The gaming industry for the most part tends to take itself very seriously. As games begin drawing upon Hollywood-style production values, it has become less common for developers to release games that might be considered risky. Shadows Of The Damned is one of those games. Not only does it have a dirty mouth and a penchant for excessive amounts of gore, but it's just plain odd.

Developed by Grasshopper Manufacture as a collaboration between gaming legends Goichi Suda (No More Heroes) and Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry), Shadows Of The Damned is a "psychological action thriller" which follows Garcia Hotspur as he travels to hell in order to save his girlfriend who has been kidnapped by demons. While this premise may sound familiar, the signature style of these two auteurs will ensure that Shadows Of The Damned not only oozes style, but is able to stand on its own in terms of gameplay.

Ever since it was announced last year, Shadows Of The Damned has been an interesting project. While most games attempt to stay away from the surreal and over-the-top, Shadows Of The Damned seems to revel in it. From a demon companion that can transform himself into any number of deadly weapons for Garcia, to a three-tiered, skull-headed demon, it's clear that Suda 51 isn't holding anything back. Check out the launch trailer below. Younger readers may want to look away though.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdgzS4TPTyk

As has been the case since it was first announced, the launch trailer for Shadows Of The Damned continues to solidify the fact that while it may not be for everyone, those who love their action over-the-top like a Robert Rodriguez film or even Bayonetta will be sure to love this title as well. The accents are corny, blood flows like water, and the character and enemy designs are truly insane. While many gamers will be turned off, Suda 51 has an ideal audience in mind and by the looks of things, they won't be disappointed.

While it was not shown in the launch trailer, hopefully Shadow Of The Damned's gameplay is able to hold up to its over-the-top style. With Suda and Mikami behind the project, gamers shouldn't have much to be worried about. Both developers have proven themselves in the past with some of the most memorable shooters and action games on the market. If anything, Shadows Of The Damned will definitely be a memorable game, sticking in people's minds.

Whether it manages to present an engaging gameplay experience or not, Shadows Of The Damned looks to no doubt be an entertaining experience. With some of the strangest enemy models in recent years and an over-the-top style that highlights excess in its purest form, this is a project that could have only come from the minds of Suda 51 and Shinji Mikami.

Does Shadows Of The Damned appeal to you? Would you rather your games take on a more serious tone or do you love the over-the-top nature of Suda 51's projects?

Shadows Of The Damned blasts its way onto shelves on June 21 in North America and June 24 in Europe for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Source: YouTube