Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

...you ask…

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (PS2)

Yes, I know… I'm still old school, I'm afraid. I still haven't been able to save enough pennies to acquire an all singing, all dancing PS3 - but that's a whole other story that I won't go into here and now.

The PS2 still has some truly incredible games on it that I would still keep in my collection even when I do (eventually) own a PS3 - therefore ensuring I never ...
...the review.

Shadow Of The Colossus (let's call it SOTC from this point on for the sake of my poor fingers) is an extremely unique game. In fact, it's one of those very rare games that is more than merely a game. It is an experience.


THE STORY

From the outside looking in, the premise of the game appears extremely simple and repetitive. You play a hero named Wander (who I have always thought looks ... more

It's been quite some time since I last penned a review, due to there not being enough hours in any given day to juggle an eleven month old baby (age correct at time of typing this), a demanding job and other daily trials and tribulations. Add trying to plan, let alone write a review to that list and you're talking about spinning a lot of metaphorical plates…

However… Sometimes I come back out of the woodwork with a review that proves that I actually am still alive. Bloody knackered but alive.

So… digression aside, "What wondrous product has proven itself review-worthy?" I hear you ask…

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS (PS2)

Yes, I know… I'm still old school, I'm afraid. I still haven't been able to save enough pennies to acquire an all singing, all dancing PS3 - but that's a whole other story that I won't go into here and now.

The PS2 still has some truly incredible games on it that I would still keep in my collection even when I do (eventually) own a PS3 - therefore ensuring I never buy a 40Gb model which has no backward compatibility - so it'll have to either be a rare 60Gb model from eBay or the likes or maybe even the 80Gb version which Sony seem to be keeping away from European shores at this point in time… Yet more proof that Sony are dry-humping video game players on this side of the Atlantic.

Okay… Rant over. Let's get back to the review.

Shadow Of The Colossus (let's call it SOTC from this point on for the sake of my poor fingers) is an extremely unique game. In fact, it's one of those very rare games that is more than merely a game. It is an experience.

THE STORY

From the outside looking in, the premise of the game appears extremely simple and repetitive. You play a hero named Wander (who I have always thought looks slightly effeminate but that's by the by) who at the start of the game rides into a huge shrine on his horse, Agro (more on the Agro shortly). When he dismounts, he takes the cloak-wrapped body of a dead girl to an altar.

As Wander takes the girl - named Mono - to the altar, he encounters several shadowy, human forms that materialise and seem to wish to attack him. When Wander presents an ancient sword that he carries, they disappear. Suddenly, a voice booms down from the heavens to Wander. This is the voice of Lord Dormin - who speaks in an intertwined male and female voice. Dormin is surprised that Wander has this sword. When Wander demands that Dormin return the dead girls soul to her body, thus bringing her back to life, Dormin states this is possible - but only if he can use the special sword to destroy sixteen huge beasts named Colossi that are found across the vast landscape surrounding the shrine - and so begins Wanders epic quest - and that of the player!

So… you have to search out these Colossi that roam the landscape. How hard can it be? If they're huge (and some most definitely are!) they should be east to find, you may well think… However the landscape is also enormous! There are some factors that make the landscapes a little easier to traverse. The first being Wanders aforementioned horse, Agro. As well as being a means to cover more ground much faster than could be done on foot, Agro is also a character in his own right and is every bit the trusty steed that every ye olde-fashioned hero should have. The other benefit to finding your way around the landscape (apart from the map screen that can be accessed at any time) is the sword itself.

If Wander raises the sword into the sunlight, the rays reflect back from it and depending on the direction that Wander faces, the beams may either be generally spread out or pinpoint into a beam of light that indicates the direction where the next Colossi you must find and defeat lies in wait. Before you begin to think this sounds far too easy, bear in mind that the beam of light may point you in the direction of the next enemy but doesn't take into account any hurdles that may stand in your way. Your path to the next Colossi will rarely ever be straightforward, with many obstructions such as hills, mountains, valleys, canyons and forests in your way. Another factor that adds to both the realism and difficulty of the game is that when Wander enters a darker area where the sunlight doesn't reach, the ability to use the sword to find your way in the direction of the Colossi is removed.

