I've finally Passed my driving test (17/09/07). PS3 and a 32" Samsung HDTV owner. After my long...
I've finally Passed my driving test (17/09/07). PS3 and a 32" Samsung HDTV owner. After my long break from cia (playing my PS3), i'm back and going to try and start doing reviews on the games.
Member since:29.07.2005
Reviews:59
Members who trust:47
Updated 13 April 2006 Game Info
Genre = Action Adventure Developer = Sony Publisher = Sony Players = 1 Player Online = No Age = 12+ Memory Usage = 320KB Minimum Released = February2006
--------------------------------------------------------------- STORY: Exclusive to the Ps2 from the makers of ICO comes an extraordinary game called Shadow Of The Colossus. You play as a boy/young man called Wanda who has traveled very far on his horse, Agro. He arrives at this strange forbidden land to see if the legends are true, that say that he can save his loved one by returning her soul that was taken from her by a curse. In the temple, a voice speaks from the heavens, says that the ancient sword you are carrying can be used to save her and that the land has these's incarnated idols that are roaming the area as massive huge beasts. The only weapon that can kill them is your sword, so one by one of you must kill the 16 colossi to gain their unimaginable power to resurrect lost souls.
GRAPHICS: The graphics are stunning - you travel on horseback across seamless miles of an ancient land, the landscapes go on and on with no loading times at all. Exploring this land you will find waterfalls that go down into the rippling lakes, seas and oceans. You see dusty deserts with dazzling sun light shiny all around and shadowy areas along side huge rocky cliffs leading to dark gloomy narrow paths taking you to caves. The best looking place, if you were remember the wooded area in metal gear solid 3 and the LOTR films are the many tall trees blocking the light out apart from some beams of light coming through on a leafy and muddy ground that looks so real and striking that it is one of the best looking scenes to hit the Playstation 2. The Colossi
also has incredible detail and staggering size - made from flesh, bone, metal and stone, in such a way so that from afar you just think it's a mountain or a tower until it stands up amd starts moving towards you.
The animation of the horse is also important to mention, where in "Red Dead Revolver" the horses are good and they are great in "Gun" but they don't compare to Agro - this horse is remarkable. The horse's hair and tail blow widely in the wind Then there's the jumps, if you are heading right off the edge Agro will quick turn to save both of you from a dangerous high flying death thanks to the AI they put into the horse. When you do get him to jump non life-threatening jumps but still dangerous he will collapse to the ground and will have a limping leg.
SOUND/MUSIC: There is no load over the top, rock music or anything like that but calm music that flows through out the game. When entering the battles the music does smoothly change into a more pumped up feel that adds to the atmosphere of the gameplay and again when you finally get onto each of the colossi it changes to more of an accomplishment tune. The sound is even more spectacular for example, the first colossi as you climb up the mountain, it fades into a cut-scene and the screen shakes and the trees tremble as if there were thunder with the foot of the giant beast steps in and walks across. There's more too from the whirl of the wind and the whimpering howl as you inflict the final blow into the colossi.
There's not much talking in the game, (not that it needs it) but what there is, is in an ancient language which is spoken by gods and Wanda your character, and is accompanied by subtitles, so you can understand what is being spoken.
CONTROLS: The controls are very simply to use as there are not many actions to do. The X button will call or shout out for Agro your horse to come towards you, Triangle is used for jump or to climb upon your horse. O will raise your sword for light to shine to show you the direction of the next colossi. Square is for stab, attack and fire where as d-pad changes your sword for a bow and arrow. L1 is for lock the view on the enemies and R2 for zoom then finally R1 that probably the most used for grabbing and holding onto cliffs, ivy and the colossi themselves.
Controlling the horse can be difficult at times, sometimes which is because of the view (though this can be changed with the right analogue). Ones on, X will make it move and pressing it more will increase the galloping speed, pressing left or right will turn the horse and pulling back will halt to a stop. As well as controlling the horse you can still fire arrows and even stand up on the horse wheather riding or not by pressing X, forward and R1, from here you can now jump off getting to higher ledges.
GAMEPLAY: The gameplay is simple but sensational. You must have to think logically as it's very well thought out the way you most kill each colossus. You start off by the gods giving you a few clues of what to expect, from there you must hold up your sword where of course there is sunlight to reflect off to give you the direction to go. Getting on your horse, you travel off to where you may have to do some climbing to get to the point. At the area of the colossi, they are alerted to your presence and defend/attack you for disturbing them. As each one stamps, slices, fires at you and walks, runs, flies or swims about (each one has a different personal nature) you must figure out a way of getting on and killing it.
The arrows however do hurt them but not enough and are really only used to get their attention and anger them; so you can get on them, some others you must jump down from high up to land on them; plus many other ways like tricking them, attacking weak points first or even using the terrain around you. As each colossus is like a moving platform,it's fun climbing up them: some are made out of rough rocks or bone that you can not grab onto, but there are some that are like ledges for you to climb or even a part that is hairy for you to hold and climb up. You have a grip icon that decreases, so when holding on, you will need to rest at points on the colossi.
Although most of the colossi attacks are when you are on the ground, they're pretty weak when you are on top and they can only swing, lean and turn to try and throw you off. Though very enormous and terrifying you do feel cruel, heartless and brutal when killing many of them as they were minding their own business and not hurting anyone.
Once killed, the colossus will collapse over with their sprit released into you, this in turn returns you back to the castle and you then carry on to the next one.
REPLAY VALUE: My save was of 9 hours when I completed it, so it's quite a short game though at times I did not save it when figuring out how to get up on to the colossus. In a way its like a puzzle - it can take you long time (like with me about 2 and half hours on boss 4), but once you know how it can only take 5,10, or 15 minutes or so to kill. The gods do speak out after a time giving you some hints that can be clear as daylight or just as confusing. Once completed you unlock hard mode and time mode, plus you can revisit any colossi you have killed while playing the first time and pray which lets you replay the battle again but in a grainy effect as if you were looking back in your memory. As the bosses go up in difficulty, you need to improve by killing of normal lizards that are usually around the save points. This can gain you more grip which also stands as your strength. Then there's fruit hanging from some trees that will maximize your health, despite the fact that your health renews, you still need it maximised.
As this game is very short , you may find it boring, You might find it sufficient to rent/borrow it, buy it cheap unless you are a person that would love this game and would replay it many time. There's a demo out, so try the demo first to see if you will hate it or love it (like me). --------------------------------------------------------------- SCORE
Great review with lots of detail! I'm a little annoyed that MY review is not shown with the others, as I managed to spell colossus with two 'LL's - Argh! Still, it gave me 1st listing privelages - heh-heh. x
Magrippinho 24.11.2006 21:40
Nifty game, but no more than a rental for me. Good review!
Advantages: A great, puzzling game, with an even better ending!! Disadvantages: You may find it hard to complete without going onto game solution websites
Advantages: Awesome graphics and scenery, amazing gameplay, music and sound effects Disadvantages: A few glitches and bugs here and there, camera and controls a little off
Advantages: Highly original and challenging gameplay, vast beautiful world Disadvantages: Controls can be occasionally annoying, some colossi can be frustrating, short
Apr 6th, 2006
(Apr 13th, 2006)
exceptional by (12%):
very helpful by (82%):
helpful by (6%):
