This review contains spoilers
There is something to be said about the inevitability of the human spirit. Through many trials and much toil, humanity continues to persist against all odds, always finding a way to forge a new destiny and strive to maintain continuous progress. But what happens when humanity goes too far? How will we know that we’ve gone astray? And when will it finally be time to stop pretending that we’re certain of our path forward regardless of all that we’ve done?
Those were some of the questions I sought to answer upon my replay of Shadow of the Colossus. Six months after finishing it last Christmas day, I still couldn’t get my experience out of my head; it felt like a product of its time and yet simultaneously felt so ahead of its time. I suppose there’s a part of me that’s drawn towards the quirky, the interesting, and the compelling, and for some reason I remember Shadow of the Colossus checking off all three boxes. Thus, I decided to give the old classic another go, and hopefully do it justice this time expressing my sentiments with more than one word.
It goes something like this; a hawk soars into a dark canyon while a lone young man and his horse companion trod onto a long, lonely bridge, slowly making their way through a quiet yet dignified tower. There in the shrine, he puts the body of his loved one to rest, and hears the voice of a foreign entity, offering him a deal; in exchange for taking down sixteen colossi across the land, his lover shall be revived and brought back to him. So, the young man (aptly named Wander), makes his way through this still yet sprawling land in hopes of fulfilling his duty, wherever it shall take him.
Most action-adventure games present themselves as this glorious epic where the young, up and coming hero strives against his inexperience and fears to conquer the unknown, slay hordes of monsters and tear down obstacles in his way, and upon having slew the scheming and conniving big bad bringing despair to all, returns home triumphantly to confetti and fanfare as a hero’s welcome. Shadow of the Colossus stands starkly to this idea; as I made my way across this foreboding territory, I was greeted with… nothing. There are ruins of a once glorious civilization scattered throughout this forsaken land where the wild has reclaimed its bounty, with no other visible records to be found. Aside from fruit trees and blue tailed salamanders to collect at shrines serving as save points, there is virtually no other interaction to be found in this world. There’s no triumphant and exciting overworld music to be found, just the stillness of the wind and the echoes of the forest. Forget what you know about emptiness regarding other video game worlds; aside from the aforementioned salamanders and a few turtles and fish here and there, I and my horse companion (Agro) were genuinely alone. The bare walls and isolated plains of the forbidden wild perhaps have millennia of stories to be told, but they were not for me; I don’t belong in this place, and I never would. Yet, here I was, a boy on his horse aiming to change the course of history by eliminating the other sixteen dignified inhabitants of this lonely land. And who exactly decided I was to be the arbiter of this sealed off earth?
I slowly make my way up the cliffs across from the shrine to come across this magnificent and imposing creature, just sauntering its way across the empty landscape. There’s this subtle yet growing sensation that I’ve stumbled upon something that will change my life forever. I creep behind what I refer to as “the hulking beast” and find its weakness; close to the beast’s ankle, a crack glows blue. I latch onto the fur and stab the crack for all it’s worth. By now it’s noticed me, but it’s too late. The beast falters, and I take this time to scale its back; as it stands back up, I clutch onto the top of its head and repeatedly plunge my sword into its temple as it writhes in fear and agony. A sense of finality looms in the air as the beast takes its final blow, leans back slowly, and collapses upon the earth, never to rise again. I am almost immediately injected with these black-blue ribbons spewing out of the fallen colossus, with no time to admire my handiwork or ponder the consequences of my actions, and black out.
I’m not sure if I would say the going got harder from there, but it most certainly got rougher. I and Agro would make our way through endless placid landscapes to finally encounter once tranquil, dignified colossi that for all I know were just living day by day in this abandoned universe. I would need every advantage I could get; I was but an ant with a stick and a sling against these glorious beasts that were the size of a small building. Many of these colossi are capable of taking me out with a few fell blows, and my equipment much less my physique could not hope to win in one on one open combat; I needed every advantage I could get, and the designers did a magnificent job sneaking in subtle hints of how to manipulate both the colossi and their surrounding environments to target and exploit their weaknesses, whether it be from their visible characteristics, the glowing blue cracks and sigils revealed with the sword, or from the colossi’s behavior themselves and clues given via descriptions from the echoing voice. There’s this constant sense of fragility as I ascended the features of each colossi; I was limited by my stamina which gets sapped every time I clung, jumped, and climbed to find the vitals and avoid being toppled by sudden movements. I’ll also mention that while it took some time to get used to the camera and seemingly strange controls, I ultimately did not mind them in the scope of the overall experience; fighting the colossi is meant to be this untamed, frenzied experience meant to instill apprehension into the player, as this fight between the lives of strangers, much less life and death.
And that’s where Shadow of the Colossus really excels: bringing this complex emotional rush to the player as they discover, slay, and exit the lives of the colossi scattered across the land. Every colossus has their own approaches, their own quirks, and their own story to tell as you seek to justify the means with your ends. I had never felt so small and insignificant as Gaius loomed over me, sauntering their way and pulling back the sword to slam upon my intrusive presence. I had never felt so desperate and powerless as when I was clasping onto Avion’s wings, soaring through the skies with the currents rushing around me as I tensed up trying not to fall off for the fifth time as Avion barreled its way over the lake. And I had never felt such primal fear as Dirge tunneled at me with those unmoving eyes, seeking to devour my very soul as Agro & I galloped away, doing whatever we could to avoid a fate in the belly of the beast. Every fight felt completely different in both the actions taken and the emotions spilled across; I am not sure if there is glory to be found in battle, but there are certainly moments that I will never forget.
I’ve referenced the soundtrack numerous times at this point but I don’t think I see it talked about enough here, so I’ll talk about the soundtrack as a microcosm in the context of the overall scope for a bit. Kow Otani and the orchestra do an incredible job intensifying moods with its shifts in the background tracks, allowing you to associate each track with different moments. I’ve already spoken about the quietude that comes with traversing the forbidden land and its many artifacts; there’s no epic adventure theme to be found here, because you’re not supposed to be here in the first place conducting this taboo ritual. As a result, there’s this break between your moments of reflection whenever you do stumble upon the resting places of colossi that the beams of light from your sword have brought you towards. These foreboding ambient themes that begin playing, such as the curiously named “Silence”, seem to highlight this feeling of anticipation and tension that begins to build upon your discovery. Once this short lived peace is broken down, the soundtrack transitions into full blown battle tracks, often with shifts in the track selection themselves as you progress to another “phase” by exposing or gaining access to a colossi’s weakness. I could go on and on about how I got this exhilarating rush when Dirge’s chase theme transitioned right into “Counterattack” as Dirge, suddenly blinded by my arrow, crashed into a wall, giving me the chance to leap from Agro onto its exposed back, or how my initial intimidation upon stumbling into Quadratus suddenly tearing down the cliff cave walls transformed into the rising orchestral melody of “Revived Power”, pushing me forward with this feeling that I couldn’t fail now when I had come so far. The songs perfectly emphasize and capture the moods that I felt fighting these complex creatures of habit, and only served to further accentuate their struggles and personalities. Truly, it was one for the books, this song & dance between an unwilling participant and an uncertain instigator.
I think it’s also interesting how the songs on the soundtrack also reflect this paradigm shift as you continue to fell colossus after colossus in your quest. “In Awe of the Power” begins perhaps as this frame to signify how the looming Gaius, with its thundering steps as it slowly approaches you, towers and threatens to snuff out your very existence. You can’t even attack any weaknesses off the bat compared to the last two colossi; you have to wait until Gaius attempts to slam its sword upon you and crack its own armor upon the solid pedestal in the middle of the arena. Compare this to the last time that "In Awe of the Power" plays, during the late game fight versus Phalanx. Phalanx is notable in that it never attempts to directly harm the player; it’s just this majestic snake-like creature flying in the desert sky that happened to become the player’s next bounty. Even when the player ascends onto Phalanx’s body, all Phalanx can do is attempt to slowly barrel roll to try and throw off the player and bury itself back into the sand to regain the use of its air sacs. Thus, my interpretation here is that somewhere along the lines, the prey has become the predator and the predator has become the prey; you’ve transformed from this greenhorn to this grizzled and weary veteran monster hunter, and it is in fact the colossi themselves that shudder in fear as you ascend their bodies, seeking to terminate their once peaceful and storied lives. Similarly, “The Opened Way” is considered to be one of the most emblematic themes of the game in that it is the first “success” theme that plays as you topple the first colossus, Valus, and climb onto its head. There’s this feeling of anxiety yet triumph as you taste your first morsels of progress as the beginning of what will be a long and memorable journey to revive your loved one; maybe all of this will be possible and worth it after all. It’s also one of the last battle themes to play, as you disarm the fifteenth colossus, Argus, of its glove after stabbing the vital on the back of its right arm. By the time you’ve gotten this far, there’s little left for you to finish off in this much emptier world as Argus desperately tries to fend you off with what little energy it has remaining. You’ve long decided your fate and the fate of the colossi by now; in a sense, the opened way has closed.
