Shadow of the Colossus (2005 Video Game) User Reviews

Freakin' Dazzling

[traficderime · 9/10 · 3 September 2006]

This is the most epic game I've ever played, with the possible exception of Half-Life 2. You are a young man who climbs atop the backs of giants and has to bring them down by use of your sword and/or bow & arrow. The first giant is beaten simply by climbing onto him and stabbing marked areas of his body, but other enemies are beaten by interacting with the environment around you, which by the way is one of the most jaw-dropping visual features of this game by far. You ride your horse through grassy fields, barren deserts, vast mountain ranges with waterfalls, you name it. The world is enormous and something you totally would not expect a PS2 to be able to handle (I'm guessing it's pulled off due to the fact that there is no interaction with other characters or enemies at all).

Understandable is the criticism it's received for being, in essence, nothing but a bunch of boss battles. There's no real interaction with anybody else in the game. But most would probably agree that what it lacks in terms of rich gameplay it more than makes up for with the freakin' pretty landscapes and jaw dropping cinematic display.

The 16 giants are something you might see in a Lord of the Rings movie. By land, by air or by sea, you find yourself doing pretty much everything. Grip onto the back of a Boeing-sized Pterodactyl of sorts. Cling to an enormous electric eel as it swims under the water. Ride your horse alongside an enormous galloping bull. Every gamer on the planet needs to at the very least RENT this game. See it before you die or you just might not make it into gaming-heaven. I'm pleading with you here, I don't want anybody at all to miss this.

Oh, and as a music person I must stress the superb soundtrack.

Beautiful

[Vastarien202 · 10/10 · 14 August 2006]

This is such a wonderful game! I found myself in total amazement as I wandered through this massive world. The music is perfect, grand epic themes, yet always somewhat sad and wistful too. Just right for the death of an age. You are on a quest to resurrect a strange and nameless girl who has been sacrificed. The resurrection can only happen in the Forbidden Land at the edge of the earth,and only if an ancient power is restored through a deadly ritual that calls for the blood of the sixteen titans that walk this forsaken place. Your only companion is a massive war-horse, Agro, and an ancient black sword that points the way to terror and glory. I fell in love with this game as soon as it started. There are very few games out there that can come close to this one is sheer grandeur, and I have found none that equal the sense of pure loneliness and isolation in a land of crumbling splendor. I would almost never tell someone to buy an entire console for the sake of one game, but this would be the exception. This one is worth it!

Truly Remarkable

[pippin_evil_genius · 10/10 · 13 November 2006]

This game is one of the greatest games ever made because of how well it was done.

The game's plot puts you as a wanderer who takes a girl to the forbidden land to give her back her stolen soul. But to do this you must go and slay the Colossus. Who roam in the land. I'm not going to lie to you, this game is hard. For example it took over an hour to beat the last Colossus.

There aren't a lot of creatures in this game. It's you, you're horse Agro, a dead girl, and sixteen Colossus that roam. Another great but interesting thing about this game is how you never really communicate with Agro, but you somehow form a bond with him since he's really all that you have.

The graphics may not be the best and sometimes seem a little glitchy, but Artistically this game is unmatched. It really is fun to explore ruins to a lost civilization and wonder why it is that the world in the game is the way it is...

The music is truly the best soundtrack ever put into a game, it has all real instruments which is great for a video game. This soundtrack sounds that of a film! I praise it!

The overall of this game is incredible and that's why I will always support Shadow of the Colossus.

10/10

The Medium Is What You Make It.

[tekiclutch · 2 February 2006]

No longer are video games the time-killers numbing the minds of our world's adolescents. Shadow of the Colossus (the English-language release title; the translation of the Japanese would be roughly "Wander and the Colossi") has used beautiful imagery and innovative puzzles on the backs of giants to tell a story worthy of the religious mythologies of an ancient civilization. The technical game-play is stunning in its simplicity, and has truly moved video games to the status of an art form. Fumito Ueda's previous endeavor Ico (to which Shadow of the Colossus is a prequel) is also told in a way that does what was done with comic books in the 1980s; using an unappreciated, stigmatized medium to tell a story that, if told in a cinematic or literary form, would leave the viewing and reading populous speechless. To those of you who do play video games, you simply must play this game. To those of you who don't play video games or have teenage children who play them, buy them a copy and at least watch them play. Most of important to you all, open your minds or you'll most certainly miss out.

