Reviving a Hidden Gem: Shinji Mikami and Suda51's Shadows of the Damned Gets a Second Chance

The past decade has seen a plethora of remastered titles, with many iconic games from previous generations being revamped for modern consoles. Among the list of revived classics is Shadows of the Damned, a lesser-known collaboration between Japanese gaming luminaries Shinji Mikami and Goichi 'Suda51' Suda. Released in 2011, Shadows of the Damned was an action-adventure game that followed the story of a Mexican demon hunter as he battled against evil forces to rescue his girlfriend. The game was initially published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and it is now being re-released on consoles and PC courtesy of NetEase, the parent company of Suda's studio Grasshopper Manufacture. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom, both Suda and Mikami shared their thoughts on the remastered release, revealing that this was not their first attempt to revive the 2011 title. Suda explained that about seven or eight years ago, they received an offer to remaster Shadows of the Damned, but the proposal was met with hesitation due to Electronic Arts' requirement that the game be an Origin exclusive. However, with the issue no longer a concern, the timing was perfect for the remaster. The remastered version is part of Grasshopper's efforts to make its back catalog more accessible on modern systems. Since 2016, the studio has collaborated with partners like Engine Software to bring back seven titles, including the No More Heroes trilogy, with Lollipop Chainsaw still in the works. Mikami's involvement in the remaster is limited to promotional efforts, while Suda serves as the general producer. The duo reflected on the game's initial release, citing the lack of promotion and the presence of other titles like Brutal Legend as factors that contributed to its relatively low profile. They also discussed the development troubles that Shadows of the Damned faced, including the initial concept, Kurayami, which was adapted into something new after struggling to find a publisher. Electronic Arts' request for changes, such as giving players a gun from the start, also posed a challenge. Despite these hurdles, Suda and Mikami consider Shadows of the Damned a complete game, and they are not looking to remake it from scratch. Instead, they are focusing on making the remastered version available to a wider audience. The pair's expectations are more conservative this time around, but they are hopeful that the game will reach the specific audience they are targeting. When asked about the possibility of collaborating on another project, both developers expressed uncertainty, stating that it would require one of them to come up with an idea that the other finds compelling. Suda mentioned an old idea called Zombie Rider, which never got off the ground due to concerns about its similarity to other games like Ghost Rider and Dead Rising. Mikami remembered the idea and acknowledged that it was not pursued due to the market conditions at the time. Suda jokingly suggested that maybe the idea was not 'fucked up' enough to pique Mikami's interest, but Mikami expressed his willingness to see Suda try to develop the concept if he were to revisit it.