This paradigm shift becomes even more evident as you approach the final colossus, Malus. Agro is gone, having sacrificed herself leaping over a canyon bridge to bring Wander to his final destination. The air around you tingles with gloom as storm clouds blacken the sky and torrents pour upon the lonely earth. There’s no uplifting, upbeat final boss music to be found here; "Demise of the Ritual" is a lament for all that has happened and all that could have been as I trudged my way through tunnels and barriers, dodging the desperate energy shots of Malus in a last ditch attempt to avenge its family. And as I scaled Malus, all Malus could do was give me this curious and troubled stare after I stabbed its hand to ascend to its vital on top of its head like it was just another day at the office. The colossi can’t speak of course, but I’ve wondered for a while what it would say if it had a voice. “What brought you this far, little man? How and why did you take down all fifteen of my siblings and make it here in one piece? What will become of you, and what will become of me?”
At the end of the day, I’m left uncertain as to if there really was a big bad to be found in all of this. The colossi certainly didn’t do anything wrong, simply choosing to exist as peaceful beings in a forbidden land, left undisturbed for perhaps eons. Dormin kept their end of the bargain and revived Mono as promised even after Dormin no longer needed Wander. Emon was right that Dormin presented a threat having done something so sacrilegious as to disturb the natural order of the land practically overnight, even as rueful as he was that Wander would remain embedded in the forsaken land for eternity. And Wander… perhaps he was misguided from the start, trying to alter the game of fate as is, but I suppose grief and desperation drive us to consider the unfathomable, going as far to defy human nature itself. Or perhaps it is simply inherent in human nature to begin with to defy our limitations, simply because we can and because we believe in doing what we think is right even if we may not truly be sure of what lies ahead of us as the light at the end of the tunnel.
So as Emon takes his departure and Dormin is exorcised once again, we are left with those who remain. Wander’s lover, Mono, finally awakens and finds only a limping Agro and an infant child with horns as a reminder of the events of the game. The bridge connecting the shrine with the outside world has collapsed as Emon takes his final glance at the ruins, and our heroes’ fate is uncertain. And yet, there is a glimpse of hope; as Mono makes her way to the courtyard, she encounters the rays of the sun for the first time in perhaps many years, and sights a curious deer admiring the newborn infant. And as the hawk ascends once more into the skies beyond the forsaken land, bookending this tragic and thoughtful tale while the credits wrap up, I’m reminded once again why I admired this game so much to begin with as I lean back in my chair, contemplative and stupefied that such an intricate work was ever conceived in the first place.
I don't think my questions were ever answered really, nor if they ever will be. But I’d like to quote Anton Chekhov here, as presumptuous as that may sound comparing a video game to one of the most storied authors in history: “The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.” Perhaps that is why I continue to play video games, to immerse myself with more stories and pass those stories along, to feel something different, to genuinely believe in the power of this medium. I spoke with my mom about my thoughts and feelings regarding Shadow of the Colossus last night, and she advised that I search for more games that inspired me the same way that this did. I’m not sure if I’ve found any that even come close to achieving Fumito Ueda’s vision all those years ago, but I’ll keep searching, and I’ll certainly be back next year.
I don’t think Shadow of the Colossus is a game for everyone. But I do think that everyone should experience Shadow of the Colossus in their lifetime.
Those were some of the questions I sought to answer upon my replay of Shadow of the Colossus. Six months after finishing it last Christmas day, I still couldn’t get my experience out of my head; it felt like a product of its time and yet simultaneously felt so ahead of its time. I suppose there’s a part of me that’s drawn towards the quirky, the interesting, and the compelling, and for some reason I remember Shadow of the Colossus checking off all three boxes. Thus, I decided to give the old classic another go, and hopefully do it justice this time expressing my sentiments with more than one word.
It goes something like this; a hawk soars into a dark canyon while a lone young man and his horse companion trod onto a long, lonely bridge, slowly making their way through a quiet yet dignified tower. There in the shrine, he puts the body of his loved one to rest, and hears the voice of a foreign entity, offering him a deal; in exchange for taking down sixteen colossi across the land, his lover shall be revived and brought back to him. So, the young man (aptly named Wander), makes his way through this still yet sprawling land in hopes of fulfilling his duty, wherever it shall take him.
Most action-adventure games present themselves as this glorious epic where the young, up and coming hero strives against his inexperience and fears to conquer the unknown, slay hordes of monsters and tear down obstacles in his way, and upon having slew the scheming and conniving big bad bringing despair to all, returns home triumphantly to confetti and fanfare as a hero’s welcome. Shadow of the Colossus stands starkly to this idea; as I made my way across this foreboding territory, I was greeted with… nothing. There are ruins of a once glorious civilization scattered throughout this forsaken land where the wild has reclaimed its bounty, with no other visible records to be found. Aside from fruit trees and blue tailed salamanders to collect at shrines serving as save points, there is virtually no other interaction to be found in this world. There’s no triumphant and exciting overworld music to be found, just the stillness of the wind and the echoes of the forest. Forget what you know about emptiness regarding other video game worlds; aside from the aforementioned salamanders and a few turtles and fish here and there, I and my horse companion (Agro) were genuinely alone. The bare walls and isolated plains of the forbidden wild perhaps have millennia of stories to be told, but they were not for me; I don’t belong in this place, and I never would. Yet, here I was, a boy on his horse aiming to change the course of history by eliminating the other sixteen dignified inhabitants of this lonely land. And who exactly decided I was to be the arbiter of this sealed off earth?
I slowly make my way up the cliffs across from the shrine to come across this magnificent and imposing creature, just sauntering its way across the empty landscape. There’s this subtle yet growing sensation that I’ve stumbled upon something that will change my life forever. I creep behind what I refer to as “the hulking beast” and find its weakness; close to the beast’s ankle, a crack glows blue. I latch onto the fur and stab the crack for all it’s worth. By now it’s noticed me, but it’s too late. The beast falters, and I take this time to scale its back; as it stands back up, I clutch onto the top of its head and repeatedly plunge my sword into its temple as it writhes in fear and agony. A sense of finality looms in the air as the beast takes its final blow, leans back slowly, and collapses upon the earth, never to rise again. I am almost immediately injected with these black-blue ribbons spewing out of the fallen colossus, with no time to admire my handiwork or ponder the consequences of my actions, and black out.
I’m not sure if I would say the going got harder from there, but it most certainly got rougher. I and Agro would make our way through endless placid landscapes to finally encounter once tranquil, dignified colossi that for all I know were just living day by day in this abandoned universe. I would need every advantage I could get; I was but an ant with a stick and a sling against these glorious beasts that were the size of a small building. Many of these colossi are capable of taking me out with a few fell blows, and my equipment much less my physique could not hope to win in one on one open combat; I needed every advantage I could get, and the designers did a magnificent job sneaking in subtle hints of how to manipulate both the colossi and their surrounding environments to target and exploit their weaknesses, whether it be from their visible characteristics, the glowing blue cracks and sigils revealed with the sword, or from the colossi’s behavior themselves and clues given via descriptions from the echoing voice. There’s this constant sense of fragility as I ascended the features of each colossi; I was limited by my stamina which gets sapped every time I clung, jumped, and climbed to find the vitals and avoid being toppled by sudden movements. I’ll also mention that while it took some time to get used to the camera and seemingly strange controls, I ultimately did not mind them in the scope of the overall experience; fighting the colossi is meant to be this untamed, frenzied experience meant to instill apprehension into the player, as this fight between the lives of strangers, much less life and death.
And that’s where Shadow of the Colossus really excels: bringing this complex emotional rush to the player as they discover, slay, and exit the lives of the colossi scattered across the land. Every colossus has their own approaches, their own quirks, and their own story to tell as you seek to justify the means with your ends. I had never felt so small and insignificant as Gaius loomed over me, sauntering their way and pulling back the sword to slam upon my intrusive presence. I had never felt so desperate and powerless as when I was clasping onto Avion’s wings, soaring through the skies with the currents rushing around me as I tensed up trying not to fall off for the fifth time as Avion barreled its way over the lake. And I had never felt such primal fear as Dirge tunneled at me with those unmoving eyes, seeking to devour my very soul as Agro & I galloped away, doing whatever we could to avoid a fate in the belly of the beast. Every fight felt completely different in both the actions taken and the emotions spilled across; I am not sure if there is glory to be found in battle, but there are certainly moments that I will never forget.
I’ve referenced the soundtrack numerous times at this point but I don’t think I see it talked about enough here, so I’ll talk about the soundtrack as a microcosm in the context of the overall scope for a bit. Kow Otani and the orchestra do an incredible job intensifying moods with its shifts in the background tracks, allowing you to associate each track with different moments. I’ve already spoken about the quietude that comes with traversing the forbidden land and its many artifacts; there’s no epic adventure theme to be found here, because you’re not supposed to be here in the first place conducting this taboo ritual. As a result, there’s this break between your moments of reflection whenever you do stumble upon the resting places of colossi that the beams of light from your sword have brought you towards. These foreboding ambient themes that begin playing, such as the curiously named “Silence”, seem to highlight this feeling of anticipation and tension that begins to build upon your discovery. Once this short lived peace is broken down, the soundtrack transitions into full blown battle tracks, often with shifts in the track selection themselves as you progress to another “phase” by exposing or gaining access to a colossi’s weakness. I could go on and on about how I got this exhilarating rush when Dirge’s chase theme transitioned right into “Counterattack” as Dirge, suddenly blinded by my arrow, crashed into a wall, giving me the chance to leap from Agro onto its exposed back, or how my initial intimidation upon stumbling into Quadratus suddenly tearing down the cliff cave walls transformed into the rising orchestral melody of “Revived Power”, pushing me forward with this feeling that I couldn’t fail now when I had come so far. The songs perfectly emphasize and capture the moods that I felt fighting these complex creatures of habit, and only served to further accentuate their struggles and personalities. Truly, it was one for the books, this song & dance between an unwilling participant and an uncertain instigator.
