"A Lonely Warrior, A Barren World, An Epic Quest"

Shadow of the Colossus

The makers of Ico are back with a game that is officially listed as a prequel to their cult hit. Shadow of the Colossus takes you on a beautiful, heartrending journey full of love, lies, and the deepest moral quandary this side of paper or plastic. The minimalist approach taken here is perfect, as this is a story not of a hero, but of a protagonist, and his lonely journey.

Overview and Presentation: Shadow of the Colossus is brought to you by Fumito Ueda, the same designer who gave us the stunning and mind-bending Ico. This game is actually a prequel to Ico, and its contents will likely answer some of the questions of that game's fans (as well as provide new ones). His penchant for beautiful game design is back in full force, as you are swept through lush plains full of life into harsh deserts, all the while being captivated by your surroundings. But why are you in this beautiful land? What's your purpose? Well that my friends, is where the mystery of this game lies.

You control a nameless young man (nicknamed "Wander" by the online community, due to the fact that he is a wanderer in this land, attempt to complete his quest), who brings a lifeless young woman (Mono) to a temple at the edge of the world. The relationship between Wander and Mono is never clearly defined, but he has brought her to this temple in the hopes of bringing her back from the dead. After laying Mono on an altar, Wander is addressed by the disembodied voice of Dormin, a mysterious entity that promises to grant Wander's wish in return for his services. Wander agrees to the task, and Dormin sets him out on the land to hunt the 16 giant colossi that roam the wilds. Wander sets out without question, determined to do whatever it takes to revive Mono.

The voyage you trek is a lonely one, with only Wander, and his horse Agro, populating the game. Aside from the occasional salamander scuttling by or a rare hawk in the sky, Wander is alone, left to his quest. This setup really brings you into the world of the game. Your quest is yours alone, no one will help you, and no one, other than the colossi, will hinder you. There are no generic enemies to fight, no friendly NPCs to point the way, just you and the vast open world. This is a great approach and fits the mood of the game perfectly. While the colossi you fight are terrifying, it is also a welcome relief to see some other form of life on this forbidden land.

As for the colossi themselves, they are truly a sight to behold, coming in all shapes and sizes, each is unique and presents distinct challenges. Every colossus moves and reacts to Wander in different ways, some with unchecked aggression, others with total indifference. Discovering the personality of each colossus is key in defeating it, turning aggression against some, while goading others into a fight, thus making them expose their weakness. During the course of a fight you come to feel as though you know this beast, and almost feel a sense of despair when a mighty monster falls. After all, there is nothing telling us the colossi are evil, you merely destroy them because you have been told to, all in the hopes of reviving Mono.

A really, REALLY love the way this game was presented and its simple elegance. It manages to be a terrific looking game without taking the processing power of the PS2. Truly breathtaking, and masterful and manipulating your emotions.

10 out of 10

Sound: The minimalist approach applies here as well, as for vast sections of the game there is no music whatsoever. There will be times when you travel a vast distance with no sound other than the hoof beats of Agro, combined with the horse's heavy breathing as you push him farther and farther toward your goals. When the colossi do appear, the music kicks in, quickening your pulse and letting you know a fight is imminent. As you press the attack, the strains become more tense, your climbs up to dizzying heights are accompanied by a very fitting soundtrack, giving the adventure an even more epic feel. The voice acting in the game is really unimportant, as all the characters speak in a combination of backwards Japanese and Latin. Much like Ico, the language itself is gibberish and the story is told through the captions accompanying speech. Overall, the sound and music of the game do exactly as intended, further the adventure without getting in the way. While you won't be missing too much by muting the game, you won't quite get the full experience without it.

8.5 out of 10

Controls: This is the only area of the game I have significant qualms with, and the only thing that really keeps it from a perfect score. The other imperfections are so minor as to be outweighed by the good, but this is one area where I was disappointed. The game strives for simplicity but in the process slipped into sloppy and sluggish. While fighting a colossus you are forced to jump, cling, climb, and stab all while doing your best to keep from falling to your doom and being forced to work your way back up all over again. Unfortunately the game can be uncooperative in the moments when action heats up. Often times while you climb the colossus will buck, spin, or lurch and Wander will end up shifting position, effectively reversing your controls. I know there's meant to be an element of strategy to this, but there were times when I found myself effectively stuck when just a moment ago I was on my way to victory because the colossus I was clinging to moved at an odd angle. As I dropped off the creature to regroup I couldn't help but grow frustrated that all my hard work was for naught, and I would be starting over again with lost health and stamina. These frustrations are compounded when riding Agro, as he is not the most responsive creature in the land. Turning is determined relative to the camera, so as you move it to get a better view you may end up inadvertently turning Agro too far and either slowing him down mightily, stopping altogether, or turning in the wrong direction. Trying to get Agro through tight spot or across narrow, winding bridges can prove to be more complicated that astrophysics at times, so much so that you may just say forget it and walk through the complicated spots. This wouldn't be a big deal if you merely had to ride Agro to the colossi, but there are a few fights where he is integral to your battle plan. Suffice it to say that trying to spur your horse, aim a bow and arrow, position to jump onto a moving colossus, and avoid various battlefield obstacles can be very frustrating.

Sadly in a game where so much goes right, the controls go wrong. When things work they are seamless, but far more often you'll find yourself cursing under your breath as you fall from missing what appeared to be a simple jump or stop a colossus chase cold as Agro runs into a wall. So close to great, so far from perfect.

6.75 out of 10

Gameplay: If you are looking for an experience you have never had before, this game is for you. Each colossus is its own moving, breathing puzzle. You must use your sword to locate each beast, and then a combination of your sword and bow and arrow to attack the creature's weak points. Most levels consist of you luring the colossus to a certain location, using the environment to your advantage in reaching the monster and climbing the creature's fur to discover and stab glowing weak spots. Don't expect these creatures to go quietly though, if you were 3 stories tall and some kid was climbing on you and stabbing you with a sword I imagine you'd get a bit upset too. For their part, the colossi spin, shake, buck, and writhe to try and get you off. Throughout a fight you have a stamina meter that drains as you hang from the beasts. Once the gauge empties you will fall off, hopefully it's not a long way down (which it usually is). So while you do spend a good amount of time planning your attack you also must work quickly if you plan to fell the creatures before you become too weak.

As for the battles themselves, they are quite epic. You feel quite a sense of accomplishment when you fell one of these majestic creatures, and even a tinge of sadness as you watch them draw their final breath and crash to the earth. There are times where you begin to wonder if perhaps you are the bad guy as you destroy creatures that have in no way harmed you, and only attack out of self-defense. Each fight is bittersweet, and you are left wondering whose side you are truly on.

The game's pacing is also very good, as just when you start to lose interest there will likely be a telling cutscene or moment of dialogue that spurs you on. The world you inhabit is a mysterious one, with twists and turns in the plot right up until the very end. Even the ending will likely leave you scratching your head intent on figuring out what it all means. Couple this with the fact that there are 4 different play modes (normal, hard, time attack, and hard time attack) and the game is extremely replayable. No two battles are ever the same and the depth of the game will keep you coming back until the last colossus falls and the meaning of it all is revealed. Truly a unique and wonderful experience.

9 out of 10

Overall: Shadow of the Colossus is a rare game that takes a subdued approach but still delivers what could be considered a spiritual experience. It is engaging on every level, and forces you to connect the dots of the story and determine just who all these characters are and what they mean to this world. The game's biggest weakness is by far its controls, but if you can get past those you will find an engrossing experience that you just won't ever want to let go of.

8.75 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/16/07