Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 79 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 87 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 73 | 2 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 13 reviews sampled · 8 total reviews in window · weighted 6.8 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (28)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 75
“Pac-Man 256 is a surprisingly good port of the endless runner from Android/iOS. The mechanics, which are easy to understand but harder to master, give the game that classic arcade feel, and the good balance ensures plenty of fun. Most losses will likely be due to the player’s own skill rather than the game setting you up for a fall. This new Pac-Man is therefore a good title for occasional relaxation… though it’s true that aside from endless repetition aimed at unlocking everything or achieving the highest score, there isn’t much else to do here.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“More creative use of upgrades would've been nice, and as with all endless runners, the appeal will wear off relatively quickly. However, this is a strong outing for Pac-Man that's perfect for short bursts, or, just as likely, one-more-go marathons.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Most importantly, the sessions are short enough that you can spend a few minutes with it and be done, but that call of "one more round" is enough to keep you glued for hours. Cheap but ultimately satisfying, Pac-Man 256 comes highly recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pac-Man 256 takes the original mechanics adding something new to the series, never seen before. You will run through an endless maze, trying to escape from the assault of the Glitch. To make your way across the ghosts, there are 20 upgradable weapons to collect. It may look a simple game, but it hides a surprising depth, and it is really fun to play. Multiplayer co-op is really a blast, but the lack of online multiplayer is a mess. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Unshackled from any free-to-play hooks and microtransactions, Pac-Man 256 is one of the most addictive experiences found on consoles. While it's disappointing that this premium version didn't make its way to the Vita, a new multiplayer mode makes it feel at home on TV screens.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“PAC-MAN 256 is everything you'd want out of a modern reinterpretation of the arcade classic. It may not have all the substance in the world, but it's a great time waster to put into the rotation whenever you have a podcast to listen to.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“[Pac-Man 256] is without doubt one of the most addictive games I have ever played”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pac-Man 256 is an addicting variation on Tōru Iwatani's legacy, updated for the 2010's. One should ask though if Playstation 4 is the best platform for it: sometimes it feels like you're playing a glorified mobile game (perhaps because it is.) Despite the repetitive gameplay - it's modelled after a game from 1980 after all - it's something I often return to and gladly play over and over again. It might even be better than the original, when I think about it.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“"Sameness" defines 256. It's Pac-Man, with its classic gameplay intact, twisted to the side with an endless runner tint instead of a level-based progression system. It's good, but could have done much more and built on the killer advancements that were made in Pac-Man Championship Edition DX. Maybe that's expecting too much, because for five smackeroos, you could do a whole lot worse.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Pac-Man 256 is a fun mobile game ported 1:1 to console. Its one game mode tends to get boring after half an hour. The multiplayer offers about half an hour of fun as well, but not much more than that.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Hipster Whale's game is basically the same Pac-Man people were playing 35 years ago, just with an endless maze, more power-ups, and co-op play”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The mobile version was free, but with ads. If you wanted extra currency, you could watch an ad, or you’d have to wait for a reward. PAC-MAN 256 eschews all of that to prove it’s a game that can stand without ad support. It is an endless runner (of sorts) that has you attempting to gain a high score while unlocking power-ups to ensure your place atop the leaderboard. It’s such a unique and exciting way to play, you’ll have a hard time stopping.”
read full review ↗
Gaming Professors
Push Square
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
We Got This Covered
TechRaptor
GameSpew
Destructoid
Post Arcade (National Post)
Saving Content…and 16 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Version 1.10 is Out! Happy PAC-DOT munching!Mar 15, 2017
- Version 1.10 is Out! Happy PAC-DOT munching!Mar 15, 2017
- New BETA version...Mar 2, 2017
- New BETA version...Mar 2, 2017
- Happy Holidays Update!Dec 21, 2016
- Happy Holidays Update!Dec 21, 2016
- Update Time!Dec 7, 2016
- Update Time!Dec 7, 2016
- Happy PAC-MAN 256 1st Birthday - Wakka WakkaSep 22, 2016