Secret Level’s Horrifying Pac-Man Episode Is Getting Its Own Game

The terrifying Pac-Man episode of Secret Level is (kind of) getting its own video game, Bandai Namco has announced. Titled Shadow Labyrinth, the newly revealed game is being positioned as part of Pac-Man‘s 45th anniversary celebrations.

One of the standouts from the first season of Secret Level is its sixth episode, Circle, which serves as an animated adaptation of Pac-Man that twists the iconic franchise into something rather horrifying. While it retains many of Pac-Man‘s most recognizable elements, Circle takes significant creative liberties in how it presents them, reimagining the endless labyrinth as a metaphor for futility and portraying its protagonist as a tormented soul hunted by malevolent entities rather than a cheerful yellow gobbler.

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This bold take on Pac-Man will soon be revisited in the form of a video game, Shadow Labyrinth, which was announced during the 2024 edition of The Game Awards on December 12. Genre-wise, Shadow Labyrinth has been envisioned as an exploration-heavy action platformer with non-linear elements. Aside from navigating the game’s world, players will also frequently face off against bosses, who will award them new abilities once defeated. These skills will then allow for reaching some previously inaccessible areas. Bandai Namco tells Game Rant it’s specifically not using the term “metroidvania” to describe Shadow Labyrinth, all the while acknowledging that some fans will associate it with that label anyway.

Shadow Labyrinth Informed Secret Level’s Pac-Man Episode, Not the Other Way Around

While Shadow Labyrinth is clearly tied to Secret Level‘s Circle episode, it is not an adaptation. If anything, it’s the other way around, as the game’s development started long before Secret Level‘s, circa 2020, Game Rant has learned. When Bandai Namco eventually received a proposal from Amazon Blur Studio to do a Secret Level Pac-Man episode, it presented its existing Shadow Labyrinth concept, which led to the filmmakers agreeing to do something with it. As such, Circle essentially serves as a prequel for the upcoming game.

Shadow Labyrinth will feature around 30 unique boss battles, each requiring specific abilities, strategies, or both. While most of its gameplay deviates from the classic Pac-Man formula, sections where the protagonist transforms into a puck will mimic the series’ signature mechanics. Regarding difficulty, game producer Seigo Aizawa says that Shadow Labyrinth is designed to be challenging yet manageable. If the player gets stuck on a boss, it will usually be easier to explore more and return stronger rather than repeatedly bashing one’s head against a difficult fight.

Shadow Labyrinth is still without a concrete release date but is tentatively aiming to hit the market in 2025. As such, it’s intended to be part of the celebrations dedicated to the 45th anniversary of Pac-Man, which falls on May 21, 2025.

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Pac-Man

Before Mario came along, Pac-Man was the face of the gaming industry. The circular yellow character was first introduced to audiences with the iconic maze game of the same name, which took arcades by storm in the ’80s. 

Pac-Man has never reached those heights again, though the character has featured in several enjoyable games across a variety of genres, from kart racers to platform games.