We've been wondering what Suda 51 was up-to after he wrapped up work with his team at Grasshopper on the No More Heroes games. There was the sequel that came out for Wii last year (under the guidance of Ubisoft), and the original will eventually make its debut on the PlayStation 3 (and not multi-platform, sadly) later this summer. In the meantime, Suda and his team have something completely original cooking up, and we got our first glimpse of exactly what when we walked into EA’s Showcase event at the Game Developers Conference. The game is called Shadows of the Damned, and upon first sight of it, you’ll immediately pick up a vibe that’s part Devil May Cry and part Grindhouse.
Click the above image to see all-new Shadows of the Damned screenshots.
This time around, rather than controlling a flamboyant hero with twin guns and a sword, you’re in charge of an everyman character that finds himself in one hell of a situation. The lead guy’s name is Garcia, a dude with a leather coat and a penchant for trouble. But he’s also got a big heart, as he cares for his girlfriend Laura. Unfortunately, she’s fallen on rough times, and has found her soul wandering into the City of the Damned. Garcia’s not exactly ready to “move on”, so he pays a visit to the city, only to find a lord by the name of Fleming who won’t be letting her go so easily. Garcia isn’t alone on his quest. He’s got the assistance of a right hand man named Johnson. Well, okay, “man” is a stretch, as Johnson is really nothing more than a flaming scepter that lends a hand when needed. It practically acts as a torch for most of the game, along with a blunt weapon should you need to strike enemies in a hurry. But when it comes to the thick of battle, Johnson is able to transform into a plethora of handguns, including a machine gun and a shotgun. His power is somewhat limited, but you’ll have enough oomph to knock back the demons into next month.
Click the above image to see all-new Shadows of the Damned screenshots.
Upon looking at the game, we could tell how Suda 51 has lent a little style to go with its substance. The gameplay is mostly action based, just like No More Heroes, but there are some cool quick-time event sequences, along with the occasional puzzle to be solved and boss battles to overcome. One in particular was a nasty beast, one you had to expose in just the right spot to open the huge red spot on its back – a vulnerable point for bringing it down. This is just the tip of the bloodstained iceberg, as many other challenges await you – including hordes of enemies. We could tell that Shadows of the Damned had a bit of Devil May Cry-like influence, especially when we see Johnson’s reactions to certain situations. At one point, he even pulls a Shaggy from Scooby Doo upon seeing one of the bosses. It’s humorous, but at the same time, it doesn’t get in the way as far as you getting down to business and smashing these demons into non-existence.
Click the above image to see all-new Shadows of the Damned screenshots.
In fact, the sense of humor helps drive the game, and give it some drive where other games simply would’ve meandered off. It’s got an Army of Darkness-style of spirit to it, without going too overboard that people would roll their eyes at it. And there’s plenty of gun-toting, torch-swinging action to go around as well. Though we weren’t able to go hands-on with it (the line was pretty long waiting for this one), it looks fantastic, with deep, dank environments to explore and plenty of nasty-looking characters to smack around. In this situation all we have to say is, “Welcome back, Suda.” Shadows of the Damned looks like a rip-roaring ride, one that doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously as last year’s Dante’s Inferno did. Ironically enough, EA is publishing this one as well, with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The wait isn’t too far off, either. We’ll be guiding Garcia and Johnson into darkness on June 14, 2011 and we can’t wait - stay tuned for more coverage on this game right here at PlanetXbox360.com.
