With the October release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered looming, criticism of Japan's CERO age rating system intensifies. The game's creators are voicing their frustration over the censorship applied to the remastered version in Japan.
Suda51 and Shinji Mikami Condemn Shadows of the Damned's Censorship
CERO Faces Backlash Again
Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, the writer and producer duo behind Shadows of the Damned, have openly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship imposed on the Hella Remastered console release. In a GameSpark interview, they questioned the rationale behind the restrictions.
Suda51, known for Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the need to create two versions of the game for the Japanese market. "Creating two versions presented a significant challenge," he stated. "This doubled our workload and extended development."
Shinji Mikami, renowned for his work on mature titles like Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed disappointment with CERO's approach, suggesting a disconnect with modern gamers. "It's odd for non-gamers to censor games and prevent players from experiencing the full intended experience, especially when there's a clear audience for mature content," he commented.
CERO's rating system includes CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+). Mikami's original Resident Evil, a pioneer of the survival horror genre, featured graphic content. Its 2015 remake retained this, earning a CERO Z rating.
Suda51 questioned the purpose of the censorship. "We have to comply with regional restrictions, but I always wonder about the players' perspective," he said. "What's the goal of these restrictions? Who are they protecting? It certainly doesn't seem to be the players themselves."
This isn't CERO's first encounter with criticism. In April, EA Japan's Shaun Noguchi highlighted inconsistencies, citing the approval of Stellar Blade (CERO D) while rejecting Dead Space.
