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 "A Suda 51 Trip"? Contrary to what that tagline would lead you to believe, little of what makes a proper Suda 51 trip actually exists in this game. But that’s for later. Explain Shadows of the Damned Shadows of the Damned is a Grasshopper Manufacture developed third person shooter that was advertised as the coming together of industry legends like Akira Yamaoka, Shinji Mikami, and of course Suda 51. The game was also part of the old EA Partner program in which EA would help support and publish games developed by studios not owned by EA themselves. You can probably guess how the combination of these factors ended up going. I know I could talk more about the game as it is on its own terms such as the gameplay or story, but frankly, it’s really loving hard to. This was a game that took so many years to make and every idea Suda had from his original concept kept getting shot down left and right by the publisher backing it. While No More Heroes 2 had come out a year prior, this game was definitely the tipping point in Grasshopper’s history where their increased notoriety from No More Heroes led to an expansion in size, taking on of multiple projects, and all of them facing some serious compromises at the behest of its various publishers (and thus hampering Suda’s actual creativity until Travis Strikes Again). So why play this now? Well, because as the years have gone on, Suda’s return to the director’s chair with Travis Strikes Again shows he was willing to reflect back on his company’s history and acknowledge that, despite this game’s development, there were still good things that came of it. In addition, Suda actually was able to bring his original vision for the game to life in the form of a two-volume manga, possibly contributing to his coming to terms with the game as it was. Its name? Kurayami Dance (or Dance in the Dark).  Kura...yami? Kurayami was actually the very first name Suda had for Shadows of the Damned back in its concept phase. As such, the manga Kurayami Dance is as close as can be to that idea but with clearly different characters and setting. Suda’s original idea was to create a game that was inspired by the works of Franz Kafka, most specifically that of his unfinished work The Castle. While the manga doesn’t necessarily make it a focus, the original game concept of Kurayami was based on the idea of darkness as the true enemy. You weren’t supposed to use a gun to fight things hiding in the darkness, but to wield a torch that would push away the darkness itself. Instead, Kurayami Dance stays truer to the concept of The Castle in which a man embarks on a journey filled with needless obstruction and weird diversions just to get to a single destination and do his drat job. The manga is a really good read, and because of it and the game sharing the same origin point, I felt for this let’s play I’d make it into a sort of half LP, half book club. Each update posted will conclude with a discussion about a chapter from the manga (sometimes two), discussing parallels to the finished game, references to Suda’s past work, his themes, all that good stuff. Of course, viewers are more than welcome to read the manga as well, preferably right before the video where specific chapters gets talked about. Its translated and freely available to read online. Hell, it's even got Suda's blessing so why not take the time to check it out?  link to the manga Get ready to see just how different these two stories end up being in approach, as Kaboom Dragoon and I muse on what works (presentation), what doesn't (unimaginative dick jokes), and go off on all manner of silly tangents (almost everything out of our mouths) as we dive into this Kafka-yet-not-quite-Kafka underworld road movie. Contents Part 1: Going to Hell at 300 km/h || Kurayami Dance Ch. 1-2 Part 2: Takashi Miike's Alan Wake || Kurayami Dance Ch. 3 Part 3: A Different Kind of Hell || Kurayami Dance Ch. 4 Part 4: Hakuna Tanaka || Kurayami Dance Ch. 5 Part 5: So I Saw "Your Bottom || Kurayami Dance Ch. 6 Part 6: Garcia Likes His Dick in Crazy || Kurayami Dance Ch. 7 Part 7: Boners || Kurayami Dance Ch. 8 Part 8: Butt-Chin McFuckface || Kurayami Dance Ch. 9 Part 9: Ripped to Shreds by my Leather Mexican Baby || Kurayami Dance Ch. 10 Part 10: "Half-Assing" is this Game's MO || Kurayami Dance Ch. 11 Part 11: Turns Out Hell is Just Third Impact || Kurayami Dance Ch. 12 Part 12: The LP Curse Can't Stop this poo poo Show || Kurayami Dance Ch. 13-14 Part 13: The End of Kurayami || Kurayami Dance Ch. 15-16 Part FINAL: Demon Keeps-a Dreamin' of a Demon Town ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Jul 31, 2020 |
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Mar 4, 2020 01:49
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Oh, yes! Ahaha this is going to be a good one. I love this game. Muy muy muy muy bueno!
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Mar 4, 2020 04:41
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It's weird, I want to disagree every time you criticize or praise the game, then a second later I realize I fully agree with your opinion. It's just always hovering around a level of quality where I can't tell if it deserves better or worse. Still, it's fondly remembered and ripe for a revisit, like a sweet strawberry.
