Shadow Labyrinth

About

Shadow Labyrinth is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Bandai Namco Studios Inc. and was released on July 17, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Shadow Labyrinth is a 2D action platformer blending intense combat with exploration in a mysterious alien world. As Swordsman No. 8, guided by a mysterious orb, you uncover secrets, gain powerful abilities, and evolve from prey to apex predator. Master fluid combat to overcome deadly creatures and shape your unique playstyle.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 189 reviews

story15 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of Pac-Man mechanics with metroidvania elements, providing an interesting twist on both genres.
The art style and soundtrack are praised for their creativity and charm, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
The combat and exploration mechanics, while initially clunky, become more engaging as players unlock new abilities and upgrades.

The controls can feel unresponsive and sluggish, making platforming and combat frustrating at times.
Checkpoints are sparse and do not fully restore health, leading to tedious backtracking after deaths.
The level design is criticized for being bloated and lacking meaningful exploration, with many areas feeling empty and repetitive.

story
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated into the lore of the Namco universe, while others describe it as confusing and pretentious. It builds on decades of established lore but may require prior knowledge for full appreciation, and while some enjoy the nostalgic references, others feel it lacks depth and coherence. Overall, the narrative is seen as serviceable, with a blend of intriguing elements and frustrating pacing that may not resonate with all players.
- “The story builds up on Namco lore developed over the past 40 years in really interesting ways.”
- “Decades of lore from games such as Galaga, Bosconian, Xevious, and Dig Dug finally stitched together into a story that seems to mark a significant turning point in the UGSF series.”
- “It's a simple, cut and dry tale about the dangers of pushing oneself too hard to live up to the impossible expectations of others, and it does that story well.”
- “Also has a nonsensical anime story that takes itself way too seriously for the IP it's tied to.”
- “And jfc the story... whoever wrote this needs to lay off the Adderall, it's so needlessly pretentious and obscure; even reading the little logs you can collect makes the world-building just as much of a slog as the rest of the game.”
- “The story is pretty cringey and reads like a middle-schooler's creative writing assignment.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
76%
7%
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, featuring an intriguing blend of mechanics reminiscent of classic arcade games and metroidvanias, but marred by frustrating difficulty spikes, cumbersome controls, and a lack of engaging combat depth. While some players appreciate the challenge and exploration aspects, many criticize the hitbox issues, slow progression, and the disjointed integration of unique gameplay elements like the "pac-man mode." Overall, the game offers a solid amount of content for its price, but its execution leaves much to be desired, often feeling outdated and lacking in polish.
- “The gameplay is terrific!”
- “No bullshit, no jank, no unclear mechanics or annoying 'unlock the fun part of the combat abilities.' If you mess up, you know exactly why you died and where you went wrong.”
- “Once you gain mechanics such as the grappling hook, air dodge, and double jump, the game truly does open up.”
- “Enemies have sometimes obnoxiously large hitboxes, are hidden behind obstacles or are just plain thrown at you in massive waves that cannot be very well handled by your measly 3-hit combo and cumbersome special moves that use the same stamina as your dodge mechanics.”
- “The gameplay, exploration, and overall execution feels like a game out of the 1980s with archaic level design, lots of dead ends, and quarter dumping systems.”
- “All of that is super annoying, but the actual gameplay is just not fun.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its variety and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others find it largely forgettable or merely serviceable. Notably, certain tracks, especially those reminiscent of the Pac-Man CE series, stand out as highlights. Overall, while the soundtrack includes some memorable pieces, much of it leans towards ambient tones that may not leave a lasting impression.
- “The music is catchy, and I think the graphics are also really good.”
- “The music is simple but really effective at maintaining that wonderfully dark and oppressive atmosphere that makes Shadow Labyrinth just work.”
- “Great soundtrack, especially the mazes (Pac-Man stages) which are the hardest part to complete.”
- “Ambient OST makes the whole process of exploring feel even more exhausting.”
- “The music in Shadow Labyrinth is kind of a mixed bag.”
- “I have little to say about the music: it fits the atmosphere but I'm not going to be humming along to any of it or remembering any once I've finished.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
63%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and visual appeal, particularly in certain areas and cutscenes, while others criticize it for looking cheap, inconsistent, and lacking detail. Many players noted issues such as clunky animations, unskippable cutscenes, and a general feeling that the graphics were not up to modern standards. Overall, while some appreciate the aesthetic and design, a significant number find it underwhelming and poorly executed.
- “The art style looks good in my opinion; especially in some areas, it really shines.”
- “The actual artwork and levels are visually appealing enough, and the game is clearly meant to be a love letter to Bandai Namco, ranging back to Xevius and Galaga.”
- “Love the art style as well; wasn't expecting it, but the setting really makes the aesthetic pop.”
- “Now we move onto the negatives: the graphics and the writing were probably made using AI, and it shows.”
- “Most of the levels are sparse in detail and uninteresting, and I'm not really a fan of the art style in actual practice.”
- “You only have to look at the background graphics, the transparent PNG fog textures, or how none of the assets have any kind of visual consistency to feel like this was a game made by a committee of artists rather than someone with a distinctive vision.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its vastness and detailed art, creating a captivating and immersive experience. While some flaws in map design and assets are noted, the music effectively enhances the dark and oppressive ambiance, contributing to the overall enjoyment. Despite its simplicity, the atmospheric elements are considered a standout feature, making the game memorable.
- “The music is simple but really effective at maintaining that wonderfully dark and oppressive atmosphere that makes Shadow Labyrinth just work.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic.”
- “The atmosphere is huge and full of detailed art.”
- “Turning to visuals and the game's overall atmosphere: I'm no stranger to simpler graphics, and I'd say this game looks pretty close to Ghost Song.”
- “I have little to say about the music: it fits the atmosphere, but I'm not going to be humming along to any of it or remembering any once I've finished.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding in Shadow Labyrinth to be excessively tedious and frustrating, with many criticizing the design choices that make farming for rare materials and amulets a painful experience. The lack of checkpoints and the repetitive nature of the environment contribute to the overall dissatisfaction with the grinding mechanics.
- “Shadow labyrinth is a tedious, frustrating slog that gets almost everything wrong.”
- “Another thing that was unnecessarily painful was grinding rare mats.”
- “This is so tedious and it has made me so furious with this poor design choice.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the character development for its stunning backgrounds and inspired character designs, highlighting the visual appeal and creativity in the game's aesthetic.
- “The backgrounds are gorgeous and the character designs are really inspired.”
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly on various platforms, including Linux systems like Steam Deck and Legion Go S. Overall, players report a positive experience with no significant issues affecting performance.
- “The game runs great on Linux (Steam Deck, Legion Go S, and Void Linux).”
- “Besides that, I think the game looks great, runs great, and plays great.”