Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 Hands-On Preview

By Kevin Mitchell Posted on August 12, 2014

After the mediocre first Ghostly Adventures game, I was skeptical that Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 would be any different. Based off the popular Disney XD show, aimed at introducing the iconic video game character to a younger audience, the games 3D platforming levels and enjoyable powers kept me playing the game far longer than I expected.

Playing the PlayStation 3 version of the game, all of the levels and worlds were unlocked, allowing me to experience each of the thematic worlds. Pac-Man chomped his way through a hot desert, swam through an underwater city and space jumped his way through space. After acclimating myself once again with the DualShock 3, it didn’t take long to master the controls. There are two basic mechanics, jumping and chomping. Separating the sequel from the original title, special abilities transform Pac-Man, similar to Kirby’s swallowing ability to gain new power-ups. The Lead Producer for the game, Kunito Komori, confirmed that there are plenty of different power-ups for you to discover.

One power-up turned Pac-Man green and giving him a long stretching tongue to latch on to hooks and swing his was across gaps and easily swallow ghosts at a distance. Another allowed him to toss fireballs around with relative ease that would make Ryu and Ken nervous. At one point, I had to swing across a gap, eat a “fire” pellet, light the fuse for a bomb then switch back and swing across another gap to reach the next area. Tossing fire at ghosts will only stun them however, so you’ll still have to eat them. Having fire powers also allows you to glide across platforms.

If you are familiar with the 3D animated series, you’ll see some of the ghosts from the show make a return, along with some new ones. Watching a few episodes of the a couple months back, I could easily see the resemblance between the show and the game. Collectables are scattered about the stages, requiring you to venture off the beaten path to find them. Vehicles stages and segments where you are controlling Pac-Man’s friends help add diversity to the game.

Pac-Man and The Ghostly Adventures 2 launches October 14th on the PlayStation 3, Wii U, 3DS and Xbox 360.

Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 Hands-On Preview

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