I think it’s also interesting how the songs on the soundtrack also reflect this paradigm shift as you continue to fell colossus after colossus in your quest. “In Awe of the Power” begins perhaps as this frame to signify how the looming Gaius, with its thundering steps as it slowly approaches you, towers and threatens to snuff out your very existence. You can’t even attack any weaknesses off the bat compared to the last two colossi; you have to wait until Gaius attempts to slam its sword upon you and crack its own armor upon the solid pedestal in the middle of the arena. Compare this to the last time that "In Awe of the Power" plays, during the late game fight versus Phalanx. Phalanx is notable in that it never attempts to directly harm the player; it’s just this majestic snake-like creature flying in the desert sky that happened to become the player’s next bounty. Even when the player ascends onto Phalanx’s body, all Phalanx can do is attempt to slowly barrel roll to try and throw off the player and bury itself back into the sand to regain the use of its air sacs. Thus, my interpretation here is that somewhere along the lines, the prey has become the predator and the predator has become the prey; you’ve transformed from this greenhorn to this grizzled and weary veteran monster hunter, and it is in fact the colossi themselves that shudder in fear as you ascend their bodies, seeking to terminate their once peaceful and storied lives. Similarly, “The Opened Way” is considered to be one of the most emblematic themes of the game in that it is the first “success” theme that plays as you topple the first colossus, Valus, and climb onto its head. There’s this feeling of anxiety yet triumph as you taste your first morsels of progress as the beginning of what will be a long and memorable journey to revive your loved one; maybe all of this will be possible and worth it after all. It’s also one of the last battle themes to play, as you disarm the fifteenth colossus, Argus, of its glove after stabbing the vital on the back of its right arm. By the time you’ve gotten this far, there’s little left for you to finish off in this much emptier world as Argus desperately tries to fend you off with what little energy it has remaining. You’ve long decided your fate and the fate of the colossi by now; in a sense, the opened way has closed.
This paradigm shift becomes even more evident as you approach the final colossus, Malus. Agro is gone, having sacrificed herself leaping over a canyon bridge to bring Wander to his final destination. The air around you tingles with gloom as storm clouds blacken the sky and torrents pour upon the lonely earth. There’s no uplifting, upbeat final boss music to be found here; "Demise of the Ritual" is a lament for all that has happened and all that could have been as I trudged my way through tunnels and barriers, dodging the desperate energy shots of Malus in a last ditch attempt to avenge its family. And as I scaled Malus, all Malus could do was give me this curious and troubled stare after I stabbed its hand to ascend to its vital on top of its head like it was just another day at the office. The colossi can’t speak of course, but I’ve wondered for a while what it would say if it had a voice. “What brought you this far, little man? How and why did you take down all fifteen of my siblings and make it here in one piece? What will become of you, and what will become of me?”
At the end of the day, I’m left uncertain as to if there really was a big bad to be found in all of this. The colossi certainly didn’t do anything wrong, simply choosing to exist as peaceful beings in a forbidden land, left undisturbed for perhaps eons. Dormin kept their end of the bargain and revived Mono as promised even after Dormin no longer needed Wander. Emon was right that Dormin presented a threat having done something so sacrilegious as to disturb the natural order of the land practically overnight, even as rueful as he was that Wander would remain embedded in the forsaken land for eternity. And Wander… perhaps he was misguided from the start, trying to alter the game of fate as is, but I suppose grief and desperation drive us to consider the unfathomable, going as far to defy human nature itself. Or perhaps it is simply inherent in human nature to begin with to defy our limitations, simply because we can and because we believe in doing what we think is right even if we may not truly be sure of what lies ahead of us as the light at the end of the tunnel.
So as Emon takes his departure and Dormin is exorcised once again, we are left with those who remain. Wander’s lover, Mono, finally awakens and finds only a limping Agro and an infant child with horns as a reminder of the events of the game. The bridge connecting the shrine with the outside world has collapsed as Emon takes his final glance at the ruins, and our heroes’ fate is uncertain. And yet, there is a glimpse of hope; as Mono makes her way to the courtyard, she encounters the rays of the sun for the first time in perhaps many years, and sights a curious deer admiring the newborn infant. And as the hawk ascends once more into the skies beyond the forsaken land, bookending this tragic and thoughtful tale while the credits wrap up, I’m reminded once again why I admired this game so much to begin with as I lean back in my chair, contemplative and stupefied that such an intricate work was ever conceived in the first place.
I don't think my questions were ever answered really, nor if they ever will be. But I’d like to quote Anton Chekhov here, as presumptuous as that may sound comparing a video game to one of the most storied authors in history: “The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.” Perhaps that is why I continue to play video games, to immerse myself with more stories and pass those stories along, to feel something different, to genuinely believe in the power of this medium. I spoke with my mom about my thoughts and feelings regarding Shadow of the Colossus last night, and she advised that I search for more games that inspired me the same way that this did. I’m not sure if I’ve found any that even come close to achieving Fumito Ueda’s vision all those years ago, but I’ll keep searching, and I’ll certainly be back next year.
I don’t think Shadow of the Colossus is a game for everyone. But I do think that everyone should experience Shadow of the Colossus in their lifetime.
sexy mutyumu recommended this to me as part of this list thanks dude
a journey so heroic and thrilling in every aspect it covers and yet instead of the triumphant and joyful glory of an impossible quest being completed at the end of it all i was left with nothing but sorrowful reflection and existential dread surrounding the human condition
im not joking bitch
this is how emotionally drenched this game is to the point that i was left speechless till the very end of the ending screen
and i would do it again a 100 times
after loving ICO too much I ended up playing shadow of the colossus because 1 it was recommended to me and 2 i felt it was just handy playing it asap on the ps3 collection and 3 it always looked sexy af . and it was a fucking experience what the hell i didnt think id love this game as much as i did but i was completely bewitched by this masterpiece and i can't stop thinking about it oh my god
i will get to the JUICE of the story topic at the end this time so I can be as spoiler free as possible but an introduction is due
you play as wander a nameless traveler accompanied by his cute horse agro that after a long and perilous trip finally arrives to his destination aka the forgotten lands (kirby cameo) through a narrow and immense bridge with an architecture so slick id recognize it among other 100 similar bridges . try me the bridge comes to an end at the shrine of worship a gigantic and towering structure in the middle of the land that almost seems to observe every part of its environment and when entering the main hall containing an altar it is revealed that wander was in fact bringing the corpse of a young woman to this temple and eases her down on the stones
while he does this shadows come out and he draws his sword with mysterious powers that emits some beam of light and vanquishes them
at this sight a pair of voices fill the room interested in the ancient sword the boy is carrying and wander begs dormin (the voices) to revive mono (the girl) and after some thinking the voices grant him a deal
kill the 16 idols that line the walls of the shrine and mono may be revived and to do so you will have to kill the living incarnations of these idols known as colossi
and so the titanomachy begins
the version i played is the ps3 one and (allegedly . i have no idea what the ps2 one is like) it fixes many framerate issues from the ps2 original and upscales the textures to give them that blocky HD sexiness but i dont care about these that much but since i got the power (of a big pc) to play this version why wouldnt I (+ that 60 fps fluidity in a game like this is something so erotically charged that gave me a mind erection)
uedas design by subtraction (stripping away every aspect of the game that doesnt add to the experience) is a prominent and unique design method that ends up being not only effective but even atmospheric to a point that I coulnt think of this game without this art choice
your only objective is tracking down 16 colossi in the massive land of fucking nowhere and killing them . in your trip to kill these fuckers youre met with yes stellar and absolutely breathtaking landscapes but apart from that ? its just land over land over land and the only stuff that even feels alive is the shit lizards that roam throughout the world and maybe some birds ? the end it could be a completely shut off ecosystem made of this stuff and thats the entire world building around it you got nobody to talk to (maybe mono if only she wasnt fucking dead or agro if she wasnt a fucking horse or even dormin if he wasnt a fucking god that speaks in monologues and only tries to guide you to kill these colossi) and thats it youre left with the vastness of the world and the shadows of these colossi hiding somewhere in these lands
now if the world is fucking vast how do you even begin to search for the colossi
first of all dormin gives you an introduction to that colossus and slowly guides you step by step through this hecatomb and suggests the place that theyre resting in BUT STILL thats clearly not enough and this is where the sacred sword comes into play basically it can reflect the rays of light in such a manner that the more focused the rays become the more accurate is the (linear) direction of where the colossus is supposed to be
now this is already a mechanic so interesting that i was kinda shocked when it was first introduced but the fact that since this effect depends on the availability of light in a precise point in the land if youre sitting in a shadowed zone the sword will be unable to reflect any light and it will give off a shy sparkle that can hardly point you to any direction . i was screaming the first time i noticed that i swear i was ecstatic
sometimes locating these colossi can be tricky but the whole point of this ends up being enjoying every second of the journey feeling the solitude of this magnificent land and admiring every natural formation and every architectural element to the point that i would sometimes just stop and stare at the landscape in front of me endless planes populated with trees castles or fortresses in state of decay and ruin isolated forests and refreshing lakes arid deserts falls cliffs canyons caves literally everything makes you awe in complete disbelief at this absolute behemoth of a game its just a pleasure to simply roam and not think of anything (p hard when I suffer from adhd but I was close to complete enlightenment)
now to the meat of the game which is fighting the colossus
at first I was convinced this was an action paced stuff and you had to slowly take down these titans with the power of button mashing but that couldnt be more far from the truth and in reality theyre slow and contemplative experience that work more like a big ass puzzle instead of a 1 on 1 battle for your life (I mean its also that but you get what I mean)
how this works is every colossus has some weak points (signaled by a mystical mark or whatever) and to get to that you have to "solve the puzzle" observing and figuring out how to climb it to the weak point (most of the time on the top of their heads) and you can do that by logic or maybe try and error but if youre stupid enough (me) dormin will give you hints from above on how to expose their weak points (that also can be made visible by pointing a ray of light with the sword towards the colossus)
now the nature of the colossus is always different it could be a land "animal" and walk around or a flying beast soaring in the sky or a leviathan submerged in a lake or a big ass worm in a desert theyre just v diverse and interesting and are also characterised by their demeanour they may go from completely ignoring you to willingly attacking you
