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One of the best games ever made......

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: March 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've read some of the complaints about this game and just can't fugure out where they're coming from.

For starters, the lack of a civilization to interact with. That is sort of the point of the entire game. The main character traveled to the end of the world to find a long forgotten and abandoned temple. The only thing living in the land are 16 giant colossi. Most games would have towns scattered all over the place with people who are terrorized by the colossi, but somehow their town stays in tact and nobody ever really gets killed by them. Yet you must venture out and destroy the colossi. Just like every other game with a dragon, or some other monster, that you must defeat and save the town.

The developers of SoTC decided that if these colossi exist then the land would be devoid of all civilization. It simply wouldn't be possible to survive. I appreciate the fact that on my way to fight a colossus I don't have to do a side quest to retrieve a lost water jug for some idiot in a useless town.

The next complaint I keep hearing is that it's the same thing over and over. This simply isn't true. Although it may seem that way in the beginning. The first few colossi you fight are very much the same. As the game progresses the challenge for each one becomes greater. Some are more powerful in their attacks, while others require a more creative way of climbing onto the beast. With each colossi you fight you'll find that you must use different moves and abilities in order to climb aboard.

Overall this game is fantastic. It is unlike anything I ever played before. The graphics are great... The soundtrack is perfect... And the gameplay is very creative. If you prefer games that are simple, get from point A to point B and kill everything in between, then you probably won't like SoTC. If you're looking for something different that will challenge your skills as well as your mind then you must get this game. You'll never regret it.

Unbelievable. 50 Stars.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the best products I have ever purchased. What an incredible game! The immersion factor is out of this world, and the graphics are beyond stunning. There were times when I found myself saying holy smokes, Batman, will ya' look at this. Playing this game is like falling into another world. If this is the future of video games, all I can say is wow! I might never leave the house! Go Google some screenies. (but they don't do justice to seeing it on a biggie TV) I have never played any video game product that took my breath away before, but this did it. And, no motion sickness either, for those of you who have this problem (I do). I can die happy now. Now if a MMORPG could match the immersion factor found in this game, we would have 1 million gamers who would rarely come up for air. Please, sir, can I have another (game like this).

All 16 monsters had a degree of challenge, with some much harder than others. The game designers did a good good of making things more progressively interesting and challenging. There were a couple of monsters that were a little too frustrating, little the little beast in the cave that kept ramming your toon, but overall I never got frustrated to the point of quitting.

Another reviewer stated that there was a desing flaw on the last mob, and that it took him over a week to kill it. There is no game flaw, it was user error. I killed the thing in 30 minutes once I made the horse jump.

The movie provided in this game in far more entertaining and enthralling than most Hollywood films.

Overall, it took me 30 hours of gameplay to destroy all 16 beasts, which is perfect for me. Not too difficult, and not too easy.

Epic and INSANE

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: August 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

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It's hard for video games to thrill me these days. Sure, plenty of them are amusing. Plenty have those "Hey, now there's a good idea!" moments. Very few of them instill a sense of awe in me. Even then, none of them really provoke a strong sense of catharsis throughout the course of the game.

This game does both. Oh, and it's also a ton of fun.

You are Wander, a man who has brought your dead lover's sacrificed body countless miles to an ancient and hidden land in hopes that a mysterious entity rumored to control the spirits of the dead, can bring her back to life. The spirit instructs you to roam the land in search of 16 fearsome colossi which you must defeat in order to resurrect her. You must ride, climb, and puzzle to bring about success in this game. The danger is real though. Many of the creatures are aggressive and even swift. It may be a challenge to simply not get flattened, much less bring one of these behemoths down.

Your adversaries are tremendous. I'm talking Empire State Building TREMENDOUS. Though several beasts fit the traditional mold of being slow lumbering giants, others will provide you with challenges you may not expect. For example, how does one manage to get close to a colossus that remains entirely airborne? If you're lucky enough to get on the sucker, what the heck do you do now??? This game can be considered a puzzle game as much as an action/fantasy adventure. Part of the fun of it is figuring stuff out on your own. I was quite pleased with myself after completing the game with no cheats or spoilers helping me. You will be too.

