'Shadow Labyrinth' Is A Dark Spin on Pac-Man That Works

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

On paper, based on its premise alone, Shadow Labyrinth should be dead on arrival, but after going hands-on with Bandai Namco’s upcoming game, we left PAX East wanting to play more of this unlikely take on an iconic video game character. When Shadow Labyrinth was first announced during The Game Awards 2024, many, including us, were surprised when the trailer dropped and we saw which classic video game character would be involved.

Shadow Labyrinth is a wild take on the power pellet, fruit, and ghost-munching character Pac-Man. The game takes the character from the flat 2D levels and transfers him to a Metroidvania-esque landscape, pairing him with a mystery swordsman who, for those who took the time to watch season two of Secret Level, looks very familiar. That’s because that episode, which was easily the best episode of the entire season, served as a prequel for the game. In Shadow Labryinth, you are Swordsman No.8, who wakes up like the previous clone and ultimately meets his tragic end in the episode. You are accompanied by Puck, who totally looks like Pac-Man. Puck pitches to the confused Swordsman, who was literally just born, that they should work together to navigate this dark world full of dangerous creatures and aliens safely. Pac-Man, oops, we mean Puck, is not just a typical mascot who follows you around. He enhances Swordsman No.8’s abilities by allowing him to turn into a morph ball, taking cues from Metroid, or even joining with the Swordsman to turn into a giant mech who can shoot a laser beam out of his mouth. We are dead serious about that.

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

Shadow Labyrinth’s Gameplay Mechanics

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

During our roughly thirty-minute preview, we demoed the game on the Nintendo Switch and understood what to expect from this unexpected title. Swordsman No. 8 features a moveset consisting of a dash, a grappling hook that will allow you to cover large gaps and ricochet across certain areas. Like any Metroidvania, the game, which also has a Celeste-like feel to it, players are encouraged to veer off the beaten path and explore to find the side rooms that contain challenging platform areas that will reward you for your patience in completing them. Later, you will obtain upgrades, like an extension for your grapple hook, that will open up areas you didn’t have access to. This premise is a core feature of all Metroidvania-type games. Swordsman No.8 also has a parry system, or you can switch to just using a shield for protection, allowing players to choose how they want to play Shadow Labyrinth.

How Puck Comes Into Play

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

As mentioned, Puck is vital to your survival and navigation in Shadow Labyrinth. The symbiotic relationship between Puck and Swordsman No.8 is a flawless one. Combat and movement in the game rely on a stamina system that can be refilled after you soften up an enemy and turn into Puck to devour them. You can also stick to certain surfaces after refilling your stamina.

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

The Puck/Swordsman dynamic delivers a unique play experience, whether navigating the dangerous world or during battles.

We Gotta Talk About The Mech

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

The one feature that caught our attention was when we saw the Swordsman and Puck come together to become a giant mech. In this mode, you are not confined to only boss fights; you can also use it against regular enemies, which seems overkill but is still fun. But where the mech mode comes in handy is against the larger bosses. We got to test out the mech feature during two boss encounters, one of them being a giant kaiju-like creature with a devastating beam move you will gain from devouring the beast after defeating it.

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

The new beam move will be added to your mech mode’s repertoire of abilities, which will grow as you progress throughout the game and defeat other bosses.

Shadow Labyrinth Could Be The Sleeper Hit of 2025

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

Shadow Labyrinth isn’t ringing any alarms, but it could be one of the year’s sleeper hits because no one had this game on their radar. Bandai Namco is taking a massive swing with one of its most iconic IPs, Pac-Man, and isn’t afraid to introduce twists to its other video game properties so they can also be in the game. For example, old-school gamers will probably chuckle and smile when they encounter one area in the game inspired by Dig Dug. In this area, players will encounter destructible dirt tiles and enemies where their regular attacks won’t work.

Source: Bandai Namco / Shadow Labyrinth

Instead, you must use your grappling mechanic to pump air into enemies to defeat them, showcasing the game’s variety of enemies. Also, according to developers, there are more areas inspired by classic Bandai Namco games, and we are honestly excited to experience them. Shadow Labyrinth arrives on July 18, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC via Steam.