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Deep, Imaginative, Breath-taking

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I got this game for Christmas...the best gift EVER. Let's just say that this game really earns every last good score that it gets.

I'll begin by saying that this is the best adventure game ever created. Now I know all you Zelda fans are going to come after me, but once you play this you will understand. It is an adventure in every sense of the word. There is just as much mystery as there is excitement and energy. The mystique that this Japanese title brings to the console is unique.

Mystique...that's the right word. This game starts out as a dark spiritual story. As the spirits begin to discuss the situation with you, you will gain the sense of just how small you are. It's humbling, and that is what is so special about this game. The colossi in this game are enormous, as the term colossus implies. The smallest colossus you will encounter is about the size of two bull African elephants sewn together. The largest...the largest......Absolutely grand. Everything about the game is huge. The landscape is so vast the horizon disappears not through the lack of pixilation, but by distance. Few games have ever accomplished this. The temples, the bridge (you will love the bridge) the mountain passes and the colossi are simply overwhelming. Mountains feel like mountains...if you get really close to them and look up they look like they are engulfing you. The trees are big, the horse Agro is big, the rivers and streams run for miles, the canyons are abysmal, the lakes look like oceans, and the colossi are huuuuuge! The bigness of the environment and the smallness of the Wonderer (the main character) are truly humbling. Take in the view; it is truly amazing, certainly nothing ever seen in videogames except for in its prequel ICO.

On to the graphics. The graphics don't represent the full potential of the PS2, however I believe there is a reason for this. First off, the slightly dirtier graphics match the atmosphere that ICO brought. This is very important since the focus on both games is atmosphere. Also, the expansiveness of the environment would not be well represented if the up-close graphics were insane...plus the load times would be brutal. There are practically no load times in this game. This isn't to say that the graphics aren't great, however. The textures look real, especially at a distance. The horizon and the objects in it look real and far-away, yet the feeling that you can touch these objects is never lost. The use of light and shadow brings the location to life. If you stand on the top of an altar, I advise that you spin the camera; you might just believe that it is you that is spinning around really fast and seeing everything. So good, so good.

The gameplay! THIS IS AN ADVENTURE BEYOND ANYTHING THAT HAS EVER BEEN PRODUCED! Climbing the colossi is an event that is both powerful and humbling all at the same time. It's a passionate puzzle that can kill you, but then again you probably won't die more than five times while playing the entire game. It takes a lot of patience and awareness to figure out some of the puzzles, but it is a lot of fun. Fun fun fun fun fun! Climbing up and up and being shaken around by these beasts as you pound on their vital spots makes for an incredible ride. It's intense...it will rock your soul. It's the kind of experience that will make you feel. Not like a first person shooter that scares you with a grenade blast. No, this is different. Ascending and killing a walking mountain releases so many emotions and so much adrenaline. At first focusing on climbing to the apex, but then looking down as you are about to fall off and realizing just how high you are just as you snag the last patch of hair on the monster's arm is CRAZY. Looking down while at the height of glory is exciting and real...so real it is almost painful.

Solving puzzles in such an atmosphere is very different. The thing is, the game doesn't have a bunch of little battles between bosses. There are 16 bosses and no battles between them, just traveling on horseback and observing the view. It's so gorgeous. Each battle is unique and has its own way of killing you. Figuring out these puzzles is a lot of fun, and once you figure them out the game gets pretty easy. A lot of it you will do through logic and some by trial and error, but it doesn't matter. Slaying the giants is rewarding any way. Don't fret if you can't figure it out, Dormin (Nimrod spelled backwards hint hint to the Biblical connection to the story) who is your spiritual guide will instruct you. Imagine a LEGO person armed with half a toothpick climbing up your body and pounding your pressure points until you suddenly die. That is the job of SOTC. Just like that. It is a lot of fun.