PLAYABILITY

The gameplay in SOTC is all in all a very fulfilling experience with a good learning curve. When you start a new game, the path to the first Colossi is full of little tutorial messages which let you get to grips with some of the basic manoeuvres such as jumping, climbing and rolling etc.

When you get on Agro for the first time, again there are some tutorial messages that tell you how to control him from a slow trot to a full-speed gallop. When you have played the game for a little while, galloping around on Agro will be like second nature to you. When you take him full pelt into something such as a wall (accidentally of course!) or to a sheer cliff edge, he will rear up with an alarmed whinny. Thankfully, the game doesn't let you commit horseycide - although you can make Wander leap to his doom if you so wish…

When you are up against each Colossi, you must try to think about how they can be defeated. As the Colossi are all different shapes and sizes, you must try to establish how to get onto them as well as finding out where their weak spots are. Some Colossi have one weak spot whereas others may have two or three - all of which must be stabbed with the sword in order to bring down their energy bar. Once all of their energy is depleted they are defeated (that rhymes… I'm a poet and I don't know it!). Their weak spots are virtually never on display (although you can usually use the sword to find the weak spots with reflected sunlight) - some Colossi have armour that must be depleted or destroyed - usually using the surrounding environment. Some Colossi have what appears to be fur or perhaps even grass on their bodies that Wander can grab hold of and climb. The Colossi are very enigmatic and leave the player questioning whether they are alive, machines or something else entirely. Every Colossi that you encounter is thrilling to fight and requires a different approach from the last to defeat. The sensation of "being there" is remarkable as you have Wander holding on for dear life as the Colossi tries to violently shrug you off.

While some have said that each Colossi battle is nothing more than a glorified end-of-level-boss fight, I must point out that there are no levels within this game and as each Colossi is vastly different, the experience of fighting each one is unique, highly entertaining and thrilling.

GRAPHICS

The graphics in SOTC are nothing short of breath-taking - especially when you consider that they are being produced on a PS2. The landscapes are incredible to behold - equalling the beauty and scale of the Lord Of The Rings movies. The architecture is generally beautiful - with the design of the shrine, vast bridges and other monuments being fantastic.

The landscape itself is so enormous that it is quite desolate in places. Rather than ever coming across as a limitation in the programming, it is undoubtedly deliberate in order to make the player feel alone in this strange and fantastic land. Often, there are nice touches to be seen on the journey - from lizards scampering around the ground and the occasional eagle swooping in from above before soaring off into the distance. There is so much I could tell you about how beautiful the graphics are but I wouldn't be able to cover it all here. There are eye-popping water falls and views from cliff tops. The draw distance isn't perfect but nine times out of ten you can see far enough into the distant horizon to marvel at the incredible world the game designers and programmers have created for your gaming pleasure.

Wander is a finely animated and executed main character with convincing movements regardless of his actions - even when he is being tossed about like a rag doll whilst trying to hold on to a Colossi in the heat of battle.

Agro is a life-like and utterly convincing digital interpretation of a horse. Again, he is very well animated and nicely detailed - right down to a mane and tail that blow in the wind as he gallops around.

As I've said previously, the graphics are amazing and there is far too much attention to detail to mention here. Prepare for your jaw to suitably drop.

SOUND

The sound of SOTC is a perfect match to the brilliant visuals. If you are of the patient variety and watch the opening credits/sequence (which I recommend you do - at least once) you will be treated to incredible orchestral music which accompanies the astounding visuals seamlessly. As they say, first impressions last and my first impressions of this game were… WOW!!!

