- Publisher: Acquire , PQube
- Release Date: Apr 20, 2023
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4
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Apr 21, 2023Labyrinth of Zangetsu isn’t the longest dungeon crawler (though if you choose the “hardcore” difficulty mode, prepare yourself for a grind that chews through some hours). It is, however, one of the most imaginative examples of the genre in recent years. I find it most similar to Dark Spire, an old (and, sadly, nearly forgotten) DS dungeon crawler. Just like that one, Zangetsu is a fundamentally retro-themed dungeon crawler that plays like a modern game, making it far more accessible than, say, trying to tackle the original Wizardry in 2023. And, as an added bonus, it has an absolutely incredible art style.
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Jul 13, 2023While Labyrinth of Zangetsu does a lot with a little, it can suffer from its limited scope at times, too. It’s a relatively brief outing, as dungeon crawlers go, which isn’t inherently a bad thing—as a time-poor parent, I appreciate the brevity—but it also means that the game struggles to push its ideas to their full potential. Even with a variety of classes and the option to multiclass, their rudimentary designs can limit options for creative character and party builds. Labyrinth designs are consistently great, but it still feels like there’s untapped potential in the various gimmicks and traps that the game introduces.
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May 2, 2023Labyrinth of Zangetsu is a solid, addicting, enjoyable game. Yes, there are some annoying shortcomings, but the story and art style are both intricately connected, with the story being surprisingly engaging for a first-person dungeon crawler, and the art style likewise remarkably deep and beautiful for the genre. Exploration is addicting, and character classes can be changed or upgraded as you progress through the game, giving you access to advanced classes. First-person dungeon crawlers can often be a bit of a slog, but Labyrinth of Zangetsu manages to avoid that particular pitfall by being a reasonable length. While the difficulty can, at times, be quite steep, it’s worth the occasional pain and suffering.
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Jul 5, 2023Labyrinth of Zangetsu is fun and simple, giving easy accessibility for newcomers and veterans of dungeon crawling RPG. It’s a pity that its great enemy and character artwork can’t save the repetitive stages and confusing menu/inventory management that spoils what could be a great game.