Pac-Manhas seen its fair share of releases and interpretations throughout the course of its more than 40-year history. From its origins as an arcade classic to some more experimental games later on,Pac-Manhas enjoyed a storied journey. But despite its sheer breadth of entries, and even when they diverged from general standards,Pac-Manhas never really veered all that far from its core genre tenets and colorful, cartoony nature.
Now, though,Shadow Labyrinthaims to upendPac-Man’s status quo. Premiering at this year’s Game Awards,Shadow Labyrinth’s reveal trailershowed a much different version of the plucky yellow fellow than what most fans are likely used to.Shadow Labyrinth’s announcement came shortly after Amazon and Blur Studios’Secret Levelepisode “Circle,” which served as a prequel to it. With an ominous-looking setting and gameplay style beyond the expected, the upcoming title promises a never-before-seen side of the puck.Pac-ManBrand Marketing Manager for Bandai Namco Entertainment America Knoah Piasek and producer Seigo Aizawa spoke with Game Rant about the intent and design behindShadow Labyrinth’s menacing presentation of the character and world.
Shadow Labyrinth Developers Discuss its Sinister Take on Pac-Man
With its horror-like vibes,Secret Level’s portrayal ofPac-Manprobably came as a big surprise to most viewers.Shadow Labyrinthwill feature the same hostile world seen in “Circle” and its version ofPac-Manthat seems less than friendly. When asked about the decision and idea behind this new direction for the IP, Aizawa explained:
When you think aboutPac-Man, you know, it’s legendary and it’s a family-friendly game. We wanted to do a new take on it and create a darker version of Pac-Man and the world in order to reach a new audience. We looked at the key elements of the maze and the eating concepts, and how, within a snap, the table turns and Pac-Man becomes the alpha predator. That’s the idea behindShadow Labyrinth’s take.
Piasek added that early feedback forShadow Labyrinthhas been extreme at times. Some fans fully embraced its vision, while others were more taken aback by the drastic shift in style and presentation. That, though, was precisely the goal, Piasek said.
Our strategy this entire time has been to shock people. There is a little bit of a pun there with the character being named Puck, and Puck Man being Pac-Man’s original name.We want to make people say, “what the puck?” That’s exactly the response that we’re looking for.
Shadow Labyrinth Will Still Contain Shades of Classic Pac-Man Aspects
One notable change is that players will take on the role of a humanoid character inShadow Labyrinth, Swordsman No. 8. They will be accompanied and guided by Puck, its version of Pac-Man. Genre-wise, Piasek admitted that whileShadow Labyrinthlooks much like aMetroidvania game, it is being billed as a 2-D action platformer. Aizawa stated that this approach fits well with the challenge of introducing a “darker Pac-Man” combined withShadow Labyrinth’s focus on the well-known maze and consumption elements.
And although it sets out to explore new ground for the franchise,Shadow Labyrinthwon’t be leavingPac-Man’s rootsbehind entirely. Aizawa noted that there will be various inclusions and mechanics that call back to recognizable aspects, pointing out an example from the trailer:
If you look closely, you will see a moment where The Swordsman turns into Puck, and it shows that classicPac-Manmovement. We have that little mixture built in. If fans play the game, I think that it will speak for itself. They’ll see and talk about it, andPac-ManEaster eggs and references will be there.
Shadow Labyrinththus seeks to retain important components ofPac-Man’s DNA while venturing out into more mature tones and themes to provide a unique and intriguing experience for both longtime fans and newer audiences.
Shadow Labyrinthhas a 2025 release window for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
