Reviews - Jak and Daxter. Publisher: Sony. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99.

IT MAY have a stupid name but Naughty Dog has deservedly carved itself a formidable reputation for decent video games.

The company that gave us Crash Bandicoot, unofficial mascot for the PlayStation, passed on the opportunity to take the character onto the PS2 a couple of years back. That job was handed to another team as the guys at Naughty Dog preferred to do something different.

The result, called Jak and Daxter, isn't really that different at all and its free-roaming platform mechanics owe a big debt to the granddaddy of modern video games, Mario 64.

The environments are beautifully realised - a hint of what the new Mario game on Gamecube will look like - and the control system is completely intuitive. You can just pick up and play, learning at your own pace, which is the mark of a well thought-out game.

The idea is to collect power cells. To achieve this aim, your characters must complete a series of objectives spread across the game's vast landscapes. As with Mario 64, you can explore pretty much wherever you want.

Age of Empires II: Gold Edition. Publisher: Microsoft. Format: PC. Price: £39.99. Age Of Empires II: Age of Kings. Publisher: Konami. Format: PS2 DVD. Price: £39.99.

ANY PC strategists who missed out on Age of Empires II now have no excuse not to add Microsoft's superb title to their collections.

The Age of Empires II Gold Edition box set is well worth seeking out containing, as it does, two of the most highly praised real time strategy titles ever published.

The original Age II starts after the fall of Rome when the world is up for grabs to whoever has the biggest and best armies.

The aim is build a kingdom and rule your empire through military might, diplomacy (usually just a stalling tactic before the real fighting starts) and canny trade deals.

It's an engrossing and entertaining game that will keep you busy for weeks. Keep an eye open for special guest stars, including Joan of Arc and Braveheart himself, William Wallace.

And when you exhaust Age II, slip the other disk from the smart case to discover The Conquerors expansion pack which adds five new civilisations, four new campaigns, 11 new units and 26 technologies to discover. You want to join Attila as he lays waste to much of the free world? This is the game that allows you to do it.

Both of these titles are well worth the price of admission. The icing on the cake has to be the bonus maps and recorded highlights of the master gamers at work - look and learn.

Owners of the PS2 need not feel left out, either. The first Age II has just been published for the console. As the first RTS strategic title on the format, it deserves to do well. Anyone after a game a bit more cerebral than your average PS2 title needs look no further.

Published: 11/01/02