Shadows of the Damned: Highway to Hell

Video game guru Suda51 teams up with Resident Evil 4 mastermind Shinji Mikami to bring us a brand new horror game called Shadows of the Damned.

The games main character, Garcia Hotspurs, is a tattooed bad ass Spanish hero who's ready to kick some demon ass. When Garcia's main squeeze Paula is kidnapped by Fleming (the head demon), he must embark on a Dante's Inferno style quest through hell to save his true love. Along for the ride is hi
s trusty sidekick Johnson, a flaming skull on a stick who can transform into a number of awesome guns such as the Boner. Johnson and Garcia fight their way through hordes of undead ghouls on their quest to Paula.

To start off this review, let me begin by saying that my hands are killing me from playing this game all day. I can't get enough! This game is what would happen if Rob Zombie and Quentin Tarantino teamed up to create a modern version of the Divine Comedy starring a tattoo-clad Antonio Banderas. 

We'll begin with the game play.  This is a horror fan's dream game. Along with tons of movie references and dick jokes, the overall atmosphere is one to die for. Creepy music, sneaky demons, and a whole lot of blood tie this game together in perfect harmony. 

Speaking of movie references, there is an entire level dedicated to The Evil Dead. For me, this fact alone compelled me to run out and immediately buy this game. 

Most of the characters and especially the bosses definitely reminded me of both Silent Hill and Resident Evil games, which is a very good thing. Also, the fact that in Shadows of the Damned there are baby heads that eat eyeballs and brains instead of traditional video game locks on doors that require keys is definitely worth mentioning. 

Now, a lot of reviews complained about shotty controls and mechanics, however, I didn't have any problem with that. If you've played Resident Evil 4, you already know the controls because they're essentially the same. Aiming can be a bit harder, especially when you need to fire off a few quick shots, however, you soon get used to it and are able to move on.

Overall, Shadows of the Damned is a MUST for horror fans. It's a super fun game that you won't be able to put down for hours. Plus, its got a goddamn Evil Dead level!