PAKO 2

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 498 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
PAKO 2 Game Cover
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"PAKO 2" is an arcade driving game where you play as a getaway driver, pulling off robberies and shooting your way out while escaping the law. Successfully evading capture earns you money to buy upgrades, weapons, and new vehicles. The game features handcrafted levels, various guns and items, a pumping soundtrack, and leaderboards to compete against other players. 'Photo Mode' and 2-player support are also included.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 498 reviews
graphics44 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique blend of arcade-style driving and shooting mechanics, reminiscent of classics like Crazy Taxi and Hotline Miami.
  • The retro aesthetic and engaging soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making it visually appealing and immersive.
  • Gameplay is addictive with a variety of vehicles and upgrades, providing a satisfying sense of progression and replayability.
  • The vehicle physics can be inconsistent, leading to frustrating moments where cars veer unexpectedly or get stuck on level geometry.
  • The AI of the police is often criticized for being overly aggressive and lacking self-preservation, which can detract from the fun of car chases.
  • The game suffers from bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with menu navigation and performance on certain systems.
  • graphics102 mentions

    The game's graphics feature a simplistic, low-poly style infused with retro VHS aesthetics, which some players find charming while others consider it quickly becomes monotonous. The visuals effectively create an engaging atmosphere, supported by vibrant colors and detailed environments that enhance the gameplay experience. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are well-executed and complement the game's fast-paced action and nostalgic vibe.

    • “The whole retro art style and simplistic game mechanics are really awesome and satisfying.”
    • “Beyond the gameplay, there's a layer of retro-styled, synthwave VHS charm that lends an attractive visual style and aesthetic to the moments between runs.”
    • “Aesthetically pleasing retro graphics, the maps are just something; the devs absolutely nailed the retro look for each and every one of them.”
    • “Default graphics settings 0/10, seriously most of the crap is not even needed and bogs down your system.”
    • “One more thing, and I know this game is early access and maybe my rig isn't the fastest, but I have turned all graphics features to minimum and still experience a fair amount of lag.”
    • “My only negative comment is that since the visuals are so heavily stylized, it can be difficult to tell what's what until you get used to it.”
  • gameplay90 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its addictive and engaging mechanics, combining driving, picking up characters, and evading police in a retro-styled environment. While many players appreciate the fun and simplicity of the core loop, some find it repetitive and marred by bugs and frustrating AI. Overall, the game offers a thrilling experience with solid driving mechanics, appealing visuals, and a captivating soundtrack, though it may benefit from additional game modes to enhance variety.

    • “The gameplay consists of driving around the map, picking up people from point A and delivering them to point B while the police AI attempts to stop you in increasingly chaotic ways.”
    • “A thrilling experience with attractive visuals, an excellent fast-paced soundtrack, and difficult but rewarding gameplay.”
    • “Core gameplay loop doesn't sound like much at first, but it's surprisingly addictive!”
    • “There is so much wrong with this car chase game, from bugs to broken controls in menus to just the basic gameplay choices. It all comes together to make one of the most frustrating and awful games I've played in a long time.”
    • “The gameplay consists of driving around the map, picking up people from point A and delivering them to point B, while the stupidest police AI ever attempts to stop you by throwing hundreds of police at you in a straight line.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is awful; the driving is awful, the action is awful, and the chases with brain-dead AI are awful.”
  • music76 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its energetic and immersive quality, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during high-speed chases. While some find the soundtrack to be bland, the majority appreciate its fitting retro vibe and adrenaline-pumping tracks that complement the game's aesthetic. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's addictive nature and atmosphere.

    • “The music by dkstr is phenomenal, giving you bumping retrowave tracks that set the tone and immersing you in the kind of 80's action film feel the game goes for.”
    • “A thrilling experience with attractive visuals, an excellent fast-paced soundtrack, and difficult but rewarding gameplay.”
    • “The soundtrack is awesome and fits the game perfectly.”
    • “The soundtrack is bland but not offensively so, though why they would ever offer it as a soundtrack is beyond me.”
    • “I bought the soundtrack thinking that it would contain the in-game version, but only found the original version.”
    • “I could have saved money and just downloaded the song off YouTube.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players find the initial grind heavy, they note that it becomes more manageable and rewarding as they progress. Others describe the grinding as excessive, particularly for expensive upgrades, but acknowledge that it is largely optional and that players can achieve high scores with starting vehicles. Overall, the game offers a balance of grind that may appeal to those who enjoy incremental progression.

