PAX East 2025: Shadow Labyrinth Reinvents Pac-Man

Alright, so here I am trying to figure out how anyone thought turning Pac-Man into some Metroidvania supporting character was a good idea. I mean, what’s next, Super Mario in a first-person shooter? Anyway, when I checked out “Shadow Labyrinth” at PAX East 2025, I wasn’t even sure what I was looking at first. Seriously, like who would have thought of this mix?

So, there I was at the Nintendo Switch station, squinting at the screen, and I couldn’t help but notice — the game stutters a bit, running at 30 FPS. It’s not the end of the world, but you know, when you’re into the whole combat thing, every little lag feels like a lifetime. Some other journalist was sitting next to me on a PC setup looking all smooth at 60 FPS. Envy isn’t a good look, folks.

Anyway — er, hold on, where was I going with this? Right, the whole backstory is tied to an Amazon show, “Secret Level.” Didn’t watch it, maybe I should?

Now let’s talk gameplay, or should I say, “platformathon” or whatever. Think of jumping, dashing, and all that jazz. There’s Swordsman No. 8 doing the splits in mid-air or something, and me, trying not to crash into buzz saws. The Bandai Namco folks were all, “Hey, try this gauntlet section,” and I’m like, “Maybe next time, pal.” Solitude is my training ground, not these noisy conventions.

Oh, and combat — pretty nifty. Pac-Man can turn into this giant creature and just munch on enemies. The demo was kind enough to keep a move list because, you know, goldfish memory over here. There’s a dodge, a heal, and some mega cool skills. At one point, it reminded me weirdly of that first boss fight in “Metroid Dread.” Why? Who knows. It just happened.

After somehow beating a boss (luck favors the stubborn), I swallowed it up, gained a laser attack, and zapped my way through walls. Then I found myself in this maze-like place, which, fun fact, was crawling with these unkillable-with-your-usual-tools enemies. Had to channel my inner Dig Dug — pump them full of air until they explode. No kidding, most satisfying moment!

Oh, and word to the wise, July 18 is when you can get your hands on this delightful chaos. It’s coming out on every platform imaginable, with editions that include maps and secret-revealing black lights. Pay $60 for the whole shebang if you’re curious (and who wouldn’t be?).

Walking away, I was kind of buzzing. Want gritty Metroidvania action with familiar Bandai Namco flavors? You got it. Hollow Knight vibes, too? Sign me up. But don’t ask me to explain how it works. It just does.