When Shadows of the Damned was first launched again in 2011, the expectations had been enormous given the collaboration between trade giants Suda 51 and Shinji Mikami. These two titans of Japanese gaming mixed to supply a cult traditional that also feels distinctive in its sleazy grindhouse aesthetic and excessive humour. I view the unique as a part of a beforehand misplaced trilogy of 360/PS3 period horror infused titles alongside Lollipop Chainsaw and Splatterhouse, all three of which embraced the absurd and relished their mixture of silliness and ultra-violence. With that in thoughts I’m crossing my fingers for a Splatterhouse remaster, even when music licensing points may make this a futile want.
Getting again to the matter in hand, Shadows of the Damned is a B-movie type fever dream that takes enormous inspiration from low price range horror while depicting a twisted tackle a traditional damsel in misery narrative. You play as Garcia ‘fucking’ Hotspur, a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking demon hunter whose exploits appeal to the eye of the Lord of Hell, Fleming. As vengeance for the demons misplaced to Hotspur, Fleming abducts his girlfriend, the mysterious Paula and drags her to the underworld. In an effort to rescue her, Garcia grabs his Johnson (the ridiculously named demon that serves as Garcia’s gun and bike) and jumps by way of the closing portal to Hell. What follows is a excessive octane third-person shooter with linear development and light-based puzzles.
Graphically, the Hella Remaster largely simply adjustments the decision, however in going as much as 4K, a lot element might be revealed and appreciated, actually serving to the distinctive visible design to pop. The aesthetics have a comic book guide really feel to them with daring strains and moody environments while gentle and darkish performs an enormous position within the general gameplay mechanics. The unique voice performing is retained, luckily so, as everyone seems to be clearly having lots of enjoyable delivering among the ripest strains you’ll hear this 12 months. Musically there’s a spooky mariachi really feel which additional provides to the Mexican Day of the Useless stylings.
Shadows of the Damned is an over the shoulder third-person shooter at coronary heart and this type of gameplay has not been touched or refined within the remaster. On the one hand it is a good factor when it comes to gaming historical past however it’s beginning to present its age and definitely doesn’t reside as much as the likes of the Resident Evil 4 Remake and its shift into fashionable controls. Garcia takes up a considerable a part of the display and controls comparatively clunkily. The sport doesn’t typically require swift reactions and evasion so this isn’t usually an issue, however a few chase sequences stay simply as annoying right here as they had been in 2011.
Gunplay is the principle focus and it’s right here that you will need to depend on gripping your trusty Johnson. This demon initially takes the type of a strong pistol that does a good quantity of injury however as you progress you unlock completely different gun varieties and upgrades for every. By the top you’ll be spraying sizzling leaded demise out of your Johnson. Um, the innuendos listed below are inevitable and a key a part of the sport’s specific model of humour.
Initially of the sport you see Johnson remodel into a bike that Hotspur rides on the highways of Hell however that is by no means returned to as a gameplay mechanic sadly. There’s some gameplay selection added in a while with a number of 2D shmup ranges that do assist to interrupt issues up considerably.
Maybe essentially the most iconic stage, and definitely the one I most vividly remembered from my authentic time with the sport, is the introduction of the Massive Boner, an enormous cannon type of Johnson with puerile dialogue to match. The sheer ridiculousness of this stage is maybe a litmus take a look at on your engagement with Shadows of the Damned. For me it’s so clearly camp and self conscious that I can’t assist however adore it, so splendidly skewering the excessively macho concept of the gun as a penis extension. Nevertheless, I’m conscious that this excessive presentation is a considerably acquired style.
The illustration of Hostpur’s ‘angel’ Paula stays simply as awkward because it all the time was, as she runs round Hell in a collection of extra revealing nightwear. This completely fits the grindhouse setting although, and Shadows of the Damned isn’t actually a sport that you must look to for progressive concepts. The purpose right here is clearly to revel within the politically incorrect and the pulp trash inspirations. This pulp strategy might be seen within the more and more grotesque and disgusting boss fights that can take a look at your sample recognition and capturing accuracy. These are all stand out moments that additionally require you to make use of your Johnson’s secondary perform.
Alongside the deadly ammunition fired by Johnson, you can even hearth gentle photographs that illuminate darkish areas, take away deadly clouds of demonic darkness, and stun enemies. This can be a recurring mechanic that provides a welcome dose of puzzle fixing to the gunplay and there are some rather well designed moments right here. One specific spotlight is a Rubik’s Dice like stage the place it’s a must to rearrange platforms to seek out the exit – a stage that uncannily predicts an analogous one within the Bloober Workforce Silent Hill 2 Remake.