When it first hit store shelves way back in 2011, Shadows of the Damned’s fate seemed all too certain. In a time where the market was governed by gritty, multiplayer-centric FPSs and a strong focus on replay value, a punk-rock-inspired, single-player-only shooter never really stood much of a chance. Even with famed developers Suda51 and Shinji Mikami plastered all over its promotional material, Shadows of the Damned crashed and burned, solidifying its cult classic status not too long out of the gate.
There’s a twisted sense of irony that, over a decade later, this oft-forgotten, innuendo-soaked romp is poised to make a bit of a comeback as an oasis of sorts; a short but fun single-player shooter amidst a sea of endless live-service cash grabs. It’s by no means a perfect revival, and there’s bound to be some controversy over the Hella Remastered tacked onto the title, but it’s easy enough to overlook its shortcomings if you approach it with the proper perspective.
The original Shadows of the Damned has been reviewed and covered to death (pun intended) at this point, so there’s no sense in examining it with a microscope. For those who need a brief refresher, you don the studded boots of demon hunter Garcia Hotspur, who takes home awards both for “most over-the-top yet badass name” and “most innuendos fired off in one minute.” With your trusty Johnson by your side — who, for the record, is your wise-cracking demon sidekick who also doubles, err, triples, as your gun and motorcycle — you venture to the Underworld to rescue your girlfriend, Paula, who’s been kidnapped by Fleming, the lord of the demons. Shadows of the Damned isn’t looking to weave a complex narrative, instead leaning into the lighter side of horror. And of course, there’s the game’s trademark love of all things phallic. In the first few minutes alone, you’ll be able to knock out most of the squares on your bingo card, and after hearing “thrusting,” “penetration,” and “one-eyed Willy” in rapid succession, I stopped trying to keep track of each and every double entendre.
The core gameplay can best be summed up as “peak Xbox 360,” and I mean that with all the love in the world. There are plenty of similarities to the over-the-shoulder shooting popularized by the likes of Resident Evil 4, but Shadows of the Damned throws a few wrinkles into the mix. The most prominent is the interplay between light and darkness. Aside from the Underworld’s dark aesthetic and tone, you’ll also have to contend with the actual “darkness.” Some areas you stumble across will be bathed in a dark gloom that slowly whittles away Garcia’s health, forcing you to make a mad dash to the next source of light or find a goat’s head somewhere nearby, which when shot by a light bullet, will dissipate the darkness. These light bullets are, thankfully, unlimited, and some enemies even need to be pelted with them to render them vulnerable to your traditional ammo.
By today’s standards, Shadows of the Damned might be a bit simplistic, but it’s aged well enough and still has an undeniable appeal, especially if you’re in the market for a no-frills shooter that doesn’t outstay its welcome. That being said, there’s the whole “Hella Remastered” moniker, which is a bit less straightforward.
To put it bluntly, the term “remastered” is being used very liberally, and depending on what you’ve come to expect from games, given the remaster treatment, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. As best I can tell, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is, for all intents and purposes, the exact same game that launched all those years ago, save for a few minor additions. There’s nothing in the way of higher-res textures, reworked assets or character models, or improved lighting and visual effects. In fact, as hinted at by the installation size, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered seems to be a 1:1 match for the original PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, save for a few new costumes that Garcia can sport, as well as a New Game Plus mode.
There’s very little in the way of any PC-specific features, and the only thing I could find was the option to remap the mouse and keyboard controls. And still, that’s handled by a separate launcher. Input remapping can’t even be done in-game, seeing as how there are no in-game menus for adjusting resolution, graphics settings and the like. Thankfully, the game does run at a higher frame rate this time around, though it’s sadly capped at 62 frames per second, with some cutscenes dropping all the way down to 30.
If there’s one saving grace, it’s the asking price. At a mere $25, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is well worth the price of admission, especially once you consider how it’s virtually unplayable on any other platform. The original PlayStation 3 version isn’t available digitally, and while the Xbox 360 version is backward compatible on Xbox One and Series X|S, it still requires a physical disc, which will set you back around $30.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered Review: Final Verdict
By most metrics, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is the prime example of a barebones PC port, and I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for being disappointed with what’s on offer here. That being said, if you’re looking for the most straightforward way to play a truly bizarre mishmash of juvenile humor and mindless fun, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger on this one.
SCORE: 7.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7.5 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PC code for our Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered review. Reviewed on version 1.00.
