When it was announced in 2010. Shadows Of The Damned seemed too good to be true. A supergroup of creators coming together to make a game in the genre they helped define. Shinji Mikami, father of the Resident Evil franchise, joins Suda51, one of the most unique voices in Japanese game development. Akira Yamaoka, the beloved composer of the Silent Hill series, was also on board. How could this not be another survival horror masterpiece anyway?
Unfortunately, the demands of publishers twisted their collaboration into something more commercially viable. Starting with the traditional horror experience called Kurayamithe anticipated title from Grasshopper Manufacture ended up being a gonzo shooter that watered down Mikami and Suda’s signature. A flawed but enjoyable experience that has since gained a cult following, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered joins Suda 51’s Lollipop Chainsaw RePop as flawed but pleasant Switch the remaster.
When we meet the protagonist Garcia Hotspur (played by Steve Blum and his famous growl), his girlfriend Laura is kidnapped by Fleming, the lord of the underworld. A demon hunter by trade, Garcia travels to Hell to save Laura’s soul and defeat Fleming once and for all. Our hero is joined by his sidekick Johnson, a talking skull who is also Hotspur’s gun…and his flashlight…and his bike.
The text for Shadows of the Damned couldn’t be earlier 2000s if it tried. Hotspur is a swearing machine. He’s never far from a quip, a movie quote or a sardonic joke with Johnson. Oh, and if you think calling a character who turns into a gun ‘Johnson’ is on the nose, you’ll be shocked to learn that his main weapon form is called the Boner. The tone aims for B-movie irreverence reminiscent of No More Heroes, but a little meaner.
Garcia’s journey to find his lover in his underwear takes the form of an over-the-shoulder shooter in the mold of Resident Evil 4. Hotspur can move freely, but aiming closes the camera and restricts movement. Demons can easily surround him, so dodging and turning quickly are handy. Johnson’s torch form can also be used to crowd, clear enemies, and disperse crowds.
As a shooter, Shadows of the Damned is a mixed bag. Aiming sensitivity was mostly atrocious in the original title and this has not been addressed in the remaster. The stick’s sensitivity settings will allow you to fine-tune, but ultimately the frenetic pace of most battles breaks you down with the precision shots you’ll need to take down enemies. Boss battles are a particular frustration. Each has a traditional shimmering vulnerability that is sometimes terrifying to catch as it charges towards you.
Along the way, you’ll pick up gems that unlock new forms for Johnson. Assault rifle and shotgun variants make aiming less of a problem. The skull-firing Monocussioner is especially worth upgrading, its power comes in handy in the late game. Rifles also gain powerful alternate fire variants at key turning points throughout the story.
The darkness mechanic breaks up combat encounters with some (figurative and literal) confusing light. Throughout the levels, darkness will engulf the area and Garcia must find the glowing goat heads to shoot them and stop the vermin from eating away at his health bar. Demons can become shrouded in darkness and will need Johnson’s light shot to dispel the darkness and make them vulnerable to regular bullets (or teeth, in this case). Along the way, darkness will spread in various ways, and in some cases it will even be your ally.
It’s in those tense moments, when you’re trying to find the source of the light, that the clunky camera and movement are just as frustrating as aiming. A far cry from traditional survival horror tank controls, walking feels limited and slow. There is a sprint that propels Garcia forward, but he will more than likely be drawn into some scenery.
Visually, this remaster does nothing to correct the overused aesthetic of Unreal Engine 3. There are splashes of green and gold, along with striking deep red guts that adorn the architecture. Alas, everything else is a bland mix of washed-out blues and dull grays. There’s also an inexplicable shadow border at the edges of the camera, which serves the oppressive nature of the setting, but comes at the cost of fidelity. Elsewhere, frequent frame drops occur when Garcia smashes demon heads during combat.
Where Shadows Of The Damned shines is in its crazy presentation and fun low-key humor. As compromised as Suda’s original vision may be (he writes here but doesn’t direct), this still feels like a Suda 51 joint. It has the bizarre tone of Killer7 and the grindhouse anarchy of the aforementioned No More Heroes trilogy.
Despite the sheer volume of the childish banter between Garcia and Johnson, much of it is smile-inducing. The stylized depiction of Hell, with its screeching gates and anglerfish crooning a happy tune as they light your way, is truly unique in a way that seems rare these days. There is also excellent work by Yamaoka. The score is flawless, based on Suda’s Mexican theme with Spanish guitars and a band.
We appreciate the new game mode plus, as it is an experience with significant replay value. Perhaps the most important update is the addition of new costumes, which allow players to complete Garcia Hotspur’s underworld odyssey half-naked like a tequila-drinking rock star.
Conclusion
A ridiculous, goofy shooter that ultimately feels like as much of a missed opportunity as it did in 2010. Visual inconsistencies and frustrating mechanics aside, Shadows Of The Damned can still offer a good time to those looking for it, but it’s a shame this remaster doesn’t do enough to polish it up. Grasshopper’s cult gem and make it palatable to a modern audience.
