Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac [PC] | REVIEW

Not every remake needs to exist, but sometimes, they provide a chance to rediscover something you might have missed the first time around. Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is one of those pleasant surprises: a rebuilt take on a 2002 platformer that still manages to feel energetic to play in 2025. It isn’t genre-defining by any stretch of the imagination, but it is colourful, quirky, and, most importantly, fun.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac sees the titular hero’s four ghostly rivals swipe the Golden Fruit from his village, in turn waking up a vengeful spirit named Spooky that’s looking to cause some trouble. With the land corrupted and overrun with baddies, Pac-Man journeys across each world to sort things out. Ok, sure, the plot is simple and doesn’t push too many boundaries when it comes to storytelling, but it’s cute, charming and helps set the tone for the family-friendly journey you venture on.  

Fortunately, it’s in the gameplay that Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac stands out, with Pac-Man much more nimble than the pellet-chomping variety you might remember. He can roll for speed, glide with a short flutter jump, throw pellets as projectiles, and use a butt-bounce that doubles as a combat move and a way to reach higher ground. It’s a familiar move set, sure, but it helps ensure that the platforming action is traditional and enjoyable throughout.

“Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is an enjoyable and well-polished update of a platformer that certainly deserves a modern second chance.”

The levels themselves are a treat to play through too, with each mixing up linear paths with side routes full of fruit, tokens, and hidden extras. Each area has its own flavour – icy cliffs, fiery caverns, underwater sections, that sort of thing – and with many introducing unique mechanics that tie into the environment, there’s plenty of room for creativity. Add to that a bunch of cool little challenges to complete as well as a wealth of collectibles to find, and you’ll quickly find that Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac really does have a lot more meat on its bones than it might initially seem. With plenty of neat goodies to unlock along the way, there’s a lot of incentive to get stuck into everything you come across.

 One thing that is worth mentioning is that some of the boss battles in the game can be a little frustrating, with each offering multi-phase battles that test your platforming skills in varying ways. This is fine for the most part (and there are some interesting mechanics at play that make them satisfying), but there were a few too many occasions where some awkward camera angles and demand for precision platforming made for some frustrating moments. Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is very family-friendly for the most part, but damn… those boss battles really pushed my buttons at times. There is a Fairy Mode that allows you to play through with invincibility if you ARE looking for a kid-friendly experience, but it would have felt a bit more rewarding if the game was a bit more balanced and fine-tuned.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Visually, everything in Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac looks great. Levels look vibrant, draw distances are long, and the performance is smooth throughout. I haven’t actually played through the original release, but when comparing the two on YouTube, it’s clear that some significant improvements have been made – it doesn’t just look like it has had a fresh lick of paint, but feels like it belongs in 2025 (albeit in that cute and charming platformer kind of way). And for those looking for other additions, there’s a helpful landing marker that makes jumps easier to judge, whilst a simple two-player mode where a second player controls a drone adds a bit of co-op fun to the experience (again, in a kid-friendly way). They’re not significant additions, sure, but they do give Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac that bit more oomph to makes it feel like a worthwhile retreading of the original experience.

Developer: Now Production Co Ltd
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2324290/PACMAN_WORLD_2_RePAC/