Shadow of the Colossus – Review

Genre – Action/Adventure
Publisher – Sony
Platform – Playstation 2

It`s old, I know, but this is my blog so the games I like go on it.

This is by far and away one of my all time favourite titles for the PS2.  I really just bought it on a whim years ago, but I’ve re-played it now three times and I always find it such a relaxing, enjoyable experience.  I don’t want to get too ‘out there’, but one review complimented that it blurred the boundaries between a game and art, and I’d have to agree.  Shadow of the Colossus is an absolute hit.

The premise is simple.  You enter into a forbidden realm with your dead lover.  There you make a pact with an ancient God to revive her in return for slaying the 16 massive colossi, but like in all good fairy tales, nothing is exactly as it seems.

Graphics – 10/10 – At the time of its release, the landscape and colour of the world was (and still is) breathtaking for a video game.  From deserts to mountain passes, fields and caverns the world is huge and the imagery fantastic.  And the colossi?  Forget about it, they are HUGE.  Still nothing quite like them ever seen since in a video game.

Sound – 10/10 – The soundtrack reminds you of Legend, and was worthy enough to have its own CD release in Japan.  I still listen to it on my PC.

Control – 8/10 – More the most its good, but riding your horse can pose some problems with camera angles and direction changes, not to mention getting on and off.

Story – 10/10 – There is hardly any dialouge in the entire game, but that is also one of its strong suits.  The minimalist approach to the story makes it a lot deeper and, successfully, brings you in to characters making you wonder what got them there in the first place.

Pros – Looks beautiful, unique concept and fascinating story
Cons – Some of the Colossi are really tricky to beat and can require a walk-through guide to even give you a clue as to how to beat them

Overall – 9.5/10 – Shadow of the Colossus is a permanent resident of my shelf, this game is like a good book you can always find yourself reading on a rainy Sunday afternoon