Review of Pac-Man: Shadow Labyrinth

Okay, so here’s the deal. Pac-Man, yes, that yellow chomping circle of joy, just crashed into a dystopian Metroidvania vibe, which is, uh, a thing now? Celebrating 45 years in 2025, they cooked up this sequel called Shadow Labyrinth. It’s like they thought, “Happy b-day, Pac-Man, here’s some dark sci-fi to mess with your head.” Bonkers, right? But hey, it’s kinda fun in a weird way. Not gonna lie, the game’s crafted nicely with a maze-like journey and these nutty nods to Bandai Namco’s entire universe. Madness!

Alright, let’s dig a bit deeper—if I can even make sense of all this. So, there’s this whole timeline with Bandai Namco games like Galaga and Dig Dug, all united somehow. But Pac-Man was chilling out of the loop until, you know, now. They dumped him right at the end of this timeline, where the universe is in chaos. Because why not?

You’re running around as Swordsman No. 8, who wakes up in this strange place with a Pac-Man-looking dude named Puck. Silent guy, this Swordsman, follows Puck through different locales, trying to get off this rock and finally finish a mission Puck’s been at forever. They throw a LOT of plot at you. Wars, operations—so many names fly at you, you might wanna Google them to see if they link up with other Namco madness. I caught a few references to Namco stuff. But honestly, a lot just whooshed past. Yet the way they weave these Pac-Man ghosts into recurring baddies as “G-Hosts” and force you into Pac-Man-style mazes—it’s crazy enough that it somehow works. Gonzo approach, but it clicks.

The game’s story only flies because the core gameplay’s rock solid. Some rough edges, especially early on, but it’s pretty chill as Metroidvanias go. Focus is on melee fights. Your guy starts weak, with only basic moves. Initial stages can be brutal because you face tough bosses that kinda blindside you, not clear if you’re on the main path or veered into extra-hard-land. Once you unlock more abilities, though, your Swordsman becomes customizable, letting you tackle fights your way. I’ve played other games that lean heavily on combat, but the wild combat here can be a lit powder keg, thanks to unclear hit zones. Dodging, parrying—it’s your bread and butter, but it gets tricky when enemy placement plays tricks on your sense of safety. And if you drop from the ledges—yikes, back to the start, even if you’ve snagged some treasures along the way.

You get tools for combat and exploration, like lateral air dodges and grappling hooks. Plus Perks! These boost powers, expand attack zones, add health, or juice up your mech form—yep, you go full mech in this one. Known as GAIA, this mech lets you scoot past hazards or smash through tough scraps. It’s a time-limited savior, so you can’t overdo it—but morphing into a mech always rules. GAIA brings this strange twist where you munch up foes post-battle to gather materials. “Sure, Pac-Man eats stuff, so let’s keep it going,” is probably their thought. But keeping track of these materials, along with everything else—feels super extra.

This game sprawls with surprises, taking you on a 15-hour journey, stretching for completionists. Areas vary, with forests showing tons of dead-ends, while futuristic towers climb up in straightforward fashion via spokes and hubs.

Oh, played this on Switch 2, but it’s on both Switch versions. Free upgrade from Switch 1 to 2 if you upgrade later. Switch 2 rolls in 4K at 60fps, but it hiccups in intense scenes. On Switch 1, it’s still smooth—just downscaled to 720p with slightly longer loading. Both versions, though? Totally fine.

When announced, I thought Shadow Labyrinth was like some goofy joke. As I dug in, though, it’s clear the creators just wanted a blast with crazy Pac-Man lore as their foundation. I got totally sucked into Namco’s dark spin on our old chomp-friend’s mid-life crisis. Shadow Labyrinth might just be Pac-Man’s most bonkers direction since day one. These unexpected series detours? Yeah, they might just be the coolest spins out there.