademark obnoxious quips, which seem to be a love it or hate it element for gamers; that said, I'll leave that bit up to you. There are some nice particle effects on the bug spray, both in its standard form and in the flamethrowing form it takes on when used near an open fire. The game does a very good job of replicating the colorful atmosphere of the franchise's PS2 iterations. There's a nice soft color palette and everything feels coherent. Fans of the series should feel right at home.

Daxter controls like you'd expect: the analog nub for movement, the face buttons for jumping and attacking, and the shoulder buttons for rotating the camera. I was hoping to have the option of using the d-pad for control, but that's a minor quibble. Instead, the down button on the d-pad is used to look around the environment in first person mode while standing still. The game plays well. Daxter does what you want him to, and for the most part you won't find yourself wrestling with the camera. It doesn't take long to be jumping around and spraying stuff left and right.

A little more unexpected is the other level I played, the "Dream Sequence." I'm not filled in on the context of this level, but it certainly doesn't come after the one I had just played. In a very blatant Matrix reference or homage or parody, Daxter finds himself in a dim courtyard wearing black sunglasses and a black trenchcoat. After performing a few vaguely kung-fu-ish moves, he starts being attacked by identical enemies who zero in on him one at a time. Here, the game actually becomes a DDR-like minigame. As each enemy approaches Daxter, a circular PlayStation button will appear on the ground, and the player must press the corresponding button just as the enemy passes over it. Doing so will take out the enemy with a scripted kung fu attack, and failing to do so will knock off a health point. It's a bit odd, but a nice break from platforming.

The game's music is a lush orchestrated score that at first seems a bit too epic for a little otter/weasel thing running around killing bugs, but it fits the bright visual style and provides pleasant accompaniment to the gameplay. In the Dream Sequence level, there's of course more of a Matrix-inspired techno track playing.

Some kind of local wireless multiplayer is planned for the game, though it's unclear exactly what that will entail. Daxter will also be one of the few games to take advantage of connectivity between the PS2 and PSP, and connecting the game with Naughty Dog's Jak X: Combat Racing (PS2) will unlock some new vehicles and characters in Jak X and some unknown elements in Daxter.

Daxter doesn't necessarily do anything hugely surprising or unconventional with its platformer gameplay, and most of its elements will be recognizable to people who have played the Jak & Daxter games--particularly the first one--as well as, yes, Super Mario Sunshine. That said, the PSP has been without a really standout 3D platformer, revolutionary or not, and Ready At Dawn seems to be competently crafting a game to fill that void. What I've played of the game is fun and in the spirit of its console cousins, so PSP owners should look out for the game when it ships late this March.