Video Game Review: Flawed But Fun ‘Shadows of the Damned’

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Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – As “Shadows of the Damned” began to kick into high gear, I was pumped up. I thought that after numerous disappointments this season like “Shadows of the Damned” and “Duke Nukem Forever” that we finally had our first real gem of the summer. So, it’s a bit frustrating to report that “Shadows” doesn’t quite fulfill on the potential of its amazing opening act, but I can safely say that it’s worth a look for the target audience.

Who is that target audience? Did you like “Grindhouse”? Fan of the “Evil Dead” movies? Mixing a “Darkness Falls” storytelling that occasionally feels like “Silent Hill” with a B-movie sense of humor results in a game that’s consistently entertaining if never quite clicks into place as the amazing piece of work it could have been. If the developers build on what they’ve accomplished here with a sequel that contains a bit less repetition, more refined controls, and some stronger storytelling, they could have an amazing game. But you have to play “Shadows of the Damned” first if we’re ever going to get a sequel.

Shadows of the Damned
Photo credit: EA

When you do play this unusual game, you’ll watch the story of a man who loses his girlfriend to the worst creatures of the underworld and decides to follow them into the pits of Hell to get her back. You play the wonderfully-named Garcia Hotspur, a tough hombre who will do anything to save the soul of his long-lost Paula, including following her to the bowels of Hell. He’s not alone but his partner is far-from-human. Johnson is a former demon who serves as Garcia’s guide through the underworld and also as his weapon. Yes, you kill your enemies by using Johnson, who can transform into a variety of firepower, including something called the “Hot Boner.” More on that later…

Shadows of the Damned Photo credit: EA

Garcia chases Paula, who has been taken prisoner by the evil Fleming, through the underworld, encountering a series of demons while also constantly fighting off the darkness. Throughout the game, you’ll be engulfed by darkness that not only kills you if you stay in it too long but makes enemies invincible. You’ll have to shoot certain targets or find a fireworks launcher to return the light to the land of the dead. It adds a clever level of intensity and strategy to what could have been a generic shooter without it.

With a development team that can be traced back to the “Resident Evil” series and “Silent Hill,” “Shadows of the Damned” comes from a long legacy of quality horror action games. The pedigree shows as the game is an accomplished piece of grindhouse action, striking the right balance between humor and gore. The storytelling can be depressingly linear in that, despite often entering areas of the underworld that should feel massive and open-world, there’s always a clear path. Solve this puzzle, kill these enemies, move on. The drive forward to find your girl is understandable but I wanted to explore the world of the damned instead of being pushed through it almost as if on a rail. There are even later levels that parody old-fashioned side-scrolling adventures but the fact is that the rest of the 3-D game is barely less linear.

What works about “Shadows of the Damned” are the details. The combat feels organic and easy-to-use. As you upgrade your demonic firepower, it becomes a lesson in using the right weapon at the right time. And when to drink your health-increasing Hot Sake, Tequila, or Absinthe. Battles with bosses like Death herself can be a bit too lengthy (when a boss battle just feels long instead of difficult then it lose its power) but the core demon action is surprisingly addictive. I sunk hours into “Shadows of the Damned,” rarely getting bored.

What about that Hot Boner? “Shadows of the Damned” undeniably has a sometimes-juvenile sense of humor, including a level where you use a giant shotgun as the most obvious phallic symbol in 2011 gaming and another where you literally run over the mostly-naked body of Paula to try and rescue her. But unlike the recent offensive stupidity of “Duke Nukem Forever,” the humor here works. It’s never too far over-the-top, feeling more like “Planet Terror” than straight-to-DVD junk. I can’t say it’s “smart,” but it’s fun.

And that’s the key word with “Shadows of the Damned.” I wish the storytelling was less linear and that the game offered something a little less straightforward in its level design but I had a good time playing the title. It’s one of the more surprisingly enjoyable offerings of the season. And you won’t go to Hell if you play it. Probably.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com