Shinji Mikami and Suda51's lesser-known collaboration gets a second opportunity

In recent years, the gaming industry has seen a resurgence of remastered versions of popular classics, giving contemporary platforms a taste of past successes. Among these, beloved titles like The Last of Us, Final Fantasy 7, and Mass Effect have been rejuvenated for a new audience. Adding to this trend, Shadows of the Damned is making an unexpected comeback.

This game, first released in 2011, sprang from the creative minds of Shinji Mikami, renowned for Resident Evil, and Goichi 'Suda51' Suda, famous for the No More Heroes series. Shadows of the Damned is a unique action-adventure that follows a Mexican demon hunter aided by his shape-shifting sidekick, Johnson, as he battles to rescue his girlfriend.

Originally published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the title is now revived on consoles and PC, courtesy of NetEase, the parent company of its developer, Grasshopper Manufacture. This revival comes after an earlier attempt, thwarted by a requirement to make it exclusive to EA’s Origin platform.

Discussing past endeavors to relaunch the game, Suda mentioned: "Years ago, we hoped to remaster it, but the Origin exclusivity posed a challenge." Thankfully, this barrier is no longer present, allowing a broader release. Grasshopper Manufacture is intent on making its library available on modern platforms, having already re-released gems like the No More Heroes series.

The remaster, dubbed Hella Remastered, sees Suda as its general producer, overseeing the project as a continuation of Grasshopper’s nostalgic endeavors.

"We've been wanting to [remaster Shadows of the Damned] for years now – and maybe we can get people to actually know about it this time"

Goichi 'Suda51' Suda

The game’s initial release suffered from less-than-optimal marketing, overshadowed by EA's promotional focus on titles like Battlefield. The result was a missed opportunity for broader recognition. Adding to this, Shadows of the Damned evolved from a different project called Kurayami, altered significantly to align with mainstream tastes.

Today, Suda and Mikami accept that attracting a vast audience may be challenging. However, they are hopeful that niche communities intrigued by Suda's distinctive style will find the game appealing.

While fans may anticipate further collaborations between the two visionaries, Suda and Mikami indicate that another joint project is not currently in the works. A potential idea from the past, Zombie Rider, failed to materialize, partly due to thematic similarities with existing franchises and competing projects.

Despite these obstacles, the remaster of Shadows of the Damned represents a significant effort to introduce a cult classic to a wider audience, with hopes that nostalgia and curiosity will work in its favor.