At best (and not knowing what happened behind their development) it's a RE4 wannabe with funny horny jokes that can be fun playing it once, at worst it's a very linear and unoriginal shooter that feels disjointed and lackluster, movement and weapon use are clunky, the X360 has some rendenring issues at times, battles can be either tedious or way too easy, on the good side it has some good music tracks via SH's main composer and character design is cool to look at (made by Hayashida Q, author of Dorohedoro).
I don't know who I would recommend this tho, if you found it for free or someone gave it to you, you can try it out of curiousity, if not, don't go out of your way to play it as feels like a waste of time overall.

one of the horniest games i have played in a while, but this time that's a bad thing. all the pieces are here but none of them fit together particularly well. some are too big, some are too small, some are missing, and some are from a different puzzle altogether. feels like they went to hollywood boulevard and got shinji mikami and suda51 impersonators to produce this game rather than the real thing.

recommended for: people who think that a gun standing in for a penis is the most interesting abstraction that a human being has ever come up with

A collab between Suda 51 and Shinji Mikami among other talented Japanese devs? Yes, please, sign me up. With that being said I was a bit cautious and kept my expectations in check when approaching this game since big names working on a game doesn't always guarantee the best results. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this game from the characters, to the setting, and the gameplay.

There is enough of Suda 51 quirkiness thrown in there with some bizarre characters and story pieces. Garcia Hotspur and its companion offer some interesting and cheesy dialogue throughout the game. The gameplay and horror elements are clearly influenced by Mikami, following a third-person gunplay ala Resident Evil 4. THe use of light is critical in this game and this is used to stun enemies and then finish them off which is a useful technique to conserve ammo. Another recurring theme in this game is escaping darkness which is done by shooting goat heads adding variety to the gameplay. THe game has a decent number of varying enemies in different levels which also helps keeping things fresh.

Overall, Shadows of the Damned is one of my favorite PS3 games of that particular gen thanks to its scenery, atmosphere, and solid gameplay. Credit needs to be given when credit is due, and so I will be forever grateful to EA for publishing something this quirky and niche in the West. Now if they could only fund a sequel....

Finally played what is probably one of it not Suda51's most controversial projects to this day, as most know now EA fucked over Suda and Mikami hard on this project and its devastating we didn't get was originally Kurayami. But honestly for what's here, I still had a stupidly good time with this game. A grindhouse B-movie buddy road trip to hell in one of the most insane, fun and gory action horror comedies I've ever played. The banter between Garcia and Johnson is hilarious and the story/lore you get from these two is awesome especially in the books you find. Suda's insane style and presentation still bleeds through some of the more generic choices, and even for its faults this game it still has great atmosphere, art direction and the enemies/boss design are pretty awesome. Not to mention a fantastic soundtrack by none other then Akira Yamaoka himself and was easily one of my favourite things about this game.

The gameplay is pretty rudimentary especially compared to something like RE4 which released 6 years before this game but I still managed to have a good time blasting through dozens of disgusting demons and landing those slow motion headshots. Boss fights were hit and miss but some were a blast and even parts of this games narrative still shine through all the over abundance of dick jokes and moments that didn't land. I overall had a blast playing through Shadows of The Damned even though I recognize its flaws and dated elements but I couldn't help but still enjoy it for whats here and still would recommend it. Who knows maybe Suda will make Kurayami one day if his most recent antics are of any indication but only time will tell.

You ever go see a movie you're excited for because it's from 'LEGENDARY DIRECTOR [x] AND GODLIKE WRITER(S) [y and/or z], and then you go see it with a friend who is less savvy on the subject, but wouldn't mind checking it out too? When the movie is over, you're sitting in the theater as the credits roll. Sullen . . . resentful . . . disappointed. Your friend is like "What's wrong?" You say "This movie." And they're like "Really? I thought it was okay!" And all you can retort with is "Yeah, it was 'okay'! That's the problem!" Shadows Of the Damned is that feeling wrapped up into a video game. Also your friend is easily amused by basic milquetoast action and dick jokes. I feel like that detail is important.

