My Talking Tom 2 Review
My Talking Tom 2 is an interactive adventure game for the iPad. It follows the story of previous title, Talking Tom, Pou and several other earlier games from the Talking Tom series. In this game, you play as Tom, a lovable kitten who returns home after spending some time away in a strange town. Your mission is to find his real owner, and to learn more about yourself as you do so.
This game has a few different aspects that set it apart from its predecessors. One such aspect is its use of the iPad’s iSight feature, which enables you to observe other people’s in-game activities. This includes conversations, and helps you determine which of your character’s negative behaviors are appropriate, or even right, based on what others are actually doing in the game. You can also learn about your character’s name and basic history by interacting with other players, taking full advantage of the interactive elements of the iPad, where every time you interact with someone in My Talking Tom 2, they will tell you everything you need to know in one conversation.
Another way in which My Talking Tom 2 differs from the original game is the amount of time you’ll need to spend training Tom (that’s what the original game was all about). Unlike the original, Tom is not automatically trained when you bring him home. Instead, you have to train yourself by answering trivia questions and practicing different commands and gestures. And, since there are several different scenarios in which Tom is required to perform his duties, the game ends up being more engaging than the typical fetch-it-and-sit-back type of adventure. For example, one scenario requires you to first fill a chest with coinage before Tom can use it to get a horse; and then another requires you to help Tom find a lost horse at an ancient castle before he can actually ride it.
The graphics of My Talking Tom 2 are simple but enjoyable. The style is very much like that of the series’ previous games: colorful graphics fit snugly onto a small, yet colorful monitor, and the sound matches the level of animation as well. It’s also a good idea to turn off the sound during particularly loud scenes, although the voice actor for Tom really does do a nice job, bringing life to the character and filling every scene with humor. And although Tom is just a machine, he does eventually learn to talk, which is nice because My Talking Tom 2 offers a better option than the traditional point-and-click method of moving the avatar through the environment. Plus sign language may not be as popular as the written word, but it is still a handy option should you ever need it.
Although My Talking Tom is clearly part of the Harvest Moon franchise, it is a game that begs to differ. Instead of harvesting crops and mowing the land, you must feed your talking Tom, fill his bowls, and clean his cage. Unlike most farming games, however, My Talking Tom 2 offers more than just food: instead of simple items and objects placed in predetermined spots on your lawn, you’ll need to find and pick up hidden treasure chests, puzzle rooms, and more. Some of these mini-games are simply fetch-it-and-put-it challenges, and many of them combine a few different games into one – complete with a variety of mazes and obstacles to conquer.
My Talking Tom also has the traditional Harvest Moon feel, complete with cows eating grass and people collecting cans along the way. There are several games in which you control Tom, making him follow a path, feed items to plants, or collect extra in-game currency. And although Tom cannot speak, he can carry any item you might need, so expect to find a mine or a fence in every mini-game. But My Talking Tom 2 offers more than just minigames: the app allows you to trade in your old items for money in the Marketplace, allowing you to level up quickly and easily and buy extra in-game currency to spend on new items.
However, My Talking Tom 2 doesn’t just take care of Tom’s everyday tasks; he gets some special treats as well. To keep Tom happy, you’ll have to find and add friends to the network. My Talking Tom gives you two choices when choosing an available friend: either buy something for that character, or ask them to teach Tom a word, a phrase, or a trick. It’s possible to teach Tom tricks, and Tom can even play games with the other characters you add – perfect for spending time with the virtual pet who never seems to get enough attention! The Marketplace also allows you to trade in your old toys for items from the Marketplace, so even if your virtual pet is sad, tired, or lonely, he’s still got something to love.
My Talking Tom is definitely a step up from its predecessor, The Forest Friends iPhone app, and it continues to bring exciting changes to the way parents interact with their kids. Not only does the networking allow you to play together as a family, you can also talk to your virtual pet about his day and what’s going on in his head. Unlike The Forest Friends, My Talking Tom 2 provides a little bit more detail about the pets and their personalities, which is another reason why we like it so much. If you’re looking for a social networking game with a twist, then the My Talking Tom 2 is definitely worth checking out.
