ithin minutes, Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams will show players two of the coolest things ever – some cutscenes that obliterate the competition in the humor and artistry departments, and one seriously bitchin’ water course.

Tak’s first outing featured amazing cinematic sequences and the sequel quite possibly improves on the earlier’s quality. Without question, it improves in quantity. I suspect that the actual number of CG minutes is probably equal for the two titles, but the second has many shorter ones at much more frequent intervals. Since the gameplay is only so-so (more on that later), the real reward for any semi-experienced player will be these sequences and, in many cases, they are worth it.

The flip side of all of this is that, with the exception of the whitewater course, Staff of Dream’s gameplay is the consummate example of derivative. Like The Power of Juju, this feels like one big fetch quest mixed with button-mashing combat and floaty platforming. It should be noted that there technically is no game-wide item to collect (except for feathers, which are instant health boosts, and potion ingredients used to unlock special features), but many of each level’s tasks are "I need some of these, go get them for me." Last time I checked, that was collecting, and Staff of Dreams feels like it’s got a lot of it. One thing to remember is that derivative isn’t necessarily the same thing as bad, it’s just all been done before.

I do think that the franchise has a lot of room for improvement, but that doesn’t mean that Tak is without his charms. The art direction, character design, and storytelling are all top notch. For those who don’t have a lot of platforming experience or just want to hear a funny tale, this certainly isn’t a bad choice, but I’ll be looking forward to the upcoming TV show more than playing this game again.  

7 The first Tak game was a funny, kiddie platformer with some issues. Tak 2 is a funny, kiddie platformer with issues. My, how far we’ve come. Like the last game, Tak 2 looks great and made me bust out laughing on several occasions. However, the gameplay is just too familiar, the controls are a bit sticky, and several portions are truly frustrating. The rumored Tak TV show has yet to materialize, but if it ever does, I’ll certainly watch it. The characters are endearing, the writing is genuinely funny, and the CG is beautiful. Sadly, I just don’t want to play the game. I’ve played too many superior platformers to want to spend time with Tak 2, but I honestly hope this series lives up to its promise.