The game runs high on emotion at times. As you overcome a particularly difficult obstacle in the course of a battle, the music will swell and raise the excitement level even higher. The visuals gave me this amazing sense of feeling ant-like insignificance. Oh sure, standing next to a colossus who's pinky toe weighs tons more than you will do that; but the magnitude of the game's vast and varied landscapes will affect that feeling as well. From gorgeous canyons and cascades that drop thousands of feet, to majestic cities cut into the sides of mountains, you will feel small and completely alone. There are literally miles upon miles of unpopulated landscape to explore. It kind of reminded me of a highly embellished version of Sedona, Yellowstone, and Machu Picchu rolled into one.

No petty minions clutter up the game anywhere. Though you will catch sight of the occasional bird or lizard hiding amongst the rocks, your only companion is your reliable horse Agro. Luckily, he's a mighty good companion to have, and will save your life on several occasions. The horse is beautifully animated and programmed. Mastering the use of Agro will prove vital in your success with some of these monsters.

I liked that feeling of being able to explore the wilderness and ancient ruins throughout this abandoned world. You tend to imagine what happened to all the people that used to live here. Why did they go away? What brought these Colossi here in the first place and who created them? You may even sympathize with the creatures as you bring them down one by one. After all, they were minding their own business until you came along and many of them don't attack you unless you actively provoke them. The end of the game raises more questions than it answers about these mysteries. If you play it through, I think you might draw your own conclusions as to why noone lives here anymore.

Overall, the visuals are stunning. The game is an EXPERIENCE in the grandest sense of the word. Sure, some might complain it's too short. I would argue that all the best movies, books, albums, and yes even video games leave you wanting more. I think the game wisely ends at the right length. Extending the challenges any further might run the risk of even making the game's concepts seem repetitive. So I have no complaints about the length. I was completely entertained throughout.

Concerning the technical details, I have read complaints of frame rates slowing down during more fast paced moments of play. I have a newer PS2 and did not notice any such problems. If any frame skipping or slowing occurred, then it was certainly not an issue that affected my ability to successfully complete and enjoy the game.

Play control was not a problem for me either. When you're climbing all over a 3 dimensional creature the size of a skyscraper that has moving and rotating appendages, figuring out which way to push the analog stick can be a challenge sometimes. Is that an error? No, it's simply part of the challenge you have when finding a way to conquer these beasts. The camera can be tough at times, but again, when you're clinging near the underarm of a gigantic colossus, the arm could potentially get in the way of your most ideal viewing angle. Is this an error? No again, it's simply an unavoidable circumstance. Is the play control perfect? No, but I didn't think there was anything really bad about it either.

In conclusion, I think this game will be considered historic in how it's really focused in on provoking these emotions in the player. If there was a genre for this, I would dub it "Concept Gaming." Ambiguous, yet it's a clear indication that the designers were really trying to create a unique gaming experience. If you're up for a memorable adventure, you'd be foolish to miss this game. Now that it has been released under Sony's "Greatest Hits" line with a $20 pricetag, there's no excuse not to grab it.

One of the Most Dazzling Video Games EVER

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I think I'm one of the only gamers on here who prefers slayer games writing a positive review for this game. What Shadow of the Colossus is is a great big adventurous boss fight. If you'd rather not fight all the time, then you can spend ages just wandering around and exploring the place you're in. SotC's story line starts out pretty weak, but the more you do, the more you discover. The musical score is a masterpiece and matches the game perfectly.

Honestly, when I first got this game I was kinda disappointed. Getting from colossus to colossus does take awhile, and at first I got bored pretty quickly. But after beating the first 3 or so, I really developed respect and awe for this game. First of all, it's the first game I've ever played that, literally, has no loading times while traveling in game. The whole thing just streams out endlessly, which is actually pretty impressive considering how big the landscape is. That's another thing: The size of the landscape. It is HUGE. The best part about it (besides the lack of loading times) is the fact that you can look at any part of the landscape and just go there. None of what you see is a backdrop. It's all real and all visitable. The graphics themselves are amazing. I've never seen a PS2 game with graphics the likes of these. If you've got an HDTV, you'll be amazed at what you see.

Now for the colossi themselves. The colossi are, in their own right, incredible. Each of them is unique in its own way, and no two of the colossi can be defeated the same way. Each time you come up on one, you've got to figure out a way to get on them (yes, you literally climb these mammoths in order to beat them)and then work your way over to their weak points. Oh yeah, and there's the fact that they're giant, moving mountains. So if you add all that up, it makes for a pretty awesome fight.

The story in SotC starts out kinda patchy. Your nameless main character shows up at a temple in a desolate but beautiful island, carrying the body of a young woman, presumably his lover. But as I said before, the farther you get in the game, the more you learn about this boy and his quest.