The soundtrack is unlike anything in any game. Games with excellent soundtracks such as Mercenaries and Final Fantasy Tactics are pretty much crushed by this one. The game is quiet when it needs to be, and emotional when it needs to. When you enter battle, the music informs you of the danger. When you struggle to figure out the puzzle, the music emphasizes the feeling of hopelessness. When you figure out the puzzle and start smashing heads, the music will celebrate your triumph and urge you to climb to the top towards victory! The completely orchestral soundtrack is so emotional and fits the game better than most do. The game itself, the atmosphere, the graphics, the gameplay, and the music all mesh together like a well-made, very tasty pizza. Hopefully an individual soundtrack of the music will be released. Music that inspires emotion is what makes a game great.

Finally the camera. The game is extremely cinematic. Sort of like a war movie, but even more cinematic than that. During the cutscenes you can control the camera and focus on certain things. It does have a tendency to spring back to where it really should be focusing on. This movie aspect to the game adds to the realism, however it does sometimes make for some odd playing moments. It is tough to run away from an opponent and keep it in view, since the camera wishes to point itself either behind the Wonderer or in the prettiest direction. Sometimes the camera tilts in a certain direction to hint a weakness in the opponent. Remember this. The camera does twist at some odd angles and the springiness does sometimes get in the way, but eventually you will get accustomed to it.

I know I said finally before, but let's not forget Agro! Agro is your horse, the most faithful horse ever. So cool. Agro is perhaps the best sidekick in all of gaming. He's such a darn good sport. Takes a beating in every battle.

Bottom line, Shadow of the Colossus is worth every penny. Make sure you play ICO before you play this so that you can realize and appreciate the depth of the story. The depth is what makes the story so special. Note the Biblical and mythological connections of the whole thing (Dormin, Nimrod; Gilgamesh; Greek Mythology). You will be reeling from this game's realism for days to come and amazed by the amount of spiritual impact that it has. MAKE SURE YOU PLAY ICO! It is really important. Happy gaming. This is such a good game, and you are sure to enjoy it. I promise you won't have a sucky time even if you don't finish it.

A good game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is very unique compared to other games. In this game you have to kill huge monsters called collosi. once you kill one you have to kill the other and so on. it might seem repetitive but it is definetly not because it is so fun trying to kill these few stories tall monsters and there is a lot to explore when you take a break between collosi. My one complaint is at the ending it is very confusing. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants a very unique and fun experience.

Shadow of the Colossus

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

...You will not BELIEVE this game...until you play it.
When you read the advertisement in your Electronic Gaming Magazine, you'll look at it and go "Oh, that looks stupid."
When you play it...Then you realize how magnificent it really is.
The graphics aren't exactly what you would call "normal". The sky is always overcast, and the sun barely casts enough light to be called "day". When you ride on your horse to chase down the elusive creature called a "colossus", things magically appear out of nowhere...And then, when you finally get there, a cutscene starts. Now this is one of my favorite parts of the game. You can move the camera by moving the Right-analog stick. Amazing ability...you don't understand how cool it is until you see the Colossus' foot slam down in front of you and you move the camera up to see it.
They're huge, magnificent creatures, worthy of only the highest praise. The music kicks in at this point.
The music...it's better than anything on your iPod. It sets the dramatic, majestic mode perfectly. You can hear one of the songs[it's on a loop] at www.shadowofthecolossus.com then you'll see what I mean. The music is amazingly great at making you feel tense when the music's faster, and relaxed when you're just riding through a forest.
But when you finally GET to the Colossus is when the game really gets great. When you find it, the cutscene starts, as I mentioned already. The greatest diversity between sixteen Colossus is amazing...some may look the same, but slightly changed...but each has a different strategy to defeat. What those are, I won't tell you, but it will make you think--a lot.
When I first played the game, I spent at LEAST half-an-hour for each one trying to figure it out.
But when the sixteenth Colossus is dead...the game doesn't end. There are playable segments within the final cutscene, as it tells out everything to make up for what it didn't tell you within the game.
Yes, that means that NOTHING EVER HAPPENS except killing the colossus. But it leaves a mystery. WHY do you need to kill these Colossus? Why do only some of them attack you?
Some of them ignore you completely, only wanting to live in peace.
It's a moral value question, and by the game's end, you'll know what you've really been fighting for.

