Shadows of the Damned

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
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  1. PSM3 Magazine UK
    Jul 3, 2011
    73
    An ordinary shooty adventure, dressed up in a bizarre plot. With knob gags. [Aug 2011, p.82]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Oct 6, 2011
    70
    We're not entirely sure who's going to play this game, or even who it's ultimately suited for. People who are fans of Mikami and Suda will no doubt snap it up without a thought, and so will those who are tired of the 'usual' slew of action games. Sure, Shadows of the Damned has character and shows of incredible, grotesque and inventive beats, but as a game it's left lacking. [August 2011 p70]
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  3. TotalPlayStation
    Sep 4, 2011
    70
    The game delivers what you might expect from two iconic developers. Unique story, plenty of grindhouse-style visuals and slightly lackluster gameplay. Fans of these auteurs will be pleased. Parents of impressionable youths will not.
  5. Total Video Games
    Jul 11, 2011
    70
    While it may initially grate, and the writing definitely misses more than it hits, Shadows of the Damned is a solid, snappy third-person shooter that retreads old ground with a... erm... unique style.
  6. XGN
    Jul 7, 2011
    70
    Shadows of the Damned will make you laugh and cry at the same time. The funny conversations and the cool grindhouse style will put a grin on your face but the weak gameplay might cause you to throw your controller against the wall sometimes.
  7. Gamer.nl
    Jun 27, 2011
    70
    The all-star cast behind Shadows of the Damned sporadically shows how creative, passionate and talented it is, but doesn't dig deep enough when it comes to game design. The game remains bizarre and stylized, and it works for a literal ride to hell.
  8. Eurogamer Italy
    Jun 22, 2011
    70
    Although its artistic and visual merits are unquestionable, Shadows of the Damned's gameplay flaws reduce the experience's quality much more than expected.
  9. Gamereactor Sweden
    Jun 22, 2011
    70
    A mixed bag. On one hand: a unique design and some great visuals. On the other: quite linear gameplay and a painted on attitude.
  10. IGN
    Jun 21, 2011
    70
    But as a weird tour through a Hell we haven't seen before, with a love for subject matter that neatly sidesteps the likes of other Grindhouse-inspired games over the last few years, Shadows of the Damned is an experience that's worth having... for a particular audience.
  11. VideoGamer
    Jun 21, 2011
    70
    The game coaxes out hearty chuckles and swear-laden outbursts in equal quantities, but there's no denying that the resulting blend of emotions make for a memorable experience.
  12. GameTrailers
    Jun 22, 2011
    67
    Perhaps unwittingly, Shadows of the Damned accomplishes what it set out for, by providing a B-level experience in video game form. It has more than its share of groan-worthy one-liners and irritating gameplay mechanics, but there's enough oddness and variety for it to pull in a cult following.
  13. PSFocus
    Jul 5, 2011
    65
    This game is a collaboration between a few great developers, but the quality isn't that we were hoping for. The gameplay is repetitive, the graphics aren't really good, the humor is a bit cheesy and the swearing is a bit too much. Besides that the game can be fun to play, but that says everything.
  14. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jul 17, 2011
    60
    Possibly the most disappointing aspect of Shadows is that we know these developers could have made this awesome. [Aug 2011, p.102]
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  15. Eurogamer Sweden
    Jun 28, 2011
    60
    The game mechanics are solid, bosses are satisfying creatures. The Suda 51/Mikami/Yamaoka trio clearly have a lot of ideas on their plate, but the games' infantile humor and macho bravado goes a little too far, and the end result lacks the magic that's promised in the beginning.
  16. Gamekult
    Jun 25, 2011
    60
    Very Japanese in spirit and construction, Shadows of the Damned made efforts to adapt to Western productions, but it's still below the current standard of games in its class.
  17. 1UP
    Jun 21, 2011
    58
    Although Shadows of the Damned has fun and interesting moments, the end product turns out to be a decent to slightly above average shooter that, at times, feels a little bland.

Awards & Rankings

79
#79 Best PS3 Game of 2011
47
#47 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
35
#35 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 174 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 127 out of 174
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 174
  3. Negative: 18 out of 174
  1. Dionysus-Jones
    Jun 21, 2011
    10
    I'm currently on Act 3-2 (about 5 hours in). If you have any interest in Suda 51's dark humour & art style as a developer, then this game willI'm currently on Act 3-2 (about 5 hours in). If you have any interest in Suda 51's dark humour & art style as a developer, then this game will not disappoint you. Shadows of the Damned is a perfect combination of eerie & hilarious, and while graphically the game doesn't break any new ground, the game more than makes up for it with it's stylistic visuals and unorthodox gameplay elements. Not to mention, the musical score is a unique achievement all its own; which can only be described as Silent Hill meets Planet Terror.

    The combat, more often than not, is intense and enjoyable; and the boss battles are fun & challenging without being frustrating. My only gripe is that the controls can feel a bit clunky & sluggish at times, but not any more so than say Resident Evil 4. The one-button 180 degree turn mechanic helps remedy this to some degree, but on occasion the sprint button does feel unresponsive (and it really should have been mapped to L3 instead of R1). Again, this is a minor gripe, and it doesn't occur frequently enough to hurt the gameplay. Aside from that, the game does feel like it will probably clock in at around 10 hours. However, I'm playing on the hardest difficulty, so I'm probably looking at about 12 hours. Personally I'm okay with this.

