Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus
Developer(s)	SCEA
Publisher(s)	SCEA
Release date	October 18, 2005, (US)
Genre	Action Adventure
Mode(s)	Single player
Age rating(s)	ESRB: Teen
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2 Template:Infobox/media
Credits | Soundtrack | Codes | Walkthrough

Shadow of the Colossus is an Action/Adventure Game from the people behind the little known cult hit, Ico. The game technically consists of nothing but sixteen boss fights (Colossi}, scattered through out a vast, realistically rendered land. The game is often credited for being unorthodox, innovative, and altogether artistic. The game is also different in that there are no typical video game mechanics, such as levels, stats, new equipment, or keys & dungeons. Everything you will use is available to you at the start of the game, providing a more realistic, immersive experience.

Compared to its predecessor, SotC was a more commercially successful game. As for connecting to Ico, it is possible that SotC is a prequel to Ico.

Plot

The game opens with you, a boy named Wander, carrying a veiled figure on your horse, Agro, as you travel rugged terrain. It then goes to you crossing a immense bridge to a forgotten land, where the god Dormin is said to have the power to ressurect the dead girl. You are then required to find and destroy the 16 Colossi in order for Dormin to bring her back. Without question you head out into the land with nothing but your magic sword, bow and arrow, and horse.

Gameplay

Shadow is a game that, as stated above, is completely boss fights. This means that in between these bosses is nothing but a landscape over which you travel. You begin at the Shrine of Worship, where Dormin gives you a hint as to what Colossi is next. From there, you can raise your Magic Sword in the sunlight, and point it in various directions. The light from your sword will gather into a single beam when it faces the direction of the next Colossus. This is how you navigate the land to find these enemies, but it only works in places where there is sunlight.

The land is vast, but not desolate. There terrain can vary, with long draw distances. Riding on horseback makes traveling faster, but Agro cannot climb or swim. There is also the occasional wildlife, such as turtles, lizards, and hawks. Some can be killed, but are not considered "enemies."

There is a pink circle meter which displays Wander's limitations, such as grip strength and ability to swim underwater. If this meter is run down, he cannot do the action until the meter refills.

That tiny dot on the Colossus' weapon? That's you.

Battling Colossi

When Wander finds a Colossus, he must find its weakpoint, scale it, and then stab it until it dies. The weakpoint can be found by shining the magic sword until it points to it. It is designated by a glowing mark. After a few stabs, the mark will disappear and move elsewhere. It is up to the player to find this new weakpoint to continue killing the Colossus.

Each Colossus is different. Some walk on two feet, some gallop on four, some fly. They are all extremely big, maybe a hundred feet or so tall. To kill them, they must be scaled. But not every part of their body has a grip. The player must often manipulate the movement & actions of the Colossus in order to reveal suitable climbing point. It may be as simple as waiting for the Colossus to strike with it's club, so that the player may climb the weapon. Other times, the player may hide in a small cave, causing the Colossus to bend down and look inside, lowering it's huge, climbable beard to the floor.

Once on the colossus, players climb & jump their way to the weak point. This is made difficult by the limitations on grip, so the player must often find some level ground or platform on the Colossus to rest & regenerate his grip. A fall from high distances will damage Wander, which will eventually lead to his death. All the while, the Colossus will be trying to shake off Wander, making it hard for him to stay on, let alone stab the weak point.

Criticism

• Many reviewers have said that the framerate often slows down and becomes quite choppy in very intense moments.
• It is also often commented that the controls are too difficult for their own good and could have been done much better.