7. Shadows of the Damned (Xbox 360/PS3) (2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEoJsJGU3jM Shadows of the Damned is the second Suda51 game on this list and arguably, the most fun.. Developed in collaboration with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami and Goichi Suda and featuring a brilliantly composed score by Silent Hill composer Akira Yamoka, Shadows of the Damned is a 3rd person action game with psychological thriller elements. Uber stylish Demon Slayer Garcia F. Hotspur has it all: A great job, a beautiful girlfriend named Paula and best friend & partner in Demon hunting; a talking flaming skull named 'Johnson' (which is in no way a Freudian reference). When the lord of the underworld kidnaps Garcia's princess, Johnson and Garcia descend into hell on a hopelessly crazy adventure to rescue the damsel. Sound familiar? The story is a parody of the clichéd damsel in distress trope. As with most Suda51 productions, the game features heavy sexual themes and surprisingly hilarious dark humor. The relationship between Garcia and Johnson is one of the best bromances ever committed to a video game. Whereas most developers often miss the point when creating over-the-top characters, Suda adds a surprising amount of depth to his comic creations. Players will feel genuine grief for Garcia as he's forced to watch his Paula die at multiple points throughout his quest, only to be quickly resurrected ready to endure more endless torture. Remember when games used to be...well, fun? Suda51 does. Gameplay is fast and fluid, relying on solid shooting mechanics and a simple melee system. Health is restored by downing an entire bottle of tequila after all, regenerating health is for pussies. Boss battles are fun and visually impressive but sometimes a little too easy. 'Too Easy" is one of the few complaints you can level at SOTD. Shadows of the Damned has it all: Famous game developer support, Addictive gameplay, fantastic story dialogue & characters and a fully realised dark atmosphere. Sadly, it didn't have sales figures. Suda51 has reportedly expressed interest in developing a sequel, though, and with a reasonably respectable 500,000 copies sold, it might be possible.