Among the most imaginative and unique games ever created, Shadow of the Colossus is a valuable addition to any library.
There is a great deal of moral ambiguity in Shadow of the Colossus, as it is never revealed to what end the boy wants to revive the girl, and the disembodied voice in the temple is impersonal, and doesn’t seem particularly benevolent – in fact more than anything he seems like a trickster, using the boy to forward his own ends. Regardless, none of this has as much a real impact on the game as the mystery of it does, and the colossus battles are what really establishes this as a great game.
There are three basic parts of each colossus fight: finding the colossus’ location, finding a way onto, or up, the colossus, and then finding its weak spot. First, the landscape must be traversed with the help of your sword, which in the open country can be used as a kind of compass which points in the general direction of the next colossus. Once the colossus is found and reveals itself, the fight is on. Each colossus is a grand battle in its own right, each memorable due mostly to the magnificence of the size of each colossi – some larger than the others – and the fact that each is both a monumental battle and a fascinating puzzle. In most cases, the environment must be used in some way in order to find your way onto the colossus, and then – usually hanging on for dear life as the colossus tries to shake you off – you must find the weak spot.
The colossi all have a vulnerable spot, which glows and is easy to spot, but sometimes very difficult to find. Adding to that, the weak spot can move during the battle after taking some damage, Armed only with a bow and arrow, and the aforementioned sword, you must scale each colossus to find its vulnerable spot, or spots, which also typically move around the beast mid-battle.
The game has a very immersive interface: there’s an all-purpose breath/grip meter, a life bar for yourself and one for the colossus you’re facing, and a simple diagram to show which weapon is equipped. Past that the screen is uncluttered, which allows for a real immersion in the experience. While very impressive by PlayStation 2 standards, the graphics – especially the textures – aren’t the greatest you’ll ever see. The art direction maintains a great stonework aesthetic throughout, and the environments feel as vast as the colossi are gigantic. This is definitely a game to be esteemed for its ambition, and its delivery, though it’s not the kind of eye candy the new generation of systems is promising or delivering, it is still remarkable given the hardware involved. Shadow of the Colossus is highly recommended if you're looking for a thought-provoking game, as its engrossing half-adventure, half-action, all boss battle format is really something to behold.