I’ll admit that when I first heard about the concept of a new game on the way that would combine elements of Metroidvania play with the arcade classic Pac-Man, I was beyond skeptical, and more than a little amused. Knowing anything about the style of play of either of these, it would be easy to assume that trying to bolt them together in any way would likely be a fool’s errand, and result in a disastrous mess. To the contrary, I’m happy to report that Bandai Namco has somehow pulled off this unorthodox marriage of disparate gameplay styles, and though it has some control issues in particular that prevent it from reaching greater heights, it’s still a pretty good time.

In the game you’ll play as a character simply known as Swordsman No. 8, but you’ll quickly come to understand that you’re really the supporting character in this adventure… with the exceedingly familiar “Puck” along for the ride, but also obviously pulling the strings. If you told me that many decades after he hit the arcades and made history, that someone would create a game that features a dark version of Pac-Man with some revealing lore to back it up I’d have thought you were crazy, and yet here we are. Initially, aside from obviously having the power to devour defeated enemies in a pretty frightening manner, your sidekick feels more along for the ride for laughs. But once you get into the proper areas, you’ll be in for an unusual mix of nostalgia and value-added abilities that truly help set the game apart. Again, on paper some of these ideas for integrating the icon into a modern game must have seemed pretty odd, but in practice they somehow work well and make for a good time. Throw in an ability, when powered up properly, to turn into an armored mech form that can really tear things down, as well as a way to gobble down foes (complete with classic sound effects), and you’ve got a party on your hands.

Unfortunately, not all is quite right in Pac-Land, so there are some caveats to be aware of. The first is that in terms of precision, there are absolutely games out there that do it better. Your jump is a bit on the quirky side in terms of making accurate leaps, which can be annoying in spots, and when in your “Pac-form” it can also sometimes be tough to dial in the angle you want. Given the demands the game puts on you in the alternative routes you’ll find, more refinement would have been appreciated. On a general level I’d also say that outside of the more Pac-centric features it brings to the table, this would also only qualify as a middling affair. There’s no question that for older gamers like me who love Pac-Man it’s a huge plus, but for people with less nostalgia for the past, that could diminish some of the appeal, for sure.

Regardless, the novelty of the experience absolutely helps it feel worthwhile, and I can definitely say that there’s nothing quite like it out there… something that always carries some weight with me since I enjoy surprises. In many ways this feels like a more successful mixing of an old concept with modern flair than Yars Rising, both in terms of choosing a more iconic title to pair with, and then simply having a better overall design and gameplay experience to explore. This may not be one of the best titles of its kind out there in the eShop, but you can’t argue that it lacks in weird ambitions, and I can respect that.