Tak and the Power of JuJu - GameCube

The latest in what, at present, is turning out to be a barrage of adventure platformers, Tak and the Power of Juju tells the usual tale of good versus evil, set amidst a visually-rich, fantastical world, full of magic, mayhem and, in this case, moonstones.

You assume the role of the eponymous Tak, a young shaman's apprentice-cum-unwitting hero, as you undertake the quest to recover said moonstones - stolen by an evil Jujuman - in order to save the Moon Juju and restore her powers. It's not all plain sailing however, as standing in your way is the evil villain Tlaloc, who must be overcome by using your wits, environment and also the power of the Juju gods.

The game itself sees you exploring an expansive, non-linear game world, whilst fulfilling the usual roster of objectives such as evading hazards, defeating adversaries, collecting stuff, and obtaining an assortment of power-ups. One of the main elements to the gameplay involves utilising the right combinations of animals, plants, weapons and water in order to summon Juju gods throughout each level. Furthermore, special Juju powers and power-ups are granted when you accomplish certain tasks to appease the Gods.

Alongside the help of the Juju spirit world, you also need to equip Tak's inventory and learn to master the many items at hand, including the spirit rattle, pole vault and blowpipe. All of the items you stumble upon during the adventure play an integral part in the overall quest of the game.

On a visual basis, Tak and the Power of Juju looks pretty darn sweet, with authentic physics and a host of special effects lending themselves to the creation of an extremely immersive environment. As such, you get realistic water effects, swinging ropes, real-time lighting, the currently fashionable self-shadowing, and what the developers are heralding as 'active plant technology'.

Sounds like a washing powder to us...
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