PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is a battle royale recreation, opposite to any expectations its identify could give. Funnily sufficient, this isn’t even Bandai Namco’s first try on the similar – it launched Pac-Man 99 for the Nintendo Swap in April 2021 to comparatively first rate reward. It additionally discontinued it about two years and 6 months later, hopefully not an indication of issues to come back.
Then once more, Chomp Champs could have a built-in shelf life as a result of it was first launched for Google Stadia as PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle in November 2020. That’s proper – that is the OG Pac-Man battle royale expertise, which ultimately shut down with the service final yr in January with all purchases refunded. The re-release presents just a few tweaks and the addition of cross-platform play, however it’s very a lot the identical recreation.
“Lest you assume it’s an allegory for purgatory, with Pac-Man doomed to an eternity of gluttony, you see the doorways. These result in different mazes the place different gamers run their respective rat races. Because it seems, your maze is one Pac-lake in a Pac-ocean.”
At its core, PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs options the identical arcade gameplay that made the “paku paku” so iconic. You’ve got a maze with a number of routes lined in dots to eat and add to your rating. There are 4 corners with Energy Pellets, which, when consumed, energize Pac-Man and permit for consuming the Ghosts pursuing you all through the maze. Consuming the Ghosts resets their place, but when they’re not rendered susceptible upon respawning. As such, you could predict their pathing, transferring throughout the maze to maximise dot consumption and clearing the board.
Nevertheless, that’s not the tip. Filter all of the dots, and your maze ranges up, making it barely bigger and resetting the dots and Energy Pellets. The Ghosts additionally turn out to be quicker, with clearing the board turning into more difficult. Lest you assume it’s an allegory for purgatory, with Pac-Man doomed to an eternity of gluttony, you see the doorways. These result in different mazes the place different gamers run their respective rat races. Because it seems, your maze is one Pac-lake in a Pac-ocean.
The sport modifications in earnest from there, as you’re not simply enthusiastic about clearing your board however consuming simply sufficient till the doorways to the opposite 63 mazes open. When energized, it’s doable to eat different Pac-Males for many factors, however breaching their mazes and gobbling up their Energy Pellets, farming their Ghosts and garnering any power-ups you may earlier than departing can be a reliable strat (although the doorways have timers to remember). Theoretically, nothing stops you from remaining inside your maze and taking out any intruders whereas steadily leveling it up.
Chomp Champs doles out missions to encourage invasions, like consuming three Ghosts in one other participant’s maze or utilizing a Energy-up inside them. These present an honest sufficient incentive, although I’ve discovered – a minimum of on decrease ranks and Unranked mode – that you are able to do effectively sufficient with out finishing the missions. You may miss out on further lives as a possible bonus reward, however contemplating it’s a pick-up and earned with sufficient factors, it doesn’t look like that a lot of a loss.
“Nevertheless, you could get that one participant in Ranked Mode who is aware of what they’re doing, manipulating the Ghosts and thoroughly navigating across the Energy Pellets to outplay you and win.”
The Energy-ups vary from gorgeous different gamers and Ghosts for a number of seconds to rising your pace and gaining a protect that repels Ghosts. Alternatively, you have got gadgets that empower the Ghosts, making them quicker or attracting them to you. The previous is nice for trolling one other participant of their maze, whereas the latter cuts down on a number of the work of chasing down Ghosts whereas energized (however it’s a double-edged sword after they’re not susceptible).
Nothing too loopy or over-the-top, however with the ability to retailer Energy-ups and use them when crucial provides one other layer of technique to the chaos. By itself, there’s simply one thing compelling about getting into one other maze-like some multiversal invader, taking every part, wrecking store, and simply leaving. Or navigating throughout a number of mazes, choosing up all of the Energy Pellets accessible till nothing stays. And even discover a maze with just a few dots after which eat them to stage up your personal.
When a participant is eradicated, their maze collapses, narrowing the sector till solely two stay on a single display screen. Most instances, it could not even get to that time in Unranked – you may usually win by outliving the competitors, as they run out of lives, both to Ghosts or different gamers. It may result in monotony at factors, despite the fact that matches are fast-paced and finish rapidly.
Nevertheless, you could get that one participant in Ranked Mode who is aware of what they’re doing, manipulating the Ghosts and thoroughly navigating across the Energy Pellets to outplay you and win. It may be exhilarating, particularly because the maze ranges up a number of instances and also you attempt desperately to outlive. Then once more, it could actually additionally typically boil right down to ready for the stun Energy-up and incapacitating your opponent earlier than getting a Energy Pellet and consuming them.
“As a lot as I did like (not love) the web modes, there isn’t a lot impetus to partake in Ranked except you care concerning the leaderboards, because it doesn’t appear to supply any unique cosmetics or rewards.”
The aggressive stress, nonetheless, is diminished by how Ranked works. Not like different aggressive video games, you struggle for a spot within the high 32. So long as you meet that requirement, then you definately all the time have a one hundred pc win charge. The upper your place, the extra XP earned in the direction of the subsequent rank, offering some impetus to win. Nevertheless, there isn’t any feeling of loss – it doesn’t appear doable to lose factors and de-rank, turning this right into a long-term grind reasonably than a aggressive journey with ups and downs.
It’s not the worst answer contemplating Pac-Man’s score-based nature, however it makes victories really feel hole. Settling for second and even fifth place is completely acceptable, particularly should you solely get just a few factors lower than the competitors. This implies you may cruise via the center and latter components of matches with out worrying an excessive amount of about finishing goals or consuming the competitors. Some gamers additionally appear to be bots, which additional lowers the stakes.
PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs solely presents Unranked, Ranked and Coaching modes. It doesn’t have a devoted single-player mode and even the choice to play traditional Pac-Man with out the battle royale mechanics offline. As a lot as I did like (not love) the web modes, there isn’t a lot impetus to partake in Ranked except you care concerning the leaderboards, because it doesn’t appear to supply any unique cosmetics or rewards.
You acquire Tokens that may be spent on cosmetics with a pleasant little bit of alternative accessible, from hats and sun shades to whole outfits. I significantly favored the maze themes, turning your own home maze right into a recreation of Galaga or embracing totally different seasons, although some extra choices can be nice. The outfits are first rate, although some just like the fox might be clipped via by Pac-Man in the principle menu.
“The general package deal leaves a lot to be desired, particularly with the low-rent UI, the sparse content material, the lackluster Ranked expertise and the questionable shelf-life.”
I favored the visible presentation – the phases are stuffed with element and results, and the efficiency is strong all through. Nevertheless, the Fall Guys-inspired major menus desperately want some life – they arrive throughout as too static and lifeless, proper right down to the textual content describing totally different cosmetics. The music also can get repetitive because it makes an attempt to suit the enduring Pac-Man hook into some forgettable techno.
There are some bugs, just like the Ghosts in an invaded maze all of the sudden going invisible and my character dying out of nowhere. It’s a comparatively secure expertise, although sticking to your area (or someplace shut) is suggested to keep away from sluggish controls brought on by latency.
PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs’ gameplay is strong and differs sufficient from Pac-Man 99 to offer some enjoyable. Nevertheless, the general package deal leaves a lot to be desired, particularly with the low-rent UI, the sparse content material, the lackluster Ranked expertise and the questionable shelf-life. Possibly Bandai Namco might construct on it additional and innovate on its admittedly attention-grabbing idea. For now, it’s a enjoyable short-term distraction and little else.
This recreation was reviewed on PlayStation 5.
