Tak and the Power of JuJu - PS2

There's no denying the rise of the 3D gaming age also brought with it a plethora of platform adventures. Some would say too many, and as a result, many of the lesser-known titles in the genre are simply overlooked in favour of the Marios and Jaks of this world. However, THQ's Tak and the Power of Juju is one game that's well worth a look.

Not the most epic of adventures, Tak's story goes something like this: in the world of Juju - that's magic to you and me - a disgruntled and vengeful wise man who goes by the name of Tlaloc decides to steal a bunch of sacred moonstones, unleashing a witty kind of evil on Tak's world, turning the majority of its population into, of all things, sheep. And yes, it's your job as Tak, an unlikely (and a little slow) hero, to put things right. And so your adventure begins.

As you may have gathered, Tak and the Power of Juju isn't the most serious of games, ditching an epic story and serious gameplay in favour of a more light-hearted affair that younger gamers will enjoy. The premise of the platform adventure remains intact for the later offering, whereby players are charged with exploring a variety of themed worlds via a central hub and collecting anything on offer before taking on a series of end-of-level bosses.

But there is one significant difference that sets it apart from most. For this adventure, players will only be able to progress by interacting with a series of jungle animals. By talking to the right animals, players can gain chicken suits to fly in and fish suits to swim in. Other animals such as rhinos and monkeys have the ability to break through heavy walls and can take out a few nearby foes.

As a whole, this game has a kind of Banjo-Kazooie feel about it. But despite the similarities to other platform games, Tak and the Power of Juju should be recognised as unique game. It's great fun, amusing at times and an adventure that kids and adults alike will like a lot. more