Note: I'm not Gina...I'm her son...=)

a highly entertaining, majestic game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS is a lot of fun. Very entertaining. It looks really good, it's cinematic, expansive, the gameplay is original and exciting, and it's not frustratingly difficult. No button mashing or complex combinations. It's more timing and ingenuity.

The landscape is immense and varied, and it's a pleasure to roam about. My one wish is that, outside of the colossi, there were something else to do. Call them mini-games, or whatever. Even just a few extra diversions hidden in the great landscape could've been exciting.

My real score would be 4.5, but I'm rounding up, as I feel this original, artistic game deserves it. Both ICO and SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS are must-have games for the PS2.

sublime aesthetics and game design

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 31, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Designed by the same team who made Ico over four years ago, Shadow of Colossus is more than a game created for sheer entertainment or challenge. Shadow of Colossus puts us in a world of fable and myth, full of the best notions of adventure, mystery, romance and history from the story books of old.

Though not quite as memorable as Ico, where the interaction between the two characters provided much of the enjoyment, Shadow features only a hero and his horse. The flat open fields with canyons and mountains in the distance reminded me a bit of the Calm Lands in Final Fantasy X, and generally the graphics are at least on that level, which is to say, fairly good. They are not quite as detailed or busy as next generation titles, but rather through elegance and minimalism create a consistent mood of a forsaken land with bits of beauty, forestry and mysterious relics strewn about.

The horse riding is nice, but for some reason it wasn't as engaging as the horse from Ocarina of Time. After beating the game, I spent some time wandering around the world and explored several places that I had never seen before through the course of the normal adventure.

"A hero journeys to the end of the world to save the love of his life." It is a story that is as simple and trite as can be, yet like any visual media, you must use your imagination to flesh out who the characters ought to be.

The game is basically about conjuring a mystical and vast landscape with a nameless hero, who fights mercilessly to defeat 16 colossi, the result of which may bring his loved one back to life. A melancholy beauty permeates the lands and during the epic battles, the colossi have a human-like and majestic demeanor that makes watching them mesmerizing.

The colossi come in varying shapes and sizes, flying, walking, delving through the earth or swimming. Battling these huge beasts is complicated, as there are numerous things to keep in check, such as the grip meter, the natural terrain and the efforts of the colossi to shake you off. Most of the colossi are so huge that you have to climb on top of them and find their weak spot; otherwise they are invincible from conventional attacks.

There is nothing else to do in the game other than fight the 16 colossi or wander around the mostly empty and sun drenched landscapes; no coins to collect, leveling up, drones to destroy, or silly characters to provide a diversion.

The streamlined design does lead to a relatively short game, but I am of the opinion that games should be of a shorter length and cheaper. Developers can cram their best ideas into a smaller package rather than padding the field with pointless chores and repetitive structure.

Shadow of Colossus and its forbearer Ico could quite possible teach us how to care, how to appreciate design and architecture, how to enjoy the journey without judging the result, and finally, how to appreciate a good story presented in a modern form.

Where's the sequel???

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the most memorable game ever graced the industry. This is a top notch game in so many areas: gameplay, story, enemy design, graphics, surrounding details....on and on.

I also want to give kudos to the team to conceptualize AND execute expertly on an original idea. The team seems to set out to design an unique 'experience', rather than focusing on a single path.

Talk about the monsters: each is unique, formidable, and embodies a weakness. Each requries a special strategy to defeat. Although the way you slay the beast in the end is always the same, but the 'means' of arriving to that pinnacle is different. The developers REALLY spent a lot of time designing each monster.

After playing the game, I felt like I lived through an experience, not just a game.

My only hope is that this team will have enough creative juice left for another well executed sequel.

For the record, my favorite Colossus was the flying serpant-like creature.
The one that scares the crap out of me was the last boss.

