Labyrinth of Zangetsu

I hate giving this a thumbs down review because its not a bad game, but just that its low on the list of dungeon crawlers I'd actively recommend. It's fine, its average, its a game that you can play... but my time so far has been just that "A game I can play". (And it is pretty) The real problem with Labyrinth of Zangetsu is that it's old-school in all the wrong ways. Stat growth is pure RNG including losing points, combat is oldschool-style mostly "ATTACK", chests are trapped, all decent gear comes from random drops, and permadeath is a random chance. None of this is "bad" on it's own, but it IS punishing. When you're struggling, you need something to drive you forward: Fun dungeons, exciting combat, interesting inventory choices, the thrill of overcoming a good challenge. There's been no point I've felt that this is a bad game, but nothing stands out. I'll probably put in a good amount more time here, but I'll be quite surprised anything makes me rethink this review.

完全不推荐，只能自动存档。升级需要凸点，还是随机的。

Labyrinth of Zangetsu, developed by ACQUIRE Corp. and KaeruPanda Inc. and published by PQube, is a dungeon-crawling role-playing game that embraces classic design philosophy while presenting it through a memorable visual identity. Instead of chasing modern trends centered around accessibility and speed, the game builds itself around methodical exploration, difficult encounters, and careful preparation. Set in a dark interpretation of feudal Japan, players enter a world consumed by a supernatural disaster known as the Ink of Ruin, a corruption that twists both the environment and its inhabitants into terrifying forms. From its first moments, the game establishes a haunting atmosphere that becomes one of its greatest strengths. Its visual direction immediately separates it from countless fantasy role-playing games. The entire adventure is presented with a striking monochromatic art style inspired by traditional Japanese ink paintings. Dungeons appear like moving brushwork brought to life, creating an eerie blend of beauty and horror. Black shadows swallow corridors, monsters emerge from darkness like unfinished paintings, and every environment feels intentionally crafted to create discomfort and mystery. The artistic approach does more than simply look impressive—it reinforces the oppressive mood that defines the entire experience. The setting itself contributes heavily to immersion. Rather than relying on familiar fantasy kingdoms and predictable heroes-versus-evil storytelling, Labyrinth of Zangetsu explores themes of corruption, spiritual decay, and survival against unnatural forces. The land of Ido feels cursed and fragile, a place where danger lingers behind every door. Japanese folklore heavily influences enemy designs, filling the labyrinths with yokai and supernatural threats that give encounters greater personality. The world feels distinct because it draws from mythology and atmosphere rather than generic fantasy conventions. Gameplay follows traditional dungeon-crawling structure, placing players in control of a customizable party that ventures deep into dangerous labyrinths. Party construction becomes an essential part of success. Character roles, statistics, abilities, and long-term planning matter tremendously, encouraging players to think strategically before entering battle. Unlike many contemporary RPGs that allow constant experimentation without consequences, this game demands commitment and preparation. Poor decisions can quickly lead to devastating outcomes. Combat unfolds through turn-based systems that reward patience and tactical awareness. Victory depends less on overwhelming enemies through raw strength and more on understanding party composition, managing resources, and recognizing threats before they spiral out of control. Every encounter carries tension because failure often comes with meaningful consequences. There is satisfaction in overcoming difficult obstacles through careful planning rather than brute force. Dungeon exploration captures the spirit of classic first-person role-playing games exceptionally well. Players navigate dangerous corridors, discover hidden dangers, gather resources, and slowly build familiarity with labyrinth layouts. The game avoids excessive handholding, preferring to let players learn through observation and persistence. This design philosophy creates a sense of accomplishment when progress is earned, though it also means newcomers to the genre may encounter a difficult learning curve. Character growth adds another rewarding layer to progression. Building a team that evolves alongside increasingly dangerous challenges creates long-term investment in survival. Adjusting strategies, refining party balance, and adapting to stronger enemies gives progression meaningful weight. Every improvement feels earned because the game rarely grants victories without effort. Audio design further strengthens the experience. Rather than overwhelming players with constant dramatic music, the soundscape emphasizes tension and isolation. Quiet moments become unsettling, while ambient sounds amplify the feeling of descending deeper into cursed territory. Combined with the ink-brush presentation, the audio helps create an atmosphere that feels consistently unsettling without relying on cheap scares. The game's commitment to old-school design can also become its greatest weakness depending on player preference. Some mechanics feel intentionally unforgiving. Difficulty spikes may frustrate players unfamiliar with traditional dungeon crawlers, and progression occasionally demands patience that modern audiences may not expect. Certain systems can initially appear overwhelming, particularly for players accustomed to more streamlined role-playing experiences. Despite those challenges, Labyrinth of Zangetsu succeeds because it remains dedicated to its vision. It never feels like a compromise between classic design and modern trends. Instead, it embraces demanding gameplay while elevating the experience through remarkable artistic direction and immersive worldbuilding. The result is a dungeon crawler that feels unique in a crowded genre, delivering memorable exploration and satisfying progression for players willing to embrace its philosophy. Labyrinth of Zangetsu may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking faster pacing or greater accessibility, but fans of strategic dungeon exploration and atmospheric role-playing adventures will find considerable value here. Its combination of challenging gameplay, folklore-inspired horror, and unforgettable visual presentation creates an experience that stands apart from many contemporary role-playing releases. Rating: 7/10