There's a fourth element to this game as well. The feeling it evokes in you as you fight the colossi. Most of the time, they are just minding their own business, swimming/flying/plodding/dozing along when you run up and start attacking them. The music played when you finally beat a colossus is enough to break your heart. It makes you feel guilty for even thinking about killing such a beast. And the ending is just beautiful. I've never played a video game that made me feel anything other than elation at finally beating the game, so for me, this game was a mile stone.

The music pretty much speaks for itself. It heightens during the peak of battle and really turns up the tension when it needs too. Then, when there's a tender moment, the music is so haunting and beautiful that it stays with you even after the scene is over. I think the game could earn an award for the score itself.

So, all in all, Shadow of the Colossus is a combination adventure/puzzle/endless boss fight. It seems like these elements wouldn't fit together, but in this game, they fit together like no other. If you like games that will challenge and amaze you at the same time, pick this one up today.

EASILY THE GREATEST ADVENTURE GAME ON THE PS2, AND POSSIBLY ALL OF GAMING!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Like Jade Empire on Xbox, this is a truly original game. The idea is relatively basic. Your character is tasked to destroy sixteen colossi that are hidden in various places in the world. You have a sword that, when standing in sunlight will reflect sunlight in the direction you need to go to finde each colossus. When you find them (which is harder than you might think, despite the fact that they are all taller than Godzilla). You need to use the sword sunlight-reflection ability (or at the very least have the sword equipped) to discover where the weakpoints are (there are usually more than one but they show up one at a time).

The graphics are beautiful and the music, especially for each of the colossi, is powerful and full of ambience. You feel like you are really in that world traveling around on your horse and fighting the colossi.

Although finding them can sometimes be long, and even frustrating, trying to beat them can be just as long, if not longer. The great thing is that none of the ones i've beaten (seven) were frustrating or impossible, but they were challenging. Even better, each one has a completely different strategy on how to beat them.

Probably the only two bad things about this game are the horse you're riding on, Agro, and the camera. The horse can sometimes be a little difficult to control, especially when you get to what appears to be small hill. Most of the times he jumps over them, but there are a few times that he'll stop even if it looks like he should be able to jump over it with no problem. This happens relatively infrequently, though. It's not really an annoyance, but you'll notice it say "Why'd he do that?" As for the camera issue, sometimes when fighting the collosi, the camera won't be in the best position. Again, this happens infrequently, but it is possible for it to happen at a crucial time when a second of time is all it takes to make a move that will allow you to climb farther up to reach that weak point, or tumble all the way to the ground and starting your climb all over. Infrequent perhaps, but when it happens, it can be a little frustrating.

You can get the game here for $40, I bought it at Best Buy for $50 before looking at amazon. Believe me $50 was worth the price, so $40 and lower would be a steal. If you like adventure games, and want to try one that's different than all the others, get this game. I really think you'll enjoy it.

One of the best games of this year

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

At the beginning of the year I was looking through a magazine and saw a preview for the game Shadow of the Colossus. I was amazed at how great it looked and how fun it sounded. I waited patiently looking up information on it ocassionaly, but never played the demo partly because I feel demos kinda ruin the exeperience. The game is released and I finally get it. I was amazed the game was beautiful and the boss fights were stunning. In case you don't know the game is about a man who brings a dead girl to a forbidden land and the only way to bring her back to life is slay the 16 colossi that roam the land. The game has one long opening cutscene and a really long ending not much is in between though. While there aren't cutscenes you begin to ask yourself questions in the game like "why is that the only lifeforms in this land are the colossi and some birds, lizards and fish etc...where are the people?" Most of your questions will be answered in the end. As for gameplay..it is very simple find the colossi and kill them, but killing the colossi is not as easy as you think. Sometimes it took me an hour just trying to figure out how to kill a colossus and when you do you feel a sense of accomplishment. The game has some technical flaws like framerate problems but the game does a decent job at hiding them, and the camera can be annoying sometimes but not often enough to ruin the experience. As for game length it took me around 13 hours to beat it. The game can really last however long you want...there is a massive world for you to explore so take advantage of it. Basically to sum everything up Shadow of the Colossus is a great and beautiful game and is definately a contender for game of year heck it is one of my favorite games of all time. So if you are looking for a unique and fun experience I would recomend you take a look at Shadow of the Colossus.

