Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness

Review

by Kyle Knight

Pac-Man is not a game that would normally appeal to gamers of the year 2000. Older gamers may like it based on nostalgic appeal, but most gamers weaned on flashy 3D graphics will find Pac-Man to be hopelessly outdated. Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness is the perfect solution for such a crowd, a combination of classic Pac-Man gameplay and 3D graphics.

The game's graphics are 3D, but aren't really up to the standards of other 3D games released at about the same time. In fact, even though the game was released near the end of the PlayStation's lifespan the graphics look almost first or second generation in terms of quality. Background objects are composed of simple cubes, pyramids, and other basic 3D shapes. The monsters are likewise composed of a few basic 3D shapes put together, and as a result the monsters end up looking more like comical caricatures than actual scary monsters. That actually works out for the game, as its theme is meant to be somewhat cute and kiddy. But gamers who highly value great graphics will find Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness's simplistic graphical design to be disappointing.

The graphics do have two problems that will bother all players though, regardless of personal preferences. The first problem is the game's insistence on using only one camera angle. Without the ability to rotate the camera around to suit your needs, you'll find that sometimes you can lose track of where you are when you step behind tall walls. It's not normally a big problem as the screen centers on you regardless, but sometimes the monsters' patrol paths can take them behind these same walls. The other problem is that, for some reason, the screen doesn't immediately track your movements. Instead it slowly pans to keep up with you. This isn't a problem when you're weaving your way around a maze, but in straight sections the screen can fall so far behind that you can't see more than one Ms. Pac-Man length ahead of you.

The game's music is remarkably good, with some tunes that are quite catchy. Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness' sound effects aren't quite up to the level set by the music, but are still decent. Voice clips can be heard throughout the game and are the game's high point. The voice actors managed to exaggerate their parts to make the voice acting more appealing to younger kids, but still maintain enough control to keep the voice acting from being annoying for adults.

Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness' gameplay is a great mix of old style Pac-Man with innovative puzzle elements. You're still limited to moving around while evading monsters in what is basically a four direction maze setup, but the game adds puzzle and even some adventure elements to the mix. The gameplay is still classic enough to appeal to longtime gamers through nostalgia, but the puzzle gaming adds a new dimension to the gameplay to appeal to gamers who find original Pac-Man to be a bit simplistic.

Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness is a surprisingly enjoyable game that successfully combines Pac-Man's classic gameplay with new ideas to create a gaming experience that will appeal to virtually everyone. The only gamers who may not find Ms. Pac-Man: Maze Madness to be enjoyable are those who put a heavy emphasis on graphics quality.