Secret, Apocalyptic 'Pac-Man' Game Revealed in 'Secret Level'

When the minds behind Amazon's Secret Level delved into the Pac-Man-themed installment of their animated anthology series, a crucial detail was kept under wraps at the request of Bandai, the game's owners. This dark, apocalyptic reimagining of the classic arcade game didn't emerge fully formed from their imagination. Instead, it was inspired by a secret Pac-Man game that had been in the works for some time.

Unveiling the Next Chapter in Pac-Man's Story

Series creator Tim Miller shared with Entertainment Weekly, "When we spoke to the developers, they said, 'You can do anything with Pac-Man, but can we show you what we're working on for the next game?' And what they showed us was truly astonishing. It was a swordsman wandering a desolate apocalyptic landscape, with Pac-Man becoming a mobile gun platform and the ghosts transforming into mutant beings. It was a shockingly different vision that I would never have guessed in a million years."

The Animated Short - A Prelude to Shadow Labyrinth

In the animated short, spearheaded by Tim Miller, executive producer and supervising director Dave Wilson, and teleplay writer JT Petty, we encounter a lone Swordsman (voiced by Aleks Le in Secret Level). He wakes from a water tank within a maze-like wasteland. Puck (voiced by Emily Swallow), a floating gold orb, greets him and informs him that he must "eat or be eaten" by the mutants inhabiting this plane. Unfortunately, things don't end well for the Swordsman. After Puck burrows into his back and transforms into a giant shadow monster, devouring everything in its path, the Swordsman perishes. Puck, however, remains trapped in the maze. This marks the end of Swordsman No. 7. When Shadow Labyrinth begins, gamers will take on the role of Swordsman No. 8 and strive to escape the maze.

Reimagining Pac-Man in Shadow Labyrinth

Everything about Pac-Man has been given a new lease on life in Shadow Labyrinth. From the cherries to the ghosts and even Pac-Man itself, every detail has been transformed. As Seigo Aizawa, the producer of Shadow Labyrinth, points out, "If you look closely at the trailer, you'll notice various monsters like spiders and lava. These are the small details that we hope fans will spot. Exploration is key to discovering your own play style, defeating the bosses, and uncovering the hidden lore and world of Shadow Labyrinth."

Challenging and Immersive Gameplay

Knoah Piasek, the Pac-Man Brand Marketing Manager at Bandai Namco Entertainment America, adds, "This game has a very engaging story that unfolds around the characters seen in the trailer and those you might encounter. The world where it all takes place has its own story and lore that players will discover by digging up all the little clues during their gameplay. We aimed to make the game quite difficult to complete, with a playtime of around 30 hours. There are many ways to beat the bosses and explore the maps."Shadow Labyrinth is set to launch in 2025 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X | S, and PC via Steam. Watch the announcement trailer above and get ready to embark on this dark and thrilling adventure.