Kantor

User Score
9.7

Presentation - 9.8
Gameplay - 10
Value - 9.4

A lone man, Wander, rides on his horse, carrying a dead woman. He traverses treacherous terrain on his long journey, watched over by a black eagle. Finally, he arrives at the temple. It reaches up into the sky. He enters and lays his beloved on a stone slab. Then, he is told of his quest by Dormin, a mysterious celestial being. He must find and slay the Sixteen Colossi that guard this land. If he can perform this task, Dormin may be able to restore the life of his love.

[img]http://gamesareevil.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/mono_and_wander.jpg[/img]

Wander, standing next to his deceased lover, Mono.

And with that, you set off, riding on Agro, your horse. You are in for what could be the best ten hours of your gaming life. Shadow of the Colossus grips you from the moment you pick up the controller and select "New Game" to the end of the final credits...and beyond. You will feel attached to the characters in a way like you never have before. You will be immersed in a fantasy world.

The sixteen colossi are all unique- they look different, act differently, move differently, and are defeated differently. You might think that eventually, the game would begin to be more of the same. It never is. Each colossus has a different strategy for their destruction. The only thing they all have in common is weak points- these can be identified by raising your sword, and damaged by stabbing them with your sword. These can be on the head, stomach, back, feet...anything. Damaging all of these weak points a sufficient amount will kill the great beast, and send you back to the temple, just a little more evil than before.

[img]http://www.virginmedia.com/microsites/games/slideshow/game-art/img_4.jpg[/img]

Wander, riding on Agro, with the second colossus, Quadratus, in the background.

The game does not tell you outright where these colossi are. Instead, you are given a map of the land (with your position, the temple, and any colossi you have defeated marked on it), and a magic sword. Holding Circle with the sword equipped will raise the sword into the air. Many light beams will come out of it. As you turn, the light beams become closer together or further apart. When you are facing the right direction, the light beams all align and point straight ahead. This only works while in sunlit areas. The sword performs a similar function during battles, identifying the location of the weak points on the colossus.

[img]http://www.just-rpg.com/upload/pics/dir38/ShadowCol4.jpg[/img]

Wander using the sword to find the next colossus.

No music plays when you are riding around the world. The only sounds are Agro's footsteps, and the howling of the wind. You are completely alone, save for your loyal companion and steed. Sunlight illuminates the environment, creating gorgeous views. Pop-in is quite rampant, which is a minor annoyance, but does not hurt the game in any significant way.

When you spot a colossus, some quiet music comes in, with a few instruments playing. There is a sense of caution. Then, as you alert or grab the colossus (this sometimes happens the moment you see the colossus) a full orchestra comes in, setting the stage for an epic showdown. Each and every one of the music tracks in the game is excellent- it is quite possibly the best soundtrack I have heard in a game.

Though not a word is spoken in English (or any Earth language, for that matter), the dialogue is fascinating, when it is there, which is only really in the opening and closing cutscenes. Before each colossus, Dormin gives you some details on your next foe, in a man and woman's voice wrapped together, which sounds extremely shadowy. Subtitles are, of course, displayed at the bottom of the screen, so you can understand what is going on.

[img]http://www.davidraffauf.com/images/uploads/blog/sotc-6.png[/img]

Wander stabbing the weak point of a Colossus.

Other than the opening and closing cutscenes, again, there isn't much of a story. There are story cutscenes after some of the colossi, but these are short and basic. The first cutscene sets the scene (somewhat, it leaves out some details that would actually have been fascinating to know), and the final cutscene, which is undoubtedly one of the best endings in any video game, ties up all loose ends...almost. The story feels just a little underdeveloped, which is a shame.

The controls take a little bit of getting used to, but once you know them, they are just fine. One thing worth mentioning is Agro. Whenever you are playing, you control Wander. Even when on your horse. You press X to kick, to make the horse go faster, and use the left analog stick to control the reins. However, the horse does not follow your instructions exactly. If he gets hurt, he will fall over, knocking you off. He refuses to ride off cliffs, or down steep hillsides. But he is willing to, literally, go to the ends of the world for Wander, which makes him one of the best sidekicks ever. You can really sense the bond between Wander and Agro, and feel it yourself.

Your first playthrough of the game should take about 12 hours, perhaps more or less depending on how good you are to begin with. The second should be 7 hours or so. And this is a game you can play again and again, without it getting old. There are secret areas to find, a Time Attack mode which unlocks items, and a hard mode if you want more of a challenge. The game doesn't end after you've finished once.

Shadow of the Colossus is an amazing game. You will be immersed like you never have been before. You will care about the characters, and their fates. You will tighten your grip when the colossus shakes, and feel genuinely relieved when the colossus is slain. You will feel lonely one minute, and exhilarated the next. It is an experience that is not to be missed. Absolutely brilliant, and undoubtedly one of the greatest games ever made.