Since Prime Video aired Secret Level, the PAC-MAN: Circle episode has lived rent-free in my head. Seeing a dystopian version of everyone’s favourite pellet-eating machine was a harrowing experience, especially when the episode embraced themes of existentialism, entrapment, and survival of the fittest. Secret Level managed this in just 12 minutes.
What I didn’t know was that this episode set the stage for the upcoming dark and twisted action-adventure Pac-Man-inspired title, Shadow Labyrinth. When I was offered a chance to check out Shadow Labyrinth and see a darker-than-the-arcade version of PAC-MAN, I leapt at the chance and walked away impressed. Shadow Labyrinth brings metroidvania-like action and sweaty platforming sequences to the forefront of the labyrinth, and for the Bandai-loyal, there are some surprises included that will drive nostalgia across the entire experience.
In Shadow Labyrinth, you embody Swordsman no. 8, a hooded figure who is driven through the labyrinth by a TRON-looking alien machine called PUCK. The year is 3,333, and on a world not specified, PUCK leads the way, basically dragging the Swordsman into his whims of survival and escaping the dystopian world you’re stranded on.
“Make no mistake—this isn’t your father’s PAC-MAN.”
I was shoved into three different scenarios through my hands-on time, and PUCK basically led the way the entire time. PUCK plays Swordsman no. 8’s Virgil to your Dante, giving scenario tips and hints during gameplay. Like an odd Mickey 17 death, there were seven failures before you detailed in the Secret Level prequel, hence the Swordsman no. 8 moniker with less Pattinson.
One thing is readily apparent in Shadow Labyrinth: the sound design is superb. BANDAI NAMCO pulled out all the stops, from simple PAC-MAN pellet sound effects when PUCK eats Ora currency from around the biomes, to almost DYNASTY WARRIORS electric guitar riffs slamming your eardrums while fighting a challenging boss fight. BANDAI brought the beats.
My preview started with PUCK and co. coming across a race called the Bosconians. Bosconians have come to the (still unnamed) world to stop the evil that threatens their world. As any good hero would, our tag-team elected to help the Bosconians defeat a threat for assistance with our quest. This is far easier said than done.
What followed was a crucible of platforming through the Frontline Base, where I had to retrieve three golden tiles to delve deeper and eliminate the threat facing the Bosconian race. Shadow Labyrinth features inventive level design, requiring players to switch between Swordsman No. 8 and PUCK. Rails—referred to as D-Lines—periodically light up throughout levels, and jumping onto one transforms No. 8 into PAC-MAN himself. But fans shouldn’t be fooled: while these segments feel like faithful PAC-MAN platformers, they’re also serious challenges.
To progress, I had to retrieve three gold tiles from three separate paths. I chose the left route first—and quickly realized I was in for a fight. True to the developer’s ethos, Shadow Labyrinth plunges players into a brutal maze packed with hazards, enemies and tense transformation segments that turn PAC-MAN’s legacy on its head. Still, as with the best Metroidvanias, overcoming each trial is what makes the victory so satisfying.
Swordsman No. 8 can deploy many skills during gameplay, and like any Metroidvania (or action-adventure), defeating bosses and hard platforming sequences unlocks new abilities to traipse through what were formerly blockages. Swordsman No. 8 can get abilities like the Metroidvania staple, the double jump, and a more novel grappling hook (which appears as your Swordsman’s arm detaching and latching onto things). PUCK also pulls his own weight, and by filling a meter, PUCK can meld with your Swordsman, making a mech-like transformation called GAIA.
“Shadow Labyrinth plunges players into a brutal maze packed with hazards, enemies and tense transformation segments that turn PAC-MAN’s legacy on its head.”
GAIA makes short work of adversaries, but once the meter runs out, you’re back to controlling just Swordsman No. 8 and PUCK. After defeating enemies, players can inhale their bodies to collect materials. During these moments, a shadowy apparition of GAIA appears to devour any enemy on screen—a clever nod to the Secret Level episode’s theme of “CONSUME.” After all, PAC-MAN was gaming’s original eating contest champion.
