Grasshopper Manufacture's Shadows of the Damned may well be this year's sleeper hit. Despite flying under the radar of most gamers, the game has managed to draw critical acclaim to itself thanks to its superb graphics, zany humor and accessible gameplay. Gameinformer calls it a "goofy thrill ride to the depths of hell [that] plays like heaven."
9.3
gameinformer.com review
The only major flaws in Shadows of the Damned come in a few frustrating late-game scenarios where you’re put in arena fights against an absurd number of opponents, and a handful of chase sequences where Garcia is instantly killed if caught by a pursuer. I was also saddened to discover that there’s no new game-plus option. Given the huge number of upgrades, I wanted to restart the game as a powered-up bada*s on a higher difficulty.
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strategyinformer.com review
Shadows of the Damned isn’t for the fainthearted, nor is it for those who are after serious titles. In fact, if you approach it with a survival horror mindset you’ll actually find yourself confused. Anyone else will love it. Its freshness shows just how stale a lot of the industry is and it’s what’s needed in an era of grey, modern shooters. Go buy it now.
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electronictheatre.co.uk review
As positive as this analysis has been, Shadows of the Damned isn’t perfect. There is the occasional difficulty spike and, as previously mentioned, a few moments of padding in which the player is simply challenged to remove all of the enemies from an area before proceeding. However, when compared to the competition, these blemishes are easily forgiven. Shadows of the Damned is basically Alan Wake done right, within the twisted universe of a leather-clad Harley Davidson riding Deadly Premonition.
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cheatcc.com review
In case I haven't pounded it in yet, this is a very bizarre game. I say this in the best way possible, because its originality makes it unpredictable. I guarantee you won't know what's going to happen until it has, and more often than not the results are hilarious. If you want to experience a game that's different from everything that's come before it, Shadows of the Damned is for you. It's a tasty concoction of horror, humor, gore, and naughty bits that's guaranteed to make you laugh, scream, and beg for more. Oh, and stay after the credits for a musical treat; you won't regret it.
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eurogamer.pt review
No Synopsis Available
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destructoid.com review
As far as games by Grasshopper Manufacture go, Shadows of the Damned may be the most "conventional" offering yet. It takes the form of a third-person shooter with many overt nods to old school horror games, where exploration and puzzle solving are just as much part of the experience as the combat. It's a more straightforward, dare I say traditional affair from a studio known for breaking rules and experimenting with gameplay.
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gamerevolution.com review
Alcohol is your lifeblood in the underworld. If you're hurt, just take a shot—down there, the stuff un-kills you!
If you have any experience whatsoever with Suda 51, then you already know that style is king in Shadows. It’s “style over substance” taken to such an extreme that the style becomes the substance. Whether it’s an over-the-top line of dialogue, morbidly ludicrous enemy design, or a totally out-of-place mini-game, there will always be something right around the corner to throw you for a loop and ask yourself, “Did they just do that? Really?” And when you add Resident Evil mastermind Shinji Mikami to the equation, you get a weird mix of creepy (if not outright scary) atmosphere with hilarious interludes.
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1up.com review
If there seems to be a lot of criticism in this review, it's simply because ripping off RE4 and putting it in a different wrapper feels like an average game decision versus something a little more substantial -- and to be fair it doesn't even rip off the source material that well. RE4 worked well because of variety and pacing. By contrast, Shadows of the Damned plods along on easy mode for most of the "normal" campaign; it then transitions to really hard through one-hit minibosses before dialing back the difficulty. Creative story, presentation, and wonderful music provide the saving grace in doses, but almost all of your gameplay encounters can be summed up as average at best. The last weapon upgrade especially makes the final set of encounters a virtual cakewalk. While I have nothing against toilet style humor and style, but they do little to hide the game's lack of substance.
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gamefocus.ca review
If I had one little thing to complain about Shadows of the Damned (aside from the aiming!) is the absence of a New Game+ option. More games are starting to offer it with the idea of keeping players interested to replay the game more than once at a higher difficulty level. To not see it here pains me somehow.
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oxmonline.com review
The first hour or so is awkward. Jokes don't quite land, and Garcia seems more a hollow caricature than an appealing action hero. But once Shadows of the Damned has introduced you to basics like switching weapons and guzzling health-restoring liquor, the whole shebang picks up steam in a hurry. How much you giggle depends on your appetite for scatological references and sexual innuendo. Childish crotch gags and horses that lay supernatural street-apples won't amuse everyone, but with nearly every chapter introducing some bizarre new creature or power-up, you certainly won't be bored.
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dealspwn.com review
You see, Shadows of the Damned is divisive. For every cracking boss battle – which up the scale considerably – you’ll grow frustrated with its dated design and generally poor story. Then they go and throw in a fantastic Evil Dead homage, replete with a cabin in the woods, and you’re in love all over again.
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joystiq.com review
For the most part, however, Shadows of the Damned remains a campy, silly and over-the-top adventure. It's certainly pleasing to annihilate demon hordes, but the real drive of Garcia's "road movie" is to see what weird and wonderful thing pops up next, be it a friendly demon with a southern drawl or an unexpected series of 2D shoot-em-up levels. In the end, it's worth taking the trip to Hell. Just don't bring the kids, okay?
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everyeye.it review
No Synopsis Available
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oxm.co.uk review
Shadows is an enjoyable and exceptionally memorable game, which everyone should play at some point, but as a full priced release it's extremely difficult to justify. Find it on budget in six months' time and you've got a weekend's - or at the very least a particularly committed Saturday's - sweary entertainment to look forward to.
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eurogamer.net review
Shadows of the Damned lacks the polish of Mikami's Capcom work, showing a rough edge that its creators no doubt hope communicates their punk attitude to game development, but really just comes across as a bit shoddy. But at a time when few publishers of EA's stature are willing to take genuine risks, its uniqueness is welcome and interesting. And as a celebration of the puerile, it leaves Duke Nukem Forever standing, staring longingly at its tit bridge.
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bit-tech.net review
The same is true for what elements of the story are told through the world design too. Garcia’s romp through the underworld is full of twists and anachronisms which, though trying to be witty or tongue in cheek, usually end up either falling flat or being outright confusing. Healing potions are replaced with alcohol, for example, and the only explanation given to players is when Garcia’s demonic accomplice explains that, while booze can kill you in the mortal world, it can unkill you in Hell. It’s a lazy and transparent excuse, utterly failing to disguise another attempt to be edgy by having a main character that downs tequila and swears after every battle.
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