The Best Game I Have Played This Year

[DeadSetMisawa · 10/10 · 12 December 2006]

So the premise is that you play as a character that goes around and attempts to defeat these sixteen colossi in order to save a girl. And that's all he does? Nothing else? Sounds simple, and yet, there is much substance to be found in Shadow of the Colossus. I know this game is older now, but I just got around to playing it about a month ago. I can safely say that this is the best game that I have played all year and the only one that has made me sit down for up to five or six straight hours. Time absolutely flew out the window, that's how captivated and intrigued I was.

You play as Wander, and with your faithful companion and horse Agro, you traverse a vast and beautiful landscape, which is rich with almost every kind of landscape you can think of, and buildings that are marvels of architecture. There are times when all you do is ride for about ten to fifteen minutes, just trying to get to one place. Sounds boring, and believe me, I thought it would be, but it isn't one bit. You'll find yourself just looking around as the scenery changes and even stopping a few times to take a good look around at the marvelous land.

But like I said, the whole objective is seeking out and defeating these sixteen colossi, and that is where the true fun begins. Some are giants (and by giant, I mean like you can barely see their head if you're looking up), some take to the air and some to the sea. No matter the shape and size of the magnificent beast, each one of the battles is breathtaking, and I found myself fighting some of them for an excess of a half hour. It brings the term 'battle' to a whole new level that a video game rarely sees. And because of the story, you'll actually find yourself feeling bad for some of these colossi.

All in all, like I said, the game is incredible. To paraphrase something that another user said, 'if you're a video game fan, you absolutely have to play this game. and if you don't play games, you should still play this game.' It's just an experience that you may not find in a game for a long time.

Too good for words

[Chibichasechan · 10/10 · 28 May 2007]

I can't even begin to explain how amazing this game is, it is beyond words, beyond actions, to explain the precious contents hidden in the case of one of the best games ever made in the entire world.

In all of my years of life, I have not met one person, one living soul that has not liked this game after watching it or playing it themselves.

Yet it all began with me watching my 2 cousins playing it, until I despised it for the playing style and how short it was. It was probably because I was in the middle of my Final Fantasy 8 file and was used to long games. Until I went to their house about a year later and was bored, and decided to play the game to actually feel how it was to play.

I must say it had to be love, I would not put down the controller for anything, not even to watch Full Metal Alchemist at 10:00, I was too concentrated of at the greatness of the game, and the contents it held.

Until I demanded that I borrow the game, I printed out one of the online guides, and played the game all day. For 2 days straight I beat it, after getting about every single fruit and WT lizard that the world could hold, and watched the touching ending that like gasping for breath, and trying to hold back my tears.

But it didn't end there, I did everything there was to do, completed all the time attacks in easy and hard mode, and confirmed the 17th colossi rumor (and btw, it's not real.) It didn't end there either, my cousins were so happy with me that they wanted to borrow my file and show everyone how good I was at the game.

My favorite colossi has to be no.7, the electric eel. I love the water graphics in the game, and the way it moves and how you have to catch onto it's tail. I also love the idea of insignias and the way they look, and how you have to spend breath-taking hours trying to find them, and the colossi acting like a complete idiot trying to shake you off.

But the best thing about this game, is the will and freedom to explore this large and vast land, which takes about 5 hours to cover the entire area, and takes a long time to find all the fruit trees and all the save altars on the way. I would say about half of the area is used for the colossi, the other half is for exploring with your only friend and companion, Agro, the black horse. Be glad that he is with you, for if you would have to travel this land on foot, it would take you about a hour to walk from the top of the map to the bottom, not even thinking about left and right.

This game definitely deserves more praise than people have given it, for it is the best game in the world and got voted 4th on ign.com, (damn that God of War..... DAMN YOU!), but everyone knows, and I know it should of gotten first. So if you find this game sitting alone in EB Games or a movies store, give it a try. You might not like it at first but you will get hooked, like me.

Zelda Clone?... I think NOT!

[winged_loner · 10/10 · 25 November 2006]

Shadow of the Colossus is one of those games where you can just watch someone else play and have a good time. The person playing will have a good time as well.

As 'Wander', you ride to a forbidden land (with warnings that it is forbidden) and try to save a pretty, dead, brunette girl who is your love. Now, before you all go and say 'Awwwww' I have to say that the story is dark and very gritty. When he gets the hint that he has to defeat 16 giants (the smallest being about the size of a van) to do this, he sets off on this great adventure to slay the beasts.

Seriously, Peter Jackson, we need you to make a movie of this. Itd be awesome.

Slaying these beasts is no cakewalk either... they're all distinct and it takes a fair amount of brainpower to figure them out. Climbing them and slaying them is a whole different story than finding them. It takes about 30 minutes sometimes to roam the landscape to find the next Colossi. So, constant action is a nono here.

