PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC brings its personal model of old-school 3D platforming to the Nintendo Swap. It’s time to journey prefer it’s 1999.
To start out this evaluation, I’ll word that my reminiscences of Pac-Man World start with the second entry, which I nonetheless personal for my GameCube. So comparisons with the unique can be few. However actually, when you’ve got nostalgia, this recreation most likely already made your wishlist. And when you’ve got nostalgia for any such recreation on the whole, Re-PAC is an effective providing. As long as you don’t thoughts taking part in a “modernized” recreation that also feels nearer to Y2K scares than it does COVID ones.
The story for this one is simplistic at finest, silly at worse. No less than the primary baddie, Toc-Man, is a cool-looking robotic Pac-Man. It’s a rescue mission; are you as much as the duty of saving the Pac household? Fortunately, story issues not for any such title; it’s all in regards to the entertaining gameplay.
As you platform by way of the totally different themed areas (pirate, ruins, and extra), you might develop to have a love/hate relationship with Pac-Mans transfer set. For example, whereas butt-bouncing an enemy is constantly fairly cool, it doesn’t have fairly the identical affect when wanted for platforming. Likewise, rev-rolling is neat till Pac doesn’t fairly register with the goal and winds up shedding a life within the void. Responsive and tight by fashionable sensibilities, these controls aren’t. However, they’re trustworthy to their time, and also you’ll rapidly grasp them for those who’re a veteran gamer. You can too remap them, which is a welcomed choice.
The levels have selection, however you’ll see familiarity prior to not, which makes me suppose the devs solely had a number of concepts, strong although they’re. However whereas it’s debatable how a lot of a “traditional” this recreation really is, the gameplay type has loads of traditional components. The 3D Mazes provide some good enjoyable for followers of Pac-Man’s earlier days, properly breaking issues up in pleasing methods.
As free lives and well being are available, the problem comes from being a completionist. How prepared are you to backtrack and open fruit-locked gates, for example? The digital camera can even result in misjudged jumps, which may be an instantaneous failure relying on the world. Checkpoints actually assist, although. Fail 3 times straight, and the sport will recommend an “Straightforward Mode.” I attempted it for thoroughness’ sake, and it’s a wonderful inclusion. Whereas I not often used the prolonged flutter leap this mode enabled, simply the thought of getting that choice should’ve acted like a psychological crutch as a result of I did play higher. However once more, you’ll have dozens of backup lives earlier than lengthy.
The “up to date visuals” are…neat sufficient. I’m bummed that a few of the colours appear extra muted, however Pac-Man himself seems to be a heck of loads higher. HD Rumble tips my mind into considering seems to be higher than they most likely do; go determine. The means to flip between efficiency and backbone mode are buried within the choices. I’ll depart those that fixate on such issues to elaborate, however I’ll say this isn’t the smoothest recreation. How a lot the occasional jitter impacted my gameplay, I wouldn’t know. However, with a number of exceptions right here and there, PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is usually a moderate-paced recreation.
Musically, we now have updates of the long-lasting Pac-Man jingles fleshed out with a number of theme-fitting tunes. I didn’t understand Tommy Tallarico was the composer for this recreation! Whereas this isn’t my favourite of his work, one of many space-themed tracks comes fairly darn shut. I’m positive I’d have much more favs if I had 20-plus years of nostalgia. A disgrace there’s no in-game music participant, however not less than you’ll be able to modify the music and sound results volumes independently.
It’s not blowing it out of proportion to say that Pac-Man is without doubt one of the most important characters in online game historical past. He’s so broadly identified and beloved; that alone could also be sufficient for some to choose up his newest launch. Others with a passion for the fledgling days of 3D platformers will discover PAC-MAN WORLD Re-PAC is an effective launch that grows on you, even with its dated features. The professionals positively outweigh the cons, and $29.99 is a good launch value for a bodily recreation.