Pacman is a mosaic title, characterized the most by its Berzerk gameplay concepts wrapped around a visual style reminiscent of Zookeeper. It relies on you wanting to eat an endless horde of dots for points. Like donkey kong, Pacman insists that you want to navigate a perpetually shifting visual environment endlessly in search of something to eat. As a single-stick eater the game operates smoothly and a perfected control scheme won’t have anyone up in arms. Despite its perfected mechanisms, uninspired and dull enemies clutter the forefront of an ultimately ugly backdrop. Pacman is definitely a clever mix of two highly touted games, but the execution should have wielded something special – not insipid.

The enemies in Pacman aren’t numerous and can be described as nothing more than obstructions. The enemy that blots the majority of the landscape is spherical and does nothing more than float endlessly towards your vehicle. They rarely respond to your actions.

Progress in the game is nothing more than a circular effort. Search the level, eat the power pills, and eat the ghosts. Its monotony is never broken and it is quite easy to survive for longer-than-expected durations. The game’s HUD delightfully spells out everything you need to know and while very informative, serves to only dull the impact of a ghosts appearance.

Pacman is a medicore game that occasionally engages. The interesting visual style isn’t remarkable as a result of the bland and dirty color choices. The core mechanics of the game operate perfectly, but don’t translate to a fun or challenging experience. The enemies are dull and seemingly serve to only occupy space on the screen. The gameplay is hampered by its circular nature that can quickly become all-too-familiar within minutes of play. Pacman certainly isn’t the worst arcade game, but it is hard to recommend.

By Brad Nicholson