Spoilers, like crazy.
Back in 2001, a game called ICO was released for the PlayStation 2. It didn’t shock the industry, but its distinct presentation and compelling storyline garnered critical acclaim as a bold step in the right direction for the videogame industry. The subject matter is presented in such a way, almost as a disguise, that sometimes you forget that you are even playing a videogame. ICO however went vastly ignored by the public for the first few years of its existence; only later to be propelled into cult classic status through word of mouth. Four years after its initial release, the long-anticipated spiritual successor Shadow of the Colossus has been released. Created by the same production team responsible for ICO, Shadow of the Colossus stands on its own as a truly bold and memorable gaming experience.
In Shadow’s opening sequence, you watch as the unknown hero (who fans have dubbed as Wanderer) rides his horse Argo into forbidden land with the corpse of a young woman. Upon arrival at a temple he places her on an altar and a voice from above, Dormin, tells our young hero that he has the power to restore the life of the girl; but at a price, he must slay the all colossus that roam the land.
Wanderer insists that he will do whatever it takes to get Mono back, because her life was taken away from her unfairly. Their exact relationship remains unclear throughout the game, much as many of the details are. This subtle narrative may appear sloppy to some, but it was intentionally done. Shadow of the Colossus paints a picture while leaving many of the areas unfinished; there’s just enough information given so that you have to write the rest of the storyline yourself. Nothing is force-fed, and just how you interpret the storyline will affect your reactions throughout.
“Shadow of the Colossus an absolute must-play experience, [and is] of the most important games you'll come across anytime soon. Shadow is a true work of art, the likes of which we've only seen approached by a very, very small number of games”. (IGN.com) Rather than being a direct follow up to ICO, Shadow bears few resemblances that only the most hardcore fans would notice. Shadow of the Colossus is told in the same world as ICO, with its distinct graphical flair (which pushes the PS2 to its limits) along with its own language for spoken dialogue. The creators of this game really went out of their way to immerse their audience in the world they created. The soundtrack mainly being composed with the sounds of nature, music is only played when needed to emphasize the action onscreen to heighten the sense of tension. Down to the last detail, the artistic direction that Shadow aims to be is truly that, a piece of art.
As your progress through the games melancholy, somber storyline you will find yourself at the heart of the game, the actual gameplay. There have been complaints that the game plays out like a series of what are essentially 16 boss battles, with very little action in between. You simply travel on horseback from battleground to battleground. This criticism, while true, can easily be overlooked because the action being presented here is so perfect. Equipped with only your sword, a bow and your wits; the game has an excellent “deal with what you got” feel to it. You will finish the game with the same equipment and abilities that you started with. These behemoths will more often than not, cover up the entire screen. The sense of scale presented here is really striking, with size and power being relative concepts. The way in which you fight these monstrosities play out more like a puzzle rather than a traditional battle, with emphasis being placed on environmental interaction and discovering weaknesses. Scaling these massive figures and figuring out exactly how to take them down with those revealing “ah ha” moments are what make this game so great. There’s no questioning that it is something that gets better and better as the game progresses, just when you think things could not get any cooler the game outdoes itself, time and time again.
“As I kept playing, I got the feeling that the hero was rather selfish. Here are these gigantic, grand, statuesque, majestic creatures, which must have being living in this place for centuries or eons. Then in comes the hero, who starts climbing all over them, and stabbing them dead – with the magic sword that he stole from his village – all just to save one girl… It’s a little like Kohlberg’s Heinz Dilemma. Does a virtuous motive justify cruel or unjust actions?” (peer review from 1up.com) (haha, Kekfa)
Your only companion throughout this journey, the only one you can rely on is your horse, Argo. He stands alongside you as the colossi nearly tremble over your body, and fearlessly rides with you into battle without regard to his own safety. Ultimately, Argo’s steadfast devotion to the hero leads to his demise. The shock that sets in as you realize there’s no turning back, that your only companion died in order to help you accomplish your goal is unnerving. Argo’s death sets the stage for the final showdown and further heightens the sense urgency and that you have to come out on top. From exterminating the colossus to Argo’s death, you can’t help but feel guilty for constantly sacrificing others in order to get back the life of one woman. I honestly never expected myself to feel guilt while playing a videogame. I can play Grand Theft Auto for hours, slaughtering thousands of innocent people and not feel bad about it at all. But it’s the context in which everything is presented that allows Shadow to accomplish this.