Good enought to buy the system!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 31, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Rarely is there such a game that every expectation you have of it before hand is not only met but exceeded. Shadow of the Colossus is perhaps the most imaginative and enthralling game I have ever played. I went out and picked up a PS2 and this game after hearing so much about it. After finishing it I am so glad I did. I cannot remember a game I enjoyed as much as this. Short perhaps, easy maybe, but enjoyable. So few games recently can be called enjoyable like this. The idea captured my imagination and the game itself did no let me down. It is beautiful. The world the game is set in is worth exploring for the visuals alone and will make you wish it had been delayed for the ps3 launch. Games on consoles that take full advantage of the system are usually made at the end of the system's life and Shadow of the Colossus is such a game. If you are into console gaming you'll see the strengths and weakness of the PS2 in this game. This doesn't detract from the game itself though as it pulls you in and doesn't let go. Should Sony announce tomorrow that this game will be remade, exactly as it is, for the PS3 - I would drop the money on that system with out a second thought.

The game itself is immerserve, at times easy, short, but never boring. It's well balanced letting you get used to the controls before throwing you into more than your capable of. It will make you think, having you take advantage of your environment, your horse, and available weapons ( a bow, and a sword). Overall its an experience that should not be missed wether you own a ps2 or not (borrow one if you have too). If you want a game you can enjoy and not just slosh through buy Shadow of the Colossus. With more and more games getting yearly re-iterations I wish that would happen with Shadow of the Colossus. However, the creators of this game are innovators and highly creative so that we will probably never see a Shadow of the Colossus 2.

Age wise a 7 or 8 year old would probably love this game but it is violent, the Colossi rear in pane when attacked and may be disturbing to younger children - 12 and up should be good though as the ESRB has it rated.

Wonderful Game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is nearly perfect. The game world is fittingly desolate and lonely, evoking a sense that you are trespassing on forbidden, hallowed ground. The music is professionally done, and compliments the feeling of the landscape. The overall experience feels like a dream, and I often found myself feeling as though I were waking from a dream when I would stop playing and do other things.

The concept sounds simple and short; defeat 16 colossi. However, defeating the colossi is not as simple as charging at them and slashing randomly. You'll have to scale some of them, taunt some until they approach you, taunt some into destroying (and thus altering) the environment, frighten one, and even run from one until you can gain an advantage over it. All of the Colossi have one or more weaknesses that you must discover and exploit in order to defeat them. Generally, the colossi become more difficult to defeat as you progress, although I found that a few of them were simpler than previous ones mostly due to the fact that I had gotten a feel for the mechanics of the game. If you have not discovered the tactics to defeat a particular colossus, the game will give you hints after several minutes. These hints are sometimes subtle, and sometimes very direct, but usually helpful.

When you defeat a colossus, you are treated to a dramatic cutscence showing its demise. These cutscenes, although short, are dramatic, rewarding, and even sad at times.

The colossi inhabit areas such as deserts, mountaintops, and lakes, and a few even fly. They have to be defeated in a specific order, thus making the game a bit linear, although you are allowed to roam the entire landscape whenever you like.

The story doesn't progress much until the end, but the immersiveness and dream-like quality of the game make up for it. The end of the game is very moving, and well worth the effort to reach.

My only complaint concerning this game is that the in-game camera can be a pain at times. This was particularly noticeable in the final colossus battle. You can control the camera with the right directional stick, but at times, even that doesn't help.

All told, this is a magnificent game. The world is immersive, the music is beautiful, the battles are challenging and rewarding.

Very good game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Shadow of the collosus is a relief to me, because it looked terrific but game developers tend to ruin games sometimes with 1 or 2 stupid choices. Not in this case though. I just bought this game a week ago and I love it. It was only 40$ as a brand new game and it's so addicting. You might think it's repetitive from the description but it isn't at all. Each Collosus is totally different and has a completely different way of beating it which quite often depends on the environment your in. I really like this game...

Breath-taking

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: April 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is less of a game and more of a work of art.
The story is pretty odd and never really gets resolved, but it is interesting(play it and you'll understand)

the graphics are simply amazing for the PS2. You will see birds fly over head and lizards craw on the ground and the horse is very nice looking, the Colossi block out the sun(literally) and cast a shadow of their own which marks things very visually pleasing.

Gameplay is where this game is at it's best you play the game and just feel amazing taking down massive beasts and trying to kill them using the area around them to your advantage.

Words are simply too little for me to say about this game... buy it that's all there is to say. You WILL be pleased with this game.

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