Shadow Labyrinth Turns Pac-Man On Its Head With a Gritty Sci-Fi Metroidvania
Feel the hunger.
Everyone knows Pac-Man’s little dots, ghosts, and waka-waka noises, so it’s a bit jarring to see the iconic puck mercilessly devour grotesque creatures. But that’s exactly what happens in Shadow Labyrinth, a bizarre Metroidvania that puts a cerebral twist on Pac-Man, celebrates Namco’s history, and serves as the bedrock of a fascinating new universe. It’s a tough-as-nails action platformer with a tremendous focus on platforming and exploration, and while it’s one of the most perplexing games of the year, that might be a good thing.
In Shadow Labyrinth, you play as an unnamed figure summoned to an alien planet by the mysterious Puck, a cybernetic, floating Pac-Man. You don’t know where you are, and you don’t know why you’re here, but you have to survive in a hostile environment.
A core part of Shadow Labyrinth is unpacking that central mystery as you meet the planet’s inhabitants and dangerous creatures. That’s one of the game’s most unique elements, as the setting and story are built around the breadth of Namco’s classic games. The first location I visited was called the Bosconian Village, based on the obscure 1981 arcade game of the same name. Later, I faced a gruesome boss named Jen Hybri, inspired by the gore-filled Splatterhouse.
These aren’t just little Easter eggs; Namco’s history is used to create a genuinely compelling sci-fi universe with a distinct vibe and a surprisingly deep story. That’s what really stood out about my time with Shadow Labyrinth: I couldn’t wait to dig in and learn more.
Otherwise, Shadow Labyrinth is a dynamic fusion of 2D action platformers and Metroidvanias. There’s a heavy emphasis on exploration and unlocking upgrades, combined with a robust set of attacks and movesets for the player.
Shadow Labyrinth’s most fascinating feature is how it uses Namco’s own history to craft a compelling sci-fi universe.
There’s definitely a learning curve, though, as it feels like you have a lot of elements to juggle in combat. You have a basic attack, special attacks, a parry, a grapple, a dodge, and more. Not all of these are unlocked right at the start, but the options start to pile up.
By and large, combat feels great. You need to learn the windows for dodging enemy attacks, which blows can be parried, and how to use combos. There’s also a “devour” attack that lets Puck consume enemy corpses and gain resources to upgrade your stats and skills. It ties into what seems to be an overarching theme of hunger and consumption, and there’s clearly something not quite right with your companion.
Shadow Labyrinth’s deep combat is also absurdly challenging; even in just a four-hour demo, I lost count of the number of times I lost a life. But it really shines when the game throws loads of enemies or a particularly memorable boss battle at you. One battle had me going up against a ghost (Pinky) possessing a mech, requiring me to parry missiles while I broke its armor so I could hit the core inside, which was a nice spin on the game’s mechanics.
Puck gives you a strange ability to transform into a giant mech, which also lets you cannibalize foes.
That challenge carries over to the game’s exploration and platforming. Like in any Metroidvania, you can expect a lot of wandering and power-ups that let you reach new areas. All of this ties nicely into Shadow Labyrinth’s sense of mystique — it truly feels like you’ve stepped into an alien landscape where you don’t know the rules.
There’s a particular emphasis on environmental puzzles, and one of the more interesting platforming elements integrates Pac-Man mechanics; there will be glowing wall segments, and if you jump on them, you’ll turn into the traditional Pac-Man puck, waka-wakaing along at high speed and gaining the ability to do a spring jump. You’ll often need to use these to move around levels while contending with buzzsaws and spikes.
Shadow Labyrinth integrates the gameplay of Pac-Man as a platforming and exploration tool.
Shadow Labyrinth often blends combat and platforming, making you perform a challenging juggling act. While I enjoy a brutal Metroidvania experience, part of me worries Shadow Labyrinth might be overtuning itself. It’s a complex game that layers in perks, upgrades, and consumables, and that complexity can be overwhelming. I’m also worried that the difficulty will wear thin across a dozen hours, but there is a genuine sense of satisfaction in completing a boss or lengthy platforming section.
Shadow Labyrinth is unlike anything Namco has ever made, and so far, that’s what I respect the most. While the gameplay feels great, it’s that scintillating twist of turning gaming history into complex world-building that has me the most excited. If Shadow Labyrinth can blend all those elements into a cohesive package, it might be one of the most refreshing Metroidvanias in years.
