Here are some customer reviews of
Shadow of the Colossus
: Shadow of the Colossus is one of those all-too-rare titles that defies easy description and doesn't really fit comfortably into any existing genre. Is it an action game? Yes. Adventure? Sure. Puzzle? Yep. Platformer? Yeah. It even has slight horror elements.
On the surface, Shadow sounds simple: search for the colossus, find its weak spot, and stab it. Sounds easy enough, but that's like saying that To Kill a Mockingbird is a legal drama, or Platoon is about the Vietnam War - it's not the whole story. Even Shadow's story - boy wants to save girl - slowly reveals itself to be something much more complex and mysterious.
Where Shadow excels is in its design. Finding each colossus requires travel through a landscape that can only be described as dreamlike, yet it feels real. You'll seamlessly travel from a cliff overlooking a river to a thick forest, and then you could find yourself in the middle of a desert or at the edge of a lake. Since the land is so vast (and, besides the colossi, relatively uninhabited), you travel by horseback, courtesy of Agro, perhaps the best-animated animal character ever seen in a game. Controlling Agro is initially complex, yet intuitive, and thankfully his A.I. is sophisticated enough to keep you from riding him off the edge of a mountain. You're armed with only a sword and bow (with unlimited arrows), and there's no way to upgrade your weaponry. The real upgrade lies in the learned experience of defeating each of the colossi hidden in the valleys and mountains.
Each colossus is haunting, fantastic, ominous, and awe-inspiring, and there's even a slight sense of innocence. I won't go into specifics because the sense of wonder and discovery is vital to the gameplay, but if you avoid walkthroughs and spoilers (and you certainly should) you will constantly be surprised at each one. Defeating them requires careful thinking, experimentation, and trial-and-error, and there's not always one way to achieve victory. Just as the brilliant bosses of the Gamecube's two Metroid Prime games demanded quick thumbs and quick wits, the colossi are masterfully imagined, rendered, and designed, and get more complex as you progress. They had to be, as the game is basically sixteen boss battles. Still, there's nothing like the rush of finally discovering the key to each beast, but that's only part of the battle, as you then have to put your plan into action. Simply put, the colossi are some of the most cinematic and exhilirating experiences in gaming, and each one is unique and memorable.
If you have a PS2 and want something challenging, beautiful, and unlike anything else you've played before, Shadow of the Colossus is an absolute must. It's an instant candidate for Game of the Year, and should at the very least get recognition for its design. Games like this don't come along often - enjoy it.
First off, I have to say that this is probably the best looking game on the PS2 that I have ever seen. What I mean by this is that this game has absolutely stunning graphics. The gameplay in the game is great too, plus there is a different way to kill each colossus which never lets the game get old. This game would've been perfect had it not been for it's lack of a deep storyline. It does have a story to it, but it's a pretty simple one. I'll definitely say that this is by far one of the best games I have ever played on the PS2.
First off this isn't really like anything you've played before...the ONLY game I can say has "elements" of it is the "Prince of Persia Sands of Time" games. But ONLY in the fact that you have to climb walls etc to get to where the next colossus is. Its also similar when climbing a colossus but more challenging in the fact that the thing is moving and tries to shake you off slowly to violently at times. The game is immersive in the fact that you are instantly drawn into the game from the get go (Unless you are a no holds barred ALL action gamer then you'll be disappointed). Each Colossus can take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour to beat depending on which one you are fighting as each one gets increasingly more difficult as you go along. Some might say "well why not just rent it as it wont have any replayability?" Well, for gamers seeking more of a challenge the game offers a "hard mode" after you beat the normal mode. If hard mode is conquered it will raise your life bar. But the most amazing thing is to see a colossi appear and how truly "small" you really feel when you realize that this game doesnt give you powerups, special potions,invisibility etc... If you get stomped by a colossi youre going to DIE! If you fall off of one high up you'll die, if you fall off a cliff....you get the idea. Its realism is what makes it sparkle! Even riding the horse is unique and revolutionary! You have to actually pull back on the left stick HARD to make it stop completely or slightly to slow the horse so riding up fast on a cliff will get you dead. Even small things like being able to pet the horse are included along with stunning scenery and graphics for the now outdated PS2. The framerate does have some issues with blocky graphics occasionally but its forgivable and not even noticable when in battle with a colossi etc. Would it look nicer on the Xbox or the gamecube? Sure, but Sony got the rights exclusively and it works well enough to show how far the PS2 is able to be pushed. I pray that this game does well enough to generate a sequel on the PS3 or even another next gen system. The game has a slight learning curve that takes a bit to get used to but once you get used to it, it works fine enough to get the job done and quite nicely I might add. Its also challenging but not impossible like some games out there. If you work hard at it and use your brain you'll figure out how to topple each monstrosity but it might take a few times with LOTS of patience. If thinking games that are immersive and time consuming are your thing then this could be your next favorite game! If not, sadly its not for EVERYONE but its still worth checking out even if youre only mildly interested. It might surprise you with its grandeur.
