Labyrinth of Zangetsu

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 37 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • grinding
Labyrinth of Zangetsu Game Cover
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In 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
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 37 reviews
graphics5 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • The game features excellent visuals with a dark atmosphere and unique ink aesthetics that enhance the overall experience.
  • The job system allows characters to multi-class, providing flexibility and strategic depth in 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 revival and a frustrating inventory management system.
  • Dungeons and item design are lackluster, leading to a tedious experience with boring encounters and unvaried equipment drops.
  • The leveling system can be punishing, with stats potentially decreasing upon level up, which can lock players out of advanced classes.
  • graphics13 mentions

    The game's graphics are praised for their unique visual style, blending dark atmospheres with traditional Japanese painting aesthetics, reminiscent of titles like Okami. While the initial dungeon showcases impressive 2D and 3D integration, subsequent dungeons suffer from lower-quality textures, resembling outdated graphics. Overall, the visuals stand out as a significant highlight, reflecting the developers' passion and attention to detail.

    • “The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well with the story and gameplay.”
    • “The art style, as others have described, is also excellent.”
    • “Also hampered by lackluster dungeon graphics past the first dungeon and a weird difficulty curve.”
    • “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.”
    • “The two major things that set this game apart from others are the graphics and the streamlined gameplay.”
  • gameplay10 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics, which enhance the overall experience, but it can be obtuse and lacks clear explanations for its mechanics. While it offers a streamlined experience reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers like Wizardry, some player-hostile mechanics remain despite quality of life improvements, making it potentially challenging for newcomers. Overall, the game combines solid gameplay with appealing graphics, though it may require patience to fully grasp.

    • “The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well 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.”
    • “Gameplay: probably one of the easier dungeon crawler games I've played.”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding in the game is often seen as excessive and tedious, detracting from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the mid-game balance of grinding, many find the necessity to farm levels and items frustrating, especially given the game's price point. Overall, the grinding aspect is criticized for being more of a chore than an enjoyable part of gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “Identifying items is still tedious, although all players can try to identify, and identifying is automatic when you return to the surface.”
  • story7 mentions

    The game's story features a dark atmosphere and an intriguing premise involving inky corruption, but it is ultimately underdeveloped and lacks depth. While the classical narrative structure may appeal to some, many reviewers find it lackluster and thin, failing to provide a compelling backdrop for the gameplay. Overall, the story serves more as a setting for the dungeon exploration rather than a driving force.

    • “The dark atmosphere and ink aesthetics give a great look to the game and blend well with the story and gameplay.”
    • “The story has an interesting premise about an inky corruption poisoning the land, but unfortunately, the story is underdeveloped and paper thin.”
    • “The story is lackluster, nothing of note worth mentioning.”
    • “There's an obvious storyline.”
    • “There's not much variety in what you're seeing, but it adds to the oppressive sense of dread set up in the story.”
  • music5 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 that sounds very similar to Dragon Quest music.”
  • atmosphere2 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

    The game's optimization is generally considered lacking, though some players find it acceptable for their experience.

    • “Not optimized at all, but acceptable.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express that the game evokes strong emotional responses, often leading to feelings of distress or heartbreak. The intensity of the narrative and character experiences can leave a lasting impact, highlighting the game's ability to connect deeply with its audience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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