Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 133 reviews
  • graphics
  • humor
  • gameplay
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered Game Cover
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a surprisingly satisfying romp through Hell, as long as you plug your ears.
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"Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered" is a hellish action-adventure game where players control Garcia Hotspur, a charmingly crude hero on a mission to rescue his kidnapped lover from the Underworld's overlord. Fight through hordes of demons with the help of your skull-butler Johnson, harnessing the powers of light and dark to traverse fiendishly funky dungeons. This remastered version features new costumes and other exclusive content, making it a worthy addition to the original.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 133 reviews
humor16 positive mentions
graphics6 negative mentions
  • The game retains its original charm with fun gameplay, witty dialogue, and a unique art style, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of Suda51.
  • The soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka is exceptional, enhancing the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.
  • Despite being a barebones port, the game runs smoothly at 60 FPS and offers a fun, arcade-like experience with plenty of humor and action.
  • The port lacks essential graphical options, such as resolution settings and frame rate adjustments, making it feel outdated and limiting for PC players.
  • Gameplay mechanics and controls can feel clunky, especially with keyboard and mouse, as the game was primarily designed for console play.
  • Several bugs and performance issues persist, including frame rate drops and audio balancing problems, detracting from the overall experience.
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, primarily due to the complete lack of graphical options, which limits customization for PC players. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly and has a decent visual design, many expressed disappointment with the outdated graphics and textures, suggesting that a remaster should have included improvements. Overall, the absence of settings like resolution and frame rate adjustments has been a significant drawback for players seeking a more tailored experience.

    • “Overall, the graphics are still good thanks to special visual design, so I see no problems with it.”
    • “There are no graphics options for the PC version; however, the game is buttery smooth and bug-free, and the price is very fair.”
    • “While the graphics could use an update, they don't detract from the overall experience.”
    • “No graphics options to tweak vsync, fps cap, resolution, visuals, etc. There's 0 of that here.”
    • “The remaster lacks graphic options, but as I always play in 1080, it was very comfortable for me.”
    • “Not having any options for graphic settings or anything really shows how low effort this was.”
  • humor17 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its crude, dark, and often childish elements, featuring a foul-mouthed protagonist and cheeky dialogue that appeals to those with a puerile sense of humor. Players appreciate the blend of action and comedy, with funny characters and campy writing, though the unapologetic nature of the humor may not resonate with everyone. Overall, it offers a nostalgic, entertaining experience reminiscent of classic horror-comedy films.

    • “However, if you haven't played this game before you'll be treated to a fun, funny, charming and mostly well-paced action game with some good voice acting and funny dialogue.”
    • “The humor in this game is unapologetic, showing that it was released in a simpler time.”
    • “Garcia is likeable, and Johnson brings funny dialogues.”
    • “My only beef with it (other than the cringey humor) is that the main character's melee finishers don't have the perfect shotgun blast god hand style animations of Resident Evil 4's Leon Kennedy's kicks and suplexes.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    Gameplay is a mixed bag, with some players finding it reminiscent of "The Evil Within" but marred by frustrating boss fights and gimmicks. However, many appreciate the unique mechanics, such as using light shots for puzzles and the engaging dialogue, which keep the experience fresh and entertaining. Overall, while the gameplay retains a nostalgic feel, it successfully incorporates varied mechanics and humor, appealing to fans of action and dark comedy.

    • “Overall, I've had my fun with it. The simple but unique presentation of the guns, using the light shot for puzzles and stunning enemies for quick executions, along with the witty dialogue between Garcia and Johnson, makes for an enjoyable experience as you blast through the levels with occasional gameplay switch-ups.”
    • “Perfect length; it felt like every chapter was expressing a new gameplay idea and mixing things up. When they had said what they needed to say with the mechanics, they wrapped up nicely.”
    • “The game aged beautifully; the art direction is peculiar, the music is engaging, and the gameplay feels snappier than it used to be, all while maintaining the same humorous writing.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it feels like a lesser version of The Evil Within 1, with some really annoying gimmicks, silly QTEs, and awful boss fights that overstay their welcome (good luck trying not to get bored to death by the first boss...).”
    • “Decent shooting mechanics if you want to feel like you're in the 360 era again, which I absolutely do not romanticize!”
    • “The gameplay plays exactly the same as it did on the 360/PS3 when it launched back in 2011, with the exception of being able to skip cutscenes.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game, primarily composed by Akira Yamaoka, is widely praised as a standout feature, with many reviewers calling it "god-tier" and "top-notch." While some note that Yamaoka's soundtracks can feel similar across titles, the unique and engaging compositions enhance the overall experience, contributing to the game's appeal alongside its fun gameplay and comedic writing.

