The upcoming October release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered has reignited criticism of Japan's CERO age rating board, with the game's creators voicing their disappointment over censorship in the Japanese version.
Suda51 and Shinji Mikami Condemn Shadows of the Damned's Censorship
CERO Faces Renewed Backlash
Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, the writer and producer duo behind Shadows of the Damned, have publicly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship applied to the remastered console release. In an interview with GameSpark, they voiced their concerns about the restrictive regulations and questioned the rationale behind them.
Suda51, known for Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the necessity of creating two versions of the game – a censored version for Japanese consoles and an uncensored version. He highlighted the significant increase in workload and development time this entailed.
Shinji Mikami, renowned for his work on mature-rated titles like Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed his belief that CERO is disconnected from the modern gaming community. He argued that non-gamers imposing censorship prevents players from experiencing the game's intended content, despite the existence of a player base actively seeking out mature titles.
CERO's rating system, encompassing categories like CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has been a source of ongoing debate. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a pioneering horror title, featured graphic violence; its 2015 remake retained this element, earning a CERO Z rating.
Suda51 questioned the effectiveness and target audience of these restrictions, stating that the process lacks consideration for the players' perspectives and desires. He emphasized the lack of clarity regarding the purpose and intended recipients of the censorship.
This isn't the first instance of CERO facing criticism. In April, EA Japan's General Manager, Shaun Noguchi, highlighted inconsistencies in CERO's ratings, citing the approval of Stellar Blade (CERO D) while rejecting Dead Space.
