Shadow of the Colossus

Voices of: Kenji Nojima, Kazuhiro Nakata
Developer: Japan Studio (Team Ico)
Directed by: Fumito Ueda
Rating: T
Genre: Action-Adventure, Puzzle
System: Playstation 2
2005

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: A young man brings a deceased woman to a secret land, where he must defeat 16 enormous colossi to win the power to bring her back to life.

Review:
Tim: For people who'd dismiss video games as something less, something not worth our time, I'd point them to Shadow of the Colossus. I was a huge fan of Ico and the team's next game was even better. It's not hyperbole to state that Shadow of the Colossus is a masterpiece, a stunning visual experience that is as artistic and beautiful as it is fun to play. When you consider the greatest video games ever made, this game absolutely belongs on that list.

The game itself isn't overly long- I completed it in just under 9 hours, and I struggled for a while figuring out the controls on the first colossus. I loved the straightforward nature of the game. You are Wander, and you're trying to resurrect a young woman from the dead. You have the Ancient Sword, the only weapon that can kill a colossus. Your job in this game is to kill 16 colossi. There's no levels, no side quests, no need for conversations or weapon upgrades. There are 16 enormous monsters lurking around the land and your job is to kill them. Wonderfully straightforward.

Where this game really separates itself is with the visuals. I don't think any gamer will ever forget that first scene, tracking your first colossus. You arrive and the camera pans up, and you feel completely stunned. The colossus is enormous- bigger than you ever expected. Surely, there's no way this little person can kill something so large? The visuals are gorgeous, each colossus rendered in a distinct way that visually conveys their size, presenting enormous challenge after enormous challenge. You learn the controls quickly, learn how one man can ascend these colossi, can find their weak points, and bring them down. The game presents each colossus as a puzzle, trying to figure out their moves and weak points. I did rely on a high level guide throughout most of the game- I was trying to cut down on aimless wandering and multiple death-by-colossus through a trial-and-error approach. Once you know the basic layout, it's pretty easy to figure out how to bring them down. There's always an incredible sense of accomplishment when you kill one of the colossi.

So, that's pretty much it- you ride your horse around, find one colossus after another, figure out how to kill them, and bring them down. The controls and gameplay are straightforward. However, continuing the artistic theme, the story itself isn't straightforward. It's all shades of gray, ambiguity. The story is beautiful and complex, surprising at times. The conclusion was thought-provoking and uncertain. It felt elevated- this isn't about saving the princess and saving the world. It's much more than that. That adds to the prestige of this game. It's a game about killing colossi, but the story goes much deeper than that.

It was so fun to play a game that stripped everything down to the essential- there's no list of uncountable optional side quests. The whole game is comprised of 16 battles, man vs. colossus. As the game progressed, you get better and better and enjoy the hunt more and more. Sure, there's some unsettling questions that pop up in the back of your mind, but it's easy to dismiss those- you have more colossi to bring down. That's how the game measures progress- how many have you defeated? The colossi are all great bosses- they are just challenging enough to keep you interested, but rarely ever truly frustrating. It's exciting, thrilling to try and bring them down.

Video games come in all shapes and sizes. Shadow of the Colossus is something special. It's visually stunning, entertaining, exciting, powerful. It offers up an unforgettable experience, something that feels truly unique. It's a masterpiece of a game, one I loved nearly every second playing. In the world of video games, this one truly does tower over them.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Ico, Bayonetta, Doom