After your showdown with the final colossus, the conclusion unfolds. Wanderer wakes up inside the temple (as he does after every time he fells a colossi) to find himself surrounded by his fellow villagers. The village elder Edmon calls Wanderer a fool, and tells him that he was just a pawn. That his people once sealed Dormin away with the very sword you used to slay the colossus. Dormin’s body was sealed away in this land and broken into 16 different parts. With every colossus slain, you absorbed their energy. You in turn became the new vessel for Dormin’s return, and in light of this information Edmon kills Wanderer. But it was too late, Wanderer body is no longer his and he has already started to transform into something else. Edmon eventually overcomes the evil that is now you and seals you away. As the villagers ride away, the bridge that leads to this land collapses behind them. Before the closing credits start rolling, you watch as the young girl’s body starts to re-animate, and as Argo walks into the temple, broken and bruised. It’s a bittersweet ending, definitely unexpected, but very welcome.
So much of this game is just waiting to be discovered. Dormin, the voice from above, the powers that be; He is neither good nor evil, He plays the role of devil’s advocate and lays everything out on the line for Wanderer. If he chooses to slay the colossus, he will grant him his wish. What Wanderer doesn’t know is that this will come at the price of his life, and the restoration of Dormin. But he does tell him that he may or may not like the price that comes with it. If you look careful enough, Dormin spells Nimrod backwards. Nimrod is actually a biblical figure, whose name means “rebel”. He was an enemy of the Creator, and rebelled against His order. This is complimentarily to Dormin’s role in the game, as he will defy the natural order, life and death, in order to help Wanderer; but only at Dormin’s benefit. This is just one of many things that can be found, if you dig deep enough. More than enough reason to prove why Shadow of the Colossus is worth more than just a casual play-through.
Shadow of the Colossus is truly a must-play experience, carving out its own identity in an industry full of games that are all beginning to feel the same. It shows that videogames do not have to follow a strict formula and can be used as a formidable means of telling a story. Shadow of the Colossus may not go down as the best game of all time, but it’s definitely a blast to play with layers upon layers of depth to be found, if you are willing to look that is.
Back in 2001, a game called ICO was released for the PlayStation 2. It didn’t shock the industry, but its distinct presentation and compelling storyline garnered critical acclaim as a bold step in the right direction for the videogame industry. The subject matter is presented in such a way, almost as a disguise, that sometimes you forget that you are even playing a videogame. ICO however went vastly ignored by the public for the first few years of its existence; only later to be propelled into cult classic status through word of mouth. Four years after its initial release, the long-anticipated spiritual successor Shadow of the Colossus has been released. Created by the same production team responsible for ICO, Shadow of the Colossus stands on its own as a truly bold and memorable gaming experience.
In Shadow’s opening sequence, you watch as the unknown hero (who fans have dubbed as Wanderer) rides his horse Argo into forbidden land with the corpse of a young woman. Upon arrival at a temple he places her on an altar and a voice from above, Dormin, tells our young hero that he has the power to restore the life of the girl; but at a price, he must slay the all colossus that roam the land.
Wanderer insists that he will do whatever it takes to get Mono back, because her life was taken away from her unfairly. Their exact relationship remains unclear throughout the game, much as many of the details are. This subtle narrative may appear sloppy to some, but it was intentionally done. Shadow of the Colossus paints a picture while leaving many of the areas unfinished; there’s just enough information given so that you have to write the rest of the storyline yourself. Nothing is force-fed, and just how you interpret the storyline will affect your reactions throughout.
“Shadow of the Colossus an absolute must-play experience, [and is] of the most important games you'll come across anytime soon. Shadow is a true work of art, the likes of which we've only seen approached by a very, very small number of games”. (IGN.com) Rather than being a direct follow up to ICO, Shadow bears few resemblances that only the most hardcore fans would notice. Shadow of the Colossus is told in the same world as ICO, with its distinct graphical flair (which pushes the PS2 to its limits) along with its own language for spoken dialogue. The creators of this game really went out of their way to immerse their audience in the world they created. The soundtrack mainly being composed with the sounds of nature, music is only played when needed to emphasize the action onscreen to heighten the sense of tension. Down to the last detail, the artistic direction that Shadow aims to be is truly that, a piece of art.
