Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams

Like any other hardcore gamer out there, I love a good platform game and the GameCube is home to some pretty excellent ones.  Among my favorites is the original Tak, a game that was not only wildly original but also lots of fun to play.  So it didn’t come as a surprise that THQ and Nick Games released a sequel, but is it any good?  Let’s just say that Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams is what platform dreams are made of.

In the first game, a dark sorcerer threatened the land that included the Pupanunu village and its people.  Yet an unlikely hero arose by the name of Tak, apprentice of a wise shaman named Jibolba and stopped the evil sorcerer by turning him into a harmless sheep.  Time passed and Tak has been having unusual dreams that reveal to the shaman-in-training that it’s imperative that he rescue (are you ready for this?) a princess.  To make matters worse, someone broke the powerful Staff of Dreams and is bringing nightmare creatures from the Dream World into Tak’s world.  Reluctantly accepting this important quest, young Tak takes on a mission that pokes fun at all the platform game clichés and takes us on a pretty wild ride.

At the start of the game, The Staff of Dreams plays like every other platform game you’ve ever played.  Tak can jump, toss things and smash objects or enemies using some kind of blunt object as a weapon.  Yet the more you play you’ll quickly come to realize that nothing is always as it seems.  For starters, Tak can learn attack combos.  Using his Thwark, Tak can perform a number of attack combos that become necessary to master since certain enemies can only be defeated in a certain way.  Secondly, part of being a shaman-in-training is to learn Juju Powers (such as the ability to run fast, for instance) and put them to good use.  Tak even carries around his mentor, Jibolba, in flea form so he can toss his mentor into an animal (Jibolba can then bite the animal to get a reaction from them).

The game’s real charm not only come from the story--and it’s a pretty good story--but the other little features that keep the game fresh from start to finish.  The environments are filled with animals that make up many of the game's different platform puzzles.  For instance, in order to reach an area blocked off by rubble, Tak can hit a skunk that rightly douses him with its stink, then Tak can go and bother a bear that flings the little guy on the opposite end of the blocked off area.  Is there a platform that’s too high to reach?  All you have to do is seek out a bear that’s busily licking drops of honey that fall from a beehive and use its belly as a trampoline.  Later in the game, Tak learns the ability to morph into different animals (everything from a squirrel to a frog).

This is also quite a lengthy adventure for a platform game.  The levels mix it up by placing our hero in both the Dream Word and his own world but he’ll meet various characters that help him out (like Flora) or get in his way (Fauna).  One level has him going down some rapids in a barrel while another has him collecting candy for a powerful spirit that helps him.  He’ll also come to rely on collecting insects and other objects to mix Juju Potions to replenish any Juju Powers he used up.  He also has to rely on eight different Juju spirits, one of them being two really huge feet.

The Staff of Dreams has one flaw and it can be a major problem at times.  The camera often doesn’t give you the best view of your surroundings and this becomes irritating when you discover that the other ledge was a lot farther than it looked.  This makes timed jumps, like the ones where you must grab a vine to swing to another spot, very difficult.  While this isn’t always the case, the times the camera does become your enemy will be at times when you needed a good view of the action. 

Tak 2 is also a visually appealing game with gorgeously rendered backdrops, wonderfully animated cut scenes and cute characters that aren’t too overly cutesy.  Tak goes between two realities and both worlds are filled with incredibly detailed environments--the dream world has surreal landscapes while the other has lush vegetation and sparkling waterfalls.  The characters and animals, both during the game’s action and during cut scenes, will remind of you of the animated film Ice Age.  The visual effects, especially the animal morphing and the use of Juju Powers, won’t fail to impress. 

The wonderfully colorful soundtrack that plays throughout the game makes for some pretty catchy tunes and it fits the game’s overall vibe just right.  Yet what really steals the show is the voice acting that brings the surprisingly witty dialogue to life rather perfectly.  In fact, the game’s humorous dialogue makes the cut scenes a real treat . . . particularly when it involves Lok (voiced by Patrick Warburton, who is better known as the deliciously hammy Puddy on Seinfeld).  It’s refreshing to hear a platform game make fun of the genre and even more refreshing to hear dialogue that can appeal to both the younger and older demographic.  The sound effects are also great.

Funny and highly addictive, Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams is not only an amazing sequel but one of the most entertaining platform games you’ll find on the GameCube this year.  Filled to the brim with incredibly crafty levels, likeable characters, spectacular graphics and plenty of juicy extras, the game won’t fail to hook gamers both young and old.  This one is well worth the purchase price so if you’re looking for a great platform game, this is the one to buy. 

Gameplay: 8.5
The responsive controls make for a pretty addictive platform game but thanks to the awful camera--that often gets in the way of jumping or aiming--it ruined what could have been the perfect platform game.  Still, even with this major flaw, the game throws into the mixer various attack combos, a variety of Juju Powers and enough interaction with the wildlife to result in a game you’ll easily pick up but find hard to put down.   

Graphics: 8.7
By far one of the most stunning-looking platform games on the GameCube, Tak 2 is a visual treat.  The backgrounds are gorgeously rendered and the characters are nicely detailed.  Tak also interacts with the environment in more ways than just making footprints on mud.  The camera does often have you struggling to get a better view of the action.  

Sound: 8.2
The voice acting is top notch and the dialogue is downright hysterical at times.  With so many amusing characters (most notably Lok who wakes Tak from his sixteen day slumber by pushing his armpit into Tak‘s nose) who are voiced just right, you’ll find yourself enjoying the constant stabs at platform game clichés.  The music is catchy and the sound effects, particularly the animal noises, are a delight to listen to throughout the game.

Difficulty: Medium
The puzzles are actually pretty clever.  While some puzzles have obvious solutions, they involve the surroundings and the things within it so solving them will keep you very busy.  Certain enemies require you to use attack combos to defeat or, in the case of the nightmare creature that turns invisible, to daze them first with your bola and then attack with the Thwark.

Concept: 9.0
Hmm, okay, let’s see what this game has to offer.  This game has great story and an unexpectedly lengthy single player mode.  The game also has zany yet unique powers that include morphing into an animal and loads of extras.  There’s even a two-player multiplayer mode with enough min-games to keep you playing the game long after you beat it.

Multiplayer: 8.5
While I wish the game allowed up to four players, the two-player multiplayer mode is just filled with a number of fun and unique mini-games you’ll be happy to share with a friend.  Sure you can play the mini-games as a single player deal but Snowboard Race and Phoenix Fight are far better when playing against a friend.

Overall: 8.8
If you liked the original game, you’ll love Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams.  Not only is it bigger, better and more beautiful but it’s also one of those games that will win you over with its charming story and characters plus its too-fun-to-put-down platformer goodness.  This is a real Must Have for fans of this genre.