While best known for his arcade roots, Pac-Man’s PlayStation history is arguably best defined by the Pac-Man World trilogy.
Following the 2022 remake of the original Pac-Man World, the question on many fans’ minds was whether Pac-Man World 2 would be getting the same treatment. Three years later, Now Production and Bandai Namco have reunited to remake what is often considered to be the best entry of the trilogy.
Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is as textbook of a 3D platformer as you can get. You’ll be running, jumping, and eating pellets in largely hallway-based stages. Most, if not all, of the game’s 25 main levels have been revamped in some way compared to the original.
However, this comes at the cost of stages now being far more bloated. Combined with a lack of interesting level set-pieces, particularly in the early game, stages regularly drag and can feel never-ending.
The same can be said for the bosses, which have all received an overhaul, or in some cases, been replaced outright from the original. Though again, with most bosses requiring six or more hits to take them out, every fight suffers from being too long and tedious.
Most major changes in this remake aim to extend the game’s notoriously short five-hour runtime.
Each stage now includes three missions to complete, unlocking a new costume for Pac-Man to wear. There are also new collectible statues to earn through a gachapon system, which can be used to decorate your Pac-Village.
Additionally, remixed versions of the main game’s stages are unlocked for some additional post-game content, as well as a new time trial mode. While nice to have, these additions are ultimately just excuses to revisit stages you’ve already completed over and over, rather than being meaningful new experiences.
It’s clear by the added production value and new voice acting that Pac-Man World Re-Pac 2 is aiming to be a more fleshed out experience than its predecessor. But much like Pac-Man World Re-Pac, it remains a largely generic game that often feels incredibly dated.
Fans of 3D platformers will likely have a decent time with it, particularly if they enjoyed the original, but there are enough frustrations that hold this game back from being an easy recommendation.
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