PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC
Developer: NOW PRODUCTION
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platforms: Xbox Series X , Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 26 Aug 2022
Price: $29.99 USD – Available Here
Overview
A cynical gamer would say that the number of releases, remakes, and remasters would mean that most of the gaming industry is creatively bankrupt nowadays. And while there is some slight truth in that there is another angle to it that is barely mentioned. I get to relive my childhood again! Seriously, it feels great seeing a game I played 15-20 years ago finding its way to modern systems again. PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is one of those games. A remake of Pac-Man World from 1999 with updated UI, improved visuals, and fine-tuned platforming.
Story
PAC-MAN arrives home on his birthday to find the Ghosts have kidnapped PAC-MAN’s family & friends and ruined his party. Saving all members of your family isn’t mandatory (if you’re heartless) but it has a significant impact on the game ending. There is also a big baddie known as Toc-Man shielded behind an army of bosses that you will have to take down to get to him. But the road to him will be anything but easy (and short). A myriad of mazes, collectibles, and ghosts will make sure that you fail on your path as much as possible.
Gameplay
As I played through PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC, it reminded me of another game and its series from my early years – the Crash Bandicoot trilogy. It actually has a lot in common with PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC. They both have a main hub where you can pick the order of levels that you want to play. After every couple of levels, there is also a boss fight that serves as a gatekeep to other areas and hubs.
Compared to the original, this game comes with a huge list of changes and improvements. Pac-Man now has a hover jump ability that lets him briefly hover in the air, making it easier to jump over large gaps. Eating a power pellet transforms Pac-Man into Mega Pac-Man, which turns him into a giant version of himself. While in this form, in addition to being able to eat ghosts, Pac-Man can destroy stage objects, and temporary platforms appear to help Mega Pac-Man cross large gaps. I also have to mention better swimming controls and the inclusion of easy mode. It adds more platforms known as “easy blocks” to specific areas, making it easier to progress; as well as Pac-Man’s hover jump ability being extended. The easy mode can be toggled through the pause menu.
Visuals
In these kinds of remakes, the addition of stuff like widescreen support, 4K resolution, and polished visuals are a given. However, whatever visual progress you see in PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is nothing to write home about. The best description of visual improvements is like going from a PS2 game to a PS3 one. Sure, the progress is there but it will hardly make you stop in your tracks as you play the game. I did notice a good number of enemies being repeated in later stages as well as the assets. Seriously, why can you find plenty of wooden boxes from pirate levels in later levels where they clearly don’t fit in?
Audio
Comparing this section with the original game, it is evident that some differences are there. How noticeable they are is entirely dependent on whether you have played the Pac-Man World at all. In any case, some sound effects are changed while the soundtrack is pretty much the same. Same and just as good, that is. All of the soundtracks are usually thematic depending on what hub or the world you’re playing in, although it might get a bit repetitive later on. Especially if you are as bad at platforming as I am so you get to repeat some sections over and over again (and thus listening to the same tune).
Overall
While PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is a barebone remake and it hardly brings anything new to the table in terms of gameplay, it makes up for it in other areas of the game. Platforming is precise and the whole game has a finely tuned difficulty curved that’s accessible to everyone, all while being moderately challenging at later stages without seeming unfair.
The visual aspect of the game (especially if we take it in the context of a remake) leaves a lot to be desired, but all of that takes a back seat once you take the game for a spin. The core gameplay of PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is something that hardly ever needs changing since it is all about fun and engagement. This might be one of the most accessible PAC-MAN games on PC and it is a perfect entry to anyone willing to dig deeper into this franchise.
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