Shadow Labyrinth pays tribute to more than Pac-Man’s history

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After approximately six months, I’ve finally grasped the storyline of Shadow Labyrinth. It’s now becoming clearer. This game offers a unique spin on Pac-Man, venturing into an entirely new genre. It’s quite unexpected for a 45th anniversary tribute to the mascot, but after witnessing it at PAX East earlier this year, Bandai Namco’s concept has become more apparent. Shacknews recently had an extended opportunity to examine Shadow Labyrinth and also caught glimpses of other nods to gaming history along the journey.

This newer preview delves deeper into Shadow Labyrinth’s narrative, revealing how its elements interconnect. The story follows the adventures of Swordsman No. 8 and his enigmatic accomplice PUCK in a bizarre and hazardous extraterrestrial landscape. However, they are not alone; the Bosconians, natives from another planet, are also present. Early in the game, players meet these Bosconians who have journeyed to the alien world with the aim of controlling its darkness before it endangers their home and the entire galaxy. The Bosconians serve as guides for Swordsman No. 8 and offer various services like selling abilities, bonuses, and goods at their shops.

Following my conversation with the Bosconians, it was now time for a deeper understanding of Shadow Labyrinth’s battle and exploration mechanics. The area called Land of the Fugitives, situated earlier in the game than the PAX East demo, presented a blend of obstacles that players should anticipate encountering. One segment involved platforming tasks, primarily accomplished in “Mini-PUCK mode,” where the focus is on gliding along walls and ceilings while adopting a standard Pac-Man shape. Players need to be cautious of threats like moving buzzsaws and lasers, and find a way to reach the other side of the room. In situations outside of Mini-PUCK mode, Swordsman No. 8 must face his own setbacks, such as jumping onto moving platforms and even timing jumps to catch disappearing ones while they are still within reach.

Environmental obstacles can likewise evaluate Swordsman No. 8’s skills by incorporating puzzle elements and swift-response platforming stages. The one in the Land of the Fugitives commenced with players pushing a rock along a field of spikes, ensuring to seize the rock during descent and leap off it prior to dashing through a tight opening. This is where Shadow Labyrinth’s formula began to exhibit some weaknesses, as striking certain perils like spikes will return players to the room start with a reduction in health. Although Celeste-style platforming challenges are usually enjoyable, hitboxes could occasionally be unforgiving, and even touching a corner of a hazard can necessitate players to restart the entire section.

In the final part, there’s a lot more fighting compared to what was shown at PAX East. The primary adversaries here were brain-like creatures, each following basic attack patterns. Smaller ones would brandish spears and recklessly charge, while larger ones would either wield swords or fire arrows. The largest enemy type could endure heavy damage and attacked with a massive cleaver. Timing your parry is crucial for most players, although some classic platformer strategies can also be effective. In my experience, I managed to successfully bounce off these enemies using downward thrusts, which allowed me to easily execute quick three-hit combos.

Victory in battles may rely on the use of Perks, abilities that players can select from any save point. These talents can boost a player’s health, provide additional ESP for powerful attacks, offer health replenishment, faster recharge rates for the GAIA meter, and even transform into the massive GAIA form against larger enemies – a feature that could spell the difference between life and death. Nevertheless, players should exercise caution when choosing Perks as some are temporary or fragile. A few Perks may be lost upon death, while stronger ones have a chance to break when activated.

Benefits prove quite useful when tackling Shadow Labyrinth’s formidable bosses. Just as we might anticipate, where Pac-Man appears, so too do ghosts. In the confrontation at the culmination of Frontline Base, players encounter a colossal machine operated by a massive pink entity known as a G-HOST. This formidable foe wields potent area-of-effect attacks and is guarded by laser cannons situated around the screen’s perimeter.

Instead, an even more captivating boss battle unfolded towards the end of the demo in the Bosconian Ruins area. This formidable adversary was a towering mutant in a mask, wielding claws that slashed like machetes. The design of this boss fight draws inspiration from another classic game, Splatterhouse. Throughout the game, players can anticipate encountering similar throwback references, as some enemies are inspired by iconic foes from Namco’s arcade era. All these elements contribute to Shadow Labyrinth as a kind of climax for the long-running United Galaxy Space Force narrative, which encompasses numerous games spanning the last 45 years.

After experiencing Shadow Labyrinth at PAX East, I found it intriguing as a Metroidvania game and its impact on the genre. Having played it more recently, my curiosity about the hidden references (Easter eggs) that Bandai Namco has incorporated into the game and how they enhance the gameplay, story, and overall experience of Shadow Labyrinth is growing. Today, I find myself captivated by this unique game, despite initially being skeptical due to its introduction in Prime Video’s Secret Level series. With the release date fast approaching, Shadow Labyrinth is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on July 18.

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2025-06-23 17:27