Pac-Man has at all times been at residence inside mazes filled with enemies making an attempt to kill you, so the transfer to a Metroidvania does not really feel like that massive of a leap. Having stated that, Shadow Labyrinth takes Bandai Namco’s 45-year-old mascot in a wild new route, inserting him in a darkish, sci-fi world that the informal onlooker could not realise is said to the arcade hero in any respect.
This can be a side-scrolling Metroidvania that follows the blueprint fairly faithfully. You navigate a labyrinthine map with quite a few pathways, lots of that are blocked off till you discover new talents. Fight begins off feeling quite simple, however once more, talents and upgrades make it extra advanced.
It is a construction many will probably be aware of, and it is executed competently right here. The sport’s map is huge and complex, filled with secrets and techniques and unreachable areas teasing you with their presence.
As with many Metroidvanias, it takes some time for Shadow Labyrinth to heat up. When you begin unlocking new talents, similar to an air sprint, parry, and grappling hook, it turns into a extra attention-grabbing sport, however it takes a couple of hours to get there.
The story is equally threadbare firstly. You play as Swordsman No. 8, a soul summoned right into a bodily kind by Puck, a floating yellow orb. The aim of that is the prevailing thriller, as is what precisely has occurred on the unusual planet you discover.
Clearly, the layers are peeled again as you make progress, however frankly, the narrative is not notably engrossing, affected by myriad meaningless correct nouns and character names you will possible by no means bear in mind.
The gameplay and design should carry it ahead, then, and whereas a lot of the sport is by-the-numbers when it comes to what’s anticipated of a Metroidvania, the Pac-Man touches and distinctive facets give it a elevate.
Current in sure areas are rails that, when activated, you possibly can navigate as Pac-Man, controlling as you’d count on him to. This lets you navigate to new areas and offers a contact of traversal selection.
This is not the one transformation you will make, although; as soon as charged, you possibly can flip right into a mech, a limited-time power-up useful for clearing rooms of enemies or dealing a giant blow to bosses.
You cost up the mech by consuming enemies you have defeated, and this additionally positive factors you numerous assets you will have to buy or make sure gadgets and upgrades.
Whenever you defeat a boss, Puck will rework right into a nightmarish black-and-red imaginative and prescient of Pac-Man and eat them, granting you a brand new means.
It is components like these that present Shadow Labyrinth some much-needed distinctive options, as a result of, as we talked about, it’s in any other case a reasonably commonplace Metroidvania motion platformer.
There’s some good selection in environments as you progress via, although — harsh metallic amenities, desert lands, an enormous tree, and extra. The artwork type can look fairly good in locations, however there are some areas that look fairly blurred, and it may possibly come throughout as trying fairly low cost.
The identical may be stated of enemies; there are some attention-grabbing foes and managers you will go up in opposition to (and hardcore Bamco followers will little doubt spot some far-reaching references right here and there), however animation work and a few odd designs left us slightly chilly.
Later into the expertise you acquire entry to a collection of phases which can be extra recognisably Pac-Man. These extra arcadey sequences are enjoyable asides that change up the well-worn system, and are arguably among the extra pleasant elements of Shadow Labyrinth.
The quick tempo and rapid enjoyable of those phases sadly leaves the principle sport feeling and looking fairly bloated.
It isn’t a brief sport; you are trying within the tens of hours, and whereas that is pretty regular for a Metroidvania like this, Shadow Labyrinth does not fairly have the standard wanted to maintain that playtime.
Platforming and fight can really feel slightly wishy-washy. They are not horrible, and in a while when you will have a couple of talents and perks these facets are a lot improved, however they’re by no means as tight as you’d hope for.
We’re additionally not followers of the checkpointing; main save factors are just a bit too few and much between. It makes going again to earlier areas really feel like a chore, as you will must trek via massive stretches to succeed in new gadgets or areas, they usually might not be that rewarding.
It is a tough sport to advocate. There are some enjoyable components in right here, however they’re surrounded by a just-okay Metroidvania motion title. At occasions the system works and it may possibly really feel novel and enjoyable, however solely actually when it feels most like Pac-Man and least like the sport it truly is.
Conclusion
Shadow Labyrinth is an admirable massive swing that locations Pac-Man in a wierd new house. Sadly, whereas there are some enjoyable components taken from the arcade traditional and some neat concepts sprinkled in, the vast majority of the sport is a by-the-numbers Metroidvania that does not fairly come collectively. It appears like a sport constructed to please Pac-fans and hardcore gamers that lap up the likes of Hole Knight, however the finish result’s one thing that underserves each. It isn’t unhealthy, however with so many unbelievable 2D Metroidvanias nowadays, this one does not fairly do sufficient to measure up.