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Mar 4, 2020 05:02
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This game sucks extremely badly! The presentation is nice enough but the actual gameplay experience is hot dogshit
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Mar 4, 2020 07:22
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I just read the manga, which is fantastic, because of this thread. I'm looking forward to how the game can horribly disappoint me in comparison! 
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Mar 4, 2020 13:16
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I appreciate how the first three replies of this thread go from "this game's great" to "this game's average" and finally to "this game sucks." Like the perfect encapsulation of a game that's incredibly mixed in its execution.Mathwyn posted:I just read the manga, which is fantastic, because of this thread. I'm looking forward to how the game can horribly disappoint me in comparison!
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Mar 5, 2020 05:05
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It's a very divisive game, as you rightly point out. And it is a shame Suda 51 was basically not involved at all. That in mind though, and knowing Suda got to pen his manga later, I'm glad we got to experience the misadventures of Garcia loving Hotspur as well. I personally have a great affection for it. Now, I also freely admit there are several sections (one in particular springs to mind) that I find both hilarious and intense in concept, but are absolute crap to actually play. I'll never argue it doesn't have some significant flaws. I could take or leave the dick jokes, but I'm honestly at a point in my life where I've gone completely around the bend and find them funnier than I ever did when I was twelve.
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Mar 5, 2020 13:12
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Part 2: Takashi Miike's Alan Wake Garcia and Johnson's underworld adventure begins in earnest as we go through Acts 2-1 and 2-2, because this game cannot decide on what constitutes a decent length and pace for its own chapters. Take in the atmosphere, see game mechanics that aren't gonna get much more focus as things go on, and a boss fight that can easily be made a fool of by one simple trick. Meanwhile, Kaido and Challia continue their long trek to the Kurogane Castle in Chapter 3: Let Me Kiss You, and the weirdos they run into now are just the tip of the iceberg. Special guests include Morrissey performing Let Me Kiss You for about a minute for no real reason at all. ArclightBorealis fucked around with this message at 19:06 on Apr 11, 2020 |
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Mar 13, 2020 03:27
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I liked this game quite a bit but it is very much less than the sum of its parts
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Mar 13, 2020 17:57
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ManlyGrunting posted:I liked this game quite a bit but it is very much less than the sum of its parts True. I do appreciate a game with a decent shotgun, though. Props for that!
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Mar 14, 2020 02:15
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Due to recent events involving my home internet connection getting cut off, and my mental health, I need to place this LP on hold for the foreseeable future. Closing this thread for the time being until things get better for me, whenever that might be.
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Mar 17, 2020 20:17
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So it's been nearly a month, but I've reopened the thread now as I've gotten my anxiety and other mental health issues better under control now. Recorded commentary for the next update just yesterday, and sometime during next week it'll get posted and the LP will resume proper. Hope that you all have been doing well during these difficult times.
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Apr 11, 2020 19:16
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I might be in quarantine but at least I don't have to play this awful game!!!
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Apr 13, 2020 08:53
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I can at least, in some sense, appreciate just how consistently dick focused this game is.
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Apr 13, 2020 22:43
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Part 3: A Different Kind of Hell Life is currently hell for everyone in the world, so let's go to actual Hell and rejoin Garcia and Johnson in their quest to kill Fleming. Topics include what to do about finding people in dumpsters, video game leaks, DMX escaping jail to hunt down Leon S. Kennedy, dirty jokes that might incriminate us, the greatness of DOOM Eternal, and just about anything else that is nothing to do with the actual game because we always go off topic with this poo poo. We're at least more focused when we check back in on Kaido & Challia, as we learn about Tanaka the First, the existence of a ward that consists entirely of Tanakas, and a serious problem in regards to said Tanakas committing suicide that may or may not be saying something about society on multiple levels. Because death is a major subject with Suda...a really serious subject. We kinda ramble into some poo poo that might be pretty heavy and triggering for some after the final fade to black, so just an FYI.
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Apr 14, 2020 00:27
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I figure there are two possibilities for how much Darkness stuff there is. One, someone somewhere felt really strongly about... whatever the thematic importance of it is. Two, someone somewhere just wanted as many different dick themed animations as possibl.
