Retro recall: Shadow of the Colossus – A boy and his horse

Shadow of the Colossus is one of a kind. This is the type of game that shouldn’t have been greenlit, because the premise is just too weird, too “unmarketable”. Fundamentally a boss rush game before boss rush games were cool, Shadow of the Colossus was clearly a game aimed at a very specific group of players. One of very good taste.

And yet, it’s amazing. It was revolutionary and wasn’t cloned in the same way that other hits are. This is a testament to the talent of the developers, who were able to create a game unlike any other. Shadow of the Colossus is videogaming history, and that is why we’re about to get a PS4 remake in 2018, after a first remaster in 2011 for the PS3.

What is it?

It’s incredibly easy to describe Shadow of the Colossus and yet utterly fail at doing it any justice whatsoever. For something that looks so simple on the surface, this is an impressive feat and a game that has rarely been rivalled, let alone surpassed.

In Shadow of the Colossus, you control this mysterious young man named Wander who enters a forbidden and apparently dangerous land. He is tasked with taking down sixteen huge creatures known as colossi, something that should bring a girl named Mono back to life. There is nothing else to do apart from exploring the vast landscapes, locating these colossi and defeating them, one by one, with your trusty sword. There are no side-quests, no characters to talk to, no upgrades whatsoever – it’s only the tale of a man versus sixteen colossi, David and Goliath style.

Only much, much worse.

To take down these creatures, you first must locate its weak point and take advantage of it. Obviously, it’s not as easy as it seems, as most of the time you must climb on the colossi and hang on to dear life, as it tries to shake you off. Some colossi will take you to the skies, while others will go underwater, all of this in a desperate attempt to get rid of you, this tiny ‘flea’.

You will create an emotional attachment to your faithful steed, Agro, and you will often take pity of the poor colossi as the most peaceful of them slowly crumble to its death. It’s a harrowing experience, one that will haunt you for quite some time, especially because… well, read on.

Who made it?

Shadow of the Colossus is the work of Team ICO, a division of Sony. It was responsible for the memorable game Ico, as well as the more recent The Last Guardian. This team is known for its artful approach to gaming, minimal dialogue and for avoiding cluttered environments or stories, opting for worlds and characters that speak for themselves. Fumito Ueda is the lead designer of all the three games, but he departed Team ICO in 2011.

There is absolutely no news on what the studio could be working right now.

What makes it a true classic?

It’s impossible to describe what makes Shadow of the Colossus one of the most remarkable games ever designed. The feeling of loneliness as you explore such a forsaken, yet mesmerizing land is daunting, your first look at a colossus is something that becomes engraved in your mind, and the final showdown is one that could make a big man cry.

The colossi are just beautiful, organic creatures who are mostly peaceful beings minding their own business, until you come barging in and unleashing devastating attacks on their weak points. It’s a shame to see such majestic creatures ceasing to exist, and this could almost be a lesson in life for some of our endangered species.

And this takes me to a point that I must mention, one huge spoiler that makes Shadow of the Colossus even more impressive. In this game, you start by thinking that you are the good guy, the one taking down horrible beasts that have no place in the world. However, the ending proves that it’s not like that at all, and you’ve been slaying peaceful, guiltless colossi for your own intents, without any second thoughts for your actions. It’s an ambiguous ending, somewhat open to interpretation, but it remains very clear that this time you’re not the ‘hero’. Far from it. Spoiler ends

This is a masterpiece. It has to be, as for a game to get a remaster and a remake, it must be truly special. If you have played it before, you probably never forgot about it; but if you’re one of the lucky few who will be playing it for the first time in the new and improved PlayStation 4 revamp, then I envy you – you’re going to experience one of the best games ever with improved visuals, while hopefully retaining the majestic feel from the original.

Trust me, the first time that you see each one of the new colossus is videogaming history by itself.

Platforms: PS2 (original release)
Release date: 2005
Publisher: Sony
Developer: Team ICO

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