A gritty Pac-Man reboot makes for surprisingly solid Metroid-style action

The Verge

3 days ago

Shadow Labyrinth didn't make the best first impression, though I'm not talking about the game itself. The concept of a gritty reboot of Pac-Man first reared its strange head in Secret Level, an anthology that turned notable video games into animated shorts that mostly felt like extended commercials. And that's exactly what the episode 'Circle,' which reimagined Pac-Man as a blood-soaked survival story, turned out to be. But as off-putting as the episode was, it turns out that the premise actually works for a Metroid-style action game.
For those who didn't watch Secret Level, Shadow Labyrinth puts you in the role of an unnamed, hooded swordmaster, who awakens to find himself inside some sort of dark alien labyrinth. He's greeted by a floating drone named Puck, who serves as both a guide and a partner to survive in this treacherous world. Puck, of course, is Pac-Man.
For the most part, the game plays a lot like a typical Metroidvania. It's a side-scrolling game that's heavy on action, like Metroid Dread, and as you defeat bosses and collect gold, you'll slowly expand your arsenal of skills, which opens up the game further. The twisting, maze-like map is full of dead ends that you can't explore until you get the right ability, which include staples like a double jump and grappling hook. You can also craft various upgrades, both permanent and temporary, so you can customize the character to your liking. It's a satisfying loop of exploration, combat, and problem-solving (usually involving some kind of platforming sequence), punctuated by tense, elaborate boss fights that depend a lot on pattern memorization.
I could be describing a lot of other games here, but there are a few elements that make Shadow Labyrinth unique. And it mostly has to do with Puck. Scattered throughout the labyrinth are rails that Puck can ride on, sort of like Pac-Man moving his way through a classic arcade maze. It's reminiscent of Samus' morph ball ability, except it's relegated to predetermined areas of the map. Later on, there are actual Pac-Man mazes to play through, too, complete with pellets and ghosts to eat.
The game is at its best when you're quickly swapping between Puck and the swordmaster, either to navigate a tricky platforming sequence or defeat enemies. In one early boss battle, I was able to use a rail on the ceiling to avoid projectiles, and then drop behind the enemy for some quick sneak attacks. Early on, Puck and the swordmaster gain the ability to temporarily fuse together to create a power-up that's sort of like a mech suit, which you can use to devastate most enemies and even avoid environmental hazards. Oh, and when you're a mech, you can eat your enemies to gain materials needed for those important unlocks.
One of the nice things about Shadow Labyrinth is that, unlike the animated short that preceded it, it doesn't overdo it with the grim tone. It can get a little bloody when you're slicing through creatures, but it's not gratuitous. In fact, much like Dread, the oppressive tone creates an interesting kind of tension, one that makes the rare moments of respite feel especially welcome. That said, the cutscenes are self-serious and convoluted, and there are silly moments where Puck becomes giant and eats the corpses of bosses, but these are mostly easy to ignore if all you want to do is explore a complex map, Metroid-style.
That's really what the game offers. The combat is solid, the platforming is challenging, and the bosses are exciting. And thankfully, the tone mostly doesn't intrude on the experience, while the Pac-Man theme brings just enough new to add an interesting twist for those well-versed in Metroidvanias. Secret Level may have been a commercial, but it was a pretty poor one: it missed what actually makes Shadow Labyrinth worth playing.
Shadow Labyrinth launches on July 18th on the PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.