Easy a 5 out of 5 game!
 #1 Although aesthetically pleasing the beautiful world is abnonxiously difficult to map and boring to ride through time after time, times 16.
#2 Hunting for Lizards and shooting down fruit seem to be the only reason for the bow and arrow, and even though it is fun for a while it wears down on the action/adventure players nerves.
#3 The Boss battles are tough enough without having to fight off minions although it will be interesting to see in the sequel when you have to fight two Colossi at the same time. So no, they do not need any small evil creatures roaming the game.
#4 No replay value. If you have a particular Colossi that you enjoyed fighting and would like to do it again, the time trial is the best way to do that; It allows you to go directly to the spot and fight again, but putting the game on hard mode...enjoy re-roaming the world to find what you thought you remembered was there.
#5 Yes, you can beat the game in one day, so rent it, unless your nostalgic and have to play it again two years from now when you see the sequel finally come out on Playstation 3.
#6 Storyline is entirely too vague unless you have some simblance of the Ico world, so don't be fooled into thinking you know what's going on, unless your familiar with Ico, you don't have a clue.
#7 The ending (trying not to spoil this) is somewhat disturbing on several levels, (okay I'm gonna have to spoil it somewhat) unless you enjoy being madly in love with a beautiful princess only to have her turn into your adoptive mother. Gee, I wonder what how she's gonna teach him about the birds and bees when he grows up, like I said...disturbing on many levels.
#8 There can be no depth to the storyline without people to talk to, but there can be no people because, it takes place in a sacred land cut off from civilization to house evil spirits and beings and to keep them from reaching civilization, so there goes the social skills, good thing you have a dead body and a horse to talk to through most of the game. so with that said, it was a great game, I just wouldn't waste money till one million other people do and it falls to the best picks list for 20 bucks.
I started playing games 15 years ago when I was 8 years old. Since that time, I've played many many games. Shadow of the Colossus is now officially my favorite game ever!
You are an adventurer that traveled to a distant land to find a being who can resurrect people. Bringing a girl with you, you find this being. You are told that you need to defeat the Colossi that roam the land. The story is very mysterious. All you have in your possession is a sword, a bow, and your horse. Using only these and your wits, you will need to find and take down sixteen Colossi.
In Shadow of the Colossus, you don't care about collecting heart pieces, or getting new weapons and armor upgrade. There is nothing of that sort in this game. This system actually gives players a great sense of accomplishment. You will feel proud after taking down a giant monster with your skills only. There is no "gain a couple of levels to defeat the monster" type of playing.
Shadow of the Colossus is very immersive. The areas are superb. Exploration is one of the key elements in the game. Riding your horse, Agro, you can travel long distances. You have to find your way to the Colossi by holding up your sword which creates a light beam in the direction of the Colossus you have to defeat. After finding the Colossus, you get down on the ground if you're still on your horse to engage it.
The music is spectacular in Shadow of the Colossus. There are many soundtracks. Pressing music enters the soundtrack when you engage a Colossus. The sound effects are very good and help in the immersion. Just hearing a Colossus walk near you or screaming at you will give you the chills.
The graphics are superb. This game almost feels like a movie.
Some may say that the camera is a little bit awkward but I like it. The way the camera works are done help create a cinematic and immersive feel to the game.
If you like games that have an epic feel to them, and you wish to try something new, Shadow of the Colossus is one of the best games out there.
|