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Apr 19, 2020 05:06
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Part 4: Hakuna Tanaka Onto Act 3 of Shadows of the Damned as we deal with a lot more darkness that quickly becomes obnoxious, a brief moment of not knowing the solution to a mini boss, and getting far too acquainted with a weapon upgrade with a very (un)fortunate name. Meanwhile, Kaido's visit to the Tanaka Ward of the Kurogane Kingdom results in some steps being taken to address the issue of everyone committing suicide over foolish reasons...while Challia confronts him on the apparent hypocrisy and emptiness of his words to the mayor regarding such matters. Death is everywhere in this story, no matter where you look. And wackiness, on occasion.
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Apr 19, 2020 20:35
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The LP still lives! I swear 2020 hasn't killed us. ------ Part 5: So I Saw "Your Bottom" We go through the swamp lands, watch our girlfriend drown multiple times, fight Cybergoth El Gigantes, and after a failed attempt at alternate names we place a moratorium on the name "Hot Boner" for the rest of this LP. Just another day in Hell with Garcia and Johnson in Shadows of the Damned. Meanwhile in the Kurogane Kingdom, Kaido reunites with an old friend in very unusual circumstances, and it is here the story finally introduces us to the titular Kurayami Dance. A transitional chapter as we move from the heaviness of the Tanaka Ward to where the story really hits its stride.
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Jun 6, 2020 21:07
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Wasn't it a turkey sandwich?
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Jun 7, 2020 07:15
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You'd think when making this game they would have run into trouble with child labour laws for exclusively hiring 12 year olds
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Jun 8, 2020 07:48
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Mraagvpeine posted:Wasn't it a turkey sandwich? Crane Fist posted:You'd think when making this game they would have run into trouble with child labour laws for exclusively hiring 12 year olds
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Jun 8, 2020 17:23
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Part 6: Garcia Likes His Dick in Crazy This video brings us to a moment in the game that could've been really memorable for the game if it had committed to one of two possible approaches (or maybe both), but as Shadows of the Damned has shown it's really poor when it comes to going all the way. There's a sex joke in here somewhere, I think. My brain's fried, gently caress it, Pscyho Paula, that part I don't mind. We also enter Volume 2 of Kurayami Dance, where Kaido gets out of his near death predicament with the help of a shotgun-toting, eye patch wearing badass of a lady...who is extremely hard to read. This chapter's pretty much dedicated to the kind of awkward conversations Suda loves to incorporate into his stories, where it feels like two people are coming together despite operating on bizarre wavelengths.
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Jun 13, 2020 19:42
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Part 7: Boners We've reached that moment. The start of Act 4, Shadows of the Damned's absolute lowest point, starting with a dick joke so large it could inflict blunt force trauma just from hearing it repeatedly. This and the next couple videos ain't gonna get any better. Also there's some brief moments of giant, naked tiddies hanging out, but they're barely kept in focus, so yeah, content warning on that if you really care. At least Kurayami Dance is continuing to be great, as Kaido makes it to the Union/Flower, Sun, and Rain hotel and begins the best arc of the whole manga. All thanks to everyone's favorite hotel manager Edo Macalister. Well, "favorite". Nearly everyone on Los Pass was some degree of rear end in a top hat, including him.
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Jun 28, 2020 20:54
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100 years ago in 2007 a show called Californication started. Sex comedy starring David Duchovny on Showtime. It had all the taste and nudity that title and network implies but also some pretty good dry humour throughout 7 seasons. I think it was around season 4 or 5 when the show started getting way more willing to walk right up to that "short of penetration" line way more often. I started to ask myself, "Am I just watching a writers' room get paid to get their fetishes filmed for a TV show?" It was around this level I asked the same question of Shadows of the Damned.
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Jun 28, 2020 22:03
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Strangely this is not the first luchador doctor I've seen; this is. No idea if this came out first.
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Jun 29, 2020 01:30
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Part 8: Butt-Chin McFuckface After suffering at the hands of the Big Boner and a bad shmup section, Garcia and Johnson get to explore one of the cooler locales in Shadows of the Damned, with all manner of books and stories including the best storybook yet. Poor, stupid Au-Au. Meanwhile in Kurayami Dance, following the initial meeting with Dr Moonlight and Yayoi, Kaido finds it's time to start taking an actual vacation on his own terms, to forget about all the troubles weighing him down in life and on his job. And it all starts by getting back at a certain, drug administering hotel manager. rear end in a top hat...
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Jul 1, 2020 16:15
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Part 9: Ripped to Shreds by my Leather Mexican Baby Recording the commentary for this video was the turning point in which I realized that this entire series (or at least, the SOTD portion) has been my LP equivalent of a poo poo post. Just...so little meaningful poo poo to say at this point other than gently caress Act 4 and other certain real world events that will continue to date this video as a product of 2020. Also there's some video and minor audio glitching that happens periodically following the 30 minute mark, and I couldn't do anything about it since it was there in the source footage all along. LP Curse still strikes you even if it doesn't blow up your computer.