很不错，小日子的味道很足

除了第一眼所见的美术以外，没有任何优点的游戏，剧情可以说几乎没有，养成也是毫无深度和多样性可言，迷宫设计也是毫无探索乐趣，战斗系统也只是落伍的东西，甚至美术也是资源不足，属于是烂完了。

Cute, but a bit light for the price.

A fun DRPG / Blobber / Wizardry like. I had an enjoyable time with this game. Maybe originally put off by the black and white ascetics i quickly got used to it. I enjoyed the switching classes during the later parts of the game. Would like to see a sequel to this. Only needed to check a game guide a few times when i felt i got stuck. Played mostly on the steamdeck.

It's a decent dungeon crawler. Unfortunately the graphical style, while interesting at first, causes all the environments to look very samey after a while. Nothing super interesting to see here, but it's alright if you like the genre.

不错是不错，但要说推不推荐那肯定是不推荐的。 升级真的就是毫无倾向全随机瞎戟把加点，有时候还扣点。总之就是挺意味不明的，可谓是老鼠屎坏了粥。 为此还绑了个全自动存档功能，无法手动存档。有存档焦虑症的就别入了吧。 只适合特定人群自己赤。

I enjoyed Labyrinth of Zangetsu quite a lot, though I understand the mixed reviews, as it isn't without it's flaws. So positives: - you get a solid dungeon crawling experience, one that's not too hard, but complex enough to be interesting. - the black and white graphics, while off-putting at first glance, actually work really well for the story being told. The dungeon backdrops and the enemies are beautifully crafted, and the region is a pleasure to explore. - there are a ton of quality of life systems in place, including the ability to run while inside the dungeon, sneak if you want to avoid random encounters or even the set ones blocking your path, as well as fast combat when you're looking to blast through enemies beneath your parties skill level, allowing you to quickly get back to deeper regions without having to entirely re-navigate the earlier parts you've already conquered. Where the game lacks: - the world is not that big all told. Though there are technically five dungeons on the map, the first two are part of the same area, and the last is just a glorified final boss/endgame farming arena. So what you're really getting are three solid dungeons. Those are all really good, don't get me wrong, but the game could have benefited from another two on top of what's already there. - the levelling system is something you'll either love or hate. It's Wizardry-esque, in that you gain and lose stats at random on level up, and switching classes takes a hit across the board, with some elite classes requiring minimum stats to transfer into. There is also a chance for permanent death for characters, but none of that's really bad imo, and it's certainly nowhere near as brutal as Wizardry can be. The bigger issue is that the difficulty is very much front-loaded. Many of the earlier encounters, with large numbers of enemies and aoe attacks that are artificially harder to take on because your characters lack mid-level skills such as aoe heals/attacks and taunts. Couple that with the fact that the money drops are low, while the resurrection costs are high, and in the first 2-3 dungeons you are very likely to suffer deaths you can't afford to recover from, forcing you to more or less start from scratch to bring new characters up to date. Much of this disappears in the latter half of the game, where money is plentiful for resurrections and exp gains are huge enough that it's very easy to bump new characters up to a level of being useful even if they aren't at the same level as your main team. I actually had a complete wipeout due to hubris in the back end of the final boss arena where I let my main team all get petrified, but even only having one high-end reserve cleric character, I was able to relevel a new group capable of recovering the corpses of my original team in 20mins, whereas similar experiences at the start of the game set me back hours. - the achievements, for those who care, are kind of gaff. This is likely a result of the games lack of content, since many of them are long grinds, either trying to get what feels like 0.1% drops off rare spawn enemies, or racking up 15k kills in a game where you'll likely take the end boss down with well under 5k. The worst, however, are the gated playtime ones, the largest being 100 hours, and these are specific to a single file, so you can't even rack the playtime up playing a new file to try the bosses out again. Essentially, the game is about 20-30 hours actual play, with a further 30 hours of grinding achievements, and then 40+ hours of leaving the game running in the background while you do something else, which is limited in terms of your PC as the game has to be the active main application to generate playtime, else it automatically pauses itself. So all told, not a game I'd recommend buying at full price, but not something I would avoid when it's on offer either. There's a lot to like here, I just wish it would have been a little bit longer.