It's not for everyone, but a true gamer would really appreciate it.

Rather fun, plus a rather good albeit sad story.

[Aaron1375 · 8/10 · 22 April 2007]

This was a good game, nice graphics and an interesting tale. Maybe it could have used a bit more here or there to spruce it up...maybe a few more characters or something as the game could use some more back story and character development. The game has a young man bringing his deceased loved one to a forbidden valley temple where he is confronted by a voice that tells him of a way to perhaps revive his beloved. He must go out and slay huge beasts which in turn destroys statues that seal this beings powers. So there you have it, you along with your trusty horse must seek out and slay the colossi inhabiting this mysterious valley land. Using the sun to guide you, you track them down using clues given you by the mysterious voice and once you find them you must find a way to climb them so you can find the weak point and bring them down. The fighting is great as it took a bit to figure out what to do here and there, however for the most part I was able to find a way to kill the Colossus without any aid. There were a couple, though, I had to search for the way to kill them on the web. Like I said add some more elements in the valley and this would be really great, because for the most part when searching for the colossi you are simply riding your horse here and there. Still good, but sad.

A different game with perfect atmosphere.

[pardoen_productions · 10/10 · 27 November 2005]

It does not matter how old you are, even watching this game is an experience as the Playstation 2 pumps out all of its graphical power. The way you can control the camera and turn and zoom while you're at a climax in a battle with a Colossus is not only cool for a gamer, but also gives you a rush as a movie lover. It is not a very long game, it's a game you must direct yourself by taking the time to see how beautiful the landscapes and creatures are created. The simplicity in having to destroy only the Colossi and having no other foes further in the game helps the atmosphere in the game even more. The music also is brilliantly done and totally fits the scenario. I can only complicate the creators of this sentimental game. When I played it trough I felt overwhelmed by the brilliant ending that shows this is a prequel to there also wonderful ICO.

10 out of 10, especially for a game on the aged Playstation 2.

Top five!

[kabukiindustries · 10/10 · 26 October 2018]

There are only a few things to say about this game. It is one of the most interesting, well done, fun and challenging games ever made ...hands down. A solid 10.

Play it!

one of my favorite games

[dckizz · 10/10 · 1 December 2007]

i got it and when i put it in and it was beautiful the graphics were amazing and searching for the colossus was awesome also the environment was really interactive which was cool the game play was unique and fun and the battles and how you had to find out how to kill them were awesome also the story was the best each colossi was unique and different to kill and the story was a shocker (if you have played Ico then you might have guessed that this game is Ico prequel) this game really pushed the play stations limits though the game is short but it is unforgettable if you have never played this get it and if you have any doubts don't classic 10/10

An Undisputable Masterpiece

[Akira-Takahashi · 10/10 · 2 October 2007]

This game is both a treat for fans of ICO and those who are new to these kinds of games. Don't expect to fight armies, or to even have to defeat a legion of regular enemies (if you've played ICO, you might be expecting to fight off the shadows), but rather a series of Colossi; a being of great power that takes tact to destroy, not random hacking and slashing.

At the beginning of the game, Wander brings a dead girl to a vast, but very much deserted, land and lays her body on an altar. A being named Dormin tells Wander that with the sword he carries, if he can defeat the sixteen Colossi that roam the land, he will be able to bring Mono back to life. He does, though, warn you that the price you pay will be very high, and I will tell you that it is high. However, Wander says that he doesn't care, thus begins your journey to do nothing other than seek out and destroy the Colossi. It sounds simple, but it really isn't. This game will tug at your heartstrings, and the vast, lonely, but beautiful land will leave you awestruck.

The graphics for this game are stunning. In all honesty, I don't think even the PS3 could do much to better this game in terms of graphics! I highly recommend this game. It's simply a masterpiece, and anyone who plays it will feel the same.

Fantastic scenery, a vast world, but a few problems

[Zachman3001 · 7/10 · 26 June 2008]

When I first saw Shadow of the Collosus, my brother had borrowed it from a friend. My brother was battling one of the Collosi and I could not find it in me to tear my eyes away from the screen. It was absolutely HUGE! Inevetibly, my brother bought the game but I was left out as I did not own a PS2 at the time. I have, however, finally been able to play this truly unique game.

When I began play, I immediately noticed one thing. No loading screens as you roam throughout the expanse of this huge world! I had NEVER seen this before. Even the Final Fantasy games, which I consider to be some of the best games ever made, have dozens upon dozens of loading screens, and the area they cover is minuscule in comparison! Next, I noticed how every single part of this game looked like a painting in the making. There was even a time when I HAD to stop while entering a canyon with stormy clouds above. It was simply beautiful.