I was not prepared...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

...for the greatness of this game.

Reading most reviews, I got the impression that this was an "arty" game. I got tired of reading the word "atmospheric". Yes, the game is absolutely beautiful (with amazing light and shadow and changing weather effects over a painstakingly detailed landscape), but beauty isn't enough in a video game. Yes, the game is completely original (what other games have you climbing up your fully-animated enemy, experiencing the very realistic physics of being thrashed about by his actions, slowly losing your grip), but even originality isn't enough. For me, the question is: "Is it fun and exciting?" After having played it all the way through, the answer I have is: hell yes!

Yes, there are frustrations, because it's a puzzle/action game. And the action is sometimes quite difficult. But the gameplay is nicely tuned to help you avoid stupid mistakes like accidentally walking off a ledge (to commit suicide, you must jump).

Each new colossus is awe-inspiring, even frightening. Some are aggressive; some are only nasty when you annoy them. And some aren't much bigger than you (only two or three times your height, but these are usually the nastiest). For each, you must discover the trick (or two, or three) and then execute the right actions to get the kill. Sometimes it's quite a slog, requiring methodical diminishment of the colossus's health, because you can't do it all at once. Other times the kill comes fairly quickly after you master the right technique.

But in all cases, on first seeing them, these huge beasts are scary! It's only once you've studied each beast's behavior that you discover that it can be manipulated and therefore conquered.

The impression of the hugeness of the enemies is palpable. Their heads are often up in a distant fog, and their steps shake the earth and trees, knocking you off your feet. Some of the things you'll do, you won't believe you did afterwards. Wow.

Other than killing big monsters, there are two aspects to the game: the story, and the landscape over which you travel to find the beasts. The story, while simple, is compelling: it sets up a mystery, and at the end, satisfyingly resolves it. The landscape is amazing and huge, with great canyons and vistas (and even geysers). There is a map page, but the detail on the map is low. Getting around can be a bit frustrating -- you'll find more than the occasional puzzling dead-end, so you have to explore. But in the end your sword homing-device will get you to each colossus. Be warned, then, that journeying is a big part of the game. You can't zip to any colossus except perhaps the first one. Happily, Agro, your horse, is the best darned horse you could ever imagine riding. I'm not a horse-lover, but I really liked Agro.

A nice plus: loading screens are virtually absent -- completely absent as you ride around this HUGE landscape. Only after killing each colossus is there any game delay, but it is small, and appropriately rationalized in the context of the story.

The frame rate in this game doesn't blaze. But happily, the action isn't so fast that you need a screaming frame rate. I hope the game is programmed so that the frame rate will be silky smooth on the PS5 or PS6. The frame rate is fast enough.

There are 16 colossi. When I was done, the game clock told me I'd worked on them for 22 hours (probably not including the times I died!)

A final suggestion: I completely inverted the sense of the camera control, that way, when I move the stick UP, I look UP, and when I move it RIGHT, I look RIGHT. Makes sense, eh? I'm not sure why the default is otherwise.

The Shadow Of The Colossus is a spectacular game.

Amazing!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is so beautiful! The graphics and environments are amazing to behold. The horse animation is well done as well and it's enjoyable to ride through the world on horseback just enjoying the scenery as you travel from one colossus to the next. The ending was a surprise though but the game as a whole is well worth playing. Be forewarned though, the only action is each of the 16 colossi..there are no inbetween battles. If you don't mind that, definitely pick this one up. It also explains where the horns in ICO came from! Cool! =)

A Colossal Achievement

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: August 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Ico was a game that was very different from others. It focused on puzzle solving and had a short but unforgettable story mixed with fantastic visuals and audio. Imagine what Ico would be if action were incorporated into it, you would have something like Shadow of the Colossus, Ico's prequel. SoTC is a colossal achievement on many different levels.

Presentation: You stand in front of a deceased woman whose identity is unknown and are told that by defeating 16 colossi that roam the land, you may be able to revive her...but it may come at a price! This sets up the shroud of mystery that surrounds SoTC as you start your journey. You are given nothing but bows & arrows, a sword, and your trusty horse Agro.

Graphics: The land is sometimes colorful, but it's supposed to be desolate so you won't see much life here. The real kudos goes to the animation that occurs during the boss bottles. Different motion blur affects really bring the game to a new level of realism. And Agro's animation is also cinema-worthy as well.

