Tak and the Power of Juju

"Juju Power Is At Work Here"

I received this game a present from my uncle one Christmas, and to be honest, I wasn't very excited about it at first. But after actually playing the game, I was actually quite thrilled with it. Tak and the Power of the Juju is another attempt at a platforming series, and to be quite honest, it may be able to achieve that.

Graphics -
The graphics in this game are actually very well done. From the stunning cinematics, to the overall lush environments, everything is rendered very nicely. The only problem I had with the graphics was the lack of detail in some of the characters throughout. Other than that though, the graphics are pretty much perfect, especially for this game.
Rating - 9/10

Gameplay -
Tak is pretty much your typical platformer. Jump, climb, attack enemies, ride on the back of a rhino and an ostrich; the usual. Tak uses his basic weapons to swing at enemies, and destroy them. This aspect can be a bit sluggish at times, as can the jumping, but it still works in its current form. The levels are large and varied, ranging from the jungle and tree tops to snow covered mountains and various temples. There are a couple boss battles, none of which are particularly exciting, but are a nice break from the sometimes dull enemies. Overall, the game progresses nicely, with challenges varying throughout.
Rating - 8/10

Story -
You play Tak, a member of the Pupununu tribe. One day, an evil Shaman steals the power of the Moon Goddess, leaving every member of the tribe as a sheep except for you and the Shaman. At first, it is your job to try and restore the form of the village hero, Lok, but soon enough it becomes clear that Lok is not returning to himself, and it is up to you to save the rest of your village from the evil Shaman.
Rating - 7/10

Sound -
The first thing I have to mention about this section is the excellent voice acting, they just suck you in. The background music is nothing special to speak of, but it works for the numerous environments. Sound effects ranging from your club to animals and noises in the area can become rather repetitive at times, but are nicely done.
Rating - 8/10

Replayability -
The game is by no means incredibly long, it should last around 15 hours or so to obtain everything. As you progress, you are asked to collect various objects, including Nubu Plants, Yorbels, and a number of Juju powers. Now unless you are a perfectionist, you don't even need to collect some of these leaving very little to be done in the end. You can go back and dirtboard or snowboard, trying to obtain the fastest times or highest score, but this only lasts a short amount of time.
Rating - 6/10

Overall -
While the platforming aspects are mixed in with different powers to aid you in your quest, this quest will not last too long and will leave you with very little to do once you are finished. In the end, it is an enjoyable experience while it lasts.
Rating - 9 + 8 + 7 + 8 + 6 = 38/50 -> 8/10

Buy or rent -
Simply put, I thought this game was great. Many people may find the gameplay to be boring at times, or the sounds to be repetitive, but don't let that get in the way of an enjoyable game. However, the lack of replay value and short time it will take to finish the game are a hindrance that keep me from actually recommending this game. I'm going to have to go with a rent on this one.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/19/07, Updated 01/23/07