Some games and experiences are timeless, which is why a select handful of games remain timeless even 20+ years after release. Among the most notable are things Namco released, which includes titles like Pac-Man and Dig Dug, which has stood the test of time. Despite releasing several times in the past, Namco Museum Archives Vol 2 includes a bunch of beloved games and forgotten adventures. With so much content, is it a must for retro fans or a fancy way to charge more for a couple of good games?
Similar to Namco Museum Archives Vol 1, there is a nice mix of notable classics and more niche titles for players to enjoy. This time around we have Galaga, Dig Dug 2, and Super Xevious to give players some guaranteed value. Joining them on the other end is Pac-Land, Mappy-Land, and Mendel Palace.
While experiences like Galaga are a blast, this is a little rougher of a release. Like, if you’ve never played Pac-Land, it’s basically a finite runner that isn’t terribly exciting or challenging outside of being timed. Mendel Palace also suffers from being a bit bland. All you need to do is flip tiles and push enemies into the wall. It can get tricky at times, yes, there just isn’t engaging enough mechanics to make it something exciting for newcomers.
Battle City lets you control a tank and destroy areas to defeat enemies, it just lacks the exciting nature of some of the more iconic releases from that time period. As an unfortunate side effect, a lot of the lesser-known titles are less a result of circumstances and more being less than impressive games. But, once you include Gaplus, there is still a fair bit of value here.
Being that it’s the sequel to Galaga, it shares the same core gameplay experience. As a result, it’s a lot of fun, especially once you start stealing enemy ships and face extremely fast-moving and intense sections. And, for those just looking for fun, the modern featured of Namco Museum Archives Vol 2 make this and all the other games far more accessible.
Since this collection really isn’t about bragging about high scores and promotes more fun-filled experiences, players have the ability to rewind mistakes and make multiple save points at any time. This allows for practicing hard parts or simply reversing a careless mistake. Some might not care for these features, though they’re also completely optional.
Despite there being a lot of advantages to this collection and only a few lackluster titles, there are a lot of direct ports. Graphical glitches are common and some of the original quirks persist. This is more annoying than problematic but something a lot of fans would likely want to know before experiencing it.
Namco Museum Archives Vol 2 Review – Verdict
Like the other collection, you get 11 pretty good games in Namco Museum Archives Vol 2. Galaga, Gaplus, and Dig Dug 2 add enough value to justify the collection and the modern features make it accessible for everyone. It’s a shame this release features a few of the weirder titles but fans of classic games will likely enjoy replaying or experiencing these titles.
[Editor’s Note: Namco Museum Archives Vol 2 was reviewed on PS4 platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
