Oh man, where do I even start with this one? So, picture this: Pac-Man’s turning 45, and instead of just another maze-gobbling party, Bandai Namco decided to drop us into this crazy world called Shadow Labyrinth. Yeah, it’s a dystopian Metroidvania thing. I honestly didn’t see this coming. You know how sometimes you hear about a sequel and think, “Okay, cool,” but then it hits you like, “What even is this?” Yeah, that’s me right now.
Alright, let’s try to unravel this. I mean, they’ve got this whole United Galaxy Space Force timeline going. It’s like everything from Galaga to Xevious somehow mingles together. And then — bam! — they throw Pac-Man into the mix. I know, right? Absolutely wild. So, now we have our guy, Swordsman No. 8 (interesting name, huh?), who bumps into this Pac-Man type dude called Puck. And, side note, why name him Puck? No clue. Swordsman, who doesn’t talk, has to zip around escaping this planet, and Puck’s like his guide dog or something.
I caught some refs to those old Namco games — not all, mind you. Felt like a lost kid trying to piece things together. But the ghosts are clever, rebranded as “G-Hosts”, and they toss you into a Pac-Man maze now and then. It’s surprisingly charming in a “what did I just experience?” kind of way.
But hey, let’s chat gameplay. The start’s kinda rough. Imagine stepping into a dark room and stubbing your toe every few seconds. That’s early-game combat for you. As things roll on, you get cooler stuff to ease the bruises. It’s not easy-peasy, though. The game throws hard bosses at you, sometimes making you question if you’re even on the right path. But that’s the thrill, I guess?
The customization, though — let me tell you — that’s where things get interesting. You can tweak your Swordsman, slap on some Perks, and even go full giant mech mode with GAIA. Yep, giant mech. You chew up enemies for materials to buy upgrades. Sure, it’s a bit much, but we’re here for the excess, aren’t we?
Oh, and the map design? Loves to keep you guessing, like ambling through a tasty bowl of spaghetti. Area designs swing between wild forests to sleek towers. You’ll be in it for about 15 hours, but stretch it if you’re feeling a completionist vibe.
Played on the Switch 2 most of the time, which runs slick, but sometimes it slowed when things got heated. The old Switch? Still kicking, just with fewer pixels. Both versions are solid enough though.
Initially, I legit thought this was just another wacky spin-off, something slapped together for kicks. But nah, the creators poured some soul into it — believe it or not. Exploring this edgy slice of Pac-Man’s universe was bizarrely satisfying, like finding an unexpected treasure in a thrift store. So yeah, cheers to Bandai Namco for this wild ride.