Shadow Labyrinth

"Weird" is the word that best describes Shadow Labyrinth, a textbook 2D Metroidvania with a rather ugly aesthetic, a somewhat strange story and setting, and gameplay that doesn't stand out in any way, with a development that is surprisingly mediocre in its first few hours, but improves considerably in the final part. There are much better options within the genre, but if you're a REAL fan of this type of game and have already played all the important ones, we're sure you'll enjoy it. A title that, despite its shortcomings and lack of standing out in any way, has a "certain charm." In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if it ends up becoming a kind of cult title, one of those games that only grows stronger over the years, given time.

Shadow Labyrinth is a good Metroidvania with a well made, atmospheric setting, nice presentation, cool designed bossfights and appealing platforming that does not suffer, but also does not really benefit from the Pac-Man crossover. Because the fixed difficulty level is a little too high, we can mostly recommend the game to purists of the genre.

Shadow Labyrinth is an adequate Metroidvania with a good balance between platforming and combat as well as nice visuals. What drags it down is the obscure connection with Pac-Man, and certain gameplay elements that try to draw inspiration from that franchise. Classic as it may be, it just doesn’t work in an action game.

While the combination of metroidvania platforming and Pac-Man provides an interesting concept, the execution leaves something to desire. The inaccurate attacks, sparse save points and lack of direction, combined with irregular difficulty spikes, hinder the game more than they should.

Bandai Namco’s bold attempt to reimagine the core concepts of the beloved Pac-Man franchise as a modern Metroidvania shows promise but ultimately falls short of its full potential. Shadow Labyrinth delivers a dark, mysterious story and fast-paced combat, but brings little new to the table, leaning too heavily on the Pac-Man name to make an impact.

The best thing about Shadow Labyrinth is the unusual idea of transforming Pac-Man into a metroidvania and also a minigame that reinvents the classic format we know. The adaptation in itself is successful and the execution delivered a competent game, but one that lacks relevant highlights that make it above average in the genre, marred by unnecessarily long areas and low-quality visuals.

Shadow Labyrinth innovated within the Pac-Man games by boldly venturing into a dark and gritty direction no one expected. However, in terms of art style and substance, the game offers little that sets it apart in an already crowded market

Aside from a few original ideas, Shadow Labyrinth ultimately falls short as a Metroidvania. The combat is overly basic, the platforming gets repetitive fast, and the game is brutally difficult. Our advice? Just rewatch that episode of Secret Level instead.

Shadow Labyrinth is a perfectly fine Metroid riff. The level design, the pacing of new power-ups, and the mechanical satisfaction of mastering its different forms of precision-demanding motion make it both very easy and demanding to play.

Shadow Labyrinth shines among passion projects — not because it's a great Metroidvania, or being a great Pac-Man game, but its weirdness is enough to confirm that the old Pac-Man formula still works. Unfortunately, this great concept is stuck inside an unremarkable game, that still has a few good moments.

The Secret Level episode blew my mind when it came out and I couldn't wait to play a dark version of Pac-Man in a metroidvania setting. In the end, it’s a bog-standard metroidvania with a Pac-Man gimmick that does nothing new for the genre. The style was also not my cup of tea, as the contrasts between the background and the animation were too overwhelming and not very well implemented. Unfortunately, the show was much better than the game.

Shadow Labyrinth never rises above being an occasionally exciting metroidvania. Between the likes of Hollow Knight, Ori and others, there are just far too many better options available.

Shadow Labyrinth is a metroidvania based on an alternate Pac-Man universe that evokes mixed feelings with its striking aesthetic and ideas, but with a frustrating pace and shallow combat.

I was hopeful for Shadow Labyrinth when it was announced, but as I played the game a lot of that eroded over the hours and hours I spent with it. It’s not a bad game for sure, I’ve played far worse Metroidvania’s over the years, but it’s also not a great game, held back by some archaic design decisions, a mostly bland art design, and some frustrating control moments. There’s enjoyment to be had here, sure, but you really have to struggle through the low points in order to gleam out just a bit of fun from this one.

Pac-Man in a Metroidvania game? Yeah – Shadow Labyrinth is an intriguing use of a much-loved IP, but the end result leaves a little to be desired. There's fun to be had here, but frustrating design choices, such as a lack of checkpoints and healing options, mean it's a middling Metroidvania, outshined by plenty others in the genre.

Shadow Labyrinth is a mid-tier metroidvania featuring a few interesting concepts, but it quickly fades from memory after completion.

Shadow Labyrinth shows that it understands what it takes to be a solid Metroidvania, thanks to its varied environments and gameplay, but it lacks finesse and polish in its execution.

An uninspired effort to infuse nostalgic IP with edgy nonsense, Shadow Labrynth offers up some fine enough Metroidvania action but fails to give players much of a reason to care about it beyond sheer novelty. Tucked away in its sprawling maps are beacons of joy in the form of classic Pac-Man mazes, but there’s only a ghost of a game built around them.

Shadow Labyrinth is an admirable big swing that places Pac-Man in a strange new space. Unfortunately, while there are some fun elements taken from the arcade classic and a few neat ideas sprinkled in, the majority of the game is a by-the-numbers Metroidvania that doesn't quite come together. It feels like a game built to please Pac-fans and hardcore players that lap up the likes of Hollow Knight, but the end result is something that underserves both. It's not bad, but with so many incredible 2D Metroidvanias these days, this one doesn't quite do enough to measure up.

Shadow Labyrinth is undoubtedly an interesting experiment, starting from an idea we'd like to see explored more often: thoughtfully modernizing a past title, reviving the key ideas that led to its creation but incorporating them into a modern framework. It's a shame the execution isn't the best: beneath the pleasant nods to Bandai Namco's history lies a derivative Metroidvania, reminiscent of a bygone era. Navigating the labyrinths is simple, the combat lacks creative flair, the protagonist's power-ups lack impact, and even the original ideas haven't been perfectly implemented.

Shadow Labyrinth is built on a compelling concept—reimagining Pac-Man within a Metroidvania framework—but ultimately struggles to bring that vision to life. Although there are flashes of creativity and thoughtful design, they’re frequently undermined by clunky platforming, uninspired visuals, imprecise combat hitboxes, and a convoluted narrative that fails to captivate. What might have been a bold and refreshing reinvention instead becomes an uneven experience weighed down by its own ambition.

Shadow Labyrinth should have been so much more. I wanted my first impression of the game to linger. But the longer I engaged, the more my mind wandered to better Metroidvanias. Ones that either delivered pitch-perfect combat and exploration, or ones that tried something new. Shadow Labyrinth attempts to make a weird, novel Pac-Man experience but squanders the opportunity on sluggish pacing, exhausting checkpointing, and a map that severely needed a few bites taken out of it. Maybe Puck should just stick to ghost hunting.

An ambitious project that partially gets in its own way with an unattractive implementation. The interesting premise is offset by unmotivating gameplay.