Shadow Labyrinth

Shadow Labyrinth is a gloomy 2D exploration and action game. Bandai Namco Studios takes the basic idea of PAC-MAN and builds a science fiction world from it, with sword fights, hidden paths and large enemies.

You control Swordfighter Nr. 8, who wakes without memory on an abandoned planet. The floating yellow orb PUCK accompanies him through the ruins while pursuing its own goals.

Shadow Labyrinth has been available since July 2025. Steam, PlayStation Store and the German Xbox Store list July 17, 2025, while the German Nintendo product pages list July 18, 2025. The different store dates refer to the same release.

Bandai Namco released the game for PC and current consoles. Nintendo Switch 2 received its own edition with technical improvements.

Shadow Labyrinth is available for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. All five platforms have a standalone version. A PS4 or Xbox One version is not part of the release.

The Switch 2 Edition offers higher resolution and frame rate than the Switch version. Owners of the Switch version can use the free upgrade pack. The game content is the same on both Nintendo systems.

You cross connected areas, look for new paths and fight creatures with sword attacks and special skills. Obstacles repeatedly block the way to the next areas. Only with abilities acquired later do alternative routes and previously unreachable rooms open up.

Combat and exploration are intertwined. Defeated enemies provide powers that the swordfighter uses to grow stronger. The story unfolds during the journey through the ruins and labyrinths.

The Original Arcade SFX pack swaps the sound effects in Mini-PUCK mode for sounds from the original PAC-MAN. It does not change the game's other mechanics.

Another add-on includes a digital artbook and the soundtrack. This content is also part of the Digital Deluxe Edition. It supplements the base game rather than forming a standalone campaign.

For Windows 10 or 11, Shadow Labyrinth requires at least 4 GB RAM and 5 GB free storage. Steam lists an Intel Core i3-3225 or AMD A6-7400K as the processor. For graphics, a GeForce GTX 750 Ti or Radeon R9 270X are among those listed.

Recommended are an Intel Core i7-4770K or Ryzen 3 3100, plus a GeForce GTX 1660 Super, Radeon RX Vega 64 or Intel Arc A750. The requirements are based on 1080p at 60 frames per second.

PUCK brings Swordfighter Nr. 8 to a foreign planet whose landscapes are shaped by the remains of an intergalactic war long ago. The initially puzzling task leads ever deeper to the causes of this conflict.

PUCK is both companion and driving force of the story. What role he really plays and why he chose Nr. 8 are among the central questions.

In direct combat, Nr. 8 relies on melee attacks, evasive maneuvers and combinable abilities. Large enemies require spotting attack windows and deliberately switching between offense and defense.

New weapons and powers gradually expand your options. This changes not only the pace of combat, but also which areas of the planet are accessible.

Exploration switches between the Swordsman, the small Mini-PUCK and the giant battle form GAIA. Mini-PUCK moves through tight labyrinth passages and picks up the movement logic of the original PAC-MAN.

GAIA is formed from the combination of PUCK and the Swordsman. The powerful form suits heavy battles but needs energy. All three forms serve different purposes.

The game world combines technical facilities, weathered structures and organic-looking landscapes. Behind many paths lie traces of a war that shaped the planet long before No. 8 arrived.

You return to familiar areas with improved abilities to reach branches, secrets and new challenges. Exploration is therefore more than the link between battles.

PUCK deliberately recalls PAC-MAN, but Shadow Labyrinth is not a classic maze game with dots and ghosts. The game carries motifs like pursuit, devouring and movement through narrow corridors into a dark action adventure.

The enemies draw on familiar arcade ideas. They include the reinterpreted G-HOSTS, while Mini-PUCK directly picks up the classic maze feeling.

Shadow Labyrinth offers Explorer Mode and Veteran Mode. Explorer Mode makes combat and exploration easier, making the story more accessible. Veteran Mode matches the more demanding original gameplay experience.

Both play styles have been available since the major update of November 2025. It also improved the controls for Mini-PUCK.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition improves resolution and frame rate over the Switch version. It uses the same game content and can also be accessed through a free upgrade of the existing Switch version.

If you already play on Switch, you don't need to buy the adventure again at full price to get the technical improvements. The upgrade is an add-on and not a second game.

Shadow Labyrinth is a single-player adventure. The campaign takes you across the planet alone. A shared co-op campaign or a competitive multiplayer mode is not part of the game.

German Nintendo pages confirm German on-screen text. A German user interface with subtitles is also available on PC.