Shadow of the Damned Review

Suda51′s brand new game, Shadow of the Damned, hasn’t seen the sunlight since 2006. Then, in 2008 it was picked up and announced by EA games. Shadow is the debut title for Grasshopper Manufacture. With not much being said about this title, it is time to decide whether this game is great or if it should have just been left in the shadows.


STORY:
You begin the game as the protagonist, Garcia Hotspur, killing off a demon that threatens his existence in the demon world. Flashing into the past, you look for the love of your life, Paula, who is seen in her room hanging from her throat. Suddenly the demon lord, Fleming, sentences Paula so that Garcia can atone for his sins. Although Paula appears to be dead, she lives on in the demon universe. Fleming then kidnaps Paula with the help of Hotspur which begins our game. You are also joined by Johnson, a skull-headed demon who can transform into a pistol, shotgun and a torch. Johnson has a personality similar to Wheatly from Portal 2. He points out many observations such as, “You, it’s what’s for dinner”. Following in the footsteps of No More Heroes, you get the same whimsical humor you would expect from other Suda51 titles. For example, the gun you hold is named Boner and there are witty one liners like, “Maybe we can play pong… or do shots! *bang* *bang*”. The game is presented like an old Spanish type of film reel, breaking the game into acts and introducing each character upon their appearance.

SOUND:
The eerie tracks in game suits the environment well. While not the creepiest, it does give you a sense of urgency in particular situations. Navigating through menus and picking up items have a friendly tune similar to No More Heroes. The sounds of bashing demons open and their blood gushing free are perfect. While voice acting is mediocre at best, they do provide a good amount of humor and you do become attached to the characters. After awhile you get used to the over exaggerate voice acting.

GAMEPLAY:
The game is played like a survival horror type, but a lot more fast paced. You go from area to area looking for Paula, but when your hit darkness, you must find your way back to the light before your body dissolves. The only way is to shoot a goat’s head with your torch light. You’re then free to kill the demons that lurk around you. It really does give a suspenseful feeling when you’re stuck in the darkness, panicking trying to find the light. The controls are easy to navigate; changing weapons and healing are done through the directional pad and moving is similar to Alan Wake. The only way to heal yourself is by drinking beer or tequila. In the demon world alcohol doesn’t kill you, and what doesn’t kill you always makes you stronger. As you mow down demons along the road you obtain white and red gems that you can rack up to upgrade weapons and health later on. After you max out your weapons, working towards upgrades makes killing much more satisfying. The loading screens between acts shows your character walking across a town similar to Ghost n Goblins as a little shout-out to Capcom. The game uses the Unreal Engine quite well. The darkness transformation looks great and towns are detailed. While not the most impressive, its still a great looking game when it comes to the cinematography. Since it uses the Unreal Engine, you do get the texture pop in from time to time. You also have quick time events here and there that put you into the experience. Fruits are a rarity in the demon world so be sure to save up so you can pay the baby on the door to unlock some. Just like in real life.



 
OVERALL:
Suda51 does a great job presenting itself to the next-gen consoles, aside from the Wii. Shadow of the Damned is an enjoyable experience from beginning to end. The dialogue might not be funny to some and the type of gameplay can lean towards a certain audience, but this title is definitely a game you will want to check out. Be sure to check back soon for a full video review of Shadow of the Damned for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.