During the game, music is kept mostly to when you encounter and fight the Colossi. In the heat of battle, the music becomes very dramatic and adds to the fear factor of falling off the Colossi when you are trying desperately to keep Wanders grip on the big, wriggling beastie!

Out with the music score, the sound in the game is mostly ambient noise of the landscape.

The sound of Agros hooves pounding the ground as he gallops is utterly convincing and adds to his realism. All of the other ambient sounds whether it be the wind blowing across the land, waterfalls or anything else for that matter all sound perfect and sound even better through surround speakers. If you want to chill out and relax, you could always sit Wander and Agro somewhere out of harms way and just listen to the sounds while you close your eyes and kick back…

VALUE

The game is challenging and very, very original. I can't say exactly how many of hours gameplay are in the game - as I think every player is different and plays at a different pace. Suffice to say the game will last you quite a while and be an incredible and unique experience while it lasts.

It's difficult to say how to rate the games replay factor. I think it's likely to be a game worthy of returning to at some point in the future after its completion - if even just to remind you how much of an achievement the game actually is.

What is not difficult to gauge is that this is a game that deserves to be in most game collections. I say most as it will probably not appeal to everyone but it's a game that my other half (AKA Katie) actually likes. She's not only commented how nice the game looks etc but has unbelievably picked up a joypad and attempted to start her new game herself! Sadly, she is utterly crap at it and now just watched my games from time to time (or should I say when I occasionally get a chance to play the PS2 when Kate and I are not tending to a teething baby*).

Of course, Kate only has a passing interest in the game as "it has romance in it" - by that she means that Wander would risk his own life to resurrect Mono.

MY CONCLUSION

I started writing this review while I was still nearing the completion of Shadow Of The Colossus… My conclusion is now based upon having recently completed the game.

None of my early opinions on the game that I have written above have changed and if anything, I love the game more than ever now that I reached journeys end. I was both excited about and dreading completing the game as I wanted to see how Wanders quest would end but in doing so, the game and experience of playing through without knowing what lay ahead would be over.

Katie had long since given up on trying to play the game but still took great interest in it and ensured she was present as the end of the game loomed on the horizon. She stuck with me as my "gamers tourettes syndrome" kicked off every time a Colossi kicked, threw and stamped Wanders arse into oblivion.

However, we both survived my Colossi related outbursts and found that as the game reached its finale, there were some big shocks and surprises in store. Obviously, I am not going to reveal any of them here. What I will say, however is that I think it safe to say that I have never felt so emotional when playing a video game before - and I have played a lot of them for pretty much most of my life.

The ending of the game stunned both myself and Kate. I'm not entirely sure I understood it 100% but it was amazing. Another proof of how incredible both the game and its finale were is that Kate and I have spoken about it on quite a few occasions since its completion. Now… as you may have noticed, I love video games and movies. I drive Kate insane with my almost constant ramblings about games and films and yet, she has raised conversations about SOTC, my reactions to what was happening as the game reached its finale and how she viewed the events that had unfolded in the game. For Kate to speak about video games is practically unheard of but this is the power of the game - to capture the imagination of games players as well as people who don't.

I spoke to Kate about the question as to whether or not we could ever be surprised if Hollywood ever decides to spew out a SOTC movie. What I would be extremely surprised about is if it can even capture a fraction of what makes the game unique and truly spectacular. Without the interactive angle of playing a video game, it is highly questionable how on earth anyone could make a movie of this work.

I know someone who once told me that people who played SOTC thought of it as an almost religious experience. While I wouldn't go as far as saying that (probably as I'm not an overly religious person) I would say that it truly is an experience unlike anything else you will have played before or may again (although there are rumblings that a sequel may be in the works on the PS3).

I'm sure SOTC will not appeal to everyone but I urge any games player to try it. If it's not your particular brand of vodka then fair enough but if it's for you then prepare for your jaw to drop and to fall in love with this game. I did.

Many thanks for reading this.

Derek. 

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