Tak and the Power of Juju

"Weird name, great game"

''Tak and the Power of Juju.'' The name alone is bound to turn off some people. Heck, the fact that the word ''Juju'' is in the title is bound to turn off some people. But for open-minded (okay, and weird) people like me who decide to give the game a chance, you won't be disappointed.

Graphics: 9.5/10

OH MY GOSH! The graphics in this game are so good. Really, Tak looks just as good in the regular gameplay as he does in FMV's, and everything is just so... detailed. As Tak goes a-runnin' through the lush, beautiful, and large worlds, he'll leave footprints behind that actually are the shape that they're supposed to be, not just circles that mildly resemble feet. Also, the trademark feather on his cap will move realistically relative to his movements. If you sand on a hill and look off into the distance, you can see CLEAR TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LEVEL, and sometimes, YOU CAN SEE THE ENEMIES WALKING. Really, graphics don't get much better on the Gamecube.

Sound: 9/10

No problems here. The sounds are spot-on, and they sound... well, just right, from the tingle of your sidekick Flora, to the sound of Tak shooting out an acorn out of his staff. The music also fits whatever level you're on perfectly, and the boss music for those (EVIL!) magic plants... What can I say? Pure genius. Tak's voice is kind of annoying, but hey, you'll get used to it.

Story: 8.5/10

Okay, I'll admit, the story is kind of weird, even for me. But it's solid. Not to give away any spoilers, it's a typical story where some evil dude has turned townsfolk of a jungle-village into something bad (in this case, sheep), and a hero has to defeat the evil dude rescue them. However, in this story, the HERO has also been turned into a sheep. Oh boy, big problem.

So Tak, a regular villager, is sent to go get something that will turn the hero BACK into a human, where HE can then go and beat the evil dude. However, along the way, Tak finds out that it'll be impossible for the regular hero to be the hero, and he himself has to become the hero. So he goes off to get the evil dude, along with his guide, a magical green floating ball/human named Flora. Complicated? Yes. But trust me, it has its funny moments, which saves it from getting any lower.

Gameplay: 9/10

Tak and the Power of Juju's gameplay is, in one word, excellent. Not to mention innovative. Tak, being a jungle-boy and all, uses the aid of many animals in his quest in ways so strange that you'd never imagine them. Yeah, he might simply RIDE a Rhino to break through a wall, but what if the Rhino's not around? Then, he can throw a melon at a monkey so that the monkey, with its animal instincts, will then throw the melon at a switch inaccessible to you, which well then open a door that was previously locked. Now could you imagine that?

Tak can also take care of himself, though. He has the use of weapons like a club and a staff, some of which have double-uses (The staff doubles as a hand-to-hand combat weapon and an acorn shooter). And later, he gains access to (Gasp!) Juju magic!

Replay Ability: 7/10

Okay, this one's kind of lacking. Other than getting more feathers or collecting all of the Yorbels, no real replay value. But there isn't usually much in these kind of games.

Buy or Rent: Buy

Really, BUY THIS GAME! However, come to it with an open mind and a great sense of humor. If you do, you won't walk away disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/13/04