The game is a decent third-person shooter with some really nice atmosphere and fantastic enemy designs, however its story is mostly uninteresting as it's carried heavily by the banter between Garcia and Johnson: The main character and his talking gun. The writing has some good nuggets within--the storybooks you can come across deserve to be specifically shouted out--but it's very run-of-the-mill and uninspired. As for the gameplay, it's a watered-down Resident Evil 4 with only 3 different weapons to use, a severe step down from a game released 6 years before this. Enemy confrontations aren't too challenging, even on highest difficulty, and the bosses amount little to just shooting a spot that's glowing red.

Of course, anyone that saw an ounce of marketing from this game (of the 3 ounces EA provided) can't miss the names plastered on. Shinji Mikami, Suda51, and Akira Yamaoka. 3 very talented developers that provided excellence in their respective fields. How can a pot stewed between the creator of Resident Evil and the creator of killer7 come out so bland? Probably because EA didn't show you the rest of the chefs shoving their pounds of spam, powdered vanilla, or even their own body hairs into said pot. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that EA severely meddled with the project for the near-5 years it took making this game, going as far as kicking Suda off director's chair and appointing someone themselves.

I could go into severe detail, but I already have in an analysis video. The skinny of it is that EA didn't trust Suda at all to sell the game through his own vision, and saw Mikami as this excuse to just try and hock their own Resident Evil 4. Suda nor Mikami wanted a third-person shooter. Hell, the original concept was a survival horror in a world of darkness where your torch is your only weapon! Suda has very complicated feelings regarding this game. Its production forever changed how he looked at the industry. And that's all extremely interesting . . . much more than the game itself. Shadows of the Damned will forever be this testament to how a multi-billion dollar company can easily kill creativity.

A clear product of its time for better and worse, Shadows of the Damned combines Resident Evil action with No More Heroes 'tude, all blended together with EA corporate meddling. What comes out the other end of that is a largely fun action romp sprinkled with some interesting horror aesthetics.

In true 2010s gaming fashion, there are some pretty cliche and tiresome story elements/jokes that permeate the whole experience, yet it still finds ways to bring chuckles. Humor and story aside, Shadows of the Damned definitely shows it as a product of its time with the ever-present greasy appearance many Unreal Engine games had during the 7th console generation. The greasy feeling definitely works for this game seeing as you're making a literal trek through hell, but it also lends to motion sickness issues with certain blur effects and one particular attack the final boss can do.

Would I recommend this game? Probably? Truly, you'd have to just try this for yourself. Shadows of the Damned is the prime definition of a "love it or hate it" kind of game, and either response is understandable.

A fun little romp with kind of enjoyable shooting. Its at least passable. The looks are good. The music is top notch.

The gameplay gets a little annoying on the last 2 bosses because they just last too long. The shotgun equivalent weapon also just sucks because it doesnt scatter, just a pinpoint shotgun on a console shooter.

The jokes are also just like terrible. Most of the time they are just out of place, along with being like too crude. No idea if that was a Suda decision, or a EA Decision.

Overall this did feel like a definitive 7th gen game.

I really like it when a game isn’t for everyone. Look at the games that are made for everyone and you’ll get a good idea of why. Games made for the masses, the biggest possible audience usually follow market trends in terms of structure, interactions and genre. It does not necessarily dictate the quality of the product but there’s a certain framework that a lot of them follow. Not one of these games will contain a sequence where you fire a gigantic cannon, held at groin level, called the ‘Big Boner’ at huge enemies in a neon cityscape, will have you running across the gyrating bodies of kaiju-sized women and jumping into a papercraft shmup segment.

