PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC
Last updated: 2025-10-02
- Exceptional remake quality, engaging gameplay
- Enhanced levels and boss design
- Welcome voice acting additions
- Unnecessary changes and bloat
- Pac-Man's voice and dialogue issues
- Lacks original soul and atmosphere
Emotions
Players are highly satisfied with the game being a well-executed remake that modernizes the original while retaining its core charm. Key factors include numerous quality-of-life improvements, new content (like bosses and levels), enhanced visuals, intuitive controls, and the game addressing flaws present in the original. The overall polished experience and good value for money also contribute to this positive emotion.
Disappointment stems from the game feeling too different from the original, with some players perceiving a loss of charm, soul, or atmosphere. Specific complaints include changes to mechanics (like the butt-bounce), reduced difficulty, perceived 'budgeted' visuals, sound design issues, and particularly, the new voice acting. Some fans also miss specific elements or feel the game over-corrected certain aspects.
Frustration is primarily caused by specific gameplay mechanics and design choices. Issues include the butt-bounce feeling slow or clunky, floaty movement, lack of midway checkpoints for bosses, and overly difficult or unfair boss fights and time trials. Technical problems like massive stuttering with controllers and deleted save progress also contribute significantly to player frustration.
Players express excitement for the game being a properly remastered title that exceeds expectations with its quality, new content, and challenging boss fights. There is also significant anticipation for potential future remakes in the Pac-Man World series, particularly Pac-Man World 3, and hope for more new productions featuring Pac-Man.
Nostalgia is a strong emotion driven by the game being a remake of a beloved childhood classic. Players appreciate the opportunity to re-experience a game that left a significant impression on them, often describing it as a 'warm hug' or a 'nostalgia trip.' The game's ability to evoke strong childhood memories and feelings is a primary cause.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 82% Ā· Negative 18%. Score: 18 / 100
Positives:
- Players overwhelmingly praise the game as a high-quality remake that significantly improves upon the original. It successfully blends nostalgic charm with modern enhancements, offering a fresh yet faithful experience with updated graphics, controls, and level design.
- The game provides a highly enjoyable and smooth gameplay experience, exceeding player expectations. New content, improved mechanics, and overall optimization contribute to a blast for both new players and fans of the original.
- Levels are reworked to be larger and more intricate, with additional missions and improved platforming mechanics. Boss battles are completely redesigned and more thematically accurate, offering a fresh challenge.
- The addition of voice acting, particularly for Pac-Man, is well-received. Players appreciate the choice of voice actor and feel it adds character and life to the game without detracting from the experience.
- The remake includes significant extra content, such as new collectibles, post-game levels, and challenges. These additions enhance replay value and provide more depth for players seeking a difficult experience.
Negatives:
- The remake is seen as having too many unnecessary changes and added features that detract from the original experience. This includes a bloated move-set for Pac-Man, new mechanics that feel useless, and an overall sense of the game being 'watered down' or a 'different interpretation' rather than a faithful remake.
- Many players found Pac-Man's new voice acting to be annoying, jarring, and excessive, preferring a voiceless Pac-Man or better execution of dialogue. The voice acting is often described as bad, and the constant talking detracts from the experience.
- Players feel the remake lacks the 'soul' and unique atmosphere of the original game. The art style is perceived as too childish, generic, and 'soulless,' with less impactful animations and a loss of the original's darker, grittier aesthetic.
- Difficulty is a mixed bag, with some players finding late-game levels and specific bosses (like Spooky) to be excessively hard and frustrating due to long fights, lack of checkpoints, or unclear mechanics. Conversely, other parts of the game are criticized for being too easy or having 'gutted' difficulty compared to the original.
- The graphics are criticized for being overly bright, rounded off, and lacking the sharp edges and distinct style of the original. Some enemies and boss designs are also seen as less creepy or impactful, contributing to a less appealing visual experience.
Gameplay:
- New features like an easy mode (Fairy Mode) prevent damage and simplify platforming, making the game more accessible. Players can also adjust Pac-Man's voice volume, and Pac Dots are no longer a requirement for level completion, reducing stress.
- Levels have been creatively restructured to feel fresh while retaining familiarity, incorporating one-off mechanics and more enemy varieties. Specific levels like Ghost Bayou have been significantly redesigned, and new levels like Magma Opus are introduced.
- The game offers significant replay value through speedrun leaderboards for levels and sub-challenges. These challenges often reward players with fun costumes and other collectibles, incentivizing 100% completion.
- Mazes can now be unlocked within levels and played later in an arcade hub, offering a more streamlined experience. These maze levels also reintroduce stage hazards from earlier worlds and allow the use of the Rev Roll.
- Other minor details include the presence of Portuguese subtitles, a small circle to aid landing, and the return of statistics. Some skeletons resemble Irwin from Pac-Man World 3.
Performance:
- Players report that the game runs well on the Steam Deck, indicating good optimization for portable play. This suggests a positive experience for users on that platform.
- One reviewer specifically noted not encountering any bugs, which is a positive sign for game stability. However, this is based on limited feedback.
- The game is confirmed to run on Windows 10, which is a standard operating system. This point is less critical as it's a basic expectation.
Recommendations:
- Many players enthusiastically recommend the game, praising its overall quality and enjoyment. Some even suggest it surpasses modern AAA titles, making it a worthwhile purchase for relaxation and fun.
- There's a mixed but generally positive sentiment regarding the game's price. While some feel it's well worth the $30, others suggest waiting for a sale, especially if they've played the original. The added content is often cited as a justification for the cost.
- The remake is largely seen as a good effort, improving upon the original's issues and feeling more fully realized. However, some fans of the original express disappointment, recommending the classic version or emulation for a purer experience.
- Players hope that the success of this remake will lead to new Pac-Man World titles or remakes of other entries in the series, indicating a desire for the franchise's continuation.
- While some players appreciate the game for its nostalgic appeal, others caution against buying it solely for nostalgia, suggesting it might not fully deliver on those expectations.
Miscellaneous:
- Many players found the voice acting, particularly Pac-Man's, jarring or disliked it. The game offers a setting to turn off voice volume, which is a recommended solution for those who prefer a silent protagonist or find the voices distracting.
- Some players, familiar with the original game, would have preferred a 1:1 remaster with quality-of-life improvements rather than a full remake. They appreciate remasters for making old games accessible on modern platforms.
- Players bought the game for nostalgia and appreciate its availability on Steam. The game's presence on modern platforms and its ability to evoke fond memories are significant draws.
- Players expressed strong interest in seeing a remake of Pac-Man World 3, and some even hoped for a new installment in the series (Pac-Man World 4). This indicates a positive reception to the current remake format and a desire for the franchise to continue.
- Players are excited about upcoming Sonic crossover content, including themed levels and a potential racing track. This suggests that crossover events are a welcome addition and generate positive anticipation.
