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