Shadows of the Damned

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 177 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 130 out of 177
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 177
  3. Negative: 6 out of 177
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  1. TheQuietGamer
    May 31, 2012
    7
    A great concept that's held back by lackluster, repetitive gameplay, The story is about Garcia Hotspur going to hell to rescue his girlfriend from the clutches of the demon lord, it's actually a sweet story and instead of following what others would have done and made it a dark tale with a brooding hero they made it comedic and having a characters that are laughing as they spew out a neverA great concept that's held back by lackluster, repetitive gameplay, The story is about Garcia Hotspur going to hell to rescue his girlfriend from the clutches of the demon lord, it's actually a sweet story and instead of following what others would have done and made it a dark tale with a brooding hero they made it comedic and having a characters that are laughing as they spew out a never ending stream of dick jokes. It's hilarious and reminds me of Bulletstorm, so if you found that game funny you will find this game just as funny, and the humor and story are what actually kept me playing this game to it's completion. The game has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard, it's not what your going to expect at all (I swear they took the loading screen music from the original Scooby Doo TV show) it's weird and funny. The game, for the most part, looks great but Garcia's character model and a few other areas of the game look noticeably dated. The real problem with the game is the actual gameplay, don't get me wrong it's not broken or anything, it's just not all that great, I found the shooting to be a tad bit clumsy do to a lack of a reticle, and for most of the game it's repetitive, but does manage to bring some gameplay variations every now and then. Don't get me wrong it's a fun game that never really takes off, and sticks to the same tricks. It's also only 7 to 8 hours long, and has no real replay value unless you just must have all the achievements, which also makes it disappointing that there's no new game+ option. It's not a bad game it's just a game that could have been done better, the story and sense of humor a great and it does provide some mindless fun, but with no replay value, repetitiveness, and the short length of it hamper the experience and make it a game I can only recommend renting as it's not worth a real purchase. Good, or rather, decent but not great.… Expand
  2. Brukaik
    Apr 3, 2020
    7
    Então, eu acabei de jogar em 2020. Achei divertido, algumas mecânicas diferentes e que funcionam no mundo do jogo, mas o meu problema está na história cansativa e que não leva pra lugar nenhum. Sem contar em todas as mutilações desnecessárias que o corpo da "mocinha que precisa de resgate" sofre. Ao tudo é divertido, não me arrependi de jogar.
  3. rude76
    Jul 24, 2011
    6
    I played this game from start to finish on normal difficulty and it clocked it at 7 hours and change. Too damn short for 60 dollars! Inexcusable, considering there is no 'new game plus' mode or any replay value at all. This should not be a full price game. There is no excuse!! The combat was fun but like everything else it felt ancient. Garcia was a cool character tho.
  4. sias
    Feb 24, 2012
    7
    Conceptually this game is great. The characters, story and humour are perfectly intertwined to create a unique experience that left a big smile on my face on more than one occasion. The preposterous over the top action reminded me very much of the madness of Bayonetta (albeit with far more swearing) and the fact that it never tries to take itself seriously is quite refreshing. The choiceConceptually this game is great. The characters, story and humour are perfectly intertwined to create a unique experience that left a big smile on my face on more than one occasion. The preposterous over the top action reminded me very much of the madness of Bayonetta (albeit with far more swearing) and the fact that it never tries to take itself seriously is quite refreshing. The choice of guns is great and as you progress the weaponry becomes more and more insane. The setting is fantastic and completely surreal which adds so much to its apparent niche appeal. However, Shadows of the Damned is let down by many gameplay issues. Firstly, this game is far too short, clocking in at around 10 hours for a play-through on hard. And there are no new game plus options/multiplayer/challenge maps, so as soon as you're done with the single player there's nothing else. Also, this game is very easy and incredibly unchallenging - even on the hardest difficulty! You can literally roll through any enemy attack so rolling isn't a case of moving out of the way of danger, but more just making sure you are rolling when the attack connects. This cheapens the experience and makes combat quite easy. Also, the camera has a hard time in many places (usually when the game wants you stand in a tiny passageway full of enemies) which can lead to some annoying deaths in a game that is otherwise so easy to play. The gunplay is decent, but suffers from many inconsistencies in regards to aiming, with some shots seemingly passing through enemies at times which is very frustrating. Also, sometimes enemy attacks connect where previously they had not in exact same circumstances leading me to think that the hit-boxes of enemy attacks are also inconsistent. Graphically the game is fine, but does suffer from very noticeable texture pop-in which gives the game an overall rough and unfinished look. The colours are also very washed-out (reminiscent of Dragon Age origins in some respect) in some cases, which don't appear to be by design. Other irritations include not being able to skip cutscenes which is just torturous at times and also some odd achievement implementation. I don't really care about XBL achievements, but I know that many do, so why Grasshopper decided that completing the game on hard should not unlock easy and medium difficulty achievements is just beyond me. Did they really expect people to play through the game three times? Why would anyone want to revert back to easy or medium difficulty when they've already realised how non-challenging the game is on hard? A rather strange design choice there which I imagine infuriated achievement hunters. It's a shame because Shadow of the Damned is loaded with personality and charm that you see very little of these days, but so many small things chip away at the layer of polish that this game really deserved. I did enjoy my brief time with Shadows of the Damned but it ultimately left me unsatisfied. Here's hoping Grasshopper can refine the experience for a more polished sequel.… Expand
