Shadows of the Damned

Introduction

Shadows of the Damned is much more than another stylishly directed horror game with a raunchy sense of humor and over-the-top gameplay. This game is also a collaborative effort from some of Japan’s top talent, including Goichi Suda, aka Suda51 (No More Heroes), Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil 4), and Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill). With talent like that behind it, Shadows is almost destined to blow everyone’s mind, and it might very well do just that, it’s just a matter of whether or not this is your “thing.”

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

I say this for a few reasons. First off is the game’s sense of humor, which ranges from a harmless jibe here and there to becoming borderline offensive. This isn’t the type of game you want to play with family nearby, and not just because there’s a ton of gore here. Shadows is also insanely naughty, with plenty of sexual innuendo (one of your weapons is the Boner) and sometimes you’ll even have to traverse gargantuan, mostly nude versions of your girlfriend. Thankfully, there’s a lot more to be had here outside of the naughty bits.

Once you’ve booted up the game you’re almost immediately thrown into one of the coolest depictions of hell I’ve seen in a video game. You won’t be seeing many fiery pits in this hell; instead they’ve been replaced by the neon lights of a city brighter than Las Vegas to the dark blue shadowy realms that the demons call home. Because the latter slowly drains your health, you’ll need to find sources of light, usually in the form of goat heads hanging on the walls. Once lit, the blue shadows wash away and you’re safe again. Albeit, temporarily.

Shadows of the Damned pits you in the shoes of demon slayer Garcia Hotspur, whose girlfriend Paula is kidnapped by a demon to become his bride. Now, Garcia isn’t having any of that, so he follows the demon into hell in order to save Paula, thus beginning the adventure into the colorful pits of hell. Garcia is a likeable enough character; his accent is thick but only helps to dramatize everything that comes out of his mouth. Garcia is joined by a floating torch named Johnson, the first of the many sexual innuendos you’ll come across in this game. The two characters work incredibly well together, I dare say better than the best of buddy cop comedies.

As for the controls, if you’ve played Resident Evil 4 this game plays similarly but with a few tweaks here and there to make it feel less clunky. If you’re not familiar with that game then you should know that this is a third-person shooter, with the camera nestled comfortably over Garcia’s shoulder (similar to Gears of War). You can do many of the things you’d expect in a game like this, including strafing and running, though the latter only last for a short time before Garcia has what sounds like an asthma attack and is forced to return to walking. In the very beginning you’re teased with the possibility of a driving segment, but unfortunately, the game is completely on foot.

The campaign might take only 8-10 hours to beat but it’s an experience that’s filled with action, intense boss fights, clever puzzles, and creative scenarios. Sure, it would’ve been nice to have a longer campaign, especially in a game with no multiplayer, but the content that’s there is more than satisfying. Many of the features in Resident Evil 4, including the aforementioned camera and controls, have made their way into this game in some form. The merchant is quirky and gives you gems that can be used to upgrade your weapons and abilities, and the layout of the story is formatted in Acts that are made up of Chapters.

What at first might look like a painfully shallow arsenal of weapons quickly turns into a pretty decent selection. There are three primary weapons, a pistol, shotgun, and machine gun, but as you use the gems gathered from slain bosses these weapons evolve into deadlier versions of themselves. The pistol becomes a more powerful magnum, the shotgun transforms into a grenade launcher, and the machine gun gets a homing ability. It’s still not the deepest of weapon selections, but it’s got everything you’ll need on your adventure.

Overall, Shadows of the Damned is a quirky, fun game, that’s very Japanese in its style. Everything about it won’t appeal to everyone, especially the raunchy humor and short playtime, but that shouldn’t deter fans of the genre from checking it out. Just make sure you go into it knowing that it’s less a horror game and more a game about two funny guys jumping into hell with bloody violence and comedic mayhem ensuing. If you expect that, you won’t leave disappointed. Bewildered maybe, but definitely not disappointed.