The story though is what kept me coming back to the two others. While I liked the story from the first one, it got sooo much more interesting in the second one, and the layers 2 and 3 added to the original was just pretty awesome. I feel like they in general just introduced waay too many unnecessary characters though, who were either built up to more, or whom we didn't even get any information about, though the main culprit of this was actually the first one.
I feel the same way. Like Lilith, I played Jak II first, but I don't have much interest in playing the first game because I don't think it will immerse and interest me as much as the second one, and the third once I pick that back up. I started it the other night after my boyfriend beat Jak II (after playing through the latter half of the game without me... ~_~). I do plan on picking up a copy of the first soon though, and then I'll replay Jak II after I beat it. But for now, still gonna go through Jak III...lmao.
Also, my first experience with the game is when my cousin at the time had the game at our grandparents house. He was mean and never let me play, and would get mad even if I watched. Glad they're not related to me anymore, lol. But yeah, this series is one that I hated missing out on back when PS2 was a current thing. I'm glad I'm finally catching up on it now.