    • “Extremely grindy with expensive unlocks.”
    • “I get how the point is you're able to lose, but by the time you're only grinding for the money to finally upgrade armor to max and some weapons that one-shot multiple cars, you have grinding for hours with no progress in terms of levels.”
    • “If I was to be critical, it did feel a bit too grindy to begin with, but once I started unlocking things (and discovered the car shop later than I probably should have), it always felt like I was being regularly rewarded.”
  • replayability16 mentions

    Overall, the reviews indicate that while some games may not offer high replayability, titles like Pako 2 excel in this area, providing significant depth through customization, high scores, and unlockable content. The rogue-like elements also contribute to longevity, making these games enjoyable for repeated play. However, some users feel that certain games may not justify their price in terms of replay value.

    • “Pako 2 is all about replayability.”
    • “Pako 2 is a major improvement from the first game and is overall a really fun time waster with enough depth and replayability to keep you coming back for more.”
    • “If you like games with a lot of replayability revolving around customization and high scores and like the sound of a top-down twin-stick shooter driving game, I recommend this quite easily.”
    • “Bit expensive for a phone game and isn't the most replayable game but it's alright 6/10.”
    • “Replayability to unlock new maps, vehicles, weapons, watch your pad improve, climb the leaderboard.”
    • “The rogue-like aspect gets you longevity and replayability.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its clarity and detail, enhanced by effective lighting and a fitting adrenaline-filled soundtrack. While the graphics are simple, they contribute to a unique and immersive experience across various maps, each offering distinct styles and twists reminiscent of 70s-80s action films. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, creating an engaging environment for players.

    • “Despite its simple-looking graphics, the game excellently nails its atmosphere alongside its adrenaline-filled soundtrack.”
    • “Top it off with a bucketload of atmosphere and we have a great piece of software in our hands.”
    • “Great car chase action with a nice 70s-80s action movie atmosphere.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized due to numerous bugs and glitches, which detract from the overall experience. Players report issues such as erratic physics and audio problems, leading to confusion about game mechanics, particularly in hard mode. Despite these stability concerns, many still find the game enjoyable.

    • “This game would be a 10/10, but it falls short due to the many bugs and glitches.”
    • “Very fun game has a few glitches here and there, namely the one that blows out your eardrums, but aside from that, it's fun.”
    • “Also, because I had no idea hard mode disabled the perks, I spent a lot of my time in-game feeling like the game was buggy because my perks were never showing up.”
  • story8 mentions

    Players express a desire for a more engaging story mode that incorporates diverse narratives and missions, reminiscent of classic GTA games. There is a call for additional content, such as DLC that could introduce street racing elements and varied landscapes, as the current gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth. Additionally, some players miss features like bank trucks that could be interacted with during missions, highlighting a need for more dynamic storytelling elements.

    • “Think old school GTA but with only one type of mission and on a map that is much more boring.”
    • “I'd love to see some DLC for this in the form of a street racer game or some kind of story mode plotting a narrative through the different landscapes and different vehicles.”
    • “What happened to the bank trucks that the player could destroy and rob for money during missions?”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization has seen improvements, with developers addressing previous performance issues, although players still report significant stuttering when using a variety of weapons, regardless of hardware. Additionally, while the vehicle progression can feel grindy, it remains optional, allowing players to achieve high scores with starting vehicles after upgrades.

    • “Using a good portion of weapons will cause horrible stuttering (no matter the machine you're running it on).”
    • “Cons: a little grindy for all the vehicles, but it's all optional grind; you could probably get a high score with the starting vehicles after upgrading them.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game resonates with players, as it evokes feelings of gratitude and relief, highlighting the game's ability to provide a safe and supportive experience. Users appreciate the game's role in guiding them away from negative situations, enhancing their overall emotional engagement.

  • monetization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, which is a significant positive aspect for players seeking an uninterrupted gaming experience.

    • “This game doesn't have microtransactions!”
    • “This game doesn't have microtransactions!”
    • “This game doesn't have microtransactions!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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