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

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) :(

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.