Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac Review

Pac To The Past 

HIGH Colorful visuals and a solid gameplay loop. 

LOW Random difficulty spikes out of nowhere.

WTF I would love to see a remake of Pac-Man World Rally. 

Back in 1999, Namco released Pac-Man World, which was a 3D platformer that reintroduced players to the titular Pac-Man in a three-dimensional setting. Solid (if basic) it was part of a wave of early 3D titles that tried to compete with the likes of Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot. Decades later, it received a remake subtitled Re-Pac, which updated the visuals and served as a reintroduction to the original.

As a mascot platformer fan, I loved playing through the breezy and colorful levels of PMW, and was eager to see if its sequels would get the “Re-Pac” treatment. Three years after the first, Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is finally revisited for modern consoles. 

Set in the world of Pac-Land, players control the titular Pac-Man in a third-person perspective. This sequel has a much larger focus on narrative thanks to fully-voiced cutscenes that are new to this remake. The story, although simple, is entertaining and adds plenty of context to the gameplay. The iconic and dastardly ghosts from the old-school Pac-Man arcade cabinets (Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde) have stolen the golden fruits from Pac-Land. In doing so, they awaken an ancient entity named Spooky who commands them to aid him in taking over Pac-Land.

The goal here is to guide Pac-Man to the end of every level, each one set within a world that follows a theme or motif ranging from green forests to icy mountains. While the levels are fairly linear, there are plenty of secrets to find and collectibles to look out for, like hidden Galaga ships that unlock bonus levels or the iconic fruits that contribute towards a bonus that nets players new costumes. 

Compared to the original 2.5D perspective, PMW2 is fully 3D, complete with a camera that follows Pac-Man from an over-the-shoulder view. All of his movesets from the last installment return, like the iconic butt bounce that serves as both a ground pound and a higher jump. Other moves include the rev roll and the ability to throw projectiles. Pac-Man also has a kick, which he can use to defeat enemies or break boxes. 

The gameplay loop is familiar to anyone who’s ever played a mascot platformer. It’s nothing special, but as a fan of these kinds of experiences, I find comfort in jumping, running, and exploring linear levels for collectibles. My biggest issue with gameplay comes from the random difficulty spikes that pop up out of nowhere. Some levels throw a ton of hazards at the player with little help to make it through, and there’s no way to extend Pac-Man’s health bar without turning on the ‘assisted’ mode, which renders him invincible. Checkpoints are generous enough, but I found myself frustrated a few times, especially in World 6, which was set underwater and introduced some cumbersome physics to navigate. 

Boss fights, while cool-looking and creative, posed similar issues. Bosses usually had two phases, and dying during the second means starting the fight all over. It wouldn’t have been an issue if there had been some consistency in the way fights were spread out, though — many early boss battles seemed impossible compared to later ones, making the difficulty curve feel unbalanced. 

Despite these rough patches, the gameplay overall is excellent and representative of the genre thanks to how smooth the movement feels. A good platformer should be enjoyable to simply move in, and this one nails that feeling.

I also enjoyed the variety in levels — in addition to the standard action, one area had Pac-Man run towards the screen a la Crash Bandicoot, and another asks him to pilot a submarine in a level reminiscent of old-school shooters. The variety is also helped by gorgeous visuals and a steady framerate. As such, I have to give props to both the game and the console I played it on, the Nintendo Switch 2. I went through the entire campaign in handheld mode, and never saw any technical hiccups. 

While it may not rewrite the rules of mascot platforming, Pac-Ma World 2 Re-Pac understands the formula of the genre. It’s a bubbly, colorful, and entertaining ride that will satisfy both fans of the original and anyone who has a deep nostalgia for the era of gaming when action like this ruled. 

I’m happy to say that the Pac is back! 

Rating 8 out of 10

Buy Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac – PC – PS – XB – SW

Disclosures: This game is published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and developed by Production. It is available on PC, XBO/XBX/S, Switch/Switch 2, and PS4/PS5. This copy was obtained via the publisher and was reviewed on Switch 2. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player, and the game was completed. No time was spent in multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E10 for Fantasy Violence, Mild Language. According to the site: This is a 3D action platformer in which players help Pac-Man recover golden fruit while trying to defeat a villain named Spooky. Players traverse whimsical environments while collecting pellets and defeating fantastical enemies (e.g., bears, skeletons, ghosts, robots). Players bounce, punch, or kick enemies and are able to eat ghosts; enemies and boss characters use swords, harpoons, explosives, and bazooka-like weapons to attack players. In one level, players use submarines to shoot torpedoes, lasers, and bombs at incoming enemies. Fighting is highlighted by explosions, impact sounds, and screen-shaking effects. The word “hell” appears in the game.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are plenty of visual cues during gameplay. Subtitles are present but cannot be resized. As no audio cues are needed for gameplay, I’d say this is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls can be remapped.

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