Developer – GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.

Publisher – GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC. , NetEase Games

Platforms –  PS4/5, Xbox One , Xbox Series S|X,Nintendo Switch,PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Developer

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered drags you, willingly or not, into a hellish odyssey that’s equal parts pulse-pounding action and morbid charm. Playing as Garcia Hotspur—a swaggering, foul-mouthed demon hunter hell-bent on rescuing his love, Paula—you’ll journey through a twisted Underworld filled with grotesque demons, shadow-drenched ruins, and eerie, candle-lit mansions. With Johnson, your skeletal sidekick who can transform into a variety of deadly weapons, you’re primed to face demons lurking in the darkest recesses of the Underworld, where a single misstep could mean losing more than just your soul.

The remaster ramps up the thrill with intricate light-and-dark mechanics, demanding players learn to wield light as both a weapon and a shield. In this world, demons become feral under the shroud of darkness but cower in the blaze of your torch—a balance that demands quick thinking and strategic combat choices. Shifting between brutal gunplay and resourceful puzzle-solving, you’ll find yourself managing your limited torchlight as strategically as your bullets, as even the flicker of a flame could mean the difference between life and death.

As you progress through fiendishly funky dungeons and labyrinthine sewer systems, Garcia and Johnson’s banter injects a gritty humor into this nightmarish world. It’s a road trip through hell infused with rock ‘n’ roll energy and a twisted sense of style, courtesy of Executive Director Suda51 and Creative Producer Shinji Mikami. Their combined genius shines through in the game’s grotesque yet strangely stylish environments, from moldy sewers to sinister mansions, all bathed in a beautifully unsettling atmosphere.

Hella Remastered includes fresh content for longtime fans and newcomers alike, offering new costumes that let you dress Garcia in wild attire, and a New Game Plus mode that lets you carry over progress for an even more demented experience on your second run.

The remaster breathes new life into Shadows of the Damned’s gritty, infernal landscapes, upgrading visuals to match the twisted imagination of its world. With enhanced lighting effects, each dimly-lit corridor, ruined mansion, and gory sewer system feels even more oppressive and alive. The textures are sharper, giving grotesque details to both the environments and the nightmarish demons lurking within them. Light sources flicker with an unsettling realism, and the dark has a richer, inky blackness that amplifies the fear of what might be hiding there. Every corner of the Underworld oozes with atmosphere, embodying the artfully grotesque style Suda51 and Shinji Mikami are known for, while ensuring players feel the true weight of their descent.

Despite the upgraded visuals, Hella Remastered isn’t without its issues. Some players have reported frame rate drops in the most action-heavy sequences, particularly when demons swarm in darkened areas or when torchlight battles cast complex shadows. A few glitches, such as textures momentarily failing to load or enemies clipping through walls, can break the immersion, especially when Garcia’s reactions are a split-second too slow due to input lag. While these bugs don’t ruin the experience, they can add a bit of frustration to the already intense gameplay, making you wonder if the Underworld itself is trying to sabotage your mission.

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered may be one of the wildest trips into the depths of hell you’ll ever take. It’s grotesque, it’s filthy, and it’s unapologetically crass—a fever-dream vision of the Underworld brought to life by some of gaming’s most creative minds. Just don’t forget to keep the light close, or the darkness might consume you whole.