Shadows of the Damned is a miracle of a game. A game created by three Japanese gaming icons - Shinji Mikami, Goichi Suda (Suda51) and Akira Yamaoka - and released by, of all people, EA. It is unapologetically crass, violent and wears its grindhouse cinema influences on the sleeve of its leather jacket. A lot of people are going to play it and find it to be immature. Many will find the bloody violence towards women and general titillation throughout the game to be misogynistic. It is a videogame that a large section of the consumer base just isn’t going to enjoy at all for a whole load of reasons and, for that reason, I absolutely love it.

Now of course, I get that as a straight white lad I’m in a position where I can afford to not be put off by the content in Shadows of the Damned. I’m also in a position where I can point out these aspects and perhaps, not support it. I would be lying to you, dear reader, if I said that was the case. Shadows of the Damned is a problematic fave - sitting alongside my penchant for grotesque international horror, paedophile hunting videos on YouTube and big naturals. It’s a love letter to a style of movie that, for all the reasons you’d expect, will never be mass market but is still enjoyed by a whole host of people.

The game very much is the sum of its creators’s DNA. It doesn’t feel quite like the evolution of the Resident Evil 4 formula that The Evil Within is, sitting somewhere between the two games, partly due to it being shackled to the more ‘creative’ moments straight from the mind of Suda51. The thing about Suda51 is that his games are never perfect but not a single thing is by accident. It never reaches out and out survival horror due to a leaning towards action and one-off setpieces. There’s always something during each combat scenario that messes with what would otherwise be a serviceable Resident Evil 4-a-like and keeps feeling a lot more unique. Not all of these stick the landing, but that’s where the charm lies.

There’s combat puzzles that utilise the game’s darkness mechanic - a blue fog that drains your health if you spend too much time in it - allowing you to see targets you need to progress or a bosses weak spot. Chase sequences that end up with a very on the nose homage to The Evil Dead. The aforementioned ‘Big Boner’ sequence, essentially a turret section and, honestly, one of the weaker points in the game. Using one of the weapon’s upgrades to play Pachinko and Bowling. There’s always something happening that keeps you guessing and keeps you having to think about how to use the Resi 4 style combat in new, refreshing ways. Sometimes, it doesn’t quite work - but it is always trying something.

Weapons upgrade at specific points during the game so you can’t miss any, nor have to pick and choose, so there’s more scope for tailoring combat encounters to an arsenal the game knows you have. Although you CAN stick to one weapon for most of the playthrough, you’re encouraged to chop and change between them and utilise the best one for each situation and figuring out which one is the best - or your favourite - to deal with what is thrown at you is very rewarding and something that very clearly was expanded upon with The Evil Within, when Mikami wasn’t beholden to Suda51’s wonderful brain.

I need to make this clear, when I say that the progression in regards to the combat and game structure from Resident Evil 4 was held back by Suda51’s ideas, I personally do not consider that a bad thing. The Evil Within is a great, probably a bit underrated game, that allowed Mikami to ramp up both the horror and action aspects of the formula he created with that brilliant fourth Resident Evil game but Shadows of the Damned has its own completely unique charm and a lot of that is entirely down to Suda51’s own ideas for the game.

It all looks and sounds so good, too. The hellscape you fight your way through is equal parts grim and dark and neon and surreal. Enemies are horrific one second and almost hilarious the next. It is violent and disgusting but full of black comedy. Suda51 set out to riff on the trashy vibe of American Grindhouse movies and nailed it, warts and all. The four major characters - the brilliantly named protagonist Garcia Hotspur and his talking gun and sidekick Johnson (and yes, that’s a dick joke), Garcia’s captured girlfriend Paula and the big bad Fleming, who is so over the top in his threats to cause all sorts of evil acts to Paula he’s a superb, almost camp-y horror villain.

The music is by Silent Hill soundtrack legend Akira Yamaoka and, although plenty of it is that atmospheric, somber guitar driven stuff from the Silent Hill OSTs, there’s plenty of industrial noise and straight up punk and rock here, all of it perfectly suiting the tone of the game. It is probably Yamaoka’s most underappreciated work - the Silent Hill games getting deserved high praise but for my money, this absolutely stands shoulder to shoulder with the stuff he wrote for the third and fourth games in that series.