anyhow once you understand how to climb the colossus or get his attention you will meet with the sexiest part of the game . together with the health bar and the little icon of which weapon youre holding theres a (at first) small circle that shows your stamina and its used basically every single time climbing the colossus since to do that youll need to catch onto some fur or maybe stone ledges to get to the top and it will already slowly drain your energy but the colossus will also get fed up and try to make you fall (lowering drastically your stamina every time) and at this point you can either stand on a stable place on the colossus and replenish your stamina or fall like a dumb bitch (also me) and start all over again
these bars will also get bigger after killing a colossus (I think only the stamina one in this case but im not so sure) but you can also search the land for lizards kill them with the bow and get their loot to lengthen the stamina and/or get some weird fruits from some v evidenced trees that can grow your health
and so the gameplay loop is born you get an idea of where the colossus is with the help of dormin you find the colossus you kill the colossus get back to the temple and do it all over again until youre done
but something that should feel massively heroic starts to feel way too off and hauntingly wrong
the colossi start to feel less and less like dangerous tyrants and more like innocent preys that were slayed during their eternal slumber and this is also emphasised by the fact that most of them wont even get into a fight (notice the blue eyes = calm) unless you directly pester them for an unwilling battle they were just minding their business frfr and you instead transformed into the predator
besides that the whole aftermath of a fight feels sketchy as fuck when you slay a colossus a black shadow engulfs the late figure of the creature and black tendrils skewer the body of wander until he's left unconscious and unknowingly transported to the temple again to see a gangbang of shadows surrounding him an idol statue of the corresponding colossus getting completely crushed and dormin trying to lure you into another fight but after all this you realise that slowly these black tendrils are rotting the figure of wander from the inside he gets paler and paler his hair gets darker and his skin gets all crumbled apart and veiny and his clothes get muddier and blackened by the blood of the slain giants and at that point you realise (actually I realised he was worsening by the second only at the end of the game) that this deal with dormin may actually be v dangerous but its already too late youre into this loop of slaughtering gods and after a while you even get used to the tendrils and darkness flowing into you (the game even makes it almost a positive affair since this slowly extends your stamina bar for the next fight)
ok so NOW we will get into more SPOILER ISH territory so if you have not played the game yet . stand back and play it or I will look for you and make you play it by force
when you get to 4 colossi left it is revealed that wander is being followed by the leader of his tribe emon and with 1 colossus left dormin actually tells wander to make haste because they are looking for him
on the road for the 16th and last colossus you get to the most distressful game moment ive ever witnessed in my life while wanders riding agro a bridge starts to collapse and in order to make him reach the other side agro sacrifices herself and falls into the lake below . guys I was BAWLING MY GOD I was completely shocked traumatized unable to speak I needed a moment . as a creature that accompanied me throughout the whole game I grew attached to it somehow and it felt v unfair like why would you make me miserable just like that what the fuck I hate this game
but whatever wander battles with the final boss while emons company makes their way to the shrine and observe with horror as the last idol statue gets completely crushed and dormins power breaks the seal and while theyre praying wander appears in the room in a twisted and corrupted appearance his skin is a white purple hue he grows some horns and his eyes are now black basically the depiction of the devil
the ancient sword falls to the ground and it is revealed that in fact it was an artifact stolen from the tribe that was used by wander for his selfish goals and at this point the soldiers brutally impale him but he isnt killed and gets shrouded in shadows and grows into a colossus-like big ass specter or something and thus dormin is reborn
while you control dormin emons men manage to escape and create a vortex that completely sucks every dark force out of dormin stripping away wander of any shadow and leaving him in a videogame sequence that still haunts me rn that im making this review after like a week from finishing the game
you cant do anything you cant run away you cant call agro you cant fight back you cant get back (or the vortex will suck you in) youre completely alone trying to escape from this massive force that is trying to seal you forever and the camera is fixated on mono . like youre struggling to live and yet the only and last thought in wanders mind is still directed to mono and no this is not exactly explicit it COULD be that wander got incredibly corrupted to the point that he didnt even know what he was even doing here in the first place but i will just take it as him trying to get back to mono even in his last moments and after that cutscene where he gently caresses her this is a hill i will gladly die on
the amount of trauma i had to witness god bless
wander gets inevitably sucked into the vortex and the bridge to the shrine finally collapses rendering it unable to be visited ever again but back in the shrine dormin has kept his promise anyway and revives mono and she wakes up in this unfamiliar environment and meets up with AGRO MY BABY MY SWEET CHILD IM SO HAPPY SHES ALIVE and where the vortex once was she finds a baby with horns she picks the child up and even tho the bridge is now collapsed they manage to get to the higher part of the tower where astoundingly life here is brimming and flourishing and with that the game ends
wow
theres actually something very haunting in the finale when you see all the corpses of the colossi leaving no more life into the forgotten land like youre just confronted with what youve done and what you had to do for the sake of only one life
this is a game that made me actually consider a lot of stuff story wise and more about its themes and atmosphere and for a game that has 1% explicit lore its actually incredible to this moment i got no idea what brought mono to die or why dormin actually granted wander his wish or lots of other stuff
i guess its up to you to understand using the little details what the motivations behind this whole story are but in the end its still just a beautiful tale of the heroic yet wicked nature of the human soul something that has been used and reused in many other medias but here its just stripped to the bare minimum and thats probably why its just so straightforward and effective theres no other reason why wander would do something so selfish something so profane something so foreboding but grief for the loss of a loved one which is so thematically human and near and dear to our existence that im sure everyone will just understand the raw emotions of the protagonist even after just 20 mins into the game
since i said that i will just close this long ass review saying that the gameplay (even tho flawed) is the most enjoyable one ive ever experienced in a while
traveling through the forgotten land engulfed in a sense of solitude and awe is an extra corporeal experience that few games managed to achieve and this one completely mastered it (the camera literally moves so that you can explore and enjoy every nook and cranny of this absolute wonder of nature)
the story is powerful and the themes struck even harder
and even tho i havent talked about the ost till now i swear its some of the best orchestral scores a game like this could have
the sound department is usually very silent but as soon as a battle with a colossus begins the ost makes sure to heighten the experience to another level entirely
listen to this or this and tell me this is not a game to try AT LEAST for this amazing ost alone
i dont usually give this high a score to a game but this is honestly one of the most beautiful videogame experiences to the point that i was brought to tears too many times by how jaw dropping everything in this is
lemme just finish this or else i will talk about it forever just play it i feel like everyone should experience this masterpiece at least once in a lifetime
the end cool game
its pretty interesting to me that dormins voice in the beginning is backed up by another female voice to give it that sense of familiarity and tenderness that completely vanishes when he is summoned again . the details behind this game i swear
idk if the finale is implied to be a prequel to ICO but this is still pretty interesting im not so sure wanders reincarnation IS ico but maybe its about his descendants but anyway i still will treat them as standalones so i dont care that much
now i wanted to play the last guardian but its PS4 exclusive . suffering
AGRO AGRO AGRO whistles AGRO
is it me or the first colossus is hot as fuck im sorry
basaran (9th) fucking sucks thats why this game is a 9 and not a 10 i think
top 3 ok VALUS MY BF 4th and maybe 12th ? actually i love all of them but VALUS UGHHHHHHHHH valus im free on saturday if you wanna hang out and stuff on saturday when im free
a journey so heroic and thrilling in every aspect it covers and yet instead of the triumphant and joyful glory of an impossible quest being completed at the end of it all i was left with nothing but sorrowful reflection and existential dread surrounding the human condition
im not joking bitch
this is how emotionally drenched this game is to the point that i was left speechless till the very end of the ending screen
and i would do it again a 100 times
after loving ICO too much I ended up playing shadow of the colossus because 1 it was recommended to me and 2 i felt it was just handy playing it asap on the ps3 collection and 3 it always looked sexy af . and it was a fucking experience what the hell i didnt think id love this game as much as i did but i was completely bewitched by this masterpiece and i can't stop thinking about it oh my god
i will get to the JUICE of the story topic at the end this time so I can be as spoiler free as possible but an introduction is due
you play as wander a nameless traveler accompanied by his cute horse agro that after a long and perilous trip finally arrives to his destination aka the forgotten lands (kirby cameo) through a narrow and immense bridge with an architecture so slick id recognize it among other 100 similar bridges . try me the bridge comes to an end at the shrine of worship a gigantic and towering structure in the middle of the land that almost seems to observe every part of its environment and when entering the main hall containing an altar it is revealed that wander was in fact bringing the corpse of a young woman to this temple and eases her down on the stones
while he does this shadows come out and he draws his sword with mysterious powers that emits some beam of light and vanquishes them
at this sight a pair of voices fill the room interested in the ancient sword the boy is carrying and wander begs dormin (the voices) to revive mono (the girl) and after some thinking the voices grant him a deal
kill the 16 idols that line the walls of the shrine and mono may be revived and to do so you will have to kill the living incarnations of these idols known as colossi
and so the titanomachy begins
the version i played is the ps3 one and (allegedly . i have no idea what the ps2 one is like) it fixes many framerate issues from the ps2 original and upscales the textures to give them that blocky HD sexiness but i dont care about these that much but since i got the power (of a big pc) to play this version why wouldnt I (+ that 60 fps fluidity in a game like this is something so erotically charged that gave me a mind erection)
uedas design by subtraction (stripping away every aspect of the game that doesnt add to the experience) is a prominent and unique design method that ends up being not only effective but even atmospheric to a point that I coulnt think of this game without this art choice
your only objective is tracking down 16 colossi in the massive land of fucking nowhere and killing them . in your trip to kill these fuckers youre met with yes stellar and absolutely breathtaking landscapes but apart from that ? its just land over land over land and the only stuff that even feels alive is the shit lizards that roam throughout the world and maybe some birds ? the end it could be a completely shut off ecosystem made of this stuff and thats the entire world building around it you got nobody to talk to (maybe mono if only she wasnt fucking dead or agro if she wasnt a fucking horse or even dormin if he wasnt a fucking god that speaks in monologues and only tries to guide you to kill these colossi) and thats it youre left with the vastness of the world and the shadows of these colossi hiding somewhere in these lands
