Shadow Labyrinth - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Review - Screenshot 1 of 6
Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

Pac-Man, as iconic as he is, has felt like he’s been in a bit of a rut in recent years. The rather delightful PAC-MAN 99 aside, there’s an undeniable sense that the series has simply been unable to break away from its core concepts. So, regardless of what gimmicks are chucked in to justify a new entry — Battle Royale in Chomp Champs, endless runner in Pac-Man 256, co-op in Championship Edition 2 Plus — I often come away thinking, 'Yep, it’s definitely Pac-Man.' This might be enough for some, but more than 40 years after its arcade debut, many are hoping for a bit of a shake-up.

Enter Shadow Labyrinth. Developed at Bandai Namco Studios, this side-scrolling adventure is worlds apart from what you’ve likely come to expect from the pill-muncher. Set in a quiet, foreboding landscape with various biomes, the closest comparison that came to mind was Hollow Knight. Indeed, Shadow Labyrinth takes many cues from Team Cherry’s masterpiece, including the precise way that currency scatters on the ground from fallen enemies, hot springs to recover health, an eccentric merchant lurking underground, and a stylish, almost hand-crafted art style.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

Yet to call Shadow Labyrinth a straight-up Metroidvania would be slightly misleading. Yes, there are multiple areas with a few branching pathways, and you do have the ability to teleport to locations you’ve already visited, but it mostly feels like you’re being driven down a fairly linear path; pushed from checkpoint to checkpoint. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just something to keep in mind. It has much in common with Hollow Knight, but that sense of being lost in a dense, complex world isn’t one of them.

You play as Swordsman No. 8, who at the start of the game discovers PUCK (an entirely unsubtle reference to Pac-Man’s original name, Puck-Man), a mysterious yellow orb who enlists No. 8 to accompany it on a mission. PUCK is — as well it should be — the star of the show, and while it is your companion throughout the game, its motivations and personality left me feeling somewhat uneasy. It’s very much a character laser-focused on its goal, and it doesn’t care who or what stands in its way.

And so, with the power to attack enemies granted, you set off on your adventure. At first, you have a basic three-hit combo at your disposal, but by defeating certain boss characters, PUCK can transform into a hideous beast and gobble them up, thus providing new abilities. You’ll gain an extra, more powerful hit to your combo, a parry move, the ability to dodge in mid-air, and more. It’s all pretty standard stuff, but there’s a good sense of progression as you slowly become more powerful throughout the game.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

Yet the most interesting power is the ability to transform into GAIA, a ferocious mech that provides temporary invincibility while you eviscerate your enemies. It only lasts for about 30 seconds, so it’s best left for moments where you might feel outnumbered or overpowered. It’s particularly useful during boss fights, during which you can usually chip away about a quarter of a boss’ health meter while in GAIA form, provided you’re aggressive enough with your attacks.

GAIA can also gobble up the bodies of your fallen foes, even while you’re in standard Swordsman form. By clicking the right stick while standing in front of a body, a disembodied version will grab the body and shove it in its mouth while emitting the same sound that classic Pac-Man makes when eating a ghost. This does two things: firstly, it lets you build up more energy to unleash GAIA in its full form; and secondly, it grants you specific ingredients based on the enemy type. These ingredients can then be used to boost your abilities at certain save points.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld/Undocked)

So far, so very not Pac-Man, right? Well, there are moments in the game that feel a bit more familiar if you’re after a more traditional ghost-gobbling experience. Every now and then, you’ll come across blue surfaces that, in your regular Swordsman form, are inaccessible. Once you touch it, however, you’ll turn into PUCK and race across the surface, with your mouth opening and closing rapidly, just like the old-school games.

In this form, you can travel up vertical walls and even on ceilings, and PUCK will gobble up any collectible currency along the way, with the classic sound effect present and correct. You can also jump from different surfaces, and your attack in this form is a really neat circular motion with the sword. My only criticism of this mechanic is that it doesn’t show up half as much as it should – it’s really cool.

But then you’ve also got the hidden maze sections, too. Accessed via stone sculptures that almost look like gravestones, these provide the quintessential Pac-Man experience, albeit with PUCK’s specific new abilities. It’s a nice little throwback to the classic arcade approach for Pac-Man, and those who are not keen on Shadow Labyrinth’s new direction will find some comfort here.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

Overall, however, the best way I can describe Shadow Labyrinth’s gameplay is 'good enough'. It’s perfectly serviceable and enjoyable, but there’s very little here that hasn’t been done elsewhere and better. The Hollow Knight comparison in particular is unavoidable and I have a hard time believing that it wasn't Bandai Namco's primary influence. You can understand why a team would want to borrow elements from such a stellar game, but goodness, it’s such a high bar, and Shadow Labyrinth unfortunately never manages to reach it.

That said, the environments are consistently enjoyable, with plenty to differentiate one biome from another. I particularly enjoyed the sci-fi-focused Giant Black Tower area, with music that almost reminded me of the Xenoblade Chronicles series – pretty wild stuff.

A lot of the same enemy types can crop up, though, almost to the point where I’d shake my head and exclaim, “Really, you guys again?!” The boss characters are a highlight, though, and often provide hefty challenges. I’d prefer the checkpoints to be a little more generous in these instances, but it’s not a major issue. Perhaps a simple ‘Retry’ option would be helpful in a future update.

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Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)

Performance on Switch 2 is pretty decent for the most part, and anybody who buys the Switch 1 version can get a free upgrade on the newer console. Within the majority of major areas, you’re looking at a solid 60fps with strong image quality. Some areas, particularly those set outside, can stutter occasionally, but I didn’t find it to be distracting. Given the aesthetic and the overall lack of visual effects, I would have expected the frame rate to be consistent throughout, so it’s a little disappointing that it’s not. Still, like the gameplay itself, it’s good enough.

Conclusion

If you're intrigued by Shadow Labyrinth's fresh approach to Pac-Man, I recommend giving it a shot on Switch 2. It provides an intriguing narrative in a foreboding world with varied environments throughout, and PUCK proves to be a compelling character. The short bursts of Pac-Man-style gameplay help mix up the experience, and this is very welcome since the game never really delivers a 'wow' moment. Much of it has been done better elsewhere, but this is nevertheless a promising new direction for an ageing franchise; one I hope to see continue in the future.