Gameplay: The meat and potatoes of SoTC is the gameplay. Ride on your steed in the direction of the colossus and begin to battle. You have 2 bars, grip strength and health. Grip determines how long you can hold on to things, such as the colossi themselves. The best part of gameplay isn't done with your hands but your mind. Each colossus is a puzzle that must be solved. It can be determining it's weak spot, or even how to get on the thing. The colossus are so varied that each one will keep you guessing as to what to do next. While it will be hard, it will be one of the funnest experiences you've ever had.

Audio: Some of the same tracks are repeated throughout here, but they never grow old. The music seems to match the mood. When you've just met the colossus you'll hear soft music while you figure out what to do. Then the music will rise as you mount the beast. All the pieces in here sound good and are great pieces.

Overall: When you've beaten it and picked your jaw off the ground from the surprise ending, it's not over yet. You have time attack mode and hard mode which can be used to collect a few unlockables. While such modes seem trivial to me, I did mention that this was an extremely fun experience, so even I had to go through it again. This is an absolutely no-brainer, get Shadow of the Colossus now.

I haven't completed the game, but...

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 14
Date: April 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

...I don't really see what the big deal is. Having defeated 7 of the 16 colossi, I am still waiting to be drawn into this vast storyline I keep hearing about.

Ahem, but I get ahead of myself. "Shadow of the Colossus" is certainly unlike most games I've ever played. You start as a...man (boy?) who is trying to resurrect a...woman (girl?). You journey to a forbidden land to speak with the Dormir (dormir is Latin for "sleep", by the way), who are...spirits(?) who can raise the dead. They propose a challenge - defeat 16 colossi roaming the land, in order to destory 16 idols in a vacant temple. And thus, your story begins. And...that's pretty much it, to this point. Each time you defeat a colossus, you return and hear...that you need to defeat another colossus. That's REALLY it (other than some poorly translated stuff at the beginning, said by some witch doctor, or possibly Majora's Mask).

Let's begin with the good. "Shadow" has some of the best graphics ever to grace the PS2. In fact, they're a little TOO good - the PS2 can hardly handle the graphics stuffed into this one, and often skips some animation. This is a minor flaw, however, and the countryside is both vast and lush, with green forests, blue lakes, excellent shading for light and dark, etc. If you want to get a good idea of how great these graphics are, you need only observe the fine detail of your horse's tail. I mean, these graphics are incredible (for the PS2).

As far as ideas go, this game has a good one. Rather than bore the player with the tedium of mindless monster encounters which do little but tire your thumbs and fingers, there are exactly 16 enemies in the game (not counting the optional lizards, which can't really be called enemies, anyway). And each battle is epic - the colossi each have weak points to be exploited, but it's up to the player to figure out how. Much of the time, a player will have to climb a colossus (who generally have fur/moss to grip) and stab it, but getting there is all the challenge. I love the battles in theory...

However, in execution, there are numerous problems. The first is the horrible camera. Rarely does it move where you want. And while one CAN lock onto a colossus, I have found that often, it is detrimental to the player's chance of defeating the titan. Also, the character's running motion is incredibly awkward - one cannot easily run away from a colossus, out of the screen. This makes battles that SHOULD be easier much more complicated (although I haven't found any yet that are particularly challenging).

Controls are gummy, particularly when controlling the horse. Climbing colossi is more difficult than it should be because the character often gets hung up (you try to move sideways, but he wants to go up). The horse is a nightmare all around - his speed is controlled by spurring, but it is erratic, and he always slows even in a slight turn. This makes overworld travel rather painful.

And that's a problem, too - while no overworld enemies saves a player from the boredom of fighting 100 green slimes, it unfortunately adds to the frustration when a colossus cannot be found. Riding on the horse will fray the nerves of many, and you'll be doing it a lot.

The music? Not bad, but nothing special. And even if it WAS great, it is so sparse as to be forgettable despite its greatness. You will get music while fighting colossi (and it is helpful - a change in music usually means you're on the right path to defeating the giant), and a small theme each time you enter a colossus' realm, but that's it.

And we end where we began. I have no doubt that this game has a great story - somewhere. Unfortunately, it has developed so slowly that most will give up before they see the payoff. I'll stick with it, because I enjoy the colossus battles, but it isn't surprising that some people don't see what the hub-bub is about. I surely don't...at the moment.

All in all, an intriguing idea mixed with good gameplay, great graphics, mediocre control and zero story (at least through 7 colossi), and you pretty much have a dud.

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