Also, most of the colossi in this game are simply amazing. My first thought was, "How in the world am I going to be able to beat that!? It's huge!" Finally, my complaints, which are few compared to many other games. (1) Some of this game is fairly choppy. Just watch your character as he runs. It is most likely a side effect of having no loading screens but it still bothered me. (2) Once you are able to get on a Colossi, it is you vs. your grip, rather than the Colossi itself. You would think that they would make a grab at you or something! (3) The camera in this game could drive you absolutely mad! I know that if you hold the right stick in the same position the camera will remain fixed, but try doing that while also holding on to the triangle button, it's nearly impossible! When all is said and done, though, this is definitely a fun game and worth playing through twice, if not several more times afterward. I would not be opposed to a second game as well, especially if the three flaws I stated are fixed.

Honestly, don't waste your time. This game is enraging. Not worth the time.

[xSoulsearcherx · 2/10 · 7 November 2017]

Well so I'm angry as balls. Spend like 12 hours playing this game. (came here right from The Last Guardian, bought them both at the same time)

Never in my life have I seen such a boring game. I mean, I gave it a chance and played it all the way through because The Last Guardian was an absolute masterpiece, so I was a happy camper that there was another game I could enjoy. Boy, was I wrong. I am so angry. Because I just finished the game, and I never knew anything about Wander, or Mono, Like why would I care if she's gonna come back to life or not in the end? Why would I feel any pity for her, if I don't even know the depth of her relationship with Wander? And then the colossi, which are, you know, kinda cool, or something, get defeated and three hours later I still don't care about the characters or the colossi! Why would I care about the colossi? I have no idea whether they're peaceful or not? I don't know why they're there or who they are? and then in the end he was being used all this time by an evil being with a master plan?? What is that kinda nonsense?! I can imagine that anyone else who spend days, hours, or weeks to finish this game to get SO mad that they were "used" all this time! Wander just flat out dies, after getting cursed and stabbed really painfully, The 'bad guys' get away so I can't even feel the sense of justice or irony what I would feel if they died falling off that bridge... And then there's that dead chick who wakes up (yayyy so happy i guess) and finds a terrifying baby who is Wander in the end? And the horse comes back? Like what would I care? Wander's a baby now! Any kind of ship between the two would be very awkward forever more, the whole romance that was there but not really throughout the game is completely ruined now as well. And we don't know anything about literally any of the characters in the game. And the whole "You will atone for what you did" that's not fair! The guy didn't know he was doing something terrible? I'm not even talking about how awkward the game looks because I don't get annoyed about trivial things like that, or the controls because also in The last Guardian was it a bit embarrassing, but I was really hoping to feel some kind of fulfillment, tiny shred of happiness in the end.

Because I didn't know (and still don't know) anything about Trico or the village or the master of the valley or the boy for that matter, but that was not point of The Last Guardian. The point of the game was to establish a relationship between an innocent little boy and a terrifying beast. And you learn to love both of them along the way, by how they interact with each other. You learn that the boy is kind, optimistic and resourceful, and you learn that Trico deals with his own fears and instincts gradually and you see, and feel him grow in his affections towards this random kid. And that's really cute. If the character development is good enough, the storyline would be secondary. But a relationship between this guy we know nothing of and this girl we know even less of, but that we're just supposed to accept is not credible at all. And so all the things we do for that relationship (killing the colossi), we do for the sake of gaming, because we can't care about the characters. Why would you want to do that? Who would play this game, knowing the end?

amazing....

[sl_86 · 11 November 2005]

this is one of those games that is just so original and good, it just took my breathe away. i have never seen a game like this before, fighting giant's literally hundreds, or even thousands of times your size was a truly incredible experience. every battle was epic with the colossi. my only complaints are, the horse is a little hard to control sometimes, the camera angles can work against you at points, and it's a little on the short side. with a price tag of $40 this is truly a great purchase if you want a game that will make you think, rather than just blowing things up. i give this game a 9.5/10 and my highest recommendation.

One of the Best Games I've Ever Played

[FilmFreak94 · 10/10 · 26 February 2013]

From the moment the game begins you can tell Shadow of the Colossus isn't going to be like most games you've played. A sweeping orchestra playing a beautiful theme as a lonely figure of a young man carrying something on a horse through a stormy mountainside serves as the prologue. When he finally reaches his destination, a large stone gate, you get to see the area where the game takes place. A large open space; filled with deserts, forests, hillsides and many other strange and wonderful landscapes and ruins. In the middle lies a large temple, stretching higher than the tallest building you can think of. And that's just the opening cutscene.

