I think that the history of the troubled development of Shadows of the Damned is almost more famous than the game itself. When it was first announced, many years ago, it seemed like the perfect kind of game. Shinji Mikami was still being lauded for his work on Resident Evil 4, and had just released the widely beloved Vanquish. Suda51 was fresh off the heels of two No More Heroes outings (I may not like the first one, but I seriously think the second one is great). Two of the most famous Japanese auteurs joining forces to release an over-the-top game seemed like a slam dunk, but we all know what happened: Electronic Arts interfered way too much with the game’s concept, and what was supposed to be a horror title eventually became yet another drab third-person shooter.

At the time, people liked Shadows of the Damned, but there has always been that sensation that it could have been a lot better. It could have been something else if its creative had had the opportunity to make it according to their wishes. Welp, it wasn’t the case. The game sold extraordinarily poorly, becoming a cult classic at best, and a collector’s item. I don’t know how Grasshopper Manufacture was able to acquire the rights to the original source code, knowing how EA acts nowadays, but the game finally has a second chance to shine in more modern platforms, as a brand new remaster, shortly after the release of another Suda51-penned remaster, the one for Lollipop Chainsaw.

There we have it, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered. A release for multiple platforms, complete with slightly improved controls, a much better framerate… and not a lot else. In terms of remastering efforts, this is no Nightdive joint. It still looks, plays and feels like your average Xbox 360 game from 2010, with that characteristic drab color pallette and Unreal Engine 3 vibe. But technology has never been this game’s appeal… or the appeal of any Suda51 game for that matter. Suda’s games have always felt like something only he would come up with… for better or worse.

In this case, I have to lean towards “for worse”. Whilst vastly less annoying than the truly obnoxious No More Heroes, this game’s plot and most of its characters did not captivate me at all. It’s still self-indulgent and overreliant on a specific kind of humor that doesn’t always hit. Its protagonist, the Mexican demon hunter known as Garcia Hotspur (seriously), is poorly voiced by Steve Blum, in one of his worst performances. He sounds like a white guy doing a really bad Machete impression… and I don’t know if that was the intention or not. Maybe yes, maybe not. Still sucks regardless.

The one who really stole the show for me is Garcia’s trusty ally, Johnon. He is a floating skull head who speaks in a humourous British accent, almost in a Stephen Merchant kind of way. Johnson is funny, witty, and has the best lines in the entire game. Furthermore, he’s not just a funny skull. He’s also Garcia’s trustworthy torch, that can also morph into a series of guns he can use… and can also morph into a motorcycle. Naturally.

Then again, I’d honestly say this is one Suda51 game in which the gameplay is actually its standout feature. That’s obviously due to the fact that the man behind freaking Resident Evil 4 was behind this bit, and even though the aiming felt a bit dated for today’s standards, this is still quite good. It’s nothing I haven’t seen a million times before, but it’s an over-the-shoulder, over-the-top combat system that feels fun, fresh, and engaging. Weapons pack a punch, enemies are fun to kill, and the dodging mechanics are actually quite good. Sure, boss battles can be a bit spongey, but that’s something I got used to after a while.

To be fair, what is actually disappointing about Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is that, as a remaster, it’s not the most impressive piece of work out there. The colors are drab, the particle effects are still dated, and the gameplay, whilst pretty good, should have received an extra layer of polish. With that being said, I had a bit of fun with it. Everything that had to do with Shinji Mikami’s side of the project, namely the gameplay, worked wonders for me. The Suda51 side of things was a mixed bag at best. All in all, I commend Grasshopper Manufacture for coming up with this re-release, giving this underappreciated (and deeply flawed) cult hit another chance to shine, but be aware it has aged quite a bit.

Graphics: 6.5 It runs at a stable 60fps, but it just looks like your typical unsaturated Xbox 360 game.	Gameplay: 8.0 I’d say that this is where Shadows of the Damned really shines. You can clearly see Shinji Mikami’s input in the gameplay, which feels like a less robotic Resident Evil 4. Guns pack a punch, and the camera controls are quite decent.
Sound: 7.0 The soundtrack can be quite cool at times. The voice acting is a mixed bag; some characters are delightful and funny, others are a nuisance. The main issue is that the protagonist is included in the “nuisance” group.	Fun Factor: 7.0 I loved the Shinji Mikami side of Shadows of the Damned, but had my issues with the Suda51 side of it. It’s a flawed game, it has always been. This remaster doesn’t do much to improve upon the original, but it can be a fun pasttime.
Final Verdict: 7.0

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC and Switch.

Reviewed on Xbox Series S.