Shadow Labyrinth: A New Twist on Pac-Man at PAX East 2025

Okay, so, like, Pac-Man, right? You think of that iconic yellow dude munching around mazes. But, reinventing him? That’s a whole other ball game. If you ever imagined a sequel like Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, well, you kinda ended up nudging him around with rocks. Don’t ask why. It’s just… odd. Anyway, there was also this crazy idea to slot him into something called Shadow Labyrinth, a Metroidvania. Sounds out there, but maybe it works, you know?

So, I managed to sneak a peek at this Shadow Labyrinth at PAX East 2025. Ran into it on a Nintendo Switch, just holding it in my hands while some dude next to me was vibing with it on a massive PC screen. There’s this show, Secret Level, on Amazon that gives you some backstory—kind of a pregame appetizer. What’s wild is that the game chugs along at 30 FPS on Switch—not ideal, but you live with it. It did swagger at 60 FPS on PC, though. Something about Nintendo’s old gear just doesn’t quite keep up. But good news, the Switch 2 will handle it like a pro at 60 FPS. Thank goodness!

Oh, then there’s this image in my head—I remember seeing platforming and combat being the main gig in the demo. Imagine our hero, let’s call him Swordsman No. 8 (don’t ask about the other seven), hopping about, doing some double jump magic, and dashing like a squirrel on caffeine from point A to B. Okay, the real showstopper? You get to grapple attach, ride rails (not the train kind), and, believe it or not, transform into a tiny Pac-Man — PUCK! He munches pellets and swerves around buzz saws. Oh boy, there was this platforming challenge and the rep egged me on. But, let’s be real, mastering a game isn’t for bustling conventions. Solitude calls my name for that kinda practice.

Had to bring up this bit: Combat was core to the experience. There was this button guide onscreen, which saved my bacon countless times. Attack, dodge, heal — all the usual suspects. And Pac-Man goes Godzilla mode to eat foes sometimes. The flow felt slick, not too punishing. Oh, and there’s a special parrying skill, an absolute life-saver in the boss fight. Does this sound like that first Metroid Dread boss to anyone else?

After I took down that boss (which was no small feat), my Pac-dude…ate him? Yup, gained this neat laser attack which, genius, was essential for the next part. Some wall needed blasting, like, kaboom. Then we got this maze area—pesky critters, immune to swords. My fellow gamer solved it with a grapple hook. Pumped those suckers with air until… kablam! Total Dig Dug homage. But apparently, different places nod to other Bandai Namco titles. Wondering if we might glimpse Galaga or Rolling Thunder later on.

Oh, and if you’re hyped? Mark July 18th. That’s when Shadow Labyrinth rolls out on every platform you can think of. Three versions, by the way, and there’s one where you get a black light for secret map stuff. That’s cool, right?

Anyway, I left PAX kinda enamored. A dark, gritty Metroidvania laced with Bandai Namco nostalgia? Shouldn’t work, but man, it surprisingly clicks. If you’re a Hollow Knight fan, this one’s probably worth your radar.