The story of Shadow of the Colossus is shrouded in mystery. A young man named Wander has come to this area that has been described as a holy place by his elders and thus forbidden. The reason he enters this sacred land is because he has heard rumors that a God lives there that can revive the dead. The person in question is a young woman around Wander's age named Mono. Upon entering the temple he meets the God Dormin who has been sealed in the temple as a shapeless spirit. He tells Wander that while he cannot bring the girl back there is a way it could be done. But it requires slaying 16 giants called Colossi, and at a terrible price to Wander himself.

The rest of the story is simple from there. You merely seek out each of the Colossi one by one and eliminate them. However, this seemingly simple task gets progressively harder as the game goes on and Wander himself goes through a noticeable physical change for the worse as each fight concludes.

The gameplay is fairly simple. Shadow of the Colossus is equal parts an exploration and puzzle game. The exploration comes between battles with the Colossi, where you are free to explore the vast open world before you track down a Colossus. You can do this by riding on your horse named Agro. Agro is the fastest way to get around the map and is critical in some of the battles with the Colossi. When you encounter the Colossus itself it merely comes down to finding out how to climb it and find its weakspot. You are armed with a bow and arrow (which cannot kill the Colossi and is mainly used as a tool to gain there attention and gather fruit from the trees in the land) and an ancient sword which is the only thing that can kill the Colossi.

Each of the Colossi themselves are all different from each other in terms of how to defeat them. They can range from aggressive to peaceful and they all take quick thinking and action to defeat them. They are also the only enemies you encounter in the game, leaving the rest of the world largely uninhabited save for lizards scattered around the area. This makes the traveling to the Colossi all the more intimidating and foreboding for the battle to come.

The soundtrack in the game is one of the best soundtracks ever composed. It perfectly accompanies every part and emotion of the game. For peaceful moments, gentle harps or flutes are played and gives you a sense of wonder for the world created around you. For the battles of the Colossi you have large sounding drums and fast paced instruments that give you a sense of intensity as you fight the Colossi. However for each end of the battle, what you would normally expect as triumphant music is replaced by soft violins and a choir. Bringing up the question if killing these creatures is really the right thing to do. The music used for the final Colossus stands as the most memorable final boss music I've ever heard and I won't dare spoil it here. Neither will I spoil the appearance of the final Colossi itself, which is arguably the most frightening of them all.

Shortly put, this game is amazing. Every little detail in this game is just gorgeous. The graphics are spectacular from the characters to the setting to even the little creatures that inhabit the world. This game is just too good for words. It's really a game that must be experienced rather than told about. If you haven't played this game or have just found out about its existence I strongly recommend you purchasing it (it's available along with its predecessor Ico on the PS3 as a collection). It not only stands as one of the best games ever made but also one of the greatest stories ever told. This game is a magnificent piece of art that should never be forgotten.

beautiful and epic

[Saria7 · 10/10 · 11 August 2010]

The plot may seem a little slow to start, but it definitely picks up and is worth the time. I bought this on a whim, seeking a Zelda-esquire game, but it was hardly comparable to the Zelda franchise. SotC is extremely unique in that all you do is search for 16 colossi to fight them. I initially was bored with this game, but after the third colossus I started to really get into it. The graphics are beautiful (the entire landscape and each colossus looks amazing) and the soundtrack is truly epic. I have never heard such excellently orchestrated music for a video game before. Ever.

This game also evokes a ton of emotions from the player, and you would have to play to see what I mean. I also loved the bond with your horse, Agro. This game is such a masterpiece. My favorite game this year.

Aesthetic masterpiece

[briancham1994 · 9/10 · 17 May 2021]

This video game is a masterpiece of minimalism, honing in on fine details to achieve a consistent artistic style. The fantasy setting is bare and barren, bringing to mind the ruins of ancient civilisations. The storyline leaves a lot to the imagination with many hints of a magical time gone by. The design of the colossi are gorgeous and complex, and they feel like real beings with a composition that sparks speculation - the mixture of fur, stone and architecture has an otherworldly feel to it. The design of the architecture also feels like a long lost civilisation has been abandoned in a cursed land. The soundtrack is rousing and deep. The gameplay is intense and fills the player with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. This whole setting has a deep, immersive mythological feel to it. My only gripes are Agro's controls and the lack of replay value.