From the aesthetic that riffs on a cult genre of movies full of things that many find a bit distasteful to the actual gameplay that feels like it is occasionally at odds with the ideas and encounters you come across, it is a tough one to recommend. It is far from a bad game but definitely quite divisive. The Grindhouse styling might put you off. You may find it inferior to Mikami’s other forays into survival horror. What can I say, it isn’t for everyone. It is, however, absolutely for me.

This is a sweet spot in my heart, because it was the first game I got 1000/1000 gamerscore on Xbox. This game is crazy, hilarious and really fun to play.

It's been years since I played it for the first time and to this day I was often thinking: "Damn... Could they remaster this?"

I was probably one of 14 people that have ever played it, but I liked every second of it. I mean, just the sentence "KILL ME WITH YOUR HOT BONER!" will haunt me forever.

I feel really ambivalent about this one. On one hand, I know this is a completely bastardized version of the original vision for the game. EA did what EA does and turned an incredible innovative horror concept into a mostly generic third person shooter with tough guy protag #8539024. But on the other hand, I kinda like this game in its own right. Like the dialogue is horrible garbage but at some point it started to become kind of endearing. It's short enough that even when the gameplay starts to get stupid it doesn't overstay its welcome. Maybe this is just because I don't play a lot of third person shooters like this, so I'm not desensitized but whatever. At very least a lot of the art direction was fantastic and the soundtrack was phenomenal. Ending was sick also, reminded me a lot of Jeane in NMH1. If the rumors are true and we're getting SOTD 2, I hope that means a lot of the missed potential here is finally able to be followed through on.

Uhhhhhh... so after only like 45 minutes of playing the game, I hit a point where I run completely out of ammo, have no alternate way to kill things, and can't find any ammo boxes anywhere essentially softlocking myself.

I'm not saying that this isn't my fault and that I suck at the game, that easily could be the point, but it seems like even a moron like me should have some option like a shitty infinite pistol to squeak by with rather than just hard restart. So I won't rate it and I'll try again later, but that doesn't bode well...

Also yeah the whole game seems to be entirely built around boner jokes, with mild Great Value DMC vibes.

The biggest example of "missed potential" I think I've ever seen. You've got survival horror god Shinji Mikami, gaming auteur madman Suda51, and horror composer extraordinaire Akira Yamaoka working together on their own brand new third person shooter about a bounty hunter named Garcia Fucking Hotspur going down to hell with his talking bone-gun Johnson to save his girlfriend from a demon. It sounds like a perfect combination of elements to give me everything I'd want in a game, but in execution it feels like everybody brought B or C-tier effort to it. The gameplay is blander than untoasted bread, the soundtrack barely leaves an impression, and the narrative feels so desperate to be considered "whacky" that it fails to actually find anything engaging within it. Every once in a while, it finds a flash of identity and runs with it - the storybook introductions to the boss fights, the neon-soaked aesthetics of a few of the levels - but there's never a moment where you can take a step back and see a unique identity coalescing. Apparently this was a miserable experience for Suda since EA was constantly undercutting his ideas in favor of more market-friendly concepts, so I feel bad being so hard on it. It really isn't too bad at the end of the day, but it's hard to stomach an okay game when you can tell it could have been amazing.

During the first 10 minutes of the game, the first thing you will think is “WTF?” There’s nothing else to describe this game full of childish mature humor and sick twisted ideas. That’s not to say that it is bad. Most of the humor in the game is actually so childish and gross that you can’t help yourself and laugh. Some stuff is downright hilarious such as Johnson’s Boner gun. Before I get into any detail, I have to say the story is pretty entertaining if straightforward and simple. You play as Garcia Hotspur who is a Mexican demon hunter and has a demon accompanying him in form of a floating skull named Johnson. I didn’t really care much for Garcia because he is a typical potty-mouthed action hero, but I found Johnson to be the steal of the show. He’s a posh British demon that uses clean cuss words and is a stark contrast to Garcia which makes him more likable and hilarious to listen to. Garcia is trying to get his stolen girlfriend, Paula, back from the demon lord Fleming, and of course, you follow him into the depths of Hell.


