Resident Evil Director Slams Game Censorship

The upcoming October release of Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered has reignited criticism of Japan's CERO age rating system, with the game's creators voicing their discontent over censorship imposed on the Japanese release.

Suda51 and Shinji Mikami Condemn Censorship in Shadows of the Damned

CERO Faces Backlash Again

Suda51 and Shinji Mikami, the creative minds behind Shadows of the Damned, have openly criticized Japan's CERO rating board for the censorship applied to the remastered version's console release in Japan. In an interview with GameSpark, they questioned the rationale behind the restrictions.

Suda51, renowned for Killer7 and the No More Heroes series, confirmed the necessity of creating two versions of the game – a censored version for Japan and an uncensored one for other regions. He highlighted the significant increase in workload and development time this entailed.

Shinji Mikami, celebrated for his work on mature titles like Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, and God Hand, expressed his disappointment, suggesting CERO is disconnected from the modern gaming landscape. He argued that preventing players from experiencing the game's intended content, particularly those seeking "edgy" experiences, is counterintuitive.

CERO's rating system, including categories like CERO D (17+) and CERO Z (18+), has been a subject of debate. Mikami's original Resident Evil, a groundbreaking horror title, featured graphic content and its 2015 remake, similarly gory, received a CERO Z rating.

Suda51 questioned the effectiveness and target audience of these restrictions, emphasizing the disconnect between CERO's decisions and the desires of the players themselves.

This isn't the first time CERO's practices have faced scrutiny. Earlier this year, EA Japan's Shaun Noguchi voiced concerns regarding inconsistencies in CERO's ratings, citing the approval of Stellar Blade with a CERO D rating while rejecting Dead Space.