Review: Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac (Switch 2)

I confess. When this review appeared, my gaming endurance was being pushed to its limits by Silksong’s punishing difficulty. Consequently, I eagerly rolled towards an option I hoped would be more soothing. (I genuinely regret the time I spent overcoming The Last Judge.)

Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac appeared to be the perfect pellet-shaped breath freshener to rejuvenate the experience. Yet, while this comprehensive remake is likely to delight fans of the 2002 original, it’s ironic that I found myself plagued by analogous frustrations I was encountering elsewhere – including bosses that shifted from being demanding to a tad tedious. For newcomers at large, you’ll need to determine if the launch price of £34.99 aligns with your budget for what is essentially a six-to-seven-hour journey in a genre with numerous alternatives.

First, let’s tackle the apprehensions of those mainly concerned with the quality of this reimagining. For the most part, the new features are exceptionally beneficial. The addition of a landing target as you leap — a circle indicating your trajectory and facilitating stress-free platforming — is incredibly appreciated and alleviates some of the frustration a game with roots in the early 2000s might impart to its players.

The visual enhancement is noteworthy, too. This is not a ‘sharper’ re-release like we see elsewhere with certain cosmic competitors. In contrast, the previous version now appears somewhat rudimentary, with some jarring shadows. Ultimately, Pac-Man and the characters of Pac-Land have been animated in a manner that more closely aligns with the franchise’s potential, longevity, and enjoyment. From the sunlit village that acts as the level hub (providing access to retro-styled challenge mazes), to the extended draw distances, everything looks appealing. Only some instances of retro game design — mostly camera issues — detract from the overall experience.

The performance on Switch 2, except for two very brief hiccups, is 30fps in ‘Quality’ 4K docked mode, or 60fps at 1080p (whether docked or handheld). I didn’t have the opportunity to play on the original Switch, but 30fps is the maximum there in any mode. A note of caution, however: anyone planning to experience this game on Switch Lite might find the display too compact. I’m not certain it would be comfortable. The presentation here doesn’t accommodate smaller screens as effectively as other platformers.

This second ‘Re-Pac’ (the earlier Pac-Man World: Re-Pac was released in 2022) boasts a fair amount of additional features. Now a second player can join as a ‘Pac-Drone’ – perfect for a young child or anyone else content to limit their gameplay to shooting pellets at boxes and foes. Modifications to cut scenes and level design are also evident. The final boss, for instance, is distinctly different from the original; the confrontation occurs in a slightly remixed arena with new foes and attacks, and a more ambitious polish to the presentation.

Additionally, there are features like the new mission mode. In this mode, the game asks you to complete three optional challenges on each stage, typically involving collecting all the fruit (over 20 items – there’s a plenty of fruit) and achieving a medal in the time trial, plus a further random task.

For me, the levels were simply too lengthy to make returning and gathering such a high quantity of items genuinely enjoyable, especially when the collectibles reset after every playthrough, so there’s no opportunity to dive back in for a solitary melon or strawberry. However, there are situations (playing with your children, perhaps) where the extra content will certainly be appreciated. Collect all the collectibles, and you’ll unlock new mazes, outfits, and figurines to showcase around your home village.

During its stronger moments, Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac is indeed a great deal of fun. I relished the underwater and swimming stages. I enjoyed skating away from a monstrous snowball. I cherished all those moments when Pac-Man devoured a gigantic pellet and transformed into a chomping head, reminiscent of his classic games, turning the tables on the otherwise unbeatable ghosts. I appreciated the sense of momentum and the surprise that the platforming was considerably more challenging than I anticipated (one notoriously difficult lava level drained over 20 lives). I found myself challenged at times, and that was okay.

At a lower price point, I might advocate the game more readily, but even then I would still prefer framing the review as reflecting on a piece of gaming history that’s been refreshed and revitalized, rather than a title that truly earns its place alongside modern heavyweights like Donkey Kong Bananza. There’s no shame in that, but let’s be clear – at its core, this is a vastly improved and smoother-operating version of a 23-year-old game. This narrative of the malevolent Spooky pilfering all of Pac-Land’s golden fruit, and the brief adventure that follows, feels somewhat nostalgic.

And, through instances of cumbersome difficulty reminiscent of a game from 2002, that’s my signal to reconnect this review with the introduction, specifically my self-indulgent reference to Silksong. Let me assert that I was immensely mistaken: I might have believed I was evading frustration by engaging in a vibrant Pac-Man game – surely it would be easy, right? But how wrong I was during the conclusion. And not necessarily in a ‘fair’ manner.

I had already encountered some difficulties with one of the bosses mid-game, where the camera angle caused me to fall off the arena multiple times – a quirk that a modern platformer wouldn’t permit. I experienced that same sense of unfairness here as well. Primarily with certain jumps I had to execute swiftly to harm the boss – they veered more towards being vexing than truly challenging and followed a string of assaults that were hard to evade and left me with barely any life remaining.

In a yellow-tinged irony, this boss bore more than a slight resemblance to the Last Judge – and here’s the twist, I quite literally couldn’t defeat it. I was unable to finish this game.

I don’t know what I was doing incorrectly. After 30 attempts, perishing each time, redoing the three phases of the boss battle repeatedly, depleting all my lives, enduring eight Game Overs, switching in desperation to the kid-friendly ‘fairy mode’ (which makes you invincible), and somehow still failing to achieve success (I executed the series of jumps once, only to die at the top by flying off the arena), I was thrown back to the very beginning once more.

And I just had to stop. Honestly, maybe it’s time to return to Silksong.

Conclusion

I don’t want my lament regarding the final boss to overshadow the review. There remains an enjoyable game here, along with a delightful remaster of a cherished platformer. The strengths it possesses — the charm of Pac-Man, companions, and foes in the cut scenes, the variety in gameplay — shine brilliantly. For those with fond memories of the original, I’m certain you’ll relish your ‘Re-Pac’-aged iteration. It’s been crafted with affection. For those unacquainted, however, this becomes a more challenging purchase to validate.

Arguably, the price is a tad high for what’s presented, and some persistent retro-frustrations in the execution of the 3D platforming and boss encounters might be unappealing to an audience anticipating a game with the polish of more contemporary options. Certainly, even Donkey Kong Bananza has its moments of cheap deaths, but the reality is Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac doesn’t belong in the same tier. Brief, sweet, beautified, retro, and not for everyone; those are the key descriptors here.