Astonishing

[madman8698 · 10/10 · 18 February 2014]

IN CASE YOU WERE TOO LAZY TO NOTICE, HERE'S ANOTHER WARNING: SPOILERS DEAD AHEAD.

Shadow of the Colossus, is, and always will be, the best game ever made. It is a true artistic achievement and was handled like a child in development. The amount of care that was taken to bring this title to your television is equal to the amount of love a mother gives to her children.

Keep in mind, we're talking the HD version on the PlayStation 3

=The Story=

All of these people out there stating that games aren't art should take a look at this game and see how wrong they are. It's not just pretty graphics and good gameplay, it's what matters the most, the story.

A young man named Wander takes his dead fiancé Mono to a forbidden land so he can ask a demon named Dormin to bring her back to life. Dormin says he will do so if Wander kills sixteen ancient giants made of stone and iron: the colossi. However, Dormin warns Wander that if he chooses to carry out his request, he will have to pay a heavy price. Wander states that it doesn't matter, and he begins his quest.

=The Gameplay= The gameplay is astonishing for 2005. The smooth movements at 30 frames per second blow my mind. The controls are nice and accurate, they are sensitive, but not too sensitive, and even though they may seem a little strange to western gamers, you easily get used to them and have the pattern memorized after about thirty minutes.

=The Graphics= Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is what I hate. These nine year olds saying "I LIKE IT BECAUSE THE GRAPHICS ARE GOOD." Yeah, so what? Even if they were N64 Graphics this would still be a good game.

But that's the thing... GOOD. This game is ASTONISHING. The graphics surprisingly play a big role in this, bigger than any other game ever made. Not only are they magnificent for 2005, but they feel so... REAL.

The game is heavily dependent on atmosphere for the experience. And the more realistic it looks, the more it works. The game is supposed to feel empty, but GOD, did they overdo it. And surprisingly I'm glad they did. It's overdone, but in a good way.

The good graphics make it feel barren, like there's just you. The environment consists of almost no forest, there is mostly barren plains, desert, canyons, or marshlands. AND I LOVE IT. The more realistic it looks, the more it works, surprisingly.

=The Colossi=

(MAJOR SPOILERS, MAJOR SPOILERS, MAJOR SPOILERS, MAJOR SPOILERS, DO NOT READ)

These things are actually the good guys. That makes you the enemy. How 'bout them apples?

These sixteen giants ranging from fifteen feet tall to FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN FEET LONG are actually parts of Dormin's soul. When you kill one of them, the piece of Dormin they contained enters Wander's body, and in the end eventually using his body as a way to give Dormin physical form.

They were made to prevent Dormin's resurrection in the first place.

They also move with the beauty and grace you would expect them to according to their size, making a great factor in immersion.

Also, Dormin is quite a confusing fellow. Despite the fact that he was using Wander to gain a physical form, he still stays truthful to him and brings Mono back to life.

This shows he isn't evil, he isn't good, he's... in-between. Come to think of it... the same thing is there with Wander. Sure, he caused Dormin to be resurrected, but he didn't know that, and he had purely good intentions.

In the end, this is why it is the best game ever made. It's not simply an adventure story, it's not simply an action game, it's a controversial game. It's making a statement about humanity and how there is no absolute good or bad in anyone. Even though at heart we're all good people, we can do some truly horrifying things.

Did Wander commit genocide? Sure, but he wasn't aiming for that to be his goal, he was just trying to bring someone he loved back to life. Did Dormin use Wander? Sure, but he also tried to warn him of the price he would pay, and in the end he carried out his promise.

The game is about what we are: human. We aren't sure about anything and we never will be. We're too complex and intricate on the inside though we look so simple on the outside... JUST LIKE THIS GAME.

You know what, forget it. This game IS humanity. Inside this little disk is every single one of us, showing just how strange we are, and how blessed we are that God decided to make us.

Ocarina of Time never did that, now did it? No. But this game did. So yeah, without a shadow of a doubt, Shadow of the Colossus is the best game ever made, and won't be beat anytime soon.

An extraordinary game like no other.

[razz4499 · 10/10 · 9 September 2009]

Shadow of the Colossus is by far one of the most exhilarating and breath-taking games ever created. It isn't your everyday common shooter, or a repetitive RPG.. no, it's something much different and unique.

I played this game when it first came out to the UK in 2005, and rented it from a local movie store. And at first, it was a very challenging game, and I thought the lack of dialogue might have been a disadvantage.

But no, I was wrong. It was an amazing and epic game. The designs of the colossi are exhilarating, the vast land was fun to explore, the music was incredibly beautiful, the graphics back than were top-notch, the battles were brilliant and fun, and the story was probably the best...

