I was recently in GameStop, which is something generally I try not to do as playing 20 questions with the staff when all I want to do is buy a game is not my idea of fun. Anyway, I wanted to see what they had on offer & also to check the pre owned XBOX 360 games to see if they had Resonance of Fate - which they did not. However, I did come across a game I played before by Suda 51 (Killer is Dead, No More Hero's, Sine Mora) called Shadows Of The Damned. I remembered how much fun I had playing it first time round & wanted to give it another go. So I brought the game to the counter, answered the many questions, gave over €6.99 & off I went excitedly with my purchase.
I have really been in the mood for cake recently, one, in particular, is a strawberry jam, clotted cream buttercream Swiss Roll. I know that is very specific but what can I say, I have very discerning tastes. Why do I like it? Well, I love cake, strawberry jam & buttercream, so simple yet so tasty & with a cup of tea it is simply heaven. The only downside is before you know it, it's all gone & you yearn for more. Playing Shadows of the Damned I found myself asking was I left wanting more or was I satisfied with my lot?
The story in some ways is very simple, your girlfriend is kidnapped & dragged to the underworld, your mission; save the girl & kill every demon that gets in your way. The protagonist is Garcia Hotspur; demon hunter, killer, all round tough guy & with a name like that he almost definitely worked in porn at some point. There is your partner in crime Johnson; an ex-demon, smart ass who has more uses than a Swiss Army Knife. Then there is Garcia's girlfriend Paula; beautiful, a little scary with a pinch of crazy & really likes lingerie. The Villain of the game is Fleming; ruler of the demons, not a nice guy & from the massive coat he wears really feels the cold.
The story is; dark, funny, crazy & filled with sexual innuendos. There are some great characters in the game & one my favorites is Christopher who is a merchant. I don't if it's because he sounds like a redneck, or because he is part man & part beast, or if it's the way he almost bites your hand off eating the white gems you give him but I just really like him. The plot is pretty solid as are most of the characters in it.
The visuals are pretty dark which suits the game perfectly, almost all of the game is set in the underworld, gruesome & freaky imagery is everywhere. There are; skeletons, demons, blood & gore, dolls attached to trees & a creature that poop's when you get too close. Some of my favorite levels in the game were the 2D paper animation ones which were a lot of fun & the library that was not only huge but also featured some interesting enemies. In terms of character designs I really liked; sushi lamp as he looked both cute & fun & bird man who looked really cool & made me think of Anima from Final Fantasy X.
While I don't generally make mention of the specific designer(s) when doing reviews this time it felt important to do so. Shinji Mikami worked on a multitude of titles including; The Evil Within & Resident Evil 4 (which is easily my most favorite in the series). If you have played any of the games he has worked on previously & enjoyed them there is a high chance you will really like this game.
The music is very varied in the game, which with some games can end up being a mess but this is not the case with Shadows of the Damned. The score features musical styles such as; love songs, goth rock pieces & a sound that reminds of something like the band U.N.K.L.E. There were many people that helped create the sound for the game including:
Akira Yamaoka is a composer who works include; all the music for the Silent Hill Series, Black Knight Sword & Killer Is Dead.
The Damned is a UK Goth Rock band formed in 1976. They have released multiple album & changed band members & musical direction over the years.
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is a voice actor who has worked on both games & anime, including; Cowboy Bebop, Drakengard, Naruto & Resonance of Fate.
Joe Romersa is both a voice actor & musician, he has worked on many projects including; Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Outlaw Star & Resident Evil 5.
Troy Baker is a hugely talented voice actor who has worked on many many games including; Bioshock Infinite, Uncharted 4, Persona 4, Batman Arkham City & Far Cry 4.
The original album is little under an 90 minutes but there is additional music outside of this, my favorite pieces included: 'The Big Boner', 'Ghost Hunter', 'Justine For All', 'Twelve Feet Under',
'Different Perspective', 'The Castle Of Hassle', 'As Evil As Dead', 'Take Me To Hell (Broken Dream)', 'G-Drive', 'Entrance At Hell's Gate' & 'Sushi Lamp #2'. I have to give an honorable mention to Johnson who performs a freestyle rap used in the post credits which is hilarious. As a whole a good score with some great music.
Onto the flesh, the gameplay. Where to start? The game heavily features sexual innuendos which is part of Suda 51/Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. charm, if you are easily offend this game is not for you. The save points are created by a creature that poops when you approach him. There are story books in the game that both Garcia & Johnson read which are are always dark & often funny if for no other reason than for their commentary.
The are some great weapons like the Dentist which fires teeth & the big boner which can grow to enormous portions by letting Johnson ring a sex hotline. The negatives for me would have to be the accuracy of the weapons, getting head shots could be tough & some weapons were slow to fire even when you bought all the upgrades
Johnson's dialogue throughout the game is brilliant & if things ever seem to bleak he will always say something to lighten the mood. The game is dark but the crass comedy really helps balance it out. In all honesty I had very little to complain about in terms of gameplay.
This time around I played for about 10 hours & last time I played for about the same but did I leave satisfied or did I finish wanting more? Overall I would have to say I was satisfied, although if there were to be sequel or prequel I would be very interested in playing it. I had a lot of fun playing the game & I have no doubt I will play it again in the future. This one is an easy 4 out of 5
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