There are very few genuine auteurs at work in the games industry today. Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Vanquish) and Suda 51 (Killer 7, No More Heroes, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle) have both earned the designation, having created some of the most idiosyncratic, singular games of the last ten years.

Now, in conjunction with composer Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill), and with the backing of powerhouse publisher Electronic Arts, Mikami and Suda 51 are about to unleash their brand new "psychological action thriller." Ladies and gentleman, time to take your first look at Shadows of the Damned.

Based solely on the trailer, Shadows of the Damned certainly appears to be a fusion of its creators' disparate styles. From Mikami we get high end production values, fast paced action, and dark gothic setting. Suda 51, as always, brings the crazy.

Only the mind that gave us Travis Touchdown could come up with the name 'Garcia Hotspur.' Knowing what we know of Suda 51's previous games, it should probably come as no surprise that Garcia is described in the game's press release as "a hard-as-nails, leather-clad, motorcycle-riding professional demon hunter."

What may surprise you is Mikami's assertion that Shadows of the Damned is all about... love?

"With Shadows of the Damned, gamers will fight for love in the most difficult arena imaginable … hell."

"Players will find themselves surrounded by demons set on destroying their heart and soul. Only the strong will survive."

The game's website offers a slightly less pastoral description of what Shadows of the Damned will offer:

"When evil demonic creatures kidnap Garcia’s girlfriend, it’s up to him to travel to the City of the Damned to get her back. Aided by a former demon with the ability to transform into an array of vicious weapons, Garcia will once again take on the mantel of 'demon hunter' and rip apart the horrifying forces of the underworld to protect what he loves most."

"Players must harness the power of the light to fight the army of the dark in unique light versus darkness gameplay that will forever change the way gamers perceive puzzles, combat, and terror."

If the trailer left you hungry for a few more glimpses of the game in action, take a look at these first screenshots from Shadows of the Damned.

As game budgets skyrocket and publishers bank on imitation rather than innovation, fewer and fewer truly original games ever see the light of day. So when a product as creator driven as Shadows of the Damned is announced, the hardcore gamers of the world should take note. Though it isn't releasing anytime soon, you can bet that Game Rant will be following Shadows of the Damned's progress. Closely.

Ranters, what are your first impressions of Shadows of the Damned? Are you fans of Mikami and Suda 51?

Shadows of the Damned is currently in development for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. It is expected to release sometime in 2011.

Source: Shadows of the Damned