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Jul 4, 2020 19:03
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Part 10: "Half-Assing" is this Game's MO Having escaped the horror that was the overwhelming majority of Act 4, Garcia and Johnson finally make it to the Castle of Hassle, where absolutely no bullshit gimmick segments will rear their head again. Ever. Okay maybe, but that's only if you consider using the SkullBlaster to solve a bowling puzzle to be a gimmick. Back in Kurayami Dance, however, the Union/Flower, Sun, and Rain hotel arc comes to a sorrowful close, as some important information regarding various characters are brought to light, and Kaido is forced to part ways with the (brief) love of his life. The final act is upon us.
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Jul 13, 2020 03:35
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RE6 apologist here - it is indeed bad but the biggest problems are the gimmicks Capcom felt they needed to shove into every single level rather than just let the otherwise excellent regular gameplay take centre stage. In that regard its cut from very much the same cloth as Shadows of the Damned. It also has some very good executions on updating the RE4/5 game but it cannot just help throw the player into gimmick after gimmick completely separated from the combat. Almost everything RE4 did as a "gimmick" was actually just changing up its combat arenas and enemy groups.
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Jul 14, 2020 02:52
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Part 11: Turns Out Hell is Just Third Impact Game is still trying its best to make these final sections something decent, and between a pretty good opening gag, and a not too bad block rotating puzzle, I'd say it's working. If only we weren't desperately wanting things to get to the end already. Meanwhile, it took us twelve chapters but we now have a for real loving antagonist in Kurayami Dance. After a bit of jumping back and forth between characters and events, it all becomes much more clear.
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Jul 20, 2020 21:07
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Part 12: The LP Curse Can't Stop this poo poo Show The closer we get to the end of this game, the more this entire year tries to stop us. But we're committed, dammit. We just gotta climb this Ganon's Tower ripoff with a random maze and Pachinko puzzle and we can finally kick Flemming's rear end. We're also speeding quickly towards the end of Kurayami Dance as we cover two chapters detailing Kaido's path of revenge and cameos of various stripes. You can tell when this manga was originally published by the time you see the end of this video.
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Jul 26, 2020 00:08
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Part 13: The End of Kurayami Here, have an hour and ten minute video where only ten minutes of it is for the game we've been playing this whole time. What, you thought this was the end for both of these things? Although if this game had been fully under EA's control I imagine the final boss fight with Flemming would've been the actual end. But it's not, and we've clearly shown to be more invested in Kurayami Dance that we wanted an hour to give these final two chapters the time it deserves. The actual end of Shadows of the Damned will be in the next video, and I can guarantee you there, our final analysis of that game is no where near as positive as what we have for Kurayami. But thanks for watching, I guess?
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Jul 29, 2020 16:37
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If you only watch one video in this entire thread, it'd be a bit weird to start with this one, I mean, we're right at the end of the game, what's wrong with you? But definitely watch the gameplay segment of this. I promise you, that reaction of mine is 100% real.
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Jul 29, 2020 18:29
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Part FINAL: Demon Keeps-a Dreamin' of a Demon Town Demon keeps-a dreamin' of a demon town Motherfucker bitch gently caress poo poo went down Flemming's got an itch, scratch it with a bitch Demon keeps-a dreamin' of a demon town Ooh, Johnson, that's my name Big...uhh, that's my game Johnson yeah, Johnson ooh, Johnson everywhere, yeah Motherfucker bitch gently caress poo poo went down, hah hah In the Darkness, we shall have fun Talk about my Johnson, talk about my bum Talk about my thighs, they're really good in size Oh my goodness, I CAN'T BELIEVE MY EYES 'Cause Flemming's got an itch, scratch it with a bitch Demon keeps-a dreamin' of a demon town Motherfucker bitch cock oval office went down with the demon, demon, demon... ---- We've reached the end of Shadows of the Damned. We can now move on with our lives.
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Jul 31, 2020 18:15
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Rip a game that couldve been Ok but ended up just more RE4. good show guys. (To be honest I tuned in mostly for Kurayami dance rather than the really lacklustre game)
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Aug 1, 2020 01:06
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| # ? May 3, 2024 22:33 |
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Rigged Death Trap posted:Rip a game that couldve been Ok but ended up just more RE4.
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Aug 1, 2020 05:00
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