Title: Shadow of the Colossus Platform: PlayStation 4 Cost: $39.99 Rating: Teen, for some violence and blood
Score: 9/10
First released in 2005, the critically acclaimed Shadow of the Colossus has gotten a fresh coat of paint in its second remake — this time for the PlayStation 4.
First made for the PlayStation 2 and then remade for the Play-Station 3, Shadow of the Colossus is one of the first games people point to when insisting that video games can also be important works of artistic expression and not just mindless entertainment.
Mechanically, much of the game remains the same from its original version, but it boasts completely redone art and animation.
The protagonist of the game is a young man named Wander, riding his horse Agro. Wander possesses a magical, ancient sword and has traveled to a forbidden land with the body of a young woman, Mono, to beseech a powerful, mysterious entity known as Dormin.
In legends of the game’s world, it is said that Dormin has the power to revive the dead, and it is for this reason that Wander has arrived, seeking to revive Mono. Dormin tasks Wander to find 16 colossi — massive beings that roam the lands, skies and waters — and defeat them. In return, Dormin will restore Mono to life.
The colossi forms range from humanoids to predatory animals, and the bodies are a fusion of organic and inorganic materials. Each colossus has weak points, indicated by a glowing sigil, that must be attacked to bring down the titanic beings. They also have fur and protruding ledges, which Wander must use to scale the colossus while it thrashes about, attempting to knock him off.
In Shadow of the Colossus, the story is sparse, but emotional. Motivations are revealed only slowly. The game has a minimalist design — there are no towns, and no other enemies to fight besides the 16 colossi. Instead, players are treated to a nearly barren landscape and a game that manages to straddle the line between majesty and melancholy.
Why is the land forbidden? How were the titans created and for what purpose? Why is Wander risking his life for Mono? Unlike many games, the answers are not spoon fed and are often somewhat nebulous. Shadow of the Colossus shows instead of tells, and it is the better for it. What is clear, though, is that each time a colossus is defeated, a shadow escapes from it, entering Wander’s body, and seemingly rendering him just a little less human.
It’s an interesting concept for a game — just 16 boss battles, and nothing else. Each boss is a puzzle, as players must figure out how to climb atop the beasts, grabbing onto their fur and searching for the weak points. The magic sword Wander uses can help pinpoint the location of the colossi and their vulnerable spots.
Along with greatly increased animation and detail, this remake adds a new controller scheme, while still keeping the old one as an option, and has included a photo mode for anyone inclined to snap a photo of the bleak, yet hauntingly beautiful landscape.
At the start of the game, Wander has his sword, a bow and his horse. As the colossi are defeated, he will gain various items he can equip to help him defeat them, such as whistling arrows used for distractions, or to help him avoid detection. There are three modes — easy, normal and hard — and time trials for each level of difficulty as well.
Once a colossus has been defeated, the battle can be replayed at any time, and the game also includes time trials. Defeating the colossi quickly enough will reward the player with more power-up items.
This is an excellent game to rent — a full play-through only takes six to eight hours. The story is so sparse I can’t tell much more for fear of spoiling it for those who haven’t played; but despite little dialogue and narration, the game manages to pack in a lot of emotion.
The musical score is also top-notch, perfectly accompanying the game’s cinematic moments. This is a game that has had quite a bit of influence on the genre — influence that is seen in games such as last year’s Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. If you’ve got a PS4 and haven’t played this game yet, definitely check it out.