    The light & dark gameplay mechanic is somewhat similar to what is found in Alan Wake (and is executed just as well), but it definitely has the Suda 51 trademark -- shooting munching goat heads as light sources, and igniting fireworks machines instead of boring flood lights. Goat heads you say? Yes... absolutely. And even the game's main character is as baffled as you. Upon discovering this, he aptly replies: "What do I have to do to unlock a door? F##K a horse?"

    Buy this game now. Support creative game development.    … Full Review »
  2. Big-Gamer
    Jun 25, 2011
    10
    Most fun I had this year!! DON'T listen to the reviewers which gave the game negatives, they are unfair because they complain about theMost fun I had this year!! DON'T listen to the reviewers which gave the game negatives, they are unfair because they complain about the gameplay being too similar to Resident Evil 4, but how come no one complains about Dead Space?
    Some critics say its too repetitive, but aren't all shooters repetitive? We still all love shooters even so.

    Legendary japanese names such as Suda Goichi who is known for his crazy ideas in his games directed No More Heroes, Shinji Mikami who is the guy who basically created the third person genre and created the Resident Evil series, and Akira Yamaoka who made the creepy sounds for the Silent Hill series, they all 3 team together to make this awesome game.

    Design:

    This game has a punk and B-movie style feel to it, its design is unique, especially the vibrant neon colours which renders the strange new hell. This hell is like no other hell expressed before, it has like a medieval design to it and goes by it's own rules.

    Those out there who like Quantin Tarantino and Rodriguez should love this as this game is heavily influenced by movies like From Dusk Till Dawn and Grindhouse. Some reviews pointed out that they did not like the dialogue in the game, but it is meant to be cheesy because it is also influenced be Evil Dead.

    FIRSTLY, this game was made to give the players pure fun and is not meant to be taken seriously. The dialogue is there to make you laugh as it is influenced by B-movies, the main character swears alot, makes memorable quotes with his mexican accent and acts badass, he reminds me alot of Ash from Evil Dead. He calls his gun the Boner because it can extend and become bigger. The main character's demon partner, Johnson has a british accent and is hilarious, he tours you around hell as he used to live there, he reminds me of the robot with the british voice in Portal 2.

    Story:

    The story of the game is about a demon slayer, Garcia Hotspur, who has upset the lord of demons, Flemming by killing one too many demons. Flemming kidnaps Garcia's lover Paula to get revenge on him for what he has done to his minions. Garcia, with the help of his demon partner and friend, Johnson, who has the ability to shapeshift into different weapons, set out together to kick the prince of demon's ass, and to bring back his lover, the story progresses along the way and odd things happen.

    Gameplay:

    The gameplay plays like Dead Space and Resident Evil 4, it is an over the shoulder shooter in which you aim with a laser sight and walk while aiming, headshots are vital to execute demons quickily. You upgrade your guns in the game alot as you progress through the game, making it more dangerous for your foes. Light and Darkness play a big role in the game, you must lure enemies away from the darkness, as the darkness makes demons invulnerable and then shoot them with a light shot to make them vulnerable. If you love bosses to fight against, this game is made just for you.

    Overall:

    I give this a 9.5/10 as this game is like no other, it is random in a good way because it is full of surprises, and has a B-movie style to it.

    The gameplay is great overall besides from the rarely occasional camera problems when you are aiming in a tight space, but that doesn't effect the overall experience as it does not happen much.

    There is no new game which means you can't start a new game with your upgraded weapons after you have completed the game which is a little bit of a disappointment, but you can always play the game on the harder difficulty if you have completed the game on normal. You can always experience the crazy journey again or try to unlock trophies.

    It is like experiencing a 10-12 hours Tarantino and Rodriguez movie which everyones gotta experience, its ashame there isn't much hype to this game. Definitely a must buy.

    Story: 8
    Gameplay: 8.5
    Design: 9.5
    Enjoyment: 10

    Overall: 9.5    … Full Review »
  3. batlantern_87
    Jul 27, 2011
    9
    I just finished this game, and I don't know what people are complaining about. It's a campy gridnhouse game, of course it's going to beI just finished this game, and I don't know what people are complaining about. It's a campy gridnhouse game, of course it's going to be immature and cheesy. You don't go see The Dark Knight not wanting to see Batman do you...The game sets out to be a thrill ride to Hell with some cheesy jokes along the way and it does just that. The game play is smooth and fun, although later parts in the game get a little frustrating which is the only thing keeping this game from gaming nirvana. The story is simple, go to Hell to get your girlfriend back from Hell. It's a road trip game. Along the way you get amazing new weapons with great upgrades, and you face harder and harder bosses. That's a good thing, the game play is varied enough that you wont get bored. I beat this game after 2 gaming sessions, its almost impossible to put down. Don't miss out on this amazing game!… Full Review »
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