Previous Next

The absolute worst thing that can occur during a game is the onset of boredom. Regardless of how fun the gameplay is, if the player ends up doing the same thing over and over again, repetition diminishes that enjoyment, slowly killing any desire to progress further. But it's hard to make a product that constantly offers up new gameplay ideas and maintains a consistent level of quality.

And that's where Tak 2 really succeeds. Aside from the typical run and jump gameplay, many of the levels include clever, but not infuriatingly difficult, puzzles. For example, let's say that Tak needs to get up on that high cliff. In the immediate area you'll find a skunk, a bear and a bee hive, dripping with honey. Scaring the skunk will cause Tak to smell, which in turn causes the bear to run, thus discovering the bee hive and the accompanying honey. As he lies down to let the honey drip in his mouth, Tak can now jump on the bear's stomach as a means of reaching the cliff. Though it may sound complex, it's quite simple to perform in the context of the game. And the helpful hint system explains what needs to be done in the chance you get stuck.

Just as you tire of solving these puzzles, it's time for a mini-game, like navigating a river in a barrel or snowboarding. As you progress, new abilities and powers, such as a more powerful means of attack, are continually added to your repertoire, which helps to keep things fresh.

Tying all of this together are some very humorous cutscenes. While most of the humor is aimed at the Nickelodeon crowd, even the most jaded and cynical teenager will find it difficult to prevent a smile from creeping across their face at points.

From a technical standpoint, there's not much to complain about. The visuals are bright and colorful, never drab, never boring. The water, especially during the rafting portion, looks excellent. At times, the framerate can get a little sluggish, but never to the point where it interferes with gameplay.

My only real beef with Tak 2 would be the rotating menus. Constantly wobbling right and left, they're just hard to look at. Pausing the game to save, I often found myself bobbing along with the pause screen to ensure that I could read everything properly. Keep in mind that as my biggest complaint about Tak 2 involves a menu system that accounts for about one percent of my time with the title, this speaks volumes about the game itself.

Going into Tak 2, I didn't expect much. Not having played the first, I assumed this was yet another lackluster sequel to a mediocre platformer. Needless to say, the colorful visuals, well-paced gameplay and smart dialog came as a bit of a shock. Even more surprising was the part where I kept playing, not because I had to review it, but because I wanted to. Recommended for those platforming fans looking for something a little different.