  5. wesker2012
    May 28, 2012
    6
    I liked the music and cheesy banter but that's it.
  6. totalfrog
    May 31, 2012
    5
    I can see what this game is trying to be but it just doesn't get there. The humor is there and the story isn't bad but the gameplay really lets it down. The aiming is off, the cutscenes are infuriating and the combat is repetitive. The graphics aren't fantastic either. I finished it on hard in just over 7 hours. Too short for a full priced title.
  7. MrBT
    Jun 27, 2011
    6
    Im sorry but did I miss something? 7 hours to complete, very easy and some of the dullest level design Ive endured. Rinse and repeat game mechanics that skip through what the game does well and rest on shallow gaming and uncomfortable OTT sexual references. The voice acting is poor and the only thing that stood out was some fun gunplay - I think this seriously missed the mark with whatIm sorry but did I miss something? 7 hours to complete, very easy and some of the dullest level design Ive endured. Rinse and repeat game mechanics that skip through what the game does well and rest on shallow gaming and uncomfortable OTT sexual references. The voice acting is poor and the only thing that stood out was some fun gunplay - I think this seriously missed the mark with what should have been a top title from two renown names… Expand
  8. Forsvaine
    Jun 28, 2011
    7
    The brainchild of No More Heroes's and Resident Evil's creators, Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, respectively. It shows with its titillating and immature humor and punk attitude, and its over-the-shoulder and "survival horror" gameplay. This is the good kind of survival horror that doesn't strive to be taken seriously, and despite that, it's a good game. It doesn't do much to be groundbreaking,The brainchild of No More Heroes's and Resident Evil's creators, Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, respectively. It shows with its titillating and immature humor and punk attitude, and its over-the-shoulder and "survival horror" gameplay. This is the good kind of survival horror that doesn't strive to be taken seriously, and despite that, it's a good game. It doesn't do much to be groundbreaking, but the humor and familiar but entertaining gameplay will keep you going. The game is a lot of fun if you don't expect the holy grail of gaming. Controls are fluid (compared to Resident Evil), gameplay is fair, and the unique turns that the game does pull allow it to step away from mediocrity. Nowhere near a game I'd pay 60 dollars for, but you might have fun with it. I did.… Expand
  9. LadyEvol
    Sep 5, 2011
    7
    This game is fun, albeit flawed. The graphics are very 2005, and although there are REALLY funny parts, there are also times where the dialogue seems like it was written by a 12 year old boy with a phallic obsession. But it's a generally good, amusing, entertaining game, and worth the $30 I paid for it. The controls are easy to get used to, and I'm a fan of the stories in the game. It'sThis game is fun, albeit flawed. The graphics are very 2005, and although there are REALLY funny parts, there are also times where the dialogue seems like it was written by a 12 year old boy with a phallic obsession. But it's a generally good, amusing, entertaining game, and worth the $30 I paid for it. The controls are easy to get used to, and I'm a fan of the stories in the game. It's good for what it is, and it obviously doesn't take itself seriously. :D… Expand
  10. Calebd2
    Jan 25, 2015
    7
    This game slipped under the radar in 2011 and I was lucky to randomly pick it up now, a few years later, and give it a chance. This is a well executed title, with a funny and fairly engaging story line that includes an excellent score from Akira Yamaoka (what hasn't that guy done well??). It felt like a more lighthearted version of Resident Evil with a mix of fun quirks similar to that ofThis game slipped under the radar in 2011 and I was lucky to randomly pick it up now, a few years later, and give it a chance. This is a well executed title, with a funny and fairly engaging story line that includes an excellent score from Akira Yamaoka (what hasn't that guy done well??). It felt like a more lighthearted version of Resident Evil with a mix of fun quirks similar to that of Alice: Madness Returns. Be prepared for a some heavy language, nudity, and immature dick jokes, but it all comes together to be entertaining. The mechanics are well done and the gun play feels very rewarding. There were some points in the game that became very repetitive, but most of the time the different levels were fresh and new. There were also several mini games that didn't really lend anything to the experience and would have been better off left out entirely. Definitely worth picking up and playing, but be prepared for a short game, roughly 6 hours only.… Expand
  11. jaroldo
    Oct 19, 2013
    7
    Shadows of the Damned is Resident Evil 4's mad cousin. From the mind of Suda51 is a crazy, unhinged descent into Hell with Garcia Hotspur and his demon buddy called Johnson. The two of them have to rescue Garcia's girlfriend Paula from Fleming, Lord of Demons. The story in this game is as ridiculous as the rest of the game. If you like gratuitous violence, nudity and obscene jokes you'llShadows of the Damned is Resident Evil 4's mad cousin. From the mind of Suda51 is a crazy, unhinged descent into Hell with Garcia Hotspur and his demon buddy called Johnson. The two of them have to rescue Garcia's girlfriend Paula from Fleming, Lord of Demons. The story in this game is as ridiculous as the rest of the game. If you like gratuitous violence, nudity and obscene jokes you'll love this game's sense of humour but be warned, this is not for the easily offended.

