Game: Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures

Platform: PC, Xbox, PS3, Wii U

Publisher/Developer: Namco Bandai

Genre: 3D Adventure

Describe This Game in Three Words: Weird, But Fun

Plot: Tying in with the new cartoon series, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures pits the legendary game icon against the evil Betrayus who plans on using his ghost army to take over Pac-World. There's more to it than that, but we'll talk about how weird this really is in a bit.

Up, Up: It's hard to be Pac-Man because he never really found his place in the world after games developed past not being able to animate things like eyes and a arms and stuff. His entire existence was arguably the most arbitrary collection of sprites and motivations ever conceived of, and he rarely got better by trying to add more depth to the mix.

This go-round, though, it's actually pretty damned fun. Though the basic 3D adventure lacks the polished brilliance of something like Super Mario Galaxy, it's a very solid game that is honestly fun to play. Pac stays true to his roots by eating ghosts, and that attack never, ever gets old. It's like Kirby on meth, with Pac launching himself headfirst at his opponents and consuming them with a satisfying chomp.

The worlds are lovingly rendered if somewhat simplistic, and the play is childlike and linear. In many ways it is the most impressive update of the character ever, at least as far as gameplay goes. You dive in effortless, and if it doesn't offer all that much of a challenge it is undeniably cute and engaging.

Review continues on next page.