By Ghosted
Bandai Namco’s most recent Pac-Man title doesn’t even feature Pac-Man in the title, so it’s not surprising that Shadow Labyrinth represents a distinctly different rendition of the timeless arcade franchise.
Nonetheless, a new gameplay trailer for the side-scrolling action game reveals segments that will appear far more recognized to enthusiasts of the originals.
It appears that, at certain moments during gameplay, you’ll assume direct control of Pac-Man and navigate what seem to be more conventional mazes, though the trailer quickly clarifies that these are anything but standard levels.
A variety of fresh methods for traversing the stages are presented, such as shooting through speed boosts, bouncing off trampolines, and altering level designs by consuming pellets to drop blocks.
You will also confront large-scale bosses in these neon-lit environments or take on missions like devouring a specified number of ghosts.
Bamco is significantly venturing into new realms for Pac-Man in Shadow Labyrinth, which is fundamentally a 2D action platformer infused with a dark atmosphere and terrifying foes to defeat. Now we understand there are various more twists on the classic gameplay too, and it appears quite impressive.
Shadow Labyrinth is set to launch on PS5 on 18th July 2025. What are your thoughts on this new gameplay? Grab a snack in the comments section below.
[source youtube.com]
Stephen has been a member of the Push Square team for over six years, bringing endless enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of video games to his position as Assistant Editor. Having grown up playing every PlayStation console so far, he’s cultivated an eclectic palette, with a unique affinity for indie games, arcade racers, and puzzle games. He’s also our go-to person for Sonic-related topics, much to his enjoyment/consternation.