Wow! Just wow! Shadow of The Colossus is a humble game, it's not Mario, COD or Zelda but it had cemented a place very deserving in my heart. This is one of those games that I'd heard so much about but never bothered to pick up a copy simply because it just slipped me by time and time again but after stumbling across it in a video store I decided now's a better time than any to give it a crack. Needless to say I don't want to return it to the video store tomorrow! Shadow of The Colossus is a truly remarkable game and is unlike any game I've ever played, I'm classing it as action/adventure but only because it's an adventure with a great deal of action but even still I feel it almost deserves its own genre. Honestly I'm ashamed that it has taken me this long to get around to playing this game, it deserves all the praise it gets. Shadow of The Colossus is considered the spiritual successor to Team Ico's cult classic hit Ico. Team Ico is apart of SCEI (Sony Computer Entertainment International) and have cemented their place in history as a legend in game development. In recent years it has also been established that both games are indeed linked and that Shadow of The Colossus is a prequel to Ico in some respects. Considering SoTC came out in late 2005 it's amazing to see back on the PS2 it's amazing to see just how much it maximizes the consoles capability, I for one would love to see a game like this on next generation consoles!
Now the overall game and concept is simple but it's compelled in a very thrilling manner. You play as Wander who has travelled to a distant forbidden land in order to revive the lost soul of his love, Mono. Wander seeks the Shrine of Worship and encounters the voice of Dormin, Wander requests that Mono's soul be restored but in Dormin's current state he cannot. Dormin explains that in order to restore Mono's life Wander must track down sixteen Colossi across the land destroy them. Dormin goes onto say that completing this task may come at a terrible price, however Wander still insists and sets off to topple the colossal beings. The story unfolds further as you progress but I don't want to spoil any surprises! So as you all by now have surely gathered, SoTC has one simple objective; find and destroy the sixteen Colossi that roam the lands. The gameplay and setting is considerably different to that of other action/adventure games. The over-world is a vast land similar to that of Skyrim with different environments and locales however you don't encounter any other characters or enemies other than the Colossi. Now this may seem weird but it adds impact and makes you feel truly alone in a lost forbidden land. Traversing the world can be done on foot or by your horse Argo, which makes exploration feel like a real effort. Every Colossi has their own domain which you must locate using the guiding light of your sword, given that it only provides you with a rough direction it can make for finding some of the beats quite tough and interesting.
Lastly let's talk about the centrepiece of it all, the Colossi battles! This is where the game really starts to shine with each Colossi battle being more challenging than the last. These beasts come in many forms, all relatively large and some larger than others. Essentially the combat is split into two parts; firstly you must use the light of your sword to find weakness' on the beasts body, simple enough right? You then have to use your head to work out how you're going to get into the Colossus itself, this can be as simple as jumping and grabbing onto some dangling hair, using the environments around you or provoking them to make them open to attacks. The second part of the battle is the combat whereby once you're onboard the beast then be prepared for an intense show. Climbing up these large monsters really does feel like an ordeal, working your way up their arms or legs while they try to shake you off makes for an adrenaline pumping experience. Coupled with this and your stamina bar that slowly drains you'' be well and truly on the edge of your seat. Some Colossi can fly while others are simply gigantic bipeds or quadrupeds but being arming with your trusty sword and bow you should have no trouble taking down these towering beasts. This is one of those games that you just need to play it to appreciate just how unique the experience is, every Colossus will keep you guessing and work your brain and combat tactics. This is stunning and very pretty game and everyone should play it once in their lifetime!
Genre: Action Adventure
Platforms: PS2, PS3 HD Remake
Score: 9.5 / 10
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