Could Shadows of the Damned be the cult hit of 2011?
Launching on the same day as new entries in the well-established F.E.A.R. and Dungeon Siege franchises, a name as forgettable as Shadows of the Damned would be easy to overlook. I’ve never heard of it…or maybe I have? Really, who would remember? If this website were called TitleTrend, this game could expect a thrashing.
Thank god it’s GamingTrend, where even generically-named games get their chance to shine! And with a pedigree like this, Damned is sounding pretty darn bright:
Created by renowned developers Suda51 (director of No More Heroes), Shinji Mikami (director of Resident Evil) and music composer Akira Yamaoka (sound director of Silent Hill), Shadows of the Damned combines visceral, grindhouse-style action with a psychologically twisted setting to provide a truly one-of-a-kind vision of hell, and is already receiving worldwide critical acclaim, with Game Informer giving it 9.25 out and 10, stating “Shadows of the Damned is a road trip to Hell well worth taking.” GamesMaster UK also says that the game is “a kitsch, punk rock and roll assault on the senses,” scoring it 90% out of 100%.
Other release-day reviews are popping up, with 4/5 scores from both GamePro and Joystiq, and IGN and Eurogamer weighing in with a 7.0 each. A common theme running through each review is how much the game delights in its kitchy, ultra-violent motif, suggesting that anyone who enjoyed the self-aware schlock in House of the Dead: Overkill or Bayonetta will find a lot to like here.
Shadows of the Damned arrives on store shelves for the 360 and PS3 today.
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