Pac-Man World 2: Re-PAC Review

This game was quite the surprise considering how much I disliked the first game. They fixed most of the issues I had with it. A new easy difficulty known as "Theory Mode" was added this time around where the lives system was removed, you can't take damage and extra platforms were also added. I like the first change but dislike the latter two. I would've prefered no lives but keeping everything the same.

There is some major improvements this time around like the camera controls being more intuitive and having less of that bizarre inbetween of being 2D and 3D. Now it's completely 3D. The double jump which I found really weirdly implemented in the first game is the same but with "butt bounce" you have to time where when done correctly can get you to jump even higher sort of feeling a precursor to Hulk being able to leap massive distances in Hulk Ultimate Destruction. The regular jump is more along the lines of Mario's jump arc in his 3D outings.

The speed boosters feel better to use here than in the first game due to the better controlling camera and not awkwardly being into 2D and 3D.

Level design is mostly solid with World 2 making great use of the Butt Bounce ability later parts of the game don't do as much.

The most challeging parts even on Theory Mode are the bosses. World 2, 5 and the final boss. World 2 due to camera and how it moves after you land a blow on the boss. World 4 due it to not using the base game's mechanics and being a very dragged out shump section. I'm glad I played on easy here due to how long this boss lasts. Spooky and 3 phases and the hardest part is that now you have to master the Butt Bounce even though you never needed to be good with it after World 2.

There is a challenging Crash Bandicot boulder chase in World 3 but those are generally hard due to not seeing what's in front of you. It is weird how this is the only time a sequence like this pops up.

Story is okay, just a usual platfomer story with an over the top bad guy. I do like Spooky for how over the top he is.

The remake does add a lot of improvements and reduced difficulty as a whole compared to the original which I never played.

Overall, Re Pac 2 is a solid game considering how much I couldn't stand playing the original title. This was a solid improvement.