The subsequent sport I want to put ahead for Worst Videogame Title 2024 is PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs. I imply, simply have a look at it. PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle is pushing it just a little, the unique identify of the sport when it launched on Google Stadia in 2020. However the Chomp Champs suffix gives actually nothing aside from a crick in my jaw every time I try to try and say all of it within the one breath.
As a result of the sport identify does such a horrible job indicating what it’s, permit me. PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is the most recent battle royale PAC-MAN sport which, by my calculations, is no less than the fourth PAC-MAN battle royale sport on the market. This nonetheless, is the primary one to return to Xbox.
You sq. off towards 63 different PAC-MANs/MEN doing what the long-lasting character does finest: consuming pellets and chasing down ghosts. The twist right here is that your opponent’s mazes will be visited by travelling by way of portals when open. Of their mazes, you can even eat pellets and ghosts, however you can even EAT OTHER PAC-MEN. PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Cannibal Champs would have been a way more appropriate identify.
Because the variety of contributors reduces, so does the variety of mazes. You might be by no means wandering aimlessly round a maze on the lookout for ghosts of pellets, all the things is condensed down properly.
Issues shortly get frantic as effectively, however with out lowering the enjoyable. You begin with three lives, however as you progress extra will be discovered by way of power-ups. There are additionally missions to undertake all through; these aren’t important however can earn you some further factors. They vary from issues like consuming ghosts of pellets in an opponent’s maze, to putting a bounty on the top of one other participant so that you can seek out and eat. That’s if in case you have any extra human gamers towards you.
It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll have a full foyer of 64 precise gamers, even with cross-play enabled. Areas are stuffed with AI opponents, and more often than not you can be taking part in towards them within the two primary modes, Elimination and Ranked.
The distinction between these modes? Completely nothing. Ranked mode unlocks after you hit Degree 10 in Elimination mode however these two play identically, other than Ranked mode being hypothetically extra aggressive. Offering you discover a human opponent.
Ranked mode is supposedly going to supply seasonal rewards, however herein lies the largest downside with PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs. You’re most likely considering this feels like a enjoyable free-to-play title, however it’s a premium launch. And an expensive one too, costing £15.99 for a sport that’s introduced as a freemium title. And there are additionally extra DLC packs containing outfits and customisation choices.
The issue with the AI is that you’ll shortly realise they don’t have a lot ability. Video games shall be over pretty shortly and lots of the time I’ve gained by default reasonably than having a showdown with an opponent on the ultimate maze. The odd instances that has occurred although have been a blast; tense affairs the place you’ll be able to go early and devour energy pellets to catch your opponent out, or bide your time and hope they get caught brief between ghosts. Typically I really feel that PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs could be higher with extra gamers beginning on fewer mazes, to make these nice moments extra commonplace.
I’m not at all times snug bashing on a sport for its worth, and can solely accomplish that when essential. However PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs presents itself as a free-to-play title. One have a look at the principle menu, though this seems to be like probably the most primary and inconsiderate UI I’ve ever seen, will inform you. There’s a store the place you’ll be able to achieve entry to a really restricted quantity of customisation choices, and the promise of seasonal rewards. And, I can’t imagine I’m about to say this, however it is a sport that may have benefitted from a Battle Go, or some form of development system. Except for levelling up and incomes cash, there is no such thing as a means to progress and unlock extra issues. It’s painfully primary, and this shall be detrimental to the long-term efficiency of the sport.
Your customisation choices embrace hats, glasses and outfits to your PAC-MAN. Nevertheless, many hats and outfits can’t be worn collectively, with the outfits masking up most of your PAC-MAN.
It’s also possible to buy new themes to your maze, however with so few accessible at launch, you’ll repeatedly see the identical ones again and again. Whether or not extra are to be added over time stays to be seen, however I might count on them to solely be within the type of paid DLC anyhow.
Above all else, nonetheless, PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs is enjoyable. The gameplay of PAC-MAN is timeless and remains to be the predominant characteristic right here. Something extra options add to it reasonably than dampen the enjoyable. And if all you’re after is one other trendy tackle the core gameplay, it is a worthy buy.
These on the lookout for one thing a bit extra, a whole expertise, shall be left upset by PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs. There may be one sport mode break up throughout two ‘completely different’ mode varieties, no actual sense of development, an archaic menu and easily not sufficient right here to maintain followers taking part in long-term.
And on the worth PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs has positioned itself at, that basically will not be ok.