It's a mysterious and quite a sad story, and the ending was unexpectedly tearful, yet wonderfully great! It's left for interpretations, though, but that doesn't bother me one bit.

Of course, the only downfall was the camera and the controlling of Agro haha. Otherwise, perfect. :] This game is one of my most treasured games I own, and probably one of the greatest games I've ever played (And I've played hundreds).

And so, I give it a 9 1/2 of 10. I recommend anyone to play this game, you might even come to love it!

7 years on and still as good as you remember

[togutas · 9/10 · 7 March 2012]

This game was released to such astonishing praise, and rightfully so, that I don't think there has been and game more universally loved since.

7 years on I picked the game up again to see how it aged and let me tell you, It is still as original, intense and beautiful as it was in 2005. I am happy at calling this game a classic without any shadow of a doubt, It's an absolute masterpiece and nothing else has ever captured the exhilaration of this game. The only way in which I could describe this experience is by saying it's like if Philip glass, Kurosawa and Godzilla decided to make a game in the middle of the Battle of Pelennor fields scene form LOTR.

You can already see that this game is amazing by everyone else's reviews but let me just discuss some of the few negative points about the game as there seems to be a complete lack of negative feedback.

1. The camera can sometimes be a little frantic and hard to control on those later colossi fights (especially the last) meaning you may have to resort to huge leaps of faith when trying to point the camera in the direction you're jumping. Just to reiterate, this is only a problem with a couple of the colossi and is not really a game breaking problem.

2.The recovery speed when knocked down. Sometimes a colossi will hit you especially hard and send you flying about 10 feet and leave you sprawled on the ground, the time it takes you to stand up again is around 5 seconds which might not seem much but completely breaks the fast paced flow of the action and is especially irritating when it happens multiple time in a row. Though this is only really an issue for the 11th colossi (the worst boss in the game).

3.The last boss Malus. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic last battle but there are a couple of controller smashing niggles about him. Firstly, throughout the game every single colossi has subtle points on it's body which, when attacked, open a new path to get to the main weakness (from what I recall). The same goes for Malus but when you're almost at the top of him the game suddenly stops giving these subtle hints, leaving you for a lost at what to do. This isn't necessarily a problem but the fact that this hasn't happened before this point means you are just not ready for this like being thrown in an Olympic swimming pool after only practising in a paddling pool. This leaves you taking drastic jumps in order to find your way further up the colossus, which normally results in you plummeting to the ground meaning you have to start your 5 minute climb all over again.

I spent along time coming up with those negative points ad they are honestly all I can think of. This is still probably the best game on Ps2 and one of the best games ever made. These flaws a re almost irrelevant when studying the game as a whole because of how awe-inspiringly beautiful and fantastically enjoyable of an experience it is. I would give this game a 9.5 because of these little gripes but everything positive I haven't mentioned have all been said before. This game is an essential purchase.

If there is one game that can be called art then it is this one!

[chrichtonsworld · 9/10 · 13 August 2010]

When I saw this game being played in the movie "Reign Over Me" I just had to see for myself what kind of a game this was. Of course I had heard about it before but for some reason it didn't impress me that much to buy and play the game. Now having it played and still playing it from time to time I must say that "Shadow of the Colossus" is a must own game. All this game does is breath ambiance. When you step into this world you really feel isolated and confused since the plot is not explained at all. While I hate abstract concepts in movies and games in this particular case it does work. Accompanied by your trusty horse it is you against the biggest creatures you can imagine. The horse is even essential in some missions. In short he is your best friend and you care for him. Fighting the monsters at first can be intimidating since hardly any explanations are given apart for some hints while you try to figure out your strategy. But soon after you get the idea it isn't that hard. Controlling you character and the horse does take some time getting used to but after defeating your first boss you will get the hang of it. After you have slain your first monster you will feel glad and sad at the same time. Defeating this huge monster will give you a big sense of accomplishment. But you will also feel that there is something tragic about his death. I have slain monsters in several other games but not once did I feel sad about killing these creatures. "Shadow of the Colossus" is actually one tragic event to another tragic event in order to achieve a beautiful goal which gets clear in the intro of the game.And that is real rare to see in a game. Does this game have a satisfying ending? To me it did,but it depends on your interpretation of the end sequence. Since it is not spelled out. To me this game is a work of art!

The Bad Review about Shadow of the Colossus

[fvikingo · 4/10 · 23 January 2008]

Alright, I just found this game rather bad, and I'm only posting this because I was surprised not to find any other bad comment. And I can't be the only one who doesn't like this game.