now if the world is fucking vast how do you even begin to search for the colossi
first of all dormin gives you an introduction to that colossus and slowly guides you step by step through this hecatomb and suggests the place that theyre resting in BUT STILL thats clearly not enough and this is where the sacred sword comes into play basically it can reflect the rays of light in such a manner that the more focused the rays become the more accurate is the (linear) direction of where the colossus is supposed to be
now this is already a mechanic so interesting that i was kinda shocked when it was first introduced but the fact that since this effect depends on the availability of light in a precise point in the land if youre sitting in a shadowed zone the sword will be unable to reflect any light and it will give off a shy sparkle that can hardly point you to any direction . i was screaming the first time i noticed that i swear i was ecstatic
sometimes locating these colossi can be tricky but the whole point of this ends up being enjoying every second of the journey feeling the solitude of this magnificent land and admiring every natural formation and every architectural element to the point that i would sometimes just stop and stare at the landscape in front of me endless planes populated with trees castles or fortresses in state of decay and ruin isolated forests and refreshing lakes arid deserts falls cliffs canyons caves literally everything makes you awe in complete disbelief at this absolute behemoth of a game its just a pleasure to simply roam and not think of anything (p hard when I suffer from adhd but I was close to complete enlightenment)
now to the meat of the game which is fighting the colossus
at first I was convinced this was an action paced stuff and you had to slowly take down these titans with the power of button mashing but that couldnt be more far from the truth and in reality theyre slow and contemplative experience that work more like a big ass puzzle instead of a 1 on 1 battle for your life (I mean its also that but you get what I mean)
how this works is every colossus has some weak points (signaled by a mystical mark or whatever) and to get to that you have to "solve the puzzle" observing and figuring out how to climb it to the weak point (most of the time on the top of their heads) and you can do that by logic or maybe try and error but if youre stupid enough (me) dormin will give you hints from above on how to expose their weak points (that also can be made visible by pointing a ray of light with the sword towards the colossus)
now the nature of the colossus is always different it could be a land "animal" and walk around or a flying beast soaring in the sky or a leviathan submerged in a lake or a big ass worm in a desert theyre just v diverse and interesting and are also characterised by their demeanour they may go from completely ignoring you to willingly attacking you
anyhow once you understand how to climb the colossus or get his attention you will meet with the sexiest part of the game . together with the health bar and the little icon of which weapon youre holding theres a (at first) small circle that shows your stamina and its used basically every single time climbing the colossus since to do that youll need to catch onto some fur or maybe stone ledges to get to the top and it will already slowly drain your energy but the colossus will also get fed up and try to make you fall (lowering drastically your stamina every time) and at this point you can either stand on a stable place on the colossus and replenish your stamina or fall like a dumb bitch (also me) and start all over again
these bars will also get bigger after killing a colossus (I think only the stamina one in this case but im not so sure) but you can also search the land for lizards kill them with the bow and get their loot to lengthen the stamina and/or get some weird fruits from some v evidenced trees that can grow your health
and so the gameplay loop is born you get an idea of where the colossus is with the help of dormin you find the colossus you kill the colossus get back to the temple and do it all over again until youre done
but something that should feel massively heroic starts to feel way too off and hauntingly wrong
the colossi start to feel less and less like dangerous tyrants and more like innocent preys that were slayed during their eternal slumber and this is also emphasised by the fact that most of them wont even get into a fight (notice the blue eyes = calm) unless you directly pester them for an unwilling battle they were just minding their business frfr and you instead transformed into the predator
besides that the whole aftermath of a fight feels sketchy as fuck when you slay a colossus a black shadow engulfs the late figure of the creature and black tendrils skewer the body of wander until he's left unconscious and unknowingly transported to the temple again to see a gangbang of shadows surrounding him an idol statue of the corresponding colossus getting completely crushed and dormin trying to lure you into another fight but after all this you realise that slowly these black tendrils are rotting the figure of wander from the inside he gets paler and paler his hair gets darker and his skin gets all crumbled apart and veiny and his clothes get muddier and blackened by the blood of the slain giants and at that point you realise (actually I realised he was worsening by the second only at the end of the game) that this deal with dormin may actually be v dangerous but its already too late youre into this loop of slaughtering gods and after a while you even get used to the tendrils and darkness flowing into you (the game even makes it almost a positive affair since this slowly extends your stamina bar for the next fight)
ok so NOW we will get into more SPOILER ISH territory so if you have not played the game yet . stand back and play it or I will look for you and make you play it by force
when you get to 4 colossi left it is revealed that wander is being followed by the leader of his tribe emon and with 1 colossus left dormin actually tells wander to make haste because they are looking for him
on the road for the 16th and last colossus you get to the most distressful game moment ive ever witnessed in my life while wanders riding agro a bridge starts to collapse and in order to make him reach the other side agro sacrifices herself and falls into the lake below . guys I was BAWLING MY GOD I was completely shocked traumatized unable to speak I needed a moment . as a creature that accompanied me throughout the whole game I grew attached to it somehow and it felt v unfair like why would you make me miserable just like that what the fuck I hate this game
but whatever wander battles with the final boss while emons company makes their way to the shrine and observe with horror as the last idol statue gets completely crushed and dormins power breaks the seal and while theyre praying wander appears in the room in a twisted and corrupted appearance his skin is a white purple hue he grows some horns and his eyes are now black basically the depiction of the devil
the ancient sword falls to the ground and it is revealed that in fact it was an artifact stolen from the tribe that was used by wander for his selfish goals and at this point the soldiers brutally impale him but he isnt killed and gets shrouded in shadows and grows into a colossus-like big ass specter or something and thus dormin is reborn
while you control dormin emons men manage to escape and create a vortex that completely sucks every dark force out of dormin stripping away wander of any shadow and leaving him in a videogame sequence that still haunts me rn that im making this review after like a week from finishing the game
you cant do anything you cant run away you cant call agro you cant fight back you cant get back (or the vortex will suck you in) youre completely alone trying to escape from this massive force that is trying to seal you forever and the camera is fixated on mono . like youre struggling to live and yet the only and last thought in wanders mind is still directed to mono and no this is not exactly explicit it COULD be that wander got incredibly corrupted to the point that he didnt even know what he was even doing here in the first place but i will just take it as him trying to get back to mono even in his last moments and after that cutscene where he gently caresses her this is a hill i will gladly die on
the amount of trauma i had to witness god bless
wander gets inevitably sucked into the vortex and the bridge to the shrine finally collapses rendering it unable to be visited ever again but back in the shrine dormin has kept his promise anyway and revives mono and she wakes up in this unfamiliar environment and meets up with AGRO MY BABY MY SWEET CHILD IM SO HAPPY SHES ALIVE and where the vortex once was she finds a baby with horns she picks the child up and even tho the bridge is now collapsed they manage to get to the higher part of the tower where astoundingly life here is brimming and flourishing and with that the game ends
wow
theres actually something very haunting in the finale when you see all the corpses of the colossi leaving no more life into the forgotten land like youre just confronted with what youve done and what you had to do for the sake of only one life
this is a game that made me actually consider a lot of stuff story wise and more about its themes and atmosphere and for a game that has 1% explicit lore its actually incredible to this moment i got no idea what brought mono to die or why dormin actually granted wander his wish or lots of other stuff
i guess its up to you to understand using the little details what the motivations behind this whole story are but in the end its still just a beautiful tale of the heroic yet wicked nature of the human soul something that has been used and reused in many other medias but here its just stripped to the bare minimum and thats probably why its just so straightforward and effective theres no other reason why wander would do something so selfish something so profane something so foreboding but grief for the loss of a loved one which is so thematically human and near and dear to our existence that im sure everyone will just understand the raw emotions of the protagonist even after just 20 mins into the game
since i said that i will just close this long ass review saying that the gameplay (even tho flawed) is the most enjoyable one ive ever experienced in a while
traveling through the forgotten land engulfed in a sense of solitude and awe is an extra corporeal experience that few games managed to achieve and this one completely mastered it (the camera literally moves so that you can explore and enjoy every nook and cranny of this absolute wonder of nature)
the story is powerful and the themes struck even harder
and even tho i havent talked about the ost till now i swear its some of the best orchestral scores a game like this could have
the sound department is usually very silent but as soon as a battle with a colossus begins the ost makes sure to heighten the experience to another level entirely
listen to this or this and tell me this is not a game to try AT LEAST for this amazing ost alone
i dont usually give this high a score to a game but this is honestly one of the most beautiful videogame experiences to the point that i was brought to tears too many times by how jaw dropping everything in this is
lemme just finish this or else i will talk about it forever just play it i feel like everyone should experience this masterpiece at least once in a lifetime
the end cool game
its pretty interesting to me that dormins voice in the beginning is backed up by another female voice to give it that sense of familiarity and tenderness that completely vanishes when he is summoned again . the details behind this game i swear
idk if the finale is implied to be a prequel to ICO but this is still pretty interesting im not so sure wanders reincarnation IS ico but maybe its about his descendants but anyway i still will treat them as standalones so i dont care that much
now i wanted to play the last guardian but its PS4 exclusive . suffering
AGRO AGRO AGRO whistles AGRO
is it me or the first colossus is hot as fuck im sorry
basaran (9th) fucking sucks thats why this game is a 9 and not a 10 i think
top 3 ok VALUS MY BF 4th and maybe 12th ? actually i love all of them but VALUS UGHHHHHHHHH valus im free on saturday if you wanna hang out and stuff on saturday when im free
Kurban bayramı için 16 büyükbaş hayvanat kestiğimiz bir yapım olmuş süper olmuş inanılmaz olmuş çok da iyi olmuş.
