Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac

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• Recommended Posted September 26, 2025 on Steam I've been noticing a trend in the dislikes for this game where people seem to have wanted the original game in its purest form but with updated graphics and some bug fixes. If you fit that description, this game might not be for you and I'd recommend sticking to emulation. Having said that, if you love Pac-Man World 2 and have wondered what it would be like to play the game if it had come out today, then this game is absolutely amazing. Pac-Man World 2 was the first game I ever played, it is very near and dear to my heart and I still play it to this day. I for one think Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac does a phenomenal job at capturing the heart of the original game while adding to it in a way that expands on the original formula instead of changing it all together. It keeps the original level design, soundtrack, enemies, and overall mechanics while adding to them just enough to make you feel like you are playing it for the first time again. And that, I think, is the greatest service of them all. It's very clear that this game was made with the proper amounts of love and care to pay respects to the players of the OG version. Hoping we get a Pac-Man World 3 Re-Pac some day. And maybe if we can squeeze out another miracle, we'll get Pac-Man World 4.
• Recommended Posted September 26, 2025 on Steam Editing now that I'm all the way through the main game and most of the way through the extra stuff, THE GOOD: - The controls feel really smooth for the most part. That was one of the better parts of Re Pac 1 IMO and the fact we get to have that in a game that can make the most of it is really cool. - 100%ing each level is way less stressful (time trials not-withstanding) since Pac Dots are back to being for Score and ammo as opposed to being for EVERYTHING. Blade Mountain went from being one of my least favorite levels to 100% due to how easy it was to miss the Pellets to suddenly being legit one of the most fun experiences I've had in a platformer. - Fruit counts are readily shown at all times unlike the original - New bosses. At first I was mixed on them, but on repeat fights I found them to be way more interesting. On top of finally making the bosses feel unique, they also do a much better job of having you use your entire repertoire and testing the skills you learn in each level instead of just The Same Boss Over And Over Again. - The levels themselves have been really creatively restructured. Most of the same structure is here but most levels got the Sonic Generations treatment to make them feel fresh yet recognizable. Magma Opus is an entirely new level, pretty much. - A lot of one-off mechanics from the original like the Shrink Pellet and Rev Platforms got reworked to appear in more levels, which is really cool. - Same with enemies. Remember the weird plant guy in Into The Volcano? There's a lot more of him, even if he's just in one stage. - Pac Man's dog is back to looking like an actual dog instead of a Quadrupedal Pac Man like in the original thank jesus - Maze levels feel way better than in RePac 1, and they also bring back the stage hazards from World 1 (albeit kinda limited). - There's a surprisingly extensive postgame that reminds me a lot of Kirby & The Forgotten Land's postgame (pre Switch 2). I won't spoil much but be prepared for a challenge. THE BAD - Some music tracks took a hit in quality. Nowhere near as bad as half the OST from RePac 1's launch, but the Ice levels in particular sound really cheap for no reason. Really wish there was a toggle to bring back David Logan's original mixes in some capacity. Not ALL tracks, and the quality drop isn't that bad, but it's noticeable. - On the note of music, instead of making the tracks loop like you'd THINK they would, they decided to keep the awkward jump cuts from the OG release. This results in jarring moments of silence in most levels, including bosses... why? - Some missions are weirdly misleading or broken. The 'break bear traps' one in Canyon Chaos seems bugged to not count methods of breaking them that aren't flip kicks, Magma Opus's 2nd mission is worded like you need to avoid the slide entirely when you just need to not fall off, Into The Volcano's 2nd mission implies you can't use the wall ledges despite them not counting to it (and being MANDATORY to progress), etc. This could be fixed in a patch but it's annoying to see nonetheless. - The animation quality is very sauceless compared to the original. - No 4th Arcade game. I get that Ms Pac Man is in legal limbo and they couldn't use that, but... couldn't you have brought in something like Pac Man Arrangement 96? - The BDoing Woods Melon will live in infamy. