Labyrinth of Zangetsu
- April 20, 2023
- ACQUIRE Corp.
Get on SteamIn Labyrinth of Zangetsu, set in the Ido period, you must conquer the Ink of Ruin plaguing the land by leading a team of warriors through perilous labyrinths filled with yokai from Japanese folklore. The game's mesmerizing artwork, blending traditional and modern elements, creates an immersive and visually striking world that changes as you delve deeper into the labyrinths. The encounters with terrifying creatures and the blurred line between reality and nightmare make for a distinct and suspenseful gaming experience.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals with a dark atmosphere and unique ink aesthetics that enhance the overall experience.
- The job system allows for multi-classing, enabling characters to benefit from multiple jobs simultaneously, adding depth to gameplay.
- The game successfully modernizes traditional dungeon crawler mechanics while maintaining a nostalgic feel for fans of the genre.
- The game can become excessively grindy, with high costs for character resurrection and a frustrating inventory management system.
- Difficulty spikes and erratic mechanics can lead to sudden, unavoidable character deaths, which can be discouraging for players.
- The dungeon design and item drops are often considered boring and tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- graphics15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique and striking visual style, particularly the dark atmosphere and traditional Japanese ink painting aesthetics that enhance the overall experience. However, there are criticisms regarding the quality of dungeon graphics, which decline significantly after the first dungeon, resembling outdated textures. Overall, the art style is considered the standout feature, setting the game apart in the dungeon crawler genre.
“The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well the story and gameplay.”
“The art style is without a doubt the biggest selling point to this game and rightly so.”
“Using the classic Japanese ink painting aesthetic can’t help but stand out.”
“Dungeon graphics are a bit weaker: the first major dungeon is a gorgeous blend of 2D and 3D, but everything after looks like PS2 textures as seen through a crappy black-and-white filter.”
“Also hampered by lackluster dungeon graphics past the first dungeon and a weird difficulty curve.”
“It's just like wizardry with some sick graphics.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its classic dungeon crawler mechanics reminiscent of the Wizardry series, featuring streamlined elements like automatic level-ups and quick selling. While the dark, ink-inspired aesthetics enhance the experience, the game suffers from a lack of clear explanations for its mechanics and player-hostile elements that detract from its overall enjoyment. Despite some quality of life improvements, the gameplay may feel outdated and simplistic for those familiar with modern RPGs.
“The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well with the story and gameplay.”
“The two major things that set this game apart from others are the graphics and the streamlined gameplay.”
“I am glad to play a classic, wizardry-like dungeon crawler with the Japanese theme and smoother introduction into the gameplay and mechanics.”
“It does play rather obtusely and it doesn't explain all the mechanics in the game anywhere.”
“For all the talk about this game having quality of life adjustments to move it beyond the original Wizardry, it's mind-boggling why such a player-hostile mechanic was left in despite multiple balance patches.”
“Put simply, gameplay-wise it’s an old school D&D or Wizardry-based dungeon crawler.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding in the game can be excessively tedious and not enjoyable, with players often feeling forced to spend significant time leveling up or farming items. While some appreciate the mid-game balance of grinding, many find the overall experience frustrating, especially given the game's price point. However, there are moments where the grind leads to rewarding gameplay, particularly in the context of dungeon crawling.
“The game gets too grindy but not in a fun way.”
“I'm not particularly enthused about spending four or five hours in a 15-hour game grinding, especially when said game costs $40 CAD.”
“Yes, the loop of die, grind for cash, fail resurrection, and grind for more cash is tedious at the start; the rest of the game is a highly enjoyable dungeon crawler.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as minimal and classical, lacking depth and player agency, which some players found disappointing. However, the dark atmosphere and unique ink aesthetics effectively complement the gameplay, creating an engaging experience despite the story's simplicity. Overall, while the narrative may not be groundbreaking, it aligns well with the game's artistic style and dungeon-crawling mechanics.
“The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well the story and gameplay.”
“It’s art, it’s story, and its gameplay all harken back to a mythologized Japan of old; both with its ink-infused hand brush style and its 'dudes in a line' first-person dungeon crawling RPG gameplay.”
“I was happy to find this game, because I didn't want a dark plot or anime style art with a bunch of barely-clothed images.”
“The story is lackluster, nothing of note worth mentioning.”
“The story is another minimal aspect to the game.”
“I never really felt I had input in the story at any point, which is a shame.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its outstanding quality and atmospheric fit, though some players find the battle theme's lengthy lead-in and overall repetitiveness to be drawbacks. Additionally, the soundtrack has been noted for its similarity to Dragon Quest music, which may appeal to fans of that series.
“Other than that, I love the artistic direction of the game. I love the music, the sounds, and the atmosphere.”
“The music is outstanding, but the battle theme's lead-in is longer than the average encounter; it wore on me before the game was out.”
“Music, while it matches the atmosphere, can be repetitive.”
“Music - while it matches the atmosphere, it can be repetitive.”
“Music (that sounds very similar to Dragon Quest music)”
“Music (that sounds very similar to Dragon Quest music)”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics effectively enhance the storytelling and gameplay experience. While the music complements the overall ambiance, some players find it to be repetitive.
“The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well with the story and gameplay.”
“The music, while it matches the atmosphere, can be repetitive.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally considered lacking, though some players find it acceptable for their experience.
“Not optimized at all, but acceptable.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers a modest selection of modern features that enhance its playability, particularly with a controller, while still maintaining its core experience. This balance contributes to its replayability, allowing players to enjoy the game multiple times without feeling diminished.
