"Resident Evil Director Slams Game Censorship"

As Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered gears up for its eagerly anticipated October release, the ongoing critique of Japan's CERO age rating board intensifies. The game's creators, Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, have voiced their discontent over the censorship required for the remastered version in Japan.

Suda51 and Shinji Mikami Rebukes Shadows Of The Damned's Censorship

The renowned producer and writer team behind Shadows Of The Damned, Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, have publicly expressed their frustrations with Japan's age rating board, CERO, regarding the censored console release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered. In a candid interview with the Japanese gaming news outlet GameSpark, the duo critiqued the restrictive measures imposed by CERO and challenged the board's decision-making process.

Suda51, celebrated for his innovative work on titles like Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the necessity of censoring the upcoming remaster for its Japanese console release. "We were forced to create two versions of the game, which posed a significant challenge," he explained. "The simultaneous development of both versions not only increased our workload but also extended the development timeline considerably."

Shinji Mikami, whose portfolio includes mature-rated classics such as Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed his disappointment with CERO’s stance, suggesting that the board is disconnected from the contemporary gaming audience. "It's perplexing that individuals who don't play games are dictating censorship, hindering players from experiencing the game as intended, despite a demand for these 'edgy' experiences," he stated.

CERO's rating system categorizes games into various age brackets, including CERO D for those 17 and older, and CERO Z for those 18 and above. Mikami’s groundbreaking work on the original Resident Evil introduced the horror genre with its graphic and intense content. The 2015 remake of the game, also directed by Mikami, retained the series' signature gore and horror, earning a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the rationale behind these censorship measures. "While we must comply with regional restrictions as part of our professional responsibilities, I often ponder what our fans think about these limitations," he remarked. "What is the purpose of these restrictions? Who are they intended to protect? It seems clear to me that they are not designed with the game-playing customers in mind."

CERO has faced similar criticisms in the past. In April, during the release of Stellar Blade, EA Japan General Manager Shaun Noguchi highlighted the board's inconsistent rulings. He noted the disparity between CERO approving Stellar Blade with a CERO D (17+) rating while rejecting EA's Dead Space, a survival horror game.