    • “The combat has that 'Mikami' signature style, and the soundtrack is probably one of Yamaoka's most unique works.”
    • “In short, this game is dumb fun with great music and satisfying demon-slaying.”
    • “Music is top notch (Akira Yamaoka composed the soundtrack for this title).”
    • “It only allows you to adjust sensitivity, music, and language options.”
    • “I once bought the soundtrack for that song only to find out.”
    • “That metal music in the 2nd trailer plays early in the game.”
  • story7 mentions

    The game's story is characterized by a fun, arcade-like quality that incorporates familiar tropes, engaging characters, and humorous writing, reminiscent of Suda51's unique style. While some players find the narrative enjoyable and entertaining, others note that the backstory behind its development can complicate the experience. Overall, the blend of quirky storytelling and gameplay elements creates a memorable, if somewhat janky, adventure.

    • “The game is fun in an arcade-like way, with a well-known story trope, but just super fun and not cringe.”
    • “+ fun story / characters / writing / lore.”
    • “It's like RE4 meets Suda51's crazy gameplay and storytelling with a (very dope) humorous approach.”
    • “I have to recommend Shadows of the Damned mostly because it's a Grasshopper/Suda51 game and I want those to sell, but it's a game that becomes increasingly difficult to play when you know the entire story behind it.”
    • “As I understand the story, EA accepted his proposal but then demanded that it be changed into another game entirely - that game being Shadows of the Damned - at the behest of their C-suite, then led by John Riccitiello.”
    • “Imagine a game where the story was written by a 14-year-old stoner.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting significant bugs such as texture issues and invulnerable bosses, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. However, others praise its performance, particularly on the Steam Deck, noting smooth frame rates and minimal bugs. Overall, while some players encounter serious stability problems, others find it runs well, especially in portable mode.

    • “This game got me into Q Hayashida back when it came out, and it runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Just to note that this port is fairly barebones when it comes to video configuration, which I suspect will disappoint some folks, but what I can say is it runs great on the Steam Deck without any messing around.”
    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's beyond buggy; textures are not loading properly, bosses become invulnerable, forcing you to restart over and over.”
    • “Really wanted to like this game, but it's buggy as hell right now. Sad!”
    • “Unlike the buggy unplayable mess that was Lollipop Chainsaw Re-Pop, which I ended up refunding.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The optimization of the remastered game has received significant criticism, with players reporting severe performance issues, including frame rates dropping below 30fps and a lack of graphics and performance settings on PC. Despite the game's visual appeal and engaging content, many users express frustration, especially those with high-end hardware, noting that previous titles from the same developer had better performance. Overall, the remaster appears to suffer from substantial optimization problems.

    • “I played the original on release and this remaster is pretty much the same game, with improved performance.”
    • “Lolipop Chainsaw Repop was another Suda51 game that barely had any issues when it came to performance, except on Steam Decks, so I do not know what went wrong with this remaster.”
    • “It looks great, the voice performances are magnificent, the puzzles are interesting... it's more than the sum of its parts.”
    • “The performance is absolutely terrible in the remastered version; my game is running below 30fps and the settings lack any form of graphics and performance options on PC.”
    • “I run a 4060 on my laptop and Black Ops 6 with packet burst can run better than this, so the optimization is absolutely terrible on high-end graphics cards.”
    • “I don't know what went wrong with this remaster; Lollipop Chainsaw Repop was another Suda51 game that barely had any issues when it came to performance, except on Steam Decks.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, particularly for its stellar sound direction by Akira Yamaoka, which significantly enhances the immersive experience.

    • “The sound design by Akira Yamaoka is stellar and creates an incredibly atmospheric experience.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, drawing you into its world with every detail.”
    • “The immersive environment and chilling soundscapes make you feel like you're part of a living nightmare.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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