Deep Labyrinth review

Lose yourself in this demanding - but fun - RPG

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Crazy-ass storyline and characters

  • +

    Easy touch screen gameplay

  • +

    Catchy

  • +

    quality tunes

Cons

  • -

    Mazes

  • -

    mazes and more mazes

  • -

    Some clunky control issues

  • -

    What's with the box art?

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Let's get one thing out of the way: Deep Labyrinth is not for everyone. Its long, winding dungeons and emphasis on exploring said dungeons will instantly turn away all but the hardest of the hardcore RPG fans. But, if you are one of those who swoon at the thought of investigating right-angled mazes and tapping the touch screen to swing a sword, then by all means, dive in.

Labyrinth plays much like the King's Field series of old, or if you need a more modern reference to sculpt a mental image, picture The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion without the bustling towns, busy townfolk and lavishly large environments. There's no role-playing here, just hitting maze after maze, gathering new weapons, armor and items along the way.

The D-pad moves your character around, while the stylus is used to swing your sword, draw magic spells or lock onto targets. A few puzzles put the DS's microphone to use, making you literally yell a door down or shout out loud for attention.

In these basic ways, Labyrinth is a lot of fun. The mazes are no more advanced than the 3D screen saver from Windows 95, but do allow for quick navigation and ample opportunities to save your progress. It'd be nice if there were a way to strafe (double tapping left or right lets you hop quickly in one direction, but it's pretty dodgy), and targeting enemies with your woven spells isn't always accurate, but neither of these issues is enough to truly dampen the experience.

More info

GenreRole Playing
DescriptionIn a quest to rescue your parents, you're sucked into a first-person hack-slash RPG. Only your trusty dog can save you now.
Platform"DS"
US censor rating"Everyone 10+"
UK censor rating""
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Brett Elston

A fomer Executive Editor at GamesRadar, Brett also contributed content to many other Future gaming publications including Nintendo Power, PC Gamer and Official Xbox Magazine. Brett has worked at Capcom in several senior roles, is an experienced podcaster, and now works as a Senior Manager of Content Communications at PlayStation SIE.