Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams

Tak is Back!

NA release: 11h October 2004
EU release: 24th October 2004
JP release: N/A
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: THQ
NGC Magazine Score: 73%
Mods Used: Widescreen Hack

The adventures of Tak continue as a strange entity instructs him to rescue a princess while in his dreams. This sets Tak on a new journey, accompanied by his mentor, Jibolba (in insect form) and the brutish dumb oaf Lock. The gameplay is much the same as the previous game, with you having to get animals to move into the right spot to progress. The structure of the game is different.

The first game had open levels where you would revisit them multiple times to collect different objects, while Tak 2 is a very linear affair, with each level its own entity that you visit once. A lot of the gameplay is similar, so they all tend to blur together. You do get given abilities throughout the game, but most are instantly forgettable while others are used for a couple of obstacles and then thrown aside. It’s not very late on that you get to transform into animals (like a flying squirrel and a frog) – that mechanic really should have been introduced near the start.

Fighting is also a much bigger part of the game, with you having multiple moves and different weapons. Bashing buttons does the trick, though, and the game tells you exactly how you dispatch each enemy as you encounter it. Some levels are nothing but fighting multiple groups of enemies.

Even the cutscenes don’t come across as impressive as the first game, with the main three characters overstaying their welcome. Their main tropes seem to be exaggerated even more, making them really annoying to be around.

Fine

Tak 2 puts a lot of thought into making its puzzles a bit more imaginative and colourful than usual, and the result is a game that, despite the ugly protagonist, does its utmost to endear itself.
Jes Bickham, NGC Magazine #105

Remake or remaster?

A remastered collection would be good.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to get Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams.