I am so glad I played the PS2 version in all of its gorgeous aesthetic.
Fumito Ueda games are always an aesthetical achievement. The ability to carve emotional landscapes which feel so ethereal is stunning. The overwhelming bloom lighting and vast rolling hills and plains are incredibly immersive, the muted and washed tones of green, brown and gray envelopes the feeling of the game, as this desolate and cold world despite its blinding sheen when you trot along the flowing environment on your horse towards your next Colossi. The world of SOTC is purposely empty, meticulously designed, which further helps to push the feelings of cold illumination, intriguing mystique , two juxtaposing ideas, liminality where there exists nothing but the Colossi. You play as “Wander”, making your way to each Colossus and slowly putting an end to what little life remains including lizards which you also kill because it makes you stronger. As the player we directly contribute to Wanders’ violence even though ultimately Wander makes the decision to kill every Colossi in order to bring back Mono. At the end of the game Wander is forced to face his consequences and it ends up affecting us as the player as well, where we decay into the physical embodiment of Dormin himself, this is the result of Wanders actions on a personal level, was it really worth killing the Colossi? Their shrieking roars which we start to find empathy for. The game deliberately throws nuance to this question adding a moral facet. While the mixed emotions of the colossi and their enigmatic and curious state show that perhaps ending such a monolithic life form is not the right choice, the end of the game shows Mono alongside deers, doves, flora and fauna indicating rebirth and tenderness. Perhaps banishing Dormin tore away his aura over the forbidden lands which brought back warmth and serenity to what was an almost lifeless domain. SOTC is not only about the consequences of your violent actions and the idea of futility but also accepting what can’t be changed.
Fumito Ueda games are always an aesthetical achievement. The ability to carve emotional landscapes which feel so ethereal is stunning. The overwhelming bloom lighting and vast rolling hills and plains are incredibly immersive, the muted and washed tones of green, brown and gray envelopes the feeling of the game, as this desolate and cold world despite its blinding sheen when you trot along the flowing environment on your horse towards your next Colossi. The world of SOTC is purposely empty, meticulously designed, which further helps to push the feelings of cold illumination, intriguing mystique , two juxtaposing ideas, liminality where there exists nothing but the Colossi. You play as “Wander”, making your way to each Colossus and slowly putting an end to what little life remains including lizards which you also kill because it makes you stronger. As the player we directly contribute to Wanders’ violence even though ultimately Wander makes the decision to kill every Colossi in order to bring back Mono. At the end of the game Wander is forced to face his consequences and it ends up affecting us as the player as well, where we decay into the physical embodiment of Dormin himself, this is the result of Wanders actions on a personal level, was it really worth killing the Colossi? Their shrieking roars which we start to find empathy for. The game deliberately throws nuance to this question adding a moral facet. While the mixed emotions of the colossi and their enigmatic and curious state show that perhaps ending such a monolithic life form is not the right choice, the end of the game shows Mono alongside deers, doves, flora and fauna indicating rebirth and tenderness. Perhaps banishing Dormin tore away his aura over the forbidden lands which brought back warmth and serenity to what was an almost lifeless domain. SOTC is not only about the consequences of your violent actions and the idea of futility but also accepting what can’t be changed.