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY - Kickflip got reworked into an attack for both grounded and aerial purposes. This makes it really broken in the early game all the way up until the volcano levels bring in stuff requiring dots. - They made the first half of the game notably easier, but it ramps up really fast during the volcano and ESPECIALLY Ghost Island levels. The postgame is outright Rage-inducing at times. - Galaxians now unlock mazes in the Arcade instead of having you do the maze mid-level like in the OG or RePac 1. Which is weird. Welcome to an extent, but weird. - You can now Rev Roll in Mazes. I have no strong feelings of this. - Having Martin back as Pac is cool. Unfortunately he has a lot of mid-gameplay voice lines, which is rather jarring. If I hear this yellow ball say Yummy again I'm gonna lose it. - Bear Basics and Clyde's Frog are the only two stages where you can get the Mission reward on a first run. Everything else typically requires a Time Attack run to get. Including Pac Mania and Pac Attack. Some, like Into The Volcano, require a minimum of 3 runs due to where some items are placed. - Mega Pac Mode is back, and while it thankfully doesn't auto-spawn the easy mode platforms like in World 1 Repac, it's still a pace breaker since it blocks off most of your moveset until it wears off. - Graphics depending on the world are hit or miss. Most of the time it's great, and I'll be the first to admit I fw the new Treetops WAY more than the original, but stuff like the more stark-white ice levels and the... PURPLE swamp instead of dreary browns just doesn't mesh well. - Speaking of, Ghost Bayou has been reworked from a sprawling and confusing maze level to a relatively linear level with like 40 hazards on screen at once. It is simultaneously way easier and way harder at the same time as a consequence. - Fall Damage is gone. ZestyJesus is probably very pleased with this, but I find it makes the treetops levels a tad too easy. Idk. - In the same vein they made the fall speed of butt bounces static instead of rapidly accelerating. Eh. NOT A GAMECHANGER BUT KINDA COOL I GUESS - The RGB enemy now appears in multiple worlds. Further, the exact color the RGB uses in any level depends on the world, so it's green in the grasslands but Blue in the mountains. Very pointless but still cool. - Pac Dot throwing is back. And unlike in Re-Pac 1 there are enemies designed around it so you can't just kickflip and bounce everything anymore. - Sue was renamed to Clie and they revealed that her ice cream 'hat' was hair the entire time my life is a lie. On the whole PMW2 Re Pac is a very fun little remake, it takes a lot of the problems the original game had and did a lot of work to make it more fun overall. It takes a LOT of risks, but for as different as it is from the original it doesn't feel like any of that HURTS the experience at all. It genuinely feels like a more fully realized PMW2 in a lot of ways, still rough around the edges (likely due to short development and being hampered by Switch 1 tech) but very well made regardless. If you were expecting a 1-to-1 recreation, though, this version may leave a lot to be desired as they took an almost alarming amount of creative liberty that, if you were very nostalgic of the original, may hamper your experience. Nonetheless, I can't wait to see if we get a World 3 RePac as well.
• Recommended Posted September 27, 2025 on Steam A remaster of the original Pac-Man World 2 for the PS2 in 2002. Some levels have been redesigned, movement is slightly stiffer but more crisp, and there's now a green circle that denotes your position while in the air. While it is fairly obvious that this remake has been inspired by modern day platformers and remakes of other franchises, it still pays homage to its predecessor while also spicing things up to provide a moderate challenge. Old fans will be crying tears of nostalgia while new players will be in for a treat. Definitely worth to give a shot if you're a fan of old-school games like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro.
• Recommended Posted October 1, 2025 on Steam Don't be fooled by how it looks, this game is NOT for children. It gets INSANELY difficult in the later half. Even more difficult than the original game. But in an organic way, not in a cheap bs way (most of the time). In fact, the entire game in general is a different experience compared to the original. It's worth buying if you want a fresh take on a classic. There's even new story elements, and a whole postgame adventure.