First of all, graphics and music are fine, but unless they're awful, I hardly care about these when I'm playing a game. The scenarios and music get old after 5 minutes, and you have to stay there for like 10 hours.

Some people say no enemies beside Colossus makes this unique, I say it makes it boring and it's just the result of a lazy/cheap design. Even the Colossus are basically all the same, and really easy to defeat. I can't think of a way to make this killing Colossus more diverse, but I just believe it's a bad idea to make a game just about that. Oh wait... is not about that, is about looking for them, yes! For every enemy, you will spend about half hour looking for it, and 3-5 minutes to defeat it. Every part of this quest is plain boring and repetitive.

I'm the kind of guy who gets really fanatic with any game and goes around it multiple times, I can't get enough of video games, I never get bored. I must say I couldn't finish this game once. It is the only one game I own, I'm not playing and I haven't finished. And it's 1/10th time consuming of the average game I play... is that boring.

And also, the horse is really stupid.

Not perfect, but close enough!

[robotbling · 10/10 · 28 November 2012]

(www.plasticpals.com) Fresh off the critical success of ICO, SONY's top game designer Fumito Ueda began toying with the game engine, and Shadow of the Colossus was born. It plays out remarkably similar to the Greek myths, such as the conquests of Hercules, and like its predecessor somehow successfully reinvents and renews the traditional clichéd video game plot of "save the princess".

The game's orchestral score is one of its great successes, and changes moment to moment to reflect the different stages of a battle: the danger upon awakening the giant's rage; the frantic struggle for purchase; the glory of a victory near at hand. And when you finally fell your foe, usually after a long and intense battle – exhaustion, satisfaction, relief, regret. Even as I type this review, listening to its music in the background, its power and energy is incredibly potent.

Unlike most adventure games Shadow of the Colossus is not saturated by smaller enemies to fight, lengthy puzzle dungeons to solve, or dozens of items to collect, nor is there a cumbersome HUD. This game is all about the boss fights and the landscapes that separate them. But don't let this simplicity fool you; the designers weren't lazy. With a huge world to explore in peaceful solitude, interrupted by teeth-clenching boss encounters, there is never a dull moment to be found.

Wander has two strength levels which slowly grow as you progress through the game. There's the standard life meter, which gradually refills by crouching or petting your horse. And there's the grip meter (also used to indicate remaining oxygen while swimming, or the strength of a charging sword stab/arrow shot). Wander's grip strength is of paramount importance, particularly as he tackles a thrashing giant.

You'll travel the land atop your trusty steed, Agro, easily the best rendition of a horse yet to grace a video game, and a large part of what makes this game so special. When called, Agro will come running to your side. He has a wide range of motion and can sustain a galloping pace with ease. Various maneuvers can be performed while riding, from a quick stop and 180° turn, as well as standing upright on the saddle or hanging from the side. With practise you can even do back-flips from the saddle.

Shooting arrows from horseback, Wander will reposition himself automatically on the saddle to accommodate your aim. Agro is also equipped with path-finding artificial intelligence, allowing you to let go of the reins while navigating passages and tight bridges, and he will always automatically stop to prevent you from taking a fatal fall, or jump gaps where possible. All of this detail is complemented by incredibly life-like animation complete with dynamic mane and tail physics, resulting in the embodiment of a companion that means so much more than lines of code or a polygon model.

To fight a colossus is to challenge a living, breathing platforming puzzle. They move around, often in set patterns with a lumbering intelligence, and the first order of business is figuring out how to get onto the creature's body. This usually involves baiting the colossus with arrows, then using something in the environment to temporarily gain access to a furry patch of skin to jump on and cling to. This is where your grip meter comes into play – as you frantically climb straight up the back of a moving mountain!

From there you must find its weak point, which glows when your magical sword is nearby. Stabbing the weak point is the only way to damage them, and this takes careful and precise timing of charged bursts in the precious seconds between a colossus' thrashing as it attempts to shake you off. Often there are multiple weak points, and several battles require you to use the surrounding environment to your advantage, or Agro's cooperation. The first time you encounter them, they can take between 20-45 minutes to defeat, but once you've learned their weakness they can be polished off in minutes.

Every now and then you're treated to a fleeting cut-scene, but the full mystery is solved only in the final moments of the game. It's a simple but elegant story which creates a strong emotional bond with the player, with perhaps one of the strangest and most surprising endings ever. Like a good film, Shadow of the Colossus leaves much to the imagination; like ICO it is widely considered a work of art.