    The gameplay is essentially copied and pasted from RE4 but with the ability to move while shooting and 10x more gore.

    Final Thoughts: This game would probably only be enjoyed by a few people but that's not because it's bad. I'm also surprised that EA published this.    … Expand
  12. harryjc
    Mar 22, 2016
    7
    Shadows of the Damned is a third person shooter literally set in hell -- and that is what intrigued me. I thought the artwork was interesting and that this would be a really fun game to play. However, the game is held back by a few mistakes.

    First, there's the controls. I really don't like how I have to squeeze two triggers to shoot. Second, the aiming system is hard to get used to. The    Shadows of the Damned is a third person shooter literally set in hell -- and that is what intrigued me. I thought the artwork was interesting and that this would be a really fun game to play. However, the game is held back by a few mistakes.

    First, there's the controls. I really don't like how I have to squeeze two triggers to shoot. Second, the aiming system is hard to get used to. The beam of light while visually appealing does not create accuracy.

    Third there is a lot of repetition. The most annoying part of the game by far is the system where you have to go back and forth between light and dark to deal with enemies, and challenges. At first it was kind of interesting but rather quickly lost its appeal.

    Fourth, your character often gets his back to a wall, and is totally stuck. You get boxed in quite easily. Although this is a minor annoyance.

    Fifth, going back to controls, the three different ways to heal yourself is kind of dumb. You have to hold the Y button, and then go to the d-pad. That's a huge pain in the ass. There really should only be one type of method to heal, which requires pressing a single button.

    Sixth, this is video game cliche, but I hate when you're low on health, and they make your screen red all around, blocking your vision. You're dying, and you want to survive, and the bloody border does nothing to help.

    Seventh, that darn light slug, or whatever it's called. Again this is a major complaint I have. I really dislike the light/dark system they use in general. I don't want to have to follow a narrow path, and be held back by managing both enemies, and a system where I have to constantly shoot a goat's head, or follow a slug, or whatever. This element would be acceptable if you only had to shoot it once, but it's temporary, and you have to keep going back, and forth.

    Eighth, that part of the game where your demon gun becomes really long, and you have to shoot those giant monster. That's boring. It's too restrictive. I get they were trying to add variety, but that really wasn't that fun.

    But overall, this is not a bad game. It just takes a few missteps. The art is great. The sense of humor is pretty good. Blasting demons is a blast. I just wish they had pared back a little. I feel that the team who made this was trying to add variety, when really they should've just stuck to the basics, and the core of the game, instead of throwing in too many elements.

    Yet this is definitely worth a sequel. Shadows of the Damned 2, yes, please.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
40
#40 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
48
#48 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 76 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 76
  3. Negative: 0 out of 76
  1. DailyGame
    Dec 12, 2011
    50
    Short of the opening music, which is awesome and sounds like a demonic mariachi band, I can't think of many redeeming qualities in Shadows of the Damned. It's not in the same craptastic league as Thor, which suffered from horrible gameplay and production values; it's just a waste of time.
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  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 19, 2011
    75
    This weird exploitation version of Alan Wake is filled with dirty jokes and interesting scenery. Unfortunately the dull controls make the game situated in hell feel like it's from hell. If you can get past the clunky controls and cramped level design, the game is quite good substitute while the next Resident Evil is in the making. [Aug 2011]
  3. Gamer.no
    Sep 16, 2011
    60
    The weapons feel great, it's fun to navigate the levels, and some of the boss fights are pretty fun. Shadows of the Damned has a comfortable base level, it just lacks the peaks to make it great.
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