Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams

Gamezilla!

Although the “saving a princess” theme maybe overused, the story itself is well told and original with bits of humor scattered in.

Game Chronicles

Everything about this game is bigger and better than the original, and considering the original game was sheer brilliance that’s saying a lot.

IGN

The game's camera system -- occasionally disobedient, to say the least -- could use some work. The framerate sometimes stutters. And there are some trial and error gameplay moments, which always manage to frustrate. Still, Tak 2 remains a fun, beautiful platformer that both Nickelodeon and THQ can be proud of.

Gaming Age

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.

PGNx Media

While the gameplay in Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams isn’t that original, Avalanche succeeds at making you care for the characters because of their distinctive personality, which shines through the story.

GameBiz

GameBiz is confident to suggest this title as a purchase for any gamer aged between the ages of eight and twelve.

AceGamez

One of the best platform offerings to hit these systems in a while, plus a quality children's game for which the competition is extremely limited.

Xbox World Australia

Through the humour you grow to like the characters, and because of this the experience feels a lot more enjoyable than many other titles aimed at the younger market.

GameZone

Whatever you choose, don't expect an experience on the level of the first game -- that's something Tak 2 can't give.

Team Xbox

One of the best platformers currently available on the Xbox and the gameplay is surprisingly challenging and deep. The humor of the script is what keeps Tak 2 an enjoyable game to play through and is reminiscent of movies like "Toy Story" and "Monsters Inc."

Gaming Target

By no means a genre defining (or reinventing) game, Tak 2 delivers a solid experience from start to finish.

Official Xbox Magazine

While Tak 2 won't score points for innovation, it delivers enough humor and action to satisfy your platforming desires. [Dec 2004, p.82]

Worth Playing

The mini-games were without question added to increase the replay value of this game and they did such to at least some degree. I admit they are kind of fun and it is cool that they added them I guess I just would rather play one of my other multiplayer centric games instead.

Game Informer

The art direction, character design, and storytelling are all top notch. [Nov 2004, p.146]

TotalGames.net

A great idea, until you realise that the levels are quite linear and the animal interaction fairly basic. This is a great game to buy for your kids, but if you're buying it for yourself expect to get bored very quickly.

Gaming Nexus

Even for those not willing to hop into gaming’s “kiddy pool,” come on in: the water’s fine.

GameSpy

Combines great gameplay with entertaining characters and extremely pretty visuals for a surprisingly fun gaming experience.

Yahoo! Games

Tak 2's biggest flaw is that we've seen it all before. It's not a bad game, and is certainly a lot better than its predecessor, but it really doesn't do anything particularly well.

GamerFeed

Not only does it provide great comical overtones and a worthy quest, it also has some neat sub-stages and mini-games to occupy your time.

GameSpot

Definitely a more well-conceived game than The Power of Juju, and there are some genuinely fresh, inventive ideas at work here. The problem is, the whole experience is muddled by an inconsistent difficulty and slapdash level designs, and these good ideas don't quite coalesce into a good game.

Play Magazine

Tak 2 is a solid day's worth of trippy fun and visual euphoria...but they had to check "epic" at the door to make it happen. [Nov 2004, p.52]

Jolt Online Gaming UK

Featuring jumping, gliding, twatting things with sticks, and bucket loads of what some would call “wit”, this game has it all.

Xbox Nation Magazine

Dreams is just a by-the-numbers platformer, albeit a genuinely funny oe. [Dec 2004, p.89]

Pelaaja (Finland)

The game is better suited for younger gamers, but as an solid platformer, it’s still enjoyable for the mature, genre-loving gamers as well. [May 2005, p.75]

Sydney Morning Herald

But beyond the odd wild ride on the back of a beast, negotiating the levels is a tame affair. This could prove frustrating for some, as the level of difficulty is often unbalanced.