cjmelendez_Shadows of the Damned started as a mystery project named Kurayami, then later transformed into what we have now. Originally a survival horror game, Shadows of The Damned became punk inspired action horror. I know, you were expecting me to lament on how much I wanted a really scary game. Well, no, because I loved this game to bits.
Damned follows the tale of Garcia Hotspur. This Mexican demon hunter loves nothing more in life than his girlfriend Paula and Spanish swears. After the king of the underworld kidnaps Paula as payback to Garcia for killing so many of his minions, Garcia sets himself on a journey into hell to save her. Damned’s story is a simple one that doesn’t need much explanation nor thought. Garcia loves his girlfriend, and he’s going into hell to save her. Think Dante’s Inferno, but much more interesting.
Garcia is a punk biker that perspires machismo. His attitude is all about proving that he’s the top demon hunter, and stronger than any “pendejo” demon. His attitude, while tough, changes when he sees Paula in distress. He may be angry and tough, but he has a soft spot for his blond beauty. The later parts of the game really stress their relationship and I found myself feeling for Garcia more so than when the game started.
Garcia is joined by his former demon pal, Johnson. Johnson, like any floating skull loves dick jokes. Did I mention that this game’s humor is extremely rude and immature? If you’re the kind of person who can lower their posh sensibilities of humor just to have fun, then you will appreciate Damned’s jokes. The game doesn’t take itself seriously all the time, but when it does, there is a nice contrast and balance.
Damned plays over the shoulder in a similar fashion to Resident Evil 4. The aiming is a bit loose, but much better than I had expected. Johnson morphs into any tool or weapon that the situation calls for. Garcia uses the traditional pistol, machine gun and shotgun load out. Each weapon evolves over the course of the story and can be upgraded. Melee attacks can also be used, but it feels a bit poorly designed. I had more fun using stun attacks than using my torch like a bat. Sure, the torch may mainly be used as a last resort, but the game was fairly easy. I ended up using it to dispatch enemies to give myself more of a challenge.
The underworld is filled with a wide variety of demons. Unlike other versions of hell that I’ve seen, Damned’s underworld resembles the real world. There’s a folk town, villages, and even a fake Vegas. There is also a tinge of Mexican culture.
The art direction is fantastic. Not only are the levels nicely created, but the game’s graphic style really adds some flair; the color palette is a real treat. In an industry where dark brown and gray rules the color spectrum of most games, Damned really sticks out. Each area is illuminated in pleasing colors tones and mixtures. While the game puts players in dark locations, the colors shown remain vibrant.
While I loved the game’s story and atmosphere, I felt that it could have been a bit more unrestrained. Level design made Damned fairly linear, and exploration was brought down to an extreme minimum. I felt like this was a disservice to the visual style. I wanted to see more of this world, but instead the game confines you to a point A too B system with the occasional short path hiding items. I also felt like Johnson’s role could have been stronger. He can transform into numerous tools for Garcia, but he did so only a few times during the game. The game starts with Johnson becoming a motorcycle for Garcia, but this never happens again. I would have loved to have more Johnson specific scenes. As I have mentioned before, Melee combat was a weak and limited too the point of not really caring about upgrading it or using it.
Damned is a fully functional title rich with atmosphere and personality, but some some fundamental issues held it back from being magnifico. I really enjoyed this game, and upon completion I was eager to play again. Yet once the game is over, nothing more than a new difficulty is unlocked. There are no extras nor “New Game +”. A game like this would thrive with bonus content. But in the end, once the campaign is completed no new experiences will be found. Damned is full charm, but lacking in long lasting appeal.
(8 / 10)
Great
(8 / 10)
