Revealed back in December following the “Circle” episode of Prime Video’s Secret Level, Shadow Labyrinth is quite an interesting take on Pac-Man. After all, this game features gameplay that’s very much in the vein of Metroidvania titles while integrating iconic elements from the Pac-Man games.
Recently, we got to try out a demo of Shadow Labyrinth. Specifically, we were able to experience a slice of the game that happens midway through. Thus, we got to experience the game’s maze world, as well as try out the fast-paced combat and platforming segments. To cap off the demo, we faced off against a huge boss fight where we also tried out the game’s GAIA mechanic.
I have to admit, when the game was first announced, I wasn’t exactly sure what to think given that a Metroidvania isn’t exactly something you would think of when it comes to Pac-Man. After trying the game out though, I’m now more convinced of the game’s potential.
Classic Metroidvania Style With Pac-Man Elements
There’s no denying it, Shadow Labyrinth plays very much like you would expect a Metroidvania would. In the game, you have quite an expansive 2D world with various unlockable paths, all while having to face off against various enemies in a fast-paced combat system.
While I can’t speak fully about the exploration aspect of the game, based on what I tried, the game’s levels are quite interesting to explore. The levels I got to see had some winding paths, with various shortcuts being available the more you go through them.
These levels aren’t just there as places to fight enemies, though. In our demo, we also got to experience some challenging platforming segments. Admittedly, I’m not great at platformers, so I struggled a bit with clearing these segments. Still, I can safely say that these platforming parts were quite satisfying to clear. It helps that, even though they’re challenging, they’re still designed in such a way that they feel fair (you simply have to get good at them).
You do these platforming segments as the protagonist “Swordsman No. 8,” though there will be times when you can fuse with “Puck” for some Pac-Man-like platforming segments. These parts of the demo I played were quite fun, and it helped that the audio cues and effects were taken straight out of the Pac-Man games.
Puck also accompanies you in combat, but for the most part, it’s Swordsman No. 8 that does the fighting. In combat, you get a standard melee attack, as well as a special attack that you can change. There’s also a guard function, as well as a dash, which you’ll want to make use of so you don’t get overrun by enemies. Yes, there will be times when you’ll have to face fairly large groups, so you’ll need to keep moving and attacking at the right moments to get through them. Thankfully, you can heal yourself, but this is a consumable, so you’ll have to conserve this, especially when going through tough encounters.
I wasn’t able to explore much in terms of the abilities and items that you’ll get in your journey, mostly because the demo had me experience only a slice of the game. What I was able to focus on was how the gameplay felt.
Based on the combat parts I tried, I can say that Shadow Labyrinth feels great to play. Action platformer fans should feel right at home here as Swordsman No. 8 feels fluid and responsive to move and attack with. This is important as some of the enemy encounters can be quite difficult.
Of course, genre veterans may not find the game to be that hard, but it should still pose a challenge. Thankfully, as is the case with the platforming segments, the enemy encounters I experienced still felt fair. During the times I died, it was clear to me that I had made a mistake.
Expect Big Boss Battles
After some time exploring the maze-like world and fighting enemies, I then got to experience a big boss fight. This let me try out the GAIA mechanic.
In the game, Swordsman No. 8 can fuse into a large mech named GAIA. This essentially transforms the character into a cool-looking mecha for a short time. While in this mode, the player will feel rather invincible, though it will only be available for a limited time, meaning you won’t be able to just spam this to win.
Transforming into GAIA is key to the boss I faced. By fusing with the mech, I was able to output enough damage to destroy the boss’s mask. This is key in the said boss fight as this meant it was more vulnerable to damage, though he also had stronger attacks to make up for that in this phase.
Again, as with the fights against mob enemies, this boss was quite a challenge. In fact, I wasn’t able to beat it by the time our demo timer ran out. That’s not to say he was too tough, it’s more of I just made too many mistakes during the fight against it, as its moveset was still fair, with its attacks being telegraphed well.
Given that the game promises to have more big boss fights like this, Shadow Labyrinth should make for a fun time, especially for action-platformer fans.
Shadow Labyrinth Initial Verdict
It may be quite a big departure from Pac-Man, but it’s clear that Shadow Labyrinth has a lot of promise as a Metroidvania. From the part of the game I played, I was impressed by the exploration and platforming segments. The combat also felt great, whether it’s against mob enemies or the huge boss. Plus, the game has some nods to Pac-Man in terms of style and gameplay that make it a nice tribute to the iconic franchise.
Here’s hoping that the rest of the game likewise does not disappoint. If the rest of the game’s quality is as good as the part that we got to try, Shadow Labyrinth should be a must-try for action platformer fans.
Shadow Labyrinth will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on July 18, 202