As the release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered approaches in October, the spotlight once again falls on Japan's CERO age rating board, drawing criticism from the game's creators over the censorship of the remastered version in Japan.
Suda51 and Shinji Mikami Criticize Shadows Of The Damned's Censorship
The producer and writer duo behind Shadows Of The Damned, Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, have voiced their frustrations with Japan's age rating board, CERO, due to the censorship required for the console release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered. In a recent interview with the Japanese gaming news site GameSpark, they openly criticized CERO's restrictive policies, questioning the logic behind these decisions.
Suda51, renowned for his work on titles like Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, explained to GameSpark that the upcoming remaster required significant alterations to comply with CERO's standards. "We had to prepare two versions of the game, which posed a real challenge," he stated. "The remastering process forced us to develop two versions simultaneously, significantly impacting our workload and extending the development timeline."
Co-creator Shinji Mikami, famous for his work on mature-rated games such as Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed his disappointment with CERO's approach, suggesting that the board is disconnected from the modern gaming community. "It's perplexing that individuals who don't play games are dictating censorship, preventing players from experiencing the full essence of games, especially when there's a demand for these 'edgy' titles," he remarked.
CERO's rating system categorizes games with labels such as CERO D, suitable for audiences 17 and older, and CERO Z, restricted to those 18 and older. The original Resident Evil, directed by Mikami, set the standard for horror games with its graphic and gruesome content. Its 2015 remake, which retained the series' signature gore and horror, received a CERO Z rating due to its mature themes.
Suda51 questioned the rationale behind these restrictions. "While we must comply with regional restrictions as part of our job, I often ponder what the players and fans think about these limitations," he said. "What is the purpose of these restrictions? Who are they intended to protect? Certainly, they do not seem to be aimed at our gaming audience."
This is not the first instance of CERO facing backlash for its rating decisions. In April, during the release of Stellar Blade, EA Japan General Manager Shaun Noguchi highlighted the inconsistencies in CERO's ratings. He noted the board's approval of Stellar Blade with a CERO D (17+) rating, while rejecting EA's Dead Space, a survival horror game.
