Verdict
Shadow Labyrinth offers a fresh look at a beloved franchise, throwing you into a dark new world where danger lurks around every corner. It's one of the best Metroidvanias I've played for some time, offering enjoyable combat, good boss fights, and a mysteious world with a story that begs you to unfold it.
Intriguing. That's the perfect word to describe what I thought of Shadow Labyrinth the first time I laid eyes on it during its reveal. I'm no stranger to Metroidvanias, getting a kick out of games like Hollow Knight and Castlevania, and I'm also very familiar with Pac-Man, because who isn't? So, when I realized that Bandai Namco was putting the two together, my interest was immediately piqued, especially after watching the Secret Level episode pertaining to this game.
I'm lucky enough to have a Shadow Labyrinth review copy, which I have thoroughly put through its paces, exploring the game to my heart's content and, to be honest, enjoying every second of it. So, allow me to share my thoughts with you all - it's a truly solid entry into the Metroidvania genre.
You have no name, only being known as Swordsman No. 8 after awakening in a giant 'maze.' Upon leaving your pod, you immediately meet Puck, a yellow orb that resembles a certain gaming icon, who needs your help. He's here to guide you through the game's various locations, teaching you how to survive, though from the early going, it's clear that Puck has his own motivations. He wants out of this place, and it appears as though you're the key to his escape.
Numerous obstacles stand in your way, the most obvious of which is the various enemies that you encounter as you traverse the 2D, side-scrolling maze. Immediately, you get your sword, which you use in combat to wipe out your enemies, many of which drop yellow pebbles that you collect to enhance your combat capabilities and other important features, such as your ESP bar, which is essentially a stamina bar when using GAIA.
In your GAIA form, you turn into a giant mecha, taking little damage and dealing out plenty of your own. But this needs charging, and that's where the 'gobble, gobble' aspect of Pac-Man comes in, as you, with the help of Puck, need to feast on your fallen foes to gain energy. Doing so also nets you some crafting resources that you can use to acquire items from merchants. I have to admit that the first time I defeated a boss, I was somewhat surprised at just how dark Puck is. The little guy was just like, 'eat or die.' It felt like I was having a conversation with Jigsaw.
But that serious and darker nature is part of the draw of Shadow Labyrinth; it takes a beloved franchise and flips it, offering a very different experience to the entries that came before it. The world matches this perfectly; every location exudes a sense of corruption and wickedness. There's something very wrong about this 'maze,' but you must venture forth with Puck to get to the bottom of it all, and, without getting into spoiler territory, trust me when I say it's worth seeing this through to the end.
It leaves you guessing from the early going, and while I can proudly say that some of my thoughts came to fruition, others didn't. You can likely postulate, as I did, from the Secret Level episode, but Shadow Labyrinth still has some surprises for you, and you really should experience it first-hand without story spoilers.
Part of the appeal for me with Metroidvanias is that they make for some of the hardest games you can play, and Shadow Labyrinth certainly offers the challenge I was hoping for. However, it's also fair, giving you ample opportunity to adapt to the world and the features. Admittedly, I initially found the bosses to be a bit too easy, saying that I'd be back here to let you know if my thoughts changed after more time in the game, venturing into late-game areas.
To say I was humbled is an understatement. While I wouldn't say that it's the hardest Metroidvania, some of the bosses are there to remind you that it still poses a challenge. Sure, you can get a good grasp fairly quickly in the early going, but you need to pay attention later on. Overall, I enjoy the boss fights, as someone who actively seeks out games with powerful foes like this.
The world itself is well-designed and encourages exploration. Fans of games like Hollow Knight and Metroid know that looking down each path is imperative, as you never know what you might find. In Shadow Labyrinth, there are mission logs for you to discover, which offer some backstory and help you piece together what's going on here, while other items you might stumble across offer map points, increases to your health, and more. I also appreciate the segments in which you need to play as Puck to get around; it takes me back to that classic Pac-Man action.
Initially, I played a Switch 1 copy of Shadow Labyrinth on the Nintendo Switch 2, and the only real issue I encountered was a slight graininess to its appearance at times, with the game running smoothly in both docked and handheld modes. Well, I can now comment on the Switch 2 Edition of the game, and I can confirm that, once again, Shadow Labyrinth offers a solid performance. However, instead of a grainy appearance, I experience a slight stutter on occasion. Regardless, neither has enough of an impact to hinder my enjoyment.
My one minor complaint is that there could be a bit more variety to the enemies, with the same ones appearing somewhat frequently, but, honestly, that's hardly a deal breaker here. Many games also feature recurring enemies that appear frequently.
Overall, I really enjoyed Shadow Labyrinth. I'd go so far as to say it's one of the best games I've played so far this year, and it's already found its way to my list of my favorite-ever Metroidvanias. Bandai offers a fresh look at a beloved franchise, with Puck being a highly engaging character. The bosses are fun, the world is thrilling to explore, and I appreciate the various mechanics, particularly the segments in which you play as Puck.
If you want something more light-hearted to play alongside Shadow Labyrinth, you should check out our Donkey Kong Bananza review; we gave it a big 10/10 for a reason.