Video Game Review: Lapis x Labyrinth

Lapis x Labyrinth

NIS America

Action, Platformer

PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

2D platformers and dungeon crawlers are wonderful since they allow for quite a few creative choices in regards to art and gameplay. When it comes to these kinds of games, one of the most important selling points is related to the title’s graphics. Sure, the gameplay is vital to an enjoyable experience, but most of these games share many similar mechanics, and an aesthetically pleasing style can make or break a game’s first impressions. If any game has gotten a hold of this message, it is NISA’s Lapis x Labyrinth.

Lapis x Labyrinth is a 2D action platformer in which players explore dungeons with their party of four. The first thing that most players will notice about this game is just how cute it is. The game features a chibi anime style art, that makes all eight playable classes ridiculously adorable. Not only is the art cute, but the designs look wonderful as well, creating a pleasing aesthetic. While players have plenty of slots to hold all eight classes, only four can come along, leading to difficult decisions in which players will have to balance the cutest and most practical characters for their party. On my playthrough, I went all in on the cutest characters, going for a nun, maid, tanky boy, and hunter.

The characters get stacked like a totem pole (Yes you read that correctly) and sent into a dungeon where they will explore, slash and loot until they find the boss floor. The exploration is fine enough, with floors are filled with treasure chests and diamonds that need to be collected to unlock doors. The stages vary in themes in backgrounds and share the same pleasing aesthetically as the characters.

Enemies litter the dungeons, leading to a simple combat system full of hacking and slashing. Most of the combat is done with a single button that auto-combos, but players do have a few extra tools to spice things up. Special skills are activated with the special button and a direction (Similar to specials in the Smash Bros franchise) and in certain situations can clear through tough enemies. Players can also use the specials of their stacked comrades for small effects, or fill a gauge and throw everyone at once for a spectacular display of offense. Eventually, after enough attacks, players will enter “Fever Mode,” which fully embraces the game’s aesthetic mayhem.

Fever Mode is a small window where all of the characters are invincible and have the opportunity to receive tons of money and items. Slashing at enemies results in a spectacular barrage of gems flying all throughout the screen. The music is wild, the loot is exciting, and the rush is exhilarating. Things get so crazy during fever mode that it can be difficult to even follow what is happening onscreen, but this isn’t too detrimental since players can’t die anyway.

The game doesn’t hold the player’s hand and can become rather difficult if the various systems and movesets aren’t explored. There is a lot going on outside of the dungeons between crafting, snacking and equipping. While there are tutorials, they aren’t too specific. It took me a while to truly understand the game and its characters, but once I did I had a great time jumping through dungeons.

The game takes somewhere between 10 to 20 hours to complete, and unfortunately, even that is a bit too long. The button mashing does lose its charm over time, leading to a somewhat monotonous experience once the charm wears off. I played the PS4 version, which I think might be the inferior way to experience Lapis x Labyrinth. This game is best when played in short bursts, which is perfect for a handheld console. I had a great time playing this game but never wanted to spend much more than half an hour at a time before I wanted a break from all the mayhem. Oftentimes I found myself just doing a stage at a time. This is easily Lapis x Labyrinth‘s biggest flaw. It’s fun, but the fun just can’t sustain a full 10+ hour game. Even the ability to switch out characters for new abilities doesn’t add much new to the game’s playability.

Outside of the busy screens and long length Lapis x Labyrinth plays as good as one can ask for. The music fits the various settings and tone of the game just fine, completing the overall experience. At no point did the game experience any drops in framerate from all the lights and colors during Fever mode. The game runs as well as anyone could ask for.

Lapis x Labyrinth is a fun, dazzling experience that suffers from a few pitfalls. It wears out its welcome with its long length and sometimes has just a bit too much going on the screen at once. Still, this is a fine dungeon crawler for those who crave cute characters and loot.