Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams

"Far superior in almost every way to the original"

The original Tak game was not all that original, as the use of the animals was not used that often or even in very clever ways. Tak 2 now has much greater innovation, controls better, looks better, lasts longer, and is one major surprise to someone who did not like the first one very much at all.

GRAPHICS: 10/10 If you've read my reviews before you will know that I do not haphazardly go around throwing out very many 10's. This time it is wholely earned. The environments are just drop dead gorgeous. If you start the game and are not impressed, mainly due to having read all the high praise this game has gotten, just wait. By the time you ride down the rapids in a barrel, about an hour into the game, you just won't believe it. As hard as this part was too pass, and as much as I was cursing it out for being so hard, so early, it was worth it just to keep seeing what they have managed to do here. There are a lot of different areas in the game and they all look wondrous. Think of the best looking platform game you have played until now, and double it, seriously.

MUSIC/SOUND: 7/10 The one complaint here is that there just isn't that much music in it, and what is there is hardly memorable, but I expect my expectations are too high after seeing how good the game looks.

CAMERA/CONTROL: 8/10 The controls in the first game, especially doing a long jump using the staff, were far from great; luckily they have been vastly improved. The controls are spot on, and the camera never seems to get in the way. Unfortunately, there are a lot of different combinations to learn, so you will probably just end up picking one and using it, rather than trying to remember them all.

GAME PLAY: You will be doing basic platform stuff, but without the need for a lot of collecting. Unlike the first game, it is far easier to navigate this world without getting lost. There is even a helpful flea giving you information, and pretty much leading you to what you need to do, and feathers also help guide you along. The use of animals is far more prevalent now, as well, and a lot easier to do. In the first game getting a bear to throw you could be quite a challenge, but now, it is more complicated, yet easier to pull off. You need to get a bear to a bee's nest honey comb, where he will lay down and you can jump on him to get to higher areas, but if there are no higher areas, on the third jump he picks you up and throws you. Even the Tiki shrines have been improved, now you come upon them and can easily find the totem to put in them. My biggest complaint with the first game was never knowing where to go and never having what I needed when I got there, as well as not getting the animals to cooperate. I was taking a big chance on even getting this game, but, as it turns out, they have improved everything that needed improving so much that this could be the platformer to get; that is, if you consider "Ratchet and Clank" to be an adventure game.

VALUE: 7/10 As far as these types of games are concerned, it is longer than most, about 15-20 hours, but you can also unlock quite a few mini games. Once you've finished it, though, there is no reason to play it again. My rating is a bit higher than I would normally give a game of this length, but it is $10 less than most ,and is far superior in almost every category.

FINAL COMMENTS: If you loved the first game, you have to have this. If you hated the first game, mostly for the problems I outlined above, you need to at least rent it and see how good a sequel can be.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/04