A vibe única de SOTC é o que me fascina com ele até os dias de hoje, o sentimento de solidão é imposto de uma maneira tão imersiva que faz com que as cavalgadas com a Agro não sejam apenas um caminho até o próximo colosso.
As batalhas com eles apesar de alguns terem designs parecidos, são todas únicas, tendo estratégias diferentes e coisas distintas a se fazer durante o combate, destaque aqui para as lutas com o Avion e Dirge, de longe as melhores.
A trilha sonora é um ponto forte aqui também, acho sensacional como as trilhas tocam nos momentos da batalhas, mudando de tom quando estamos prestes a acertas os pontos vitais dos colossos.
No PS2 pelo que eu me recordo ele rodava a no mínimo uns 20 FPS, esse port além de aumentar a resolução para 720p, ainda roda a 30 FPS, tendo algumas quedas apenas em alguns momentos de muitas coisas acontecendo na tela, porém para mim foi um port bem descente, conseguindo melhorar a experiência do jogo original.
As batalhas com eles apesar de alguns terem designs parecidos, são todas únicas, tendo estratégias diferentes e coisas distintas a se fazer durante o combate, destaque aqui para as lutas com o Avion e Dirge, de longe as melhores.
A trilha sonora é um ponto forte aqui também, acho sensacional como as trilhas tocam nos momentos da batalhas, mudando de tom quando estamos prestes a acertas os pontos vitais dos colossos.
No PS2 pelo que eu me recordo ele rodava a no mínimo uns 20 FPS, esse port além de aumentar a resolução para 720p, ainda roda a 30 FPS, tendo algumas quedas apenas em alguns momentos de muitas coisas acontecendo na tela, porém para mim foi um port bem descente, conseguindo melhorar a experiência do jogo original.
The HD textures and lighting changes are debatable, I'd have to go back and compare, but overall this was a very good port, especially compared to the tasteless remake. The framerate fixes are also greatly appreciated.
uma das experiências mais maravilhosas que videogames tem a oferecer, problemas pontuais que tornam a batalha contra alguns colossos arrastada e frustrante se tornam completamente irrelevantes quando os momentos grandiosos desse jogo aparecem, especialmente o final
qualquer um que cultiva um mínimo de gosto por videogames precisa jogar isso
qualquer um que cultiva um mínimo de gosto por videogames precisa jogar isso
Unfortunately it has aged very poorly. Its epic and expressive soundtrack goes to waste when you are listening to it on a loop while stuck for fifteen minutes in frustration, trying to figure out which pixel in the colossus' back is grabbable.
While the atmosphere is undoubtedly powerful and the visual design of the colossi stands out even today, the actual design of most encounters is honestly bad and the entire game is seldom readable. More often than not I finished the boss fights feeling exhausted and grumpy, instead of fulfilled or celebratory, and annoyed at the fact that I wasn't really following my own ideas or playing as I thought I had to at first.
I guess it is one of those games that felt way better "at the time", for a generation that had more patience or a different sense of curiosity in videogames, and that is probably something wrong with me rather than with the game, but it feels weird to say so, as the only thing that prevented me from playing this 15 years ago was the fact that I didn't own the magic Sony box.
Edit: boosted up the rating a bit after the moving final section (and that traumatic scene) :(
While the atmosphere is undoubtedly powerful and the visual design of the colossi stands out even today, the actual design of most encounters is honestly bad and the entire game is seldom readable. More often than not I finished the boss fights feeling exhausted and grumpy, instead of fulfilled or celebratory, and annoyed at the fact that I wasn't really following my own ideas or playing as I thought I had to at first.
I guess it is one of those games that felt way better "at the time", for a generation that had more patience or a different sense of curiosity in videogames, and that is probably something wrong with me rather than with the game, but it feels weird to say so, as the only thing that prevented me from playing this 15 years ago was the fact that I didn't own the magic Sony box.
Edit: boosted up the rating a bit after the moving final section (and that traumatic scene) :(
“God help thee, [...] man, thy thoughts have created a creature in thee; and he whose intense thinking thus makes him a Prometheus; a vulture feeds upon that heart forever; the vulture the very creature he creates.”
― Moby-Dick or, the Whale, chapter 44, The Chart
― Moby-Dick or, the Whale, chapter 44, The Chart
It is interesting to think back to a time when originality and creativity were at the forefront of Sony’s first-party exclusives, because those days are long past us now, and it is unlikely we will ever see a game like Shadow of the Colossus again.
The legacy this game has left behind is immense, as it stands as one of the greatest examples of telling a story that can only exist in video games. The sombre mood of the empty, forbidden lands sets the scene for a dark journey not without beauty, but abundant in sorrow that is strung together by gameplay that leads to some of the most epic scenes in the medium. It is an idea that sounds tedious on paper: travel through an empty world to take down giant bosses in a set order, with practically zero side content and finnicky, but considered, controls. No fast travel, no side quests, and only a vague guiding light leading you forward. This is the kind of vision not found in modern-AAA games, probably for good reason, but Team Ico found a way to make it feel like this game never needed any fluff. All this game is, is you, your horse, a sword, a bow, and a clear motivation forcing you towards each colossus. And not once was it ever boring.
Each colossus acts as a puzzle to solve, usually revolving around how to reveal its weak points, or how to find a way to climb onto it. Once this puzzle is solved, the majesty of the encounter begins, and some of the greatest, most epic, music begins playing, and the rush of the battle hits you, sending chills down your spine as you hang on for dear life against the power of the colossus. For a game the has sixteen of these creatures, it’s impressive that almost all of them are fantastic battles. With my experience, I only found myself actively frustrated and disliking the 12th and 15th colossi, but every other encounter was great. In fact, just about my only flaw with this game apart from those two encounters, is that I probably could have played so much more of this game. I guess that’s not really a flaw, but more of a sign of the quality of this game.
Shadow of the Colossus is an unforgettable, unique experience, released during a time when Sony was at the forefront of their creativity, and willing to release exclusives that didn’t fall into a homogenised mould that nearly all of their modern releases do. Japan Studio, and Team Ico, produced some of the most creative and important games in Sony’s catalogue, and in the coming years I think their absence will be noticeable as modern trends die down, and Sony’s exclusives are made up of a bundle of never-ending franchises and overplayed open worlds. At the very least, Shadow of the Colossus is well remembered and well preserved.
Sometimes, to tell a great video game story, you don’t need fancy graphics, Oscar worthy dialogue/performances, or tons of cutscenes. You just need to take a risk.
The legacy this game has left behind is immense, as it stands as one of the greatest examples of telling a story that can only exist in video games. The sombre mood of the empty, forbidden lands sets the scene for a dark journey not without beauty, but abundant in sorrow that is strung together by gameplay that leads to some of the most epic scenes in the medium. It is an idea that sounds tedious on paper: travel through an empty world to take down giant bosses in a set order, with practically zero side content and finnicky, but considered, controls. No fast travel, no side quests, and only a vague guiding light leading you forward. This is the kind of vision not found in modern-AAA games, probably for good reason, but Team Ico found a way to make it feel like this game never needed any fluff. All this game is, is you, your horse, a sword, a bow, and a clear motivation forcing you towards each colossus. And not once was it ever boring.