• Recommended Posted September 28, 2025 on Steam Wow. This remake is a massive improvement over the first game's remake; in short, I strongly recommend it. Spoiler-free review: [h3]An old fan's expectations[/h3] I've been playing Pac Man World 2 since the PS2 days, and it has always had a very special place in my heart. The original had a ton of heart, a stunningly incredible soundtrack, really smooth physics, and a large variety of fun & unique levels. While the idea of a remake bringing these elements of the game to the modern era was exciting, I have played the original so much that there are things I love about it that a remake could never recapture - the game actually has a lot of really cool tech, glitches, and exploits that are extremely fun to experiment with and rewarding to pull off. It became really fun to see how fast and smoothly I could beat each level, and particularly the bosses. I also loved the Clyde in the Caldera boss fight, not despite it's poor design but [i]because[/i] of it - sharing the suffering of fighting that boss with others who loved the game as much as I became a core element of experiencing this game, as the hilarious difficulty spike turned into a challenge to see who could get through it the fastest, and an opportunity to laugh with those who got stuck in a game over loop. Obviously, though, a remake would inevitably smooth out these rough edges and leave behind these parts of the game that I enjoyed so much. So I went into this remake as a crotchety old fan, expecting to be disappointed at what was left behind, and to come out of this with mixed feelings. And if this was a 1:1 remake, that is exactly what would have happened. But this game's developers decided to make a different kind of remake, one that is still very much based on the original design, but tastefully expands upon it while still remaining reverent to the original game. And, I realize, that is exactly the kind of remake this game needed, and deserved. [h3]More than a remake[/h3] In Pac Man World 2 Re-Pac, every level simply feels more fleshed out, and each level feels more full of things to do and explore. There is just more [i]gameplay[/i] here. The collect-a-thon experience has been overhauled in a wonderful way - you no longer have to collect every single pac-dot to get 100%, which is already a massive upgrade because that was just dumb. You are more rewarded for collecting everything with new costumes, items are often more thoughtfully placed, and Pac Man's new moves create lots of new opportunities to make the player think about how to get to an item. Oh yeah, he has new moves, and they're great. Admittedly, there were parts of the original game that felt... unfinished. From what I've learned about the original's development, a lot was left on the cutting room floor; the entire water world was pretty slapped together and most fans would agree it's one of the lowest points of the game, Wormwood was meant to be a more fleshed out part of the game, etc. The developers of this remake did a fantastic job identifying areas of this game that needed more work and delivering on what the original devs did not have the time or resources to create, while leaving areas that were already very strongly designed and fun in the original game (such as blade mountain) very intact. The boss fights are another clear example of this, as the original game re-used several boss fights and many of the other ones were extremely simple. To say the least, the bosses are one of the best parts of this remake, and each one is a delight to face. Each one is very unique and has a lot more going on, and the final boss is actually my favorite thing about this entire game, it's so good. [h3]Visuals[/h3] The most obvious improvement a remake would have over the original would be the visuals, and this game certainly delivers that. After playing the remake of the first game, I was concerned that the budget would be too low to do justice to this game in the visuals department, but I am very happy to say that I am quite satisfied with how this game looks and it is miles ahead of the original pac man world 2 in this regard. The lava area is simply beautiful, and there were a lot of effects that I found very pleasing to look at - everything liquid-related was a treat to see. [h3]Music[/h3] The music of the original left extremely big shoes to fill; to say David Logan went all-out would be an understatement, as the original soundtrack is one of the best parts of the whole game. This game attempts to re-create that soundtrack, with mostly positive results, but I do still prefer the original game's soundtrack. Some tracks in this remake definitely benefit from higher quality instruments/samples and sound better and more "full", while the composition of other tracks actually feel more "empty" than the original or are in my opinion slightly misguided in their direction/choice of instruments. Overall, it's good and I wasn't disappointed which is close to the best case scenario