One standout section had me descend a vertical shaft, carefully navigating around two slowly rotating laser systems. Touching a laser meant an instant reset to the start of the sequence. Thankfully, Shadow Labyrinth respects the player’s time. Even after death, you retain your Ora—the game’s currency—for upgrades. In a sea of punishing Soulslike and Metroidvania hybrids (looking at you, Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree) that make you trek back to retrieve lost currency, this choice is a breath of fresh air.
Enemy design in Shadow Labyrinth keeps players on edge. Waves of spear-charging foot soldiers, perfectly accurate archers, and hovering turrets all work in tandem to eliminate Swordsman No. 8. One segment, in particular, felt like a callback to Hollow Knight’s Trial of the Warrior: a relentless gauntlet demanding precise dodges, well-timed healing, and ruthless offence. Based on my time with Shadow Labyrinth, the game shines brightest when it throws players into the deep end without a life jacket. Make no mistake—this isn’t your father’s PAC-MAN.
After successfully navigating the Frontline Base, I was met with a G-HOST boss fight, inspired by the Pinky (the pink ghost from PAC-MAN) that proved to be even harder than the crucible before it. Pinky was not a joke. The core of the enemy was protected by armour that can be dismantled by two 3-hit sword combos.
The thing is, Pinky doesn’t sit there and wait for doom. The boss structure floats around the screen at a breakneck pace, forcing the player to chase it, while spears are launched from the ceiling in randomized sequences the entire time. After you drain the boss’s health by a quarter, Pinky goes into their own GAIA mode and deploys another spear to launch at you. While swinging your trusty sword, these spears have shields that block your sword strikes, so hitting the boss becomes a game of patient cat and mouse instead of beating on it until it dies.
Swordsman No. 8 is no slouch himself. You can air-dodge, slide and finesse your way through boss encounters. In fights like these, deploying GAIA isn’t much help due to the tight quarters. Shadow Labyrinth tests your mettle as the Swordsman often, forcing you to rely on raw skill. At the halfway point of one encounter, Pinky enters a second phase and draws the walls in around you, raising the stakes.
“Shadow Labyrinth is a dark Metroidvania with sharp callbacks to Bandai Namco’s storied history—and so far, it delivers.”
The final act of this boss fight turns into a frantic, sweaty affair—a flurry of air-dodges and sword swipes whenever an opening appears. This is where Shadow Labyrinth excels. With blood-pumping, Musou-style music and relentless pacing, the moment captures the essence of what makes a great Metroidvania boss battle. Bandai Namco Studios clearly understands the assignment. After the fight, PUCK transforms into a twisted version of his namesake and devours Pinky’s lifeless body with a grotesque, satisfied burp. It’s a small but chilling reminder that the Labyrinth is far from over.
In the final stretch of my preview, I faced off against a tougher boss pulled straight from Bandai’s legacy catalogue—a monstrous tribute to Splatterhouse. While Shadow Labyrinth loosely builds on PAC-MAN, this fight introduced some genuinely horrifying imagery, and I’m here for it.
Like the Pinky encounter, the Splatterhouse-inspired boss throws everything but the kitchen sink at you. Both fights share the same design ethos that defined the PAC-MAN arcade experience—the longer you survive, the harder things get. After devouring the grotesque creation (and drying my palms), it’s clear Shadow Labyrinth is a dark Metroidvania with sharp callbacks to Bandai Namco’s storied history. And so far, it delivers.
My time with Shadow Labyrinth proves that gaming history can inspire genuinely exciting new experiences. Much like PlayStation’s Astro Bot—though admittedly more dialled down—Shadow Labyrinth dives into Bandai Namco’s archives, pulling from classics like Bosconian (1981), Splatterhouse, PAC-MAN, and even Dig Dug, without feeling like a shallow nostalgia play. Its level design is tough, clever and sure to challenge even seasoned platforming fans, especially with the two-way gameplay that constantly shifts between PUCK and the Swordsman.
Even the name PUCK is a thoughtful nod to PAC-MAN’s origins—referencing “PUCK-MAN,” the character’s original name before the U.S. arcade launch. It’s a small but meaningful gesture that shows the developers care about the franchise’s 45-year legacy. With its sharp platforming, inventive mechanics and reverence for Bandai’s history, Shadow Labyrinth is shaping up to be a strong Metroidvania. I just hope my hunger can hold out until July 18.
