Reinventing Pac-Man, they say. How do you even approach that? Well, there are some bizarre paths you could take. Like, you know, tossing rocks at him in “Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures.” Absolute disaster, if you ask me. But then, there’s this other route — throwing him into a wild Metroidvania called “Shadow Labyrinth.” Now that’s getting interesting.
So, there I was, PAX East 2025, clutching a Switch in handheld mode. Right next to me, some other dude was playing on a massive PC screen. The game ties into that Amazon show, “Secret Level.” Yep, backstory and all that. Anyway — wait, where was I? Oh right, on the Switch it’s running at 30 FPS. A bit sluggish, no thanks to Nintendo’s old hardware. Bumped up to 60 FPS on the PC though, just buttery smooth. But guess what? The Bandai Namco folks promised the Switch 2 will handle it at 60 FPS too. Fingers crossed.
The demo was a rollercoaster of platforming and fighting — think Swordsman No. 8 bouncing around like there’s no tomorrow. We’re talking jumps and hacks and turning into a tiny Pac-Man (PUCK!) to munch pellets. Oh, and dodging deadly buzz saws. I gave up on the platforming challenge after a bit. Crowds aren’t my training ground — need my fortress of solitude for that.
Combat had its quirks too. The controls were all laid out — thankfully. Slashing, dodging, pulling off cool skills, and turning Pac-Man into a giant enemy-devouring machine. Felt slick, but not punishingly hard. There was even this parry move for some dramatic showdowns. That boss kind of reminded me of “Metroid Dread.” Or was it just me?
After munching down the boss with a laser, there was this satisfying moment. Moving on through the game, using techniques like blowing enemies up with a grapple hook — big nod to Dig Dug, I swear. A rep hinted at other Bandai Namco nods lurking around too. Can’t wait to see Galaga or Rolling Thunder in there somewhere.
Coming out July 18 on all the big consoles and Steam. They’ve got editions ranging from $30 to $60, even one with a map that reveals secrets under a black light. Less than $100 and you’re golden.
Left PAX genuinely intrigued by “Shadow Labyrinth.” It’s gritty — a mash-up of Bandai Namco classics — seems chaotic, but makes it work. If it’s taking notes from “Hollow Knight,” then I’m all in.
