After its reveal following the Secret Level “Circle” episode, Bandai Namco’s Shadow Labyrinth launches today. For those who missed it, this game is technically part of the Pac-Man franchise, though it is a major departure from the iconic Pac-Man gameplay.
That’s because this game is a 2D action-adventure title – yes, this is a Metroidvania, meaning it combines fast-paced action combat with exploration and platforming elements. It also integrates elements from the Pac-Man franchise, though it’s a unique, dark fantasy take on the beloved gaming icon.
Just last month, I got to try out a demo of the game in a media preview. Now though, I was able to try out the entire game. During my initial hands-on time, I was intrigued by the game’s systems and mechanics, though my time with the game wasn’t enough to get the full picture.
Now that I’ve had more time with the game, I can say that I still see the appeal, but at the same time, my experience has been more mixed than I had hoped.
Mechanics Take Some Time to Get Used To
As a Metroidvania, Shadow Labyrinth’s combat should feel familiar to players. In this game, your character, named Swordsman No. 8, has access to a basic attack, as well as a special attack that you can swap out with various options. You also have a block, as well as a punch that can stun some opponents. Movement is also key in combat, as timely jumps and dashes are necessary when up against many enemies in a stage (this often happens).
If you ask me, combat is a particular highlight in the game, as the attacks and the various abilities feel great to use. Enemy variety is also pretty good, as the game throws out all sorts of enemies your way, meaning you’ll have to think about how to tackle specific combat encounters. One thing to note is that the AI of the enemies can feel a bit wonky when it comes to which enemy is attacking you at the moment. This can be challenging at times, though Metroidvania veterans likely won’t have an issue.
Along with standard mob variety, the bosses in the game are also worth mentioning. Shadow Labyrinth has a variety of boss fights, many of which are quite fun, but are on the easier side if you know what you’re doing. This is especially the case when you activate GAIA, which transforms Swordsman No. 8 into a mecha. Still, they’re quite memorable overall.
It’s good that combat in Shadow Labyrinth works well, as some aspects of the overall gameplay don’t feel as good. One of these is how movement feels.
I have to admit, I didn’t notice this much during my initial hands-on time last month, but after playing the game again, I noticed that moving and jumping didn’t feel as tight as I would’ve liked. As such, it took me quite some time to get used to the feel of the game’s movement, resulting in some frustrating moments during the earlier parts of the game.
Many great 2D games (whether they’re Metroidvanias or platformers) have movement that feels natural and easy to learn. In fact, for most of the memorable platformers I’ve played, I only needed a couple of minutes to get the jumping and movement mechanics to feel natural, enough that I was easily able to enter a “flow state.”
This wasn’t exactly the case with Shadow Labyrinth, as there were times early into my playthrough that I felt like I had to actively consider how much I would move and jump. This might seem like a good thing if you read it in isolation, but the fact that these moves didn’t feel natural gave me some annoyance. It’s hard to put into words exactly as the movement doesn’t feel floaty per se; it’s just not as intuitive compared with other Metroidvanias (at least, that’s how it felt during the early parts of my playthrough).
The issues I had with movement weren’t just when I was controlling Swordsman No. 8. There were times when he transformed into Pac-Man (or Puck). These are during the D-Line parts of the map, which play kind of like a Pac-Man platformer. While there’s fun to be had in these segments, jumping between lines doesn’t feel as tight as it could’ve been.
Eventually, I did get the hang of the game’s movement, though it did take longer than I’d hoped. Of course, your mileage may vary, as this game’s movement can click with you instantly (which wasn’t the case for me). In that case, you’ll have some fun with the game’s combat encounters. Sadly, outside of these, the game’s appeal may be a bit limited.
Pac-Man Elements Can Feel Tacked On
As I mentioned, I can definitely see the appeal of this game for Metroidvania fans, especially given that it’s a “brand-new” game in the genre. On the other hand, this game is being highlighted for Pac-Man fans in general. In that sense, I’m not exactly sure if the game succeeds.
Pac-Man is no doubt a video game icon, but it’s fair to say that there’s not a massive Pac-Man fanbase. I mean, while there are classic Pac-Man fans, many of them skew towards liking retro games. In that sense, I’m not sure this type of game would appeal to them.
Even taking that out of the equation, the fact is that Shadow Labyrinth’s Pac-Man elements do feel rather tacked on at times. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that they’re an awkward fit, the Pac-Man aspects do feel like they’re just there, and that you can swap them out with another them without changing the overall experience much.
One of the key ways that this game connects to Pac-Man is with its world. Here, you explore a maze-like world that is said to evoke the feeling of the classic game’s dark maze. I understand what the game is going for, but the environments just look okay if you ask me. The design and style of the game’s world didn’t exactly tickle my imagination. If you ask me, I think it would’ve been better if they leaned more into a specific style, or if they went more all-out with the visuals to make for an even darker, more memorable game.
As for the map itself, the design of the stages is at least pretty good. If you find yourself liking the game’s world, you’ll have a great time exploring the various nooks and crannies. For Metroidvania fans, seeking out various areas in the world and unlocking shortcuts is a nice treat.
Aside from the map, another mechanic straight out of Pac-Man is Devour. In the game, Puck can Devour enemies to get helpful materials for crafting. This is a cool mechanic in theory, but in practice, it needs some tweaks. That’s because it’s easy to whiff a devour depending on enemy placement. That’s speaking from experience as I whiffed plenty of Devours, which was annoying as using it consumes energy.
While it may seem like I’m being a bit too critical of the game’s Pac-Man elements, my overall impression of them is that they’re a fine addition, but maybe not enough to sway players who aren’t exactly into Metroidvanias. I have to admit, I think the sound effects and various moments with Puck were cool, but not cool enough to distract me from some of the game’s flaws.
Before I get to my final verdict though, it’s worth talking a bit about the story. In this game, you play as Swordsman No. 8, and at the start, he is awakened by Puck, a yellow orb. The Swordsman finds himself on a mysterious planet that’s scarred by an old intergalactic conflict.
There are some nice moments, and the central mystery does have some compelling parts, but overall, the game’s story is simply serviceable. It’s not a bad story by any means, it just could use a bit more impact to make it more impactful and memorable, not to mention that the protagonist is rather plain. At least, the callbacks to classic Pac-Man are nice. Plus, there are some notable side characters, but there aren’t exactly a lot of them in the game.
Shadow Labyrinth Final Verdict – 7/10
If you’ve read through this entire review, it might seem like I disliked Shadow Labyrinth. While I have plenty of things that I didn’t enjoy, I still think it’s an okay game overall, even though it may not exactly be the game to kickstart a new era for the franchise.
Sure, the Pac-Man parts did feel tacked on, and the movement did take a bit of time to get used to, but the game does have some notable bright spots, especially when it comes to combat encounters.
As such, Shadow Labyrinth is recommended mostly for Metroidvania fans who want a new game to try out. On the flip side, those who are new to the genre may not have the best experience.
[This game was reviewed via a PS5 game code provided by the publisher.]