Huge landscapes, epic scores & unforgettable battles are why it's still not too late to play a fantastic game on the
With that being said, even though this game has been out for almost 2 years now, Shadow of the Colossus is still one of the best games for the Playstation 2 and a MUST play! The premise of this game is actually very simple...to revive the life of your loved one. Love is a very common theme in most stories and in a lot of video game and movie plots. But very rarely is it shown without a lot of complicated plot twists and turns. Sure, that works great for a novel or movie. But even though a great story will need something to keep you glued to the screen or to the page, in a video game...things need to be slightly more accessible and less confusing to really be enjoyed by a broad audience.
Shadow of the Colossus tells the story of a young man in the search to find a way to bring back the life of a young girl, presumably his girlfriend or wife (however you want to play it out is really up to you I guess). He brings her body to a temple where he is asked to slay 16 Colossi and in return she will be brought back to life.
The story itself doesn't really progress much more than that as you first start. You have to find each of these towering giants and bring them down. Simple. The wonderful part of this game is the fact that it is seamless and you are able to go out on your quest without being halted by long load times, useless exposition cut scenes or annoying paragraphs of text.
The gameplay machanics are fairly simple as well. You are armed with a sword and a bow. That's it. The process of taking down these creatures lies in trial and error in some aspects. When you first set out to seek them, you have to lift your sword up in the sunlight and the beam of light reflected off of it will direct you in the general area you need to go in. Once you get to the area where the Colossus is, then comes the challenge in trying to figure out how you're going to take down these creatures who tower over you.
Every colossi has a weakness or akiles heel that you will have to discover. A minor hint will be given to you by the "gods" that have asked you to take down these colossi after a little while if you don't figure it out on your own. But still...it's more of a suggestive direction to get you so far. The rest is up to you.
There's only so much I can say about this game without starting to sound repetitive. Besides...like I said...the game has been out for a while now. BUT...that doesn't mean since it's an older game that it will not be worth your time. Although the game's premise and target are simple, the atmospheric gameplay and the epic size of what it is you're doing for love in the game speaks volumes...and if nothing else will be universal to any culture or region. Shadow of the Colossus is a game I think that can and will appeal to just about any type of gamer who enjoys a fantastic world to journey in.
If you don't buy it...at least rent it. I can say that by the 2nd or 3rd battle with these beautifully designed colossi...you'll start to get hooked.