Shadow Labyrinth: Everything We Know

Shadow Labyrinth is a skeleton of what’s left once you drain all the life and light out of Pac-Man. It is an upcoming 2D action platformer that derives its concept from the original Pac-Man game. Monsters now dominate the once-colorful family title, forcing players to eat their kills to survive. It features a protagonist, The Swordsman, who we follow as he navigates a strange plane and learns its secrets. Let’s go into detail about everything we know about this title so far. 

What is Shadow Labyrinth?

The title is a 2D action platformer portraying the darker side of the legendary Pac-Man narrative. It is a continuation of the Secret Level episode featuring a new character named Swordsman No. 8. As the Swordsman, you awaken on a mysterious alien planet driven by war and teeming with predators. You run into a strange but familiar character, Puck, who explains your mission. 

Players must find a way to escape the dangerous realm and consume everything on their path to achieve this goal. Basically, they have to become the planet’s apex predator. Complex, new, familiar mazes riddle the world and constantly shift as you explore them. As you dive deeper into the narrative, you’ll learn more about this forsaken land and why Puck chose you for the mission. 

Story

Shadow Labyrinth explores a darker perspective of the beloved family game Pac-Man. Swordsman No. 8 is the main character in this title. He is awoken by a yellow floating orb named Puck on a mysterious planet. The land lies desolate with remains of relics from past wars. Puck chooses the Swordsman as his instrument and guides him through the planet, instructing him on his mission. On his journey, the Swordsman uncovers many secrets and encounters many creatures seeking to devour him.

The Labyrinth is a living entity. Each level introduces new hazards, from collapsing corridors to shadow storms that obscure vision. Secret paths and hidden chambers contain powerful upgrades but often require players to take significant risks.

To survive, this character must prey on his enemies and embrace his true purpose of becoming the apex predator. He searches through the ruins of an age-old intergalactic conflict, discovering new powers and abilities that serve his mission. The Swordsman uses them to navigate the alien world and gain an upper hand in the battle against his enemies. 

Gameplay

Players take on the role of Swordsman No. 8 as he moves around a giant maze led by a character named Puck. The puck is a floating mechanical drone resembling Pac-Man that provides instructions to the player. The two characters’ main objective is to survive the horrors the strange planet throws at them. You explore the maze, fighting off creepy monsters in an attempt to dominate the area. On your journey, you unlock new abilities and items that will give you a better chance of survival in the narrative.

The gameplay features intense and gruesome combat and movement. You will wield a sword that allows you to attack, dash, dodge, and manoeuvre the complex stages in the game. Survival in the game will require more than just evading these creatures. You must kill and consume them for your character to grow stronger. The game takes you deeper into ancient, mysterious ruins, where you’ll uncover a hostile world filled with secrets for you to uncover. 

Players must employ wit to position themselves precisely in a winning strategy. Decisions made in the game will ultimately define your fate. To succeed in the gameplay, you have to master the art of fluid combat and exploration. It will allow you to discover even more advanced abilities and skills that come in handy when devouring boss enemies. 

Development

Bandai Namco Studios began creating this game in 2020. Their goal was to expand the Pac-Man series to accommodate a wider audience. They turned the popular family-friendly game into a terrifying narrative well suited for the darker genres in gaming. Hence, they got their idea and created this impeccable game. The game features the original ideas for the first Pac-Man game for the mazes, the eating aspect, and the sudden flipping of tables.

Katsuhiro Harada, producer of the Tekken series, joined the game’s development team. While developing the game, the team released a Secret Level episode based on the original title to promote it and serve as its prequel. The series creator, Tim Miller, reviewed a sneak peek of the same, highlighting the significant differences between the new and traditional Pac-Man titles. The reviews issued regarding the game reveal that players can’t wait to get their hands on this masterpiece. 

Trailer

During The Game Awards 2024, this exciting game, which will be part of the 45th anniversary celebration of the Pac-Man series, was announced. They debuted an unpredictable trailer that even the most intuitive fan could not see it coming. However, the shocking trailer reveals a dark fantasy adventure featuring a character known as the Swordsman. He is roaming through a 2D environment, with an orb that resembles Pac-Man hovering above him.

Its narrative stresses action and platforming, and its gameplay portrays intense combat. The protagonist is equipped with a sword, which he uses to fight off the planet’s inhabitants, and the trailer displays highly skilled swordplay and movement abilities. There’s also a darker, horrifying version of Pac-Man that players can control, which is an exciting fit for gamers. The Secret Level episode had already shown a few of these aspects. However, Shadow Labyrinth takes those aspects and expands on them further. 

Release Date and Platforms

Bandai Namco Studios and Bandai Namco Entertainment, respectively, developed and published this upcoming action-adventure video game. It is a continuation of the Secret Level episode called Circle in Pac-Man and is set to release in 2025. The title will moreover be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

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