Shadow of the Colossus
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Shadow of the Colossus is a beautiful game. It is the perfect example for the argument that games are an art form.
From the makers of the similar “ICO”, Shadow of the Colossus is set in a somber, empty world. The game opens as your character, Wander, rides his horse, Argo along a cliff and over a huge bridge. From the second you see the world, the tone is set. This is a sad place. A sense of loss and regret pervades the environment. Wander eventually reaches a temple where you see his girlfriend lying dead on a stone slab. You are informed by an ancient voice that in order to gain a method of reviving her, you will have to defeat the colossi that wander the lands. The stage is set and you head off in search of your first Colossus.
The game is essentially a series of boss battles with the Colossi, beasts ranging in from the size of a bull to hulking behemoths that could destroy a city. The Colossi don’t bother you for the most part. You must actively seek them out and climb them to find their week points which you proceed to stab repeatedly until they are dead. They struggle and become violent when you climb them, but the fact that, if left alone, they would never bother you makes you think about what you are doing on a deeper level than most games.
The game is truly a masterpiece. The tone of the setting, along with the subtlety of the story combines to thrust you into an emotional narrative that is rare in gaming. And when your very presence in a world can evoke such strong emotions as it does in Shadow, you know that the creators put a lot of time into crafting the game world. This game should be played just to experience what happens when a developer takes the time to use a little grace in their game design rather than beating you over the head with their ideas.
From the makers of the similar “ICO”, Shadow of the Colossus is set in a somber, empty world. The game opens as your character, Wander, rides his horse, Argo along a cliff and over a huge bridge. From the second you see the world, the tone is set. This is a sad place. A sense of loss and regret pervades the environment. Wander eventually reaches a temple where you see his girlfriend lying dead on a stone slab. You are informed by an ancient voice that in order to gain a method of reviving her, you will have to defeat the colossi that wander the lands. The stage is set and you head off in search of your first Colossus.
The game is essentially a series of boss battles with the Colossi, beasts ranging in from the size of a bull to hulking behemoths that could destroy a city. The Colossi don’t bother you for the most part. You must actively seek them out and climb them to find their week points which you proceed to stab repeatedly until they are dead. They struggle and become violent when you climb them, but the fact that, if left alone, they would never bother you makes you think about what you are doing on a deeper level than most games.
The game is truly a masterpiece. The tone of the setting, along with the subtlety of the story combines to thrust you into an emotional narrative that is rare in gaming. And when your very presence in a world can evoke such strong emotions as it does in Shadow, you know that the creators put a lot of time into crafting the game world. This game should be played just to experience what happens when a developer takes the time to use a little grace in their game design rather than beating you over the head with their ideas.