considering what I am comparing it against, though I'd love an option to use the original game's soundtrack. [h3]My main complaint[/h3] There are a couple quirks of Pac-Man's physics and movement in this remake that really irk me. They will seem small on paper, but both of them slow down the pace of the game compared to the original and are ever-present throughout the entire playthrough. The first is that, every time you activate a butt-bounce while midair, there is a second that Pac-Man pauses before starting to move downward. This was also a thing in the remake of the first game but I don't like it nor do I see why it was added, the original world 2's butt bounce was so much smoother and more responsive and I really miss it. It also makes it more difficult to land on moving platforms. If I was to change one thing about this game, it would be removing this. The second quirk is that doing short-hops in this game takes much longer than in the original. Pac-Man falls very slowly in this game, almost too slowly, as it can be a hindrance when trying to move through the levels quickly, which becomes a bigger problem in time trials. Even when barely tapping the jump button to do a short hop, you have to wait around a full second for Pac-Man to hit the ground again, which is longer than a typical platformer. In the original, you could kick-flip midair to stop yourself from ascending further in a jump, which allowed you to do extremely quick and very satisfying short hops in rapid succession. I really miss how it worked in the original. These physics issues are genuinely my biggest complaint about this game, and the physics were as smooth as the original I would say this is a nearly perfect remake. As is, it's only "very good". But if you haven't played the original as much as I have, this probably won't bother you as much. [h3]But wait... There's more?!?[/h3] After beating the final boss, my expectations had already been blown out of the water and I would have recommended this game in a heartbeat. However, without spoiling it, there is a surprise waiting for you that really takes this game to the next level. Words can't really describe how pleasantly surprised and appreciative I was of this. I'll let you discover it for yourself. [h3]Conclusion[/h3] As someone who's loved this game from the very beginning, who has played it more than any normal person probably would, does this remake do justice to the original game? To my surprise, yes! I really hope the development team of this remake is allowed to continue making games, whether that be a remake of world rally ([i][b]please[/b][/i]), world 3, or even a new pac man world game - I no longer doubt their ability to be the new caretakers of this franchise, and I am grateful the future of pac man world is in their hands. If you're on the fence, I really think you should give this game a chance. I've dreamed about this remake for over a decade; I'm so grateful it turned out so well. Huge thanks to the dev team <3
• Recommended Posted October 14, 2025 on Steam As a life-long Pac-Man fan, THIS is exactly what I want from Namco. Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is a fantastic "addition" to the franchise and gives Pac-Man the love, care, and attention he deserves as one of gaming's most iconic mascots. I say "addition" because Re-Pac is certainly different than the original Pac-Man World 2. While the first Re-Pac was an almost 1-to-1 faithful remake of the original Pac-Man World, World 2 Re-Pac uses the original game as a base to build and improve upon instead of sticking to the exact blueprint, and I am 100% here for it. There's so much different here that it genuinely feels like a new game, but enough that's familiar that you feel like you're seeing an old friend again after a long time. To quickly go over what I love so much about this game: - Beautifully redone visuals. Every area feels bright, vibrant, and crafted. Feels like it's straight out of a cartoon. - Expanded upon cutscenes with full voice acting. I was unsure about this at first, but was completely blown away by how amazing every single character sounds. The voices are all fitting, well acted, and feel natural to the Pac-Man world. I was honestly so impressed by it that it makes me want a TV show/cartoon done in this exact fashion. It feels like seeing what I've always imagined in my head as Pac-Man's world and character antics actually being brought to fruition, and every cutscene put a huge smile on my face. The characters are full of charm. I can't even just pick one or two that I like, they're all done so amazingly well. - Remixed levels and mechanics keep things feeling familiar but fresh. If you've played the original Pac-Man World, you'll see all the areas you remember, but they've been redesigned to flow better and/or play better. - The music has been remastered and expanded upon. The tracks have never sounded better, and when you hit the post-game content, where they created new music for, it gets even better. - Pac