Each colossus acts as a puzzle to solve, usually revolving around how to reveal its weak points, or how to find a way to climb onto it. Once this puzzle is solved, the majesty of the encounter begins, and some of the greatest, most epic, music begins playing, and the rush of the battle hits you, sending chills down your spine as you hang on for dear life against the power of the colossus. For a game the has sixteen of these creatures, it’s impressive that almost all of them are fantastic battles. With my experience, I only found myself actively frustrated and disliking the 12th and 15th colossi, but every other encounter was great. In fact, just about my only flaw with this game apart from those two encounters, is that I probably could have played so much more of this game. I guess that’s not really a flaw, but more of a sign of the quality of this game.
Shadow of the Colossus is an unforgettable, unique experience, released during a time when Sony was at the forefront of their creativity, and willing to release exclusives that didn’t fall into a homogenised mould that nearly all of their modern releases do. Japan Studio, and Team Ico, produced some of the most creative and important games in Sony’s catalogue, and in the coming years I think their absence will be noticeable as modern trends die down, and Sony’s exclusives are made up of a bundle of never-ending franchises and overplayed open worlds. At the very least, Shadow of the Colossus is well remembered and well preserved.
Sometimes, to tell a great video game story, you don’t need fancy graphics, Oscar worthy dialogue/performances, or tons of cutscenes. You just need to take a risk.
What an achievement this game is.
The mystery of the lands explored in this game are so engrossing.
Also love my boy Agro.
The mystery of the lands explored in this game are so engrossing.
Also love my boy Agro.
It's definitely aged, because controlling things can be relatively clunkly and awkward by modern standards. But Shadow of the Colossus is nonetheless a beautiful and compelling experience unlike any other. Fans of frenetic action may be bored by the more meditative lulls, but I think they serve to punctuate its more dramatic and epic moments. Truly a gem. Highly recommend.
For what it is, a perfect game and an all time classic.
i dont feel sorry i like killing big things
Sometimes less is more. Such a simple but very impactful story and world. So many things are expertly crafted here. It's easy to say the world of Shadow of the Colussus is empty and barren and short but I think that is being disingenous. The game is essentially a boss battle only game. Start at the temple, light up your sword and follow it in the barren world unto the boss fight and repeat 16 times. The game is very much an epic and it feels like it. It's atmosphere and feel is very important.
Battling the colossus's is very fun and kind of a puzzle on the first attempt. Figuring out how to climb them and hit their weakpoint is just as challenging at times as the act of doing it. Each one is different and unique and always in a new location. The game is simple on paper but in execution it's a short but sweet game. I've played it so many time across so many different versions. From the PS2 to the PS3 and the Reamke on PS4. Always an emotional ride.
Platinum #74
Battling the colossus's is very fun and kind of a puzzle on the first attempt. Figuring out how to climb them and hit their weakpoint is just as challenging at times as the act of doing it. Each one is different and unique and always in a new location. The game is simple on paper but in execution it's a short but sweet game. I've played it so many time across so many different versions. From the PS2 to the PS3 and the Reamke on PS4. Always an emotional ride.
Platinum #74
O jogo tem uma vibezinha boa
Revolucionou o mundo dos games😲
Tem uma atmosfera muito foda e interessante😯
Tem uma física que deu vontade de enfiar o controle no meu cú.
Complicado definir o que acho dele, mas considerando que até platinei o remake dele, acho que eu gostei
Revolucionou o mundo dos games😲
Tem uma atmosfera muito foda e interessante😯
Tem uma física que deu vontade de enfiar o controle no meu cú.
Complicado definir o que acho dele, mas considerando que até platinei o remake dele, acho que eu gostei
God shed a single tear when he laid eyes on this game. I can't even think of how proud everyone involved with this production must be of their work, this is one of the most beautiful games ever made.
Also set your system to 480p if you're playing on PS3, the game is way too clean in higher resolutions. Don't play the PS4 remake, it's the epitome of bastardized "shiny graphexxxxxx" remakes that lack the heart and soul of the original, not to mention any integrity. It's a shame I have to give an asterisk to games like this that can't be bothered to be properly preserved in remakes by just including the original untouched but there's no changing it now. Oh well. Anyways, play video game!
Also set your system to 480p if you're playing on PS3, the game is way too clean in higher resolutions. Don't play the PS4 remake, it's the epitome of bastardized "shiny graphexxxxxx" remakes that lack the heart and soul of the original, not to mention any integrity. It's a shame I have to give an asterisk to games like this that can't be bothered to be properly preserved in remakes by just including the original untouched but there's no changing it now. Oh well. Anyways, play video game!
This review contains spoilers
Love lingers so close to flame it casts an engulfing void, before itself igniting in a grand combustion and being reduced to ash. Love's not so simple to keep down though, akin to the spiritual embodiment of the great phoenix, it rises from its ashes to start anew in one form or another.
Clunky controls and mild frustration aside, SotC is a masterpiece aesthetically, thematically and it’s OST is amongst the greats. I view this as one of the most ambitious games for its time.
Português: Top 10 remasters mais fracos e sem melhorias já feitos
English: Top 10 most useless remasters ever made
English: Top 10 most useless remasters ever made
I feel sad, what did I do wrong? An action adventure game with a wide sense of scope, scale, and suspense; that sounds like it could have been the best non-Zelda game out there! As someone who loves Ico, this should have been the game to win my heart over. But it didn't...
Fatigue, exhaustion, anger, stress, why was it that after every colossus fight I immediately had to turn off the game because those were the feelings I felt afterwards? A good, fair boss fight should have gave me a sense of accomplishment, relief, and happiness, yet I rarely felt that throughout the course of the game. My eyes can only be so "amazed" by the large colossuses and excellent orchestral soundtrack when I struggled and hated fighting a vast majority of them.
This should have been a winner, as someone who enjoys the whimsical magic of the Zelda series and the endearing journey that was Ico. But it wasn't...and I feel sad that I am unable to see what makes Shadow of the Colossus so inspiring to others. Regardless of how I feel about the game, the loss of Japan Studio is more disheartening than the differences in opinions I have. I miss Japan Studio, they were the playful, daring, and influential heart that powered Sony Interactive Entertainment. We truly lost one of the best game studios in the world...
Rankings of Colossuses (for those interested)
I: Like
II: Like
III: Like
IV: Like
V: Dislike
VI: Dislike
VII: Dislike
VIII: Dislike
IX: Hate
X: Favorite
XI: Dislike
XII: Hate
XIII: Dislike
XIV: Hate
XV: Least Favorite
XVI: Hate
Fatigue, exhaustion, anger, stress, why was it that after every colossus fight I immediately had to turn off the game because those were the feelings I felt afterwards? A good, fair boss fight should have gave me a sense of accomplishment, relief, and happiness, yet I rarely felt that throughout the course of the game. My eyes can only be so "amazed" by the large colossuses and excellent orchestral soundtrack when I struggled and hated fighting a vast majority of them.
This should have been a winner, as someone who enjoys the whimsical magic of the Zelda series and the endearing journey that was Ico. But it wasn't...and I feel sad that I am unable to see what makes Shadow of the Colossus so inspiring to others. Regardless of how I feel about the game, the loss of Japan Studio is more disheartening than the differences in opinions I have. I miss Japan Studio, they were the playful, daring, and influential heart that powered Sony Interactive Entertainment. We truly lost one of the best game studios in the world...
Rankings of Colossuses (for those interested)
I: Like
II: Like
III: Like
IV: Like
V: Dislike
VI: Dislike
VII: Dislike
VIII: Dislike
IX: Hate
X: Favorite
XI: Dislike
XII: Hate
XIII: Dislike
XIV: Hate
XV: Least Favorite
XVI: Hate
This review contains spoilers
As I have just finished this game, I wanted to take the time to write about how wonderful it is. I wasn't expecting a 16 year old game to compete with today's best titles but wow, it blew me away.
First, the gameplay. Usually, my mindset going into an older game is: "The gameplay won't be as polished but that's fine." SOTC, however, still holds up today. There was never any time that I felt I was being held back by limitations of controls, or mechanics.
Wander, the main character, feels wonderful to control. He's agile, yet not slippery; light, but not weightless. Climbing around the colossi and performing whatever maneuvers are required of you felt challenging, but still possible. It's a wonderful use of the mechanics.
And the design of each colossus plays well into that. They're all meant to provide you with a trial and error challenge, requiring you to resolve ways to defeat each one individually. They work so well, and not a single one made me feel it was "too hard" or "cheap".
Lastly, this game (I feel) is the perfect example of minimalist storytelling. Not much information is presented yet it tells an in-depth story. You get a brief background, introductions to Dormin, and you're on your way to kill colossi.
It's only through the game that you realize the bleak reality that's been set and continues to unfold. Wander is doing this work, presumably with a stolen sword from his tribe, to revive this woman. Dormin tells him he has to kill the colossi for his goal, yet it seems misleading.
As Wander kills each colossus, you see tendrils of darkness enter his body from the corpses. He absorbs the darkness in each one and it slightly affects him, slowly changing his physique every few times he reawakens in the temple.
That's one of the main themes of this game, light and darkness cannot exist without the other. Where there's abundant light, there exists minimal darkness, and vice versa. It's very subtle through most of the playthrough but you're constantly being reminded.
