Labyrinth of Zangetsu | PS4 Review

Harkening back to retro dungeon crawlers of old PQube's and Acquire's, "Labyrinth of Zangetsu" stays true to the set formula of the genre while lightly innovating with new mechanics, and forwarding a fantastical plot with class based create-a-characters placed in a corrupted feudal setting. Taking place in an ancient land ravaged by a miasmic plague of deadly ink the sole survivors seek and find refuge in the last safe haven known as the Ido temple wherein lies humanity's last hope. 

Led into the fray by a leader of tried and true mercenaries for hire comprised of various races and creeds who commit to the cause of Blightbane Proper they engage the enemy, willingly. They are a collective of committed combatants whose main job is to brave the ink infested Labyrinths in hopes of ridding the world of the corruption, and it is your job to lead them to victory ...

Whether you choose to select from fully premade characters or create your own through detailed customization you will be putting together a six person party with which to take into battle. There are several races or classes to choose from including human, dwarf, elf, cavegram, nekomata, and half-oni. Each with their own abilities, weapon preferences, and party position alignments. Each class specializes in something whether it be combat, magic, or trap tripping, and can effectively be placed either in front or in the rear depending on those skills, and reach. 

Alongside the laundry list of placement preferences, skills, and weapon biases comes an RPG stat listing that can be enhanced through initially gifted, and later earned points. Allotting points to strength, vitality, defense, intelligence, spirit, and charm will in turn amplify things like evasion, effect resistance, and damage output among other things. All of which is explained in the given menu per option. Outside of that naming your conscripts, or characters is an option as is assigning them a premade portrait that takes in account the male and female versions of each class or race as well as different color palettes.

After creating and selecting six party members you'll take to your first trial. A recruiting session where you learn the basics of dungeon exploration as well as the main combat mechanics. This includes the ability to sneak by enemies, inspect suspicious objects, identify items, and disarm traps. You'll even find out how to use the overhead map display to your advantage. Reading all the signs is important during this lesson for that very reason as they give hints on what it is you need to do in order to complete the trial.

From the trial, Ido temple and it's venues open up to you in full. There's a shop for buying weapons, and selling unwanted items for Sen (the in-game currency), a temple for purifying corrupted party members or resurrecting them if they're dead, and a storage place for items you've gathered while out in the dungeons. You'll even find a Chapter menu for creating or hiring new conscripts which can be used to replace fallen or dead party members. Some services come with a price while others are free to take advantage of.

Exploration and Combat ...

While out in the dungeons and labyrinths you'll face off against ink infested monstrosities using your party members as the means by which to do so. At their disposal is an attack, parry, magic, skill, item, equip, and run action option. Attack allows for basic attacks using equipped weapons while parry acts as the damage deflection alternative. Magic, and skills are both harder hitting attacks or assists that can be used on party members or against onscreen enemies. Magic wielders like elves or nekomata, for example, can use either support spells or damage dealing spells that are good, evil or neutrally aligned. Effecting enemies of opposite alignments more adversely. Also clerics, which are magic users, can use their Holy magic to heal or assist party members in battle. Staving off potential death in the process.

Battles themselves are triggered by coming in contact with inky mists of black, and red color within the gridded lanes of the dungeons/labyrinths. The black mist are home to lesser enemy types, and the red ink clouds to boss type elites. Winning battles will result in the gaining of EXP for character leveling, and Sen which is the games currency that can be spent back at the Ido shop or temple for those services. As characters level up from gained experience in battle their stats will increase making survivability more probable. 

Winning often will also result in the gaining of unique weapons, and items crucial to staying alive for the long haul. Some treasure chests will also reward such things in a risk and reward fashion. One thing to keep in mind though is that when you get an item you must first identify it for it to be used or equipped. Speaking of that, equipment comes with the usual weapons, armor, shields, and accessories in mind in 'Labyrinth of Zangetsu'. Staying true to the RPG side of the genre.

The Presentation ...

Visually, "Labyrinth of Zangetsu" is like Japanese watercolor or ink paintings. Featuring more blacks and whites than color. Leaving colored features to be those of significance. Collectively creating an artsy inked impression, but in a 3D format. The game also encapsulates the maze-like environments of dungeon crawlers in a first person point of view. Creating a sort of walking simulator style of experience where exploration leads to potential encounters and discoveries. 

The overall art style including the character portraits all stay true to the period the developer is using as their template for storytelling. It features a lot of feudal Japanese designs. Everything for Edo period architecture to samurai era armor, and weapons of that time are brought to life as if painted by inked brush strokes. It's nice to look at, and the complimentary period music contained in the soundtrack only further adds to the game's visual theme.

The Verdict ...

Labyrinth of Zangetsu is a take on classic dungeon crawling that is more to the point than most games in the genre. Featuring a minimalist story approach told mostly through text it offers little else than party management, combat, and exploration. Keeping things fresh by introducing new ways to explore, and new creatures to fight as you progress. 

The environmental design alone is quite interesting in that sometimes it's traditionally enclosed, and other times it's on curved open locations that take advantage of the feudal Japanese architecture, and features. A lot of what you'll see is not that detailed, but it is the creature designs that carry the game through, and make it more interesting. There's all kinds of yokai to fight, and even some original creations thrown into the mix.

As simple as it might be 'Labyrinth of Zangetsu' still manages to leave an impressionable mark. It is an experience that fans of the genre will more than likely enjoy. It's a fun take on the genre that is definitely more gameplay focused though. Allowing for some light story building as you set out as a leader of Blightbane conscripts to rid the lands of the Ink of Ruin. Building up your party, and earning a reputation for your feats. A simple yet effective premise that sells itself. I can get behind this as a fan, especially since it's a budget indie with decent replay value. It's the kind of game you can invest a serious amount of time in if you can properly manage your party. If you fancy something new in the realm of dungeon crawlers do not miss out on this one!