That’s about as far as the story goes. There’s a small twist at the very end after the credits, but after you see it you won’t be surprised it happened. The main attraction is the banter between Garcia and Johnson and the stories you read throughout the game. Some of these made me bust up because they were so funny. Other than the story I have to say that I really love the guns in this game. The creators force you to use all three, but they are upgraded so much that they feel like whole new guns throughout the game. Boner is your pistol, Teether is your machine gun, and the Skullblaster is your shotgun. These can get upgraded by finding blue gems from bosses. Boner turns into Hot Boner that can set explosive mines, Teether can get a homing upgrade, and Skullblaster will eventually get an upgrade to create giant bombs. You can find red gems throughout to upgrade your weapons and health. Gracia guzzles down alcohol to heal himself because apparently, alcohol keeps you alive in Hell.

The game works around a light vs dark gameplay idea and it works well. When you are surrounded by darkness your health depletes and you need to shoot a goat candelabra to return the light. Yeah, it’s weird and that’s only the beginning. Gate keys consist of shoving strawberries, eyes, and brains into creepy baby faces that are guarding the gate. One level even has you walking over a giant naked Paula. The game never stops delivering weirdness, and that’s exactly what makes this game so fun, because hey, it’s a Suda 51 game, what do you expect?


There are a few puzzles thrown in that can be fun because they are straightforward. I didn’t even need a walkthrough to get through this game. Even the boss fights use light and darkness to be beaten. In the darkness, you can only see the weak spot on enemies so you have to quickly shoot it because you die. This sounds frustrating but it’s not. You get a darkness shield that depletes before your health starts going down. The enemy design is pretty crazy but repetitive. I got tired of shooting the same demons all the time. The whole game overall is repetitive in nature because it uses the same few elements mixed around a lot. My least favorite idea was the 2D shooting levels. These were frustrating and felt like pointless filler. There’s a fun boss fight at the end of the third level, but I could have gone without these.


After you beat the 8-hour game there’s no reason to go back. There’s no multiplayer or extra modes which are a shame. I guess if you want to collect all the red gems you can, but why bother? This is a fun weekend rental or cheap bargain bin purchase and nothing more. If it weren’t for the repetition set throughout and those pointless 2D levels I would have liked this a lot more. Garcia is a hard character to like and the story is simple and straightforward. Overall though, this is a solid game and highly entertaining. Just be warned that the mature content isn’t for everyone.

Dobry klon REIV z ery X360. Szkoda, że Suda 51 nie zrobił więcej takich gier.

Plusy i minusy:
+ fajny, niepoprawny dzisiaj humor i ogólny brak cenzury...
- choć czasami aż za bardzo "edgy"
+ postacie i ich śmieszne dialogi
+ muzyka
+ dziwaczny design postaci i świata
+ jedna zapadająca w pamięć, świetna walka z bossem (rzeźnik)
- prostacka relacja głównego bohatera z ukochaną (dużo ślepego ganiania za gołą dupą)
- bardzo słabe gameplayowo poziomy w 2D, czuć że to sztuczne wydłużanie rozgrywki o coś zrobionego jak najniższym kosztem
- zakończenie takie sobie

A little on the janky and budget feeling side. Feels like a game with troubled development. Some of the humor has aged a little for me.

Despite that though, the game still fucking rules. The style is super sick and the music is some of my favorite Yamaoka tracks. Anything that's basically a low-rent RE4 is my jam too.

Really hoping to see a full sequel to this beyond the admittedly cool "sequel" in Travis Strikes Again.