By the time you realize that the darkness is taking over Wander, it's too late. Taking out the colossi was just Dormin's plan to have himself revived, as the statues and accompanying colossi were binds that kept his form from being physical.
Dormin's voice changes here too. In his invisible form, he had two voices, one male, one female, representing the forces that were oppressing him to that state. To bind his overwhelming, even evil masculinity, they added a feminine presence. Tiny but great addition
Now when member's of Wander's tribe take out Dormin, seemingly killing him, the story seems as it is going to be a win for no one. However, right before the credits, we see Mono, the woman Wander had brought with him, arise from the table.
She walks to where Dormin was put to rest, and finds a child with horns. Without any way to know, we can only presume this is the remaining physical form of Wander, being reduced from his body being a host to Dormin. Now even this short scene portrays a LOT.
Mono has been radiating light the entire time. While she was just in the sun beforehand, she's even glowing in dark places now. I presumed this to be because of the last bit of good in Dormin's heart used to revive Mono. Especially being attached to a caring woman.
Wander's form now has horns, representing the last bit of evil, or even just presence, inside him from Dormin. Reduced to this form, it's easy to see the true characteristics of Dormin, childish and immature.
All this being another allegory for two polar opposites not being able to exist without each other. Dormin's caring side couldn't exist without his evil side, and vice versa. Light cannot exist without darkness and the opposite.
To conclude, SOTC is a beautiful tragedy telling the realities of life. Positives cannot exist without negatives and the reverse is true. We encounter them all the time yet it's up to us to determine which is which and allow those we want to enter out hearts before it's too late.
First, the gameplay. Usually, my mindset going into an older game is: "The gameplay won't be as polished but that's fine." SOTC, however, still holds up today. There was never any time that I felt I was being held back by limitations of controls, or mechanics.
Wander, the main character, feels wonderful to control. He's agile, yet not slippery; light, but not weightless. Climbing around the colossi and performing whatever maneuvers are required of you felt challenging, but still possible. It's a wonderful use of the mechanics.
And the design of each colossus plays well into that. They're all meant to provide you with a trial and error challenge, requiring you to resolve ways to defeat each one individually. They work so well, and not a single one made me feel it was "too hard" or "cheap".
Lastly, this game (I feel) is the perfect example of minimalist storytelling. Not much information is presented yet it tells an in-depth story. You get a brief background, introductions to Dormin, and you're on your way to kill colossi.
It's only through the game that you realize the bleak reality that's been set and continues to unfold. Wander is doing this work, presumably with a stolen sword from his tribe, to revive this woman. Dormin tells him he has to kill the colossi for his goal, yet it seems misleading.
As Wander kills each colossus, you see tendrils of darkness enter his body from the corpses. He absorbs the darkness in each one and it slightly affects him, slowly changing his physique every few times he reawakens in the temple.
That's one of the main themes of this game, light and darkness cannot exist without the other. Where there's abundant light, there exists minimal darkness, and vice versa. It's very subtle through most of the playthrough but you're constantly being reminded.
By the time you realize that the darkness is taking over Wander, it's too late. Taking out the colossi was just Dormin's plan to have himself revived, as the statues and accompanying colossi were binds that kept his form from being physical.
Dormin's voice changes here too. In his invisible form, he had two voices, one male, one female, representing the forces that were oppressing him to that state. To bind his overwhelming, even evil masculinity, they added a feminine presence. Tiny but great addition
Now when member's of Wander's tribe take out Dormin, seemingly killing him, the story seems as it is going to be a win for no one. However, right before the credits, we see Mono, the woman Wander had brought with him, arise from the table.
She walks to where Dormin was put to rest, and finds a child with horns. Without any way to know, we can only presume this is the remaining physical form of Wander, being reduced from his body being a host to Dormin. Now even this short scene portrays a LOT.
Mono has been radiating light the entire time. While she was just in the sun beforehand, she's even glowing in dark places now. I presumed this to be because of the last bit of good in Dormin's heart used to revive Mono. Especially being attached to a caring woman.
Wander's form now has horns, representing the last bit of evil, or even just presence, inside him from Dormin. Reduced to this form, it's easy to see the true characteristics of Dormin, childish and immature.
All this being another allegory for two polar opposites not being able to exist without each other. Dormin's caring side couldn't exist without his evil side, and vice versa. Light cannot exist without darkness and the opposite.
To conclude, SOTC is a beautiful tragedy telling the realities of life. Positives cannot exist without negatives and the reverse is true. We encounter them all the time yet it's up to us to determine which is which and allow those we want to enter out hearts before it's too late.
Hayatımda hiçbir zaman sınırlı içeriğe sahip bir oyunu bu kadar seveceğimi düşünmememe rağmen bu oyunu ilk gördüğüm andan itibaren beni çekeceğini sezmiştim. Keza ilk oynadığımda da sezgilerimin beni yanıltmadığını görmüş olmak ekstradan sevmeme sebep oldu. Git gudcuların "bossu kestiğimde tatmin oluyor, zevk alıyorum" gibi argümanlarının ve savunmalarının aynısını bu oyun için söyleyebilirim. Her kılıcı saplayışımda ayrı bir zevk aldım. Keşke 17.Colossi ben olsam
This review contains spoilers
Nem em si uma review, mais um relato de que esse game marcou a transição entre eu ser um fake gamer🤓(zerador de YouTube) pra um gamer raiz🤢 (que joga o game sem ver tutorial e ir na marra) graças a um amigo meu que me convenceu a mudar a maneira que eu jogava as coisas, e que jogo bom pra começar isso.
O mapa aberto, com o game que não fala NADA do que fazer, só tenta deixar autoexplicativo unicamente te dando uma espada que aponta os lugar pra ir, foi uma decisão que eu achei esquisita por parte de design mas que fez eu olhar com outros olhos os games que são bem dirigidos e não te falam tudo que você tem que fazer.
Não impediu de fazer eu sofrer com o mamutão e depois só no boss voador que eu perdi as contas de quantas vezes cai por causa que ele entra e sai da terra slk vsf aquele bicho🖕
Tirando tudo isso, foi épico lutar contra o primeiro boss voador pra uma puta duma OST perfeita tocar enquanto tu tá quase sem estamina pra se segurar nele.
Foi muito foda lutar contra o boss Serpente que eu tinha visto como ele era medonho e que as crianças tinham cagaço dele na época 😨.
Achei chato mas necessário o colosso marítimo.
E por último, a ambientação do game é linda, uma mistura de branco, com amarelo, com verde, junto com a sensação de solidão, é algo muito gostoso.
Pra época que esse jogo saiu (no caso, a versão de PS2) é incrível como existia Elden Ring desde aquela época.
Piada bosta a parte, esse jogo tem seu mérito de ser tão diferente dos outros na época.
O mapa aberto, com o game que não fala NADA do que fazer, só tenta deixar autoexplicativo unicamente te dando uma espada que aponta os lugar pra ir, foi uma decisão que eu achei esquisita por parte de design mas que fez eu olhar com outros olhos os games que são bem dirigidos e não te falam tudo que você tem que fazer.
Não impediu de fazer eu sofrer com o mamutão e depois só no boss voador que eu perdi as contas de quantas vezes cai por causa que ele entra e sai da terra slk vsf aquele bicho🖕
Tirando tudo isso, foi épico lutar contra o primeiro boss voador pra uma puta duma OST perfeita tocar enquanto tu tá quase sem estamina pra se segurar nele.
Foi muito foda lutar contra o boss Serpente que eu tinha visto como ele era medonho e que as crianças tinham cagaço dele na época 😨.
Achei chato mas necessário o colosso marítimo.
E por último, a ambientação do game é linda, uma mistura de branco, com amarelo, com verde, junto com a sensação de solidão, é algo muito gostoso.
Pra época que esse jogo saiu (no caso, a versão de PS2) é incrível como existia Elden Ring desde aquela época.
Piada bosta a parte, esse jogo tem seu mérito de ser tão diferente dos outros na época.
Have seen countless playthroughs of it since I was a kid, but I still wanted to play it.
It's sense of scale during battle is only matched by the sheer wonder and mystique traversing the forbidden lands. An utterly, one of a kind, fascinating game.
It's sense of scale during battle is only matched by the sheer wonder and mystique traversing the forbidden lands. An utterly, one of a kind, fascinating game.
Type of game where I can say "this boss fucking sucks" and have to search up the solution on how to beat it and then also say it's one of my favourite games of all time. Besides the soundtrack, bosses, story and emotion, I love the open world and just how empty it feels. Unless you get super lost there you will probably miss half of the map on your initial playthrough. The world design feels so intentional and yet so untouched at the same time. I can see why the Secret Seekers thought there may be something to find like a 17th colossus.
Peak "play it at a friends house" gaming
Incredible atmosphere and solid OST could not make up for the horrendous gameplay in my eyes, sadly.
The controls feel clunky, but some of the boss fights are outstanding, both from a design and gameplay standpoint.
OST perfeita
Provavelmente o jogo mais único de todos.
Lenda do Ps2
Atmosfera indescritível.
Solidão...
EU TE AMO SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS
Provavelmente o jogo mais único de todos.
Lenda do Ps2
Atmosfera indescritível.
Solidão...
EU TE AMO SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS
Pure art, simple as that.