Shadow Labyrinth Review – Edgy Pacman Rocks

Shadow Labyrinth Review

Shadow Labyrinth is a 2D action-platformer Metroidvania with Soulslike elements, based on Bandai Namco’s iconic Pac-Man franchise. That’s definitely one of the more bizarre game premises I’ve encountered recently, and that’s saying something. I’m a connoisseur of bizarre game premises.

But does this title have any substance to it, or is it just weird? Good news, Pac-Man fans: Shadow Labyrinth is actually pretty good.

After a somewhat confusing opening involving a hooded child vanishing into a game console, Shadow Labyrinth hits the ground running. You are Swordsman No. 8, a glitchy hooded figure summoned into a dark and dangerous world. At your side is the enigmatic Puck—one of the most ominous iterations of Pac-Man ever—who ruthlessly uses you to escape imprisonment.

Now it’s you and your ever-hungry devouring maw against the world. After all, you have to eat if you want to grow stronger. And you’ll never understand the truth of this world if you stop fighting.

Retro Gaming Reimagined

Shadow Labyrinth is packed with references to other Bandai Namco titles, but it also stands on its own. The thrilling and sometimes tragic saga of Puck, Swordsman No. 8, and the mysterious girl determined to stop their journey at any cost held my interest. And I barely got any of the references, Pac-Man aside.

You play as the silent Swordsman No. 8, a glitchy figure trapped in an unknown shadowy labyrinth. As you explore through the maze depths, you gather new abilities, battle deadly bosses, and uncover fragmented diary entries. All while the enigmatic Puck, a sci-fi reimagining of Pac-Man, floats behind you.

Coming into Shadow Labyrinth, I had no idea what to expect from a Pac-Man Metroidvania. As it turns out, this means Pac-Man levels inside a larger Metroidvania framework. This combination works surprisingly well. Pac-Man has always been about navigating a maze and backtracking to confront new threats and get new abilities, after all.

The game is constantly switching up how its action plays out. You use different forms to traverse different areas and face different threats. Whether you’re grinding the rails, navigating a Pac-Man-style maze, or battling bosses, there’s always a new challenge ahead.

Shadow Labyrinth is a Pac-Man Metroidvania with Soulslike Elements

Shadow Labyrinth feels more like a Soulslike than a Metroidvania at times. The Swordsman is incredibly fragile, especially in early areas. And a crowd of enemies can easily tear through you if you mess up your timing. The parry mechanics also feel very Soulslike, though less punishing than some.

You switch from the Swordsman to Puck when rails are involved. Each form has its own advantages, so weigh them carefully while exploring. You can also transform into the fearsome GAIA to unleash the awesome power of a mighty war machine. However, the charge is difficult to build and drains fast. To restore it, you must devour your enemies.

As you explore, you gather power-ups, new abilities, and various optional collectibles. The game is also full of hidden secrets for keen-eyed players to find.

This title contains a lot of nice quality of life features. For example, the map automatically notes items you’ve found but can’t reach yet. And players can make backtracking easier by cutting down vines to make shortcuts. This is especially nice, because backtracking is heavily recommended and outright mandatory at times.

Giant Maps and Grueling Exploration

Shadow Labyrinth has a very interesting art style. It’s full of nods to Bandai Namco’s past, yet it still works as a distinctive whole. Characters can go from cute to menacing in seconds. I like it.

Unfortunately, I’m not as fond of the subdued sound design. I wish the music was louder. It often feels borderline silent when exploring, with just the noises of combat and traversal. That would be fine if this game was an actual horror title. However, Shadow Labyrinth is more sci-fi than horror, and it could use a louder soundtrack.

The dialog is murky and hard to hear. I hope it’s in a conlang invented for this game, because I can barely make out a word. The subtitles also go by a little too fast in cutscenes. That aside, I love hearing the ‘waka waka’ noise while gliding through D-Lines.

The levels are positively massive. It would be easy to get turned around if the map wasn’t so well-designed. As it is, I kept wishing you could fast-travel to checkpoints as well as save points. Backtracking to talk with NPCs or search for newly-unlocked secrets can be a pain. And the Digital Artbook & Soundtrack are nice, but can only be viewed within the game, which is always disappointing.

All in all, Shadow Labyrinth is an ambitious reimagining of a classic franchise that works much better than it has any right to to. That said, the presentation is still a bit rusty, and it’s really difficult at times. I hope you’re prepared to spend six tries to get past almost every boss and nasty platforming section.

***Steam code provided by the publisher***