Village actually feels like a hub world and feels alive. In the original game, you really only came back to Pac Village when you wanted to play the old arcade games, but in Re-Pac you can change your costume here, talk to a bunch of villagers walking around, decorate the area with figures, play games, and collect gashapon capsules. It feels like a place that's actually a bustling little village rather than an empty hub area like the original game, and I love it. - The difficulty curve is incredibly well done. The game starts out easy and feels very familiar to the original Pac-Man World 2, but the difficulty starts to ramp up throughout the adventure. The bosses are much more challenging than the original game, and once you beat the game, there is a whole post-game adventure that really turns the difficulty up to 11. This is how it should be done, in my opinion. Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac's difficulty feels finely tuned similar to a Mario game. Easy for anyone to access and complete the main adventure, but will challenge even hardcore gamers to fully 100% complete. It's a game that has a challenge for people of all skill levels, and even though I yelled in frustration at some of the game's hardest parts, I still loved how much they challenged me. As much as I love the game though, it does have its flaws. It's not perfect, but the good far outweighs the bad to me. Stilll, I do want to list the things that didn't land as well for me here: - Some of the missions are unclear or obnoxious. One mission states to "never hang on a ledge" in a level where you have to hang on a ledge to complete it, and doing so will still complete the mission. It's... weird, but at least I still finished the mission. Also, my biggest mission gripe is the mission for bosses which states "beat the boss without dying". I like the challenge of this mission, but bosses in this game do not have checkpoints, so if you die you go back to the beginning of the boss fight anyway. But if you die and it puts you back at the beginning of the boss fight, but you don't pause the game and select "restart level", you won't complete the mission. It's asinine to punish people for not taking the extra effort to restart the level when they die when they have to do the whole fight over again anyway. If the bosses had checkpoints between phases, then this mission would be much more understandable, but as it stands right now it's just.... obnoxious. - The underwater camera is bad. In the original Pac-Man World 2, the underwater sections were on rails with Pac-Man constantly moving forward, but in Re-Pac they're fully explorable environments. This is a great change, but for some reason the camera really gets caught up on walls and the water's surface. Throughout the rest of the game, the camera feels natural and passes through environmental structures to always try and give you a clear view of what's going on, but for some reason in the underwater sections it was constantly stuck or so close to Pac-Man that he wouldn't even be visible. It made navigation a chore, which sucked when there were big sharks you had to keep an eye on to avoid. - The movement is different. This isn't a big deal to me personally, but I know a lot of people are so familiar with the original Pac-Man World 2 that they're going to be thrown off by the movement in Re-Pac. Just like in PMW1 Re-Pac, Pac-Man has a slight pause in mid air when using the butt bounce before he falls toward the ground. Some of Pac-Man's other movement does feel slightly slower than the original game too, which again doesn't bother me. It feels very fluid and consistent with how he moved in Pac-Man World Re-Pac. The levels of World 2 Re-Pac have been reworked to fit Pac-Man's new movement, so it all flows very well, but I have heard people say they liked the flow and speed of the original better. Again, a preference more than anything, but just figured I'd point it out. I could ramble on about everything I love about this game for a long while, but I'll leave it at that. What I do want to add is an immense amount of praise to Namco for this wonderful reimagining of Pac-Man World 2. As Namco's flagship character, and one of the most popular and iconic characters of all time, Pac-Man has, in recent years, felt like little more than a merchandise cash cow at times. Even the original Pac-Man World 2 had a bouts of awkwardness, jank, and weird stuff that, at times, made it feel like a lower-budget knock off title instead of a AAA game with tons of polish. Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac remedies this by being one of the most polished entries in the entire Pac-Man franchise. It feels like Namco really put in a ton of care, love, and effort to make sure their yellow hero had the best game they could possibly create, and it makes me so happy to see Pac-Man getting the type of game he truly deserves as one of video game's greatest. This is the type of game that makes me excited for the future of Pac-Man.