As your progress through the games melancholy, somber storyline you will find yourself at the heart of the game, the actual gameplay. There have been complaints that the game plays out like a series of what are essentially 16 boss battles, with very little action in between. You simply travel on horseback from battleground to battleground. This criticism, while true, can easily be overlooked because the action being presented here is so perfect. Equipped with only your sword, a bow and your wits; the game has an excellent “deal with what you got” feel to it. You will finish the game with the same equipment and abilities that you started with. These behemoths will more often than not, cover up the entire screen. The sense of scale presented here is really striking, with size and power being relative concepts. The way in which you fight these monstrosities play out more like a puzzle rather than a traditional battle, with emphasis being placed on environmental interaction and discovering weaknesses. Scaling these massive figures and figuring out exactly how to take them down with those revealing “ah ha” moments are what make this game so great. There’s no questioning that it is something that gets better and better as the game progresses, just when you think things could not get any cooler the game outdoes itself, time and time again.
“As I kept playing, I got the feeling that the hero was rather selfish. Here are these gigantic, grand, statuesque, majestic creatures, which must have being living in this place for centuries or eons. Then in comes the hero, who starts climbing all over them, and stabbing them dead – with the magic sword that he stole from his village – all just to save one girl… It’s a little like Kohlberg’s Heinz Dilemma. Does a virtuous motive justify cruel or unjust actions?” (peer review from 1up.com) (haha, Kekfa)
Your only companion throughout this journey, the only one you can rely on is your horse, Argo. He stands alongside you as the colossi nearly tremble over your body, and fearlessly rides with you into battle without regard to his own safety. Ultimately, Argo’s steadfast devotion to the hero leads to his demise. The shock that sets in as you realize there’s no turning back, that your only companion died in order to help you accomplish your goal is unnerving. Argo’s death sets the stage for the final showdown and further heightens the sense urgency and that you have to come out on top. From exterminating the colossus to Argo’s death, you can’t help but feel guilty for constantly sacrificing others in order to get back the life of one woman. I honestly never expected myself to feel guilt while playing a videogame. I can play Grand Theft Auto for hours, slaughtering thousands of innocent people and not feel bad about it at all. But it’s the context in which everything is presented that allows Shadow to accomplish this.
After your showdown with the final colossus, the conclusion unfolds. Wanderer wakes up inside the temple (as he does after every time he fells a colossi) to find himself surrounded by his fellow villagers. The village elder Edmon calls Wanderer a fool, and tells him that he was just a pawn. That his people once sealed Dormin away with the very sword you used to slay the colossus. Dormin’s body was sealed away in this land and broken into 16 different parts. With every colossus slain, you absorbed their energy. You in turn became the new vessel for Dormin’s return, and in light of this information Edmon kills Wanderer. But it was too late, Wanderer body is no longer his and he has already started to transform into something else. Edmon eventually overcomes the evil that is now you and seals you away. As the villagers ride away, the bridge that leads to this land collapses behind them. Before the closing credits start rolling, you watch as the young girl’s body starts to re-animate, and as Argo walks into the temple, broken and bruised. It’s a bittersweet ending, definitely unexpected, but very welcome.
So much of this game is just waiting to be discovered. Dormin, the voice from above, the powers that be; He is neither good nor evil, He plays the role of devil’s advocate and lays everything out on the line for Wanderer. If he chooses to slay the colossus, he will grant him his wish. What Wanderer doesn’t know is that this will come at the price of his life, and the restoration of Dormin. But he does tell him that he may or may not like the price that comes with it. If you look careful enough, Dormin spells Nimrod backwards. Nimrod is actually a biblical figure, whose name means “rebel”. He was an enemy of the Creator, and rebelled against His order. This is complimentarily to Dormin’s role in the game, as he will defy the natural order, life and death, in order to help Wanderer; but only at Dormin’s benefit. This is just one of many things that can be found, if you dig deep enough. More than enough reason to prove why Shadow of the Colossus is worth more than just a casual play-through.
Shadow of the Colossus is truly a must-play experience, carving out its own identity in an industry full of games that are all beginning to feel the same. It shows that videogames do not have to follow a strict formula and can be used as a formidable means of telling a story. Shadow of the Colossus may not go down as the best game of all time, but it’s definitely a blast to play with layers upon layers of depth to be found, if you are willing to look that is.
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