Review -- Shadows of the Damned

Platform: Xbox 360, Playstation 3

Rating: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language)
Price: $59.99
Release date: June 21, 2011
Reviewed on: Xbox 360

Author's note: I originally wrote this review on my blog, Treasure Bin, when the game first came out. In the interest of writing new content, I'm redoing it here. Some parts are pulled from the original article, but for the most part, this is a new article.

Shadows of the Damned is...well, it's certainly something! Games like these are difficult in that they fit into a couple established tropes or genres, but they never truly fit into the genres they contain. Shadows of the Damned as much an art piece as it is a movie and an action game. It's got this grindhouse road movie vibe, but it controls like a better version of Resident Evil 4.

We all know at least one crazy bitch like her...

Goichi Suda, better known by his fans as Suda51, has a knack for making "arty" games that fascinate, but not necessarily sell well. However, he makes games that combine fantastic narrative, immersive aesthetic, and memorable characters. Shadows of the Damned is no exception. Suda51 wasn't alone in this venture, either. Accompanying him is Shinji Mikami, the creator of the Resident Evil series of horror games. If that wasn't enough star power, the audio was directed by Akira Yamaoka, composer for the Silent Hill soundtracks. This is top tier talent, and all three have years of game development experience following them wherever they go. Believe me, it shows.

The game puts you in the shoes of Garcia Hotspur, a hispanic demon hunter with a short temper and a foul mouth. When his girlfriend, Paula, is kidnapped and dragged down to Hell, Hotspur dives in after her to try and save her. His only companion is a disembodied demon skull named Johnson, who also happens to be Hotspur's main weapon! Johnson can turn into weapons like The Skullcussioner, The Dentist, and, of course, The Big Boner. It wouldn't be a Suda51 game without a little phallic humor!

"G! Fill in those cracks with your explosive hot boner! You heard me!"

Yes, that is an actual line from the game. It's going to rub some people the wrong way (pun intended), but it's actually part of the charm of this series. It give the game some levity, and makes it far less grimdark. That, and some of the "things" you meet along the way help give the game some charm. Things like Christpher! He's the merchant in the game, and he sounds like a Tennessee hillbilly!

I love the "fairy tales" they wrote about the bosses in the games. Stories about how these demons got their status. They read like some very grown up kid's stories. It makes them feel even more disturbing than they actually are, but it's funny as hell to hear Johnson narrate them. That alone is almost worth the price of admission!

The music was composed by Akira Yamaoka, who should need no introduction to horror game fans. He's the composer of the Silent Hill soundtracks! He made a fantastic score for the game, delving into a Hispanic style. It's very different territory compared to the industrial rock he made for the Silent Hill games. There's a scene where Garcia is chasing after Paula in a meat market, and the music behind it sets the atmosphere so perfectly. It's a great scene! It's also the source of the "crazy bitch" picture I shared above.

The game controls incredibly well. It feels like all the good parts of Resident Evil 4, with none of the dumb tank controls. It's simple, easy to understand, and still fun. Everything you could hope for in a game! The only flaw is in the dodge mechanic. Sometimes you'll do a 180° turn when you wanted to do another dodge roll, only to get stabbed in the back by a demon and die. Frustrating, but not a complete deal breaker. At least you can work you way through it.

For as much as I praise this game, it's not without its flaws. There's parts where you have to run from Paula (if she touches you, you're dead) that feel really, really cheap. They're not that fun, and they move the game to a pace that doesn't feel right. They also spend all this time hyping up this demon named Justine, and the actual fight against her is incredibly bland. The other bosses are so much more entertaining to fight, but Justine just feels annoying. I wish they did a better job with her, I really do.

Overall, though, this game is fantastic. The music is top notch, the story is fun, the gameplay is tight, and it's a memorable romp. And Microsoft now supports it via backwards compatibility on the Xbox One! So if you missed out on the game when it came out in 2011, you have a chance to play it on modern equipment! What are you waiting for? Just do it!

All gameplay images come from the press kit sent to Amazon (I downloaded the images from their page) or captured by me off of youtube gameplay videos. Box art image was downloaded from the Amazon listing for this game.