Shadows of the Damned

GAME OF THE WEEK:18 cert, EA, PS3 (also Xbox 360) ****

Your first introduction to Garcia Hotspur is when he strides, shirtless and tattooed, to put his boot on the neck of a wounded demon before blowing its head off. But not before said demon warns Hotspur that they’ll take everything he loves, that he’ll never defeat them all – the usual demon threats.

Hotspur has been busy taking out demons one by one, which has narked the Lord of the Demons.

In revenge, the six-eyed Fleming attacks Hotspur’s girlfriend, Paula.

When Hotspur discovers her body, demons start popping out of everywhere. Literally. They’re coming out of the light fittings. Under the sofa. Even out of Paula, who isn’t quite dead yet. Fleming has taken Paula back to his castle for a spot of dying and torture.

With the help of Johnson (blazing skull, former demon, transforms into weapons and a motorcycle, more polite than you’d imagine) Hotspur has to find Paula in the demon underworld. Not only is it crawling with demons who want to kill him, there’s also the mysterious darkness that descends from nowhere and is toxic to humans, concealing “dark demons” that are invulnerable to regular weapons.

The environments in Shadows of the Damnedare suitably hellish, with entrails and body parts everywhere. A button that turns you 180 degrees proves invaluable in battle. Switching weapons can be a little sluggish, but in general the game is responsive.

Yes, there are one too many penis jokes (a weapon named "Big Boner"?) and innuendo. But for the most part it's inoffensively tongue-in- cheek. Shadows of the Damnedticks the right boxes: fun to play, good controls and great, if slightly twisted, atmosphere.