PAX East 2025: Shadow Labyrinth Reinvents Pac-Man’s Classic Gameplay

Reimagining Pac-Man is kinda like… trying to turn a cheeseburger into sushi. You might end up with Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures. Seriously, who thought throwing rocks to guide him was cool? Not me. But then, there’s this other concept buzzing around—a Metroidvania called Shadow Labyrinth. Now that’s a twist I didn’t see coming.

So, PAX East 2025 rolls around—ah, memories—and I get my hands on Shadow Labyrinth, toying with it on my trusty Nintendo Switch. Handheld mode, naturally, which means I’m squinting a bit because, honestly, that screen just isn’t cutting it anymore. Meanwhile, some journalist stuck to the PC version, enjoying a nice big screen. Ugh, envy. There’s a prequel on Secret Level, or so I’m told. A nice slice of backstory for those who give a hoot.

And the frame rate thing? Let’s chat. The Switch did its usual 30 FPS jig. No surprise there—poor thing’s ancient. But make it PC and bam—60 FPS. The smoothness! If you’re all about the combat, note this down. Relax, though; Switch 2 promises the full 60 FPS goodness.

This demo was a smorgasbord of jumping and slashing, with the protagonist (Swordsman No. 8—catchy, right?) hopping and dashing all over. You even got to be a mini Pac-Man, gobbling pellets while hoping buzz saws don’t slice you in half. Convention madness set in, though; I bailed after a few platforming misadventures. I need silence to fine-tune my gaming prowess—not exactly the case here.

Oh, and the combat—it’s like riding a bike. There’s a cheat sheet on the screen with moves and stuff, just in case your brain goes blank mid-battle. All things attack, dodge, heal, and even turning Pac-Man giant-style to munch on enemies. Felt kinda like Metroid Dread—a flashback, if you will.

After dealing with a towering boss, I zapped him, got this laser power-up, and bam! Perfect tool for zapping through walls. My colleague’s eureka moment—the grapple hook maneuver, inflating enemies like balloons until they pop. Made my day. And yep, Dig Dug homage right there.

So, mark the date—July 18! Shadow Labyrinth will hit the platform jackpot: Switch, Switch 2 (oh yeah), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. Three edition choices, and one has a black light for some map magic. $30, $40, or $60. The secret version’s under $100, which feels like a steal, honestly.

Wrapping it up, Shadow Labyrinth nails that gritty Metroidvania vibe. It’s like Hollow Knight met a Bandai Namco bash, and somehow, it all clicks. Looking ahead, my excitement’s off the charts. Who knew?