Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered Reviews
I would still recommend Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered to all audiences. Those who have already played it, like me, will have the opportunity to relive a classic. And those who are unfamiliar will finally be able to experience the antics of Garcia and Johnson.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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Review in German | Read full review
Shadows of the Damned Hella Remastered is a gleefully stupid action game full of dick jokes, which you'll either find refreshing or horrendous.
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Review in Italian | Read full review
A trip to the bowels of hell was insane a decade ago and has lost none of its charm. However, it is a game for nostalgic players and will not appeal much to younger players.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
By most metrics, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is the prime example of a barebones PC port, and I wouldn’t begrudge anyone for being disappointed with what’s on offer here. That being said, if you’re looking for the most straightforward way to play a truly bizarre mishmash of juvenile humor and mindless fun, don’t hesitate to pull the trigger on this one.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered isn’t without its problems. But again, they’re not new problems – pretty much everything that was bad about the game 13 years ago still stands. But everything good about the game is still just as good in 2024 as it was in 2011, which means that, as remasters go, this one has probably achieved exactly what it set out to do.
Shadows of the Damned was perhaps Suda51's quirkiest game, and it still is, even after 13 years since its original release on the 7th gen of consoles. As a remaster, however, at least on the Nintendo Switch, Hella Remastered looks more like a simple port, with no significant graphical changes or content additions to justify a second purchase by those who have already played it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a surprisingly satisfying romp through Hell, as long as you plug your ears.
The "perfect storm" of talent, fun, and a competitive price makes up for the fact that Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is an imperfect, no-show remaster. It's the perfect time to return to this incunabulum from two generations ago.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered lacks the impact of Suda51 and Mikami’s Killer7, the mechanical depth of Mikami's RE4 and Vanquish, and the uncompromised vision of Kurayami Dance. However, getting lost in what SotD isn't also means losing sight of what it is. Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a delightful B-movie romp that can be knocked off in a weekend, and there's still value in that. Diving into hordes of enemies with Garcia's upgraded abilities and assorted takedowns can be very fun, even if extra details like headshots feel like they could be tightened up. If it sparks some good word-of-mouth, perhaps today’s leaner shooter landscape will do Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered some good.
Shadows Of The Damned: Hella Remastered is a nice throwback to an era that feels more distant every day, and it still holds up as an adventure that you want to go over from beginning to end in a single sitting. Unfortunately, the remaster ends up being undercooked, with some lacking features and issues that prevent it from being a better package.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a refined version of the 2011 cult classic. The visuals are smoother, the game mechanics feel more natural, but aside from the minor face lift and some new costumes, this is exactly how we remember it. Outside of New Game+, all the changes and updates to Shadows of the Damned ar minor. This is great news for purists who love the original how it is, but it also makes some mechanics feel dated. For players who are fine with average game mechanics and enjoy juvenile humor, however, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered remains a good enough time that's worth revisiting. It might not be an incredibly deep game, but there's still something satisfying about decapitating demons with a sentient shotgun.
Although it’s pretty bare bones, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered definitely does gamers a service by bringing a cult classic to current consoles. Some of the 2011 original’s action and humor doesn’t quite live up to our fond memories of it. On the whole, Grasshopper Manufacture’s surreal action game remains weird and entertaining.
Throw in the crisp texture work — blended with less impressive ones — and rock-solid performance with modern resolutions and frame rate, and you’ve got a winner.
It’s with all that in mind that it’s fairly easy to forgive just how little has been done to bring Shadows of the Damned up to code in 2024. Especially by contrast to the botched remaster of Suda51’s Lollipop Chainsaw, it’s almost a relief that the worst that can be said for this release is that it’s indistinguishable from the original, aside from a mild spitshine of the textures and it running at 4K60. Without trying to run an expensive graphical arms race, Shadows of the Damned is forced to stand on charm. Given just how many unique experiences exist outside the AAA bubble right now, the fact that Garcia Hotspur’s wild profane trash-sploitation adventure still does is a timely reminder of what can happen in the arena of AA games.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it offers a new glimpse at a fascinating relic of the seventh console generation.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a mixed-bag experience. While I was a fan of the game when it was first released in 2011, you can really feel its age in this remaster.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a great excuse to experience the simple, crude, and bombastic joys of a proper cult classic, even if its writing and humour feel thoroughly out of place in today's day and age.
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is not for everyone. While its over-the-shoulder action and moody vibes previously established the original as a cult classic, its overly edgy style, poor optimization, and derivative gameplay make this version feel more like a dark shadow compared to the industry greats.