Pac-Man becomes an apex predator on a world shattered by intergalactic warfare in this very strange new metroidvania coming in 2025
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Pac-Man came to The Game Awards tonight, but it’s not quite the cheery little yellow fellow I recall from my youth. Shadow Labyrinth is a grim metroidvania that sees the world’s most famous globular ghost-gobbler “consume darkness” as he and his wielder struggle to survive and escape a grim labyrinth of evil.
Instead of wokka-wokka-wokka-ing around a 2D maze, eating dots and doding ghosts, in Shadow Labyrinth you play Swordsman No. 8, who’s been awakened by a mysterious floating yellow orb named Puck. But while you wield Puck, it seems that Puck also wields you: “On a mysterious planet amidst relics of wars past, you are chosen to become the instrument of its will. To survive you will discover many secrets, consume your enemies, and grow from prey to the apex predator as you embrace your true purpose.”
That’s a little unexpected, yeah? Definitely a departure from the classic arcade action. I tend to feel that in general, the world has enough metroidvanias, but nobody ever put Pac-Man into one and so I’m willing to give Shadow Labyrinth a chance.
Shadow Labyrinth is slated to come out sometime in 2025 and is available for prepurchase now on Steam.
