LogFAQs > #896007185

58. Shadow of the Colossus (pyresword)


When it comes to Shadow of the Colossus, many people harp on the beautifully desolate landscapes, the tragic yet unspoken love story, or the heartwarming companionship between a boy and his horse. Me, I'm in it for sixteen boss fights against the Colossi. All that other stuff is secondary. It's all about the thrill of the hunt, the sense of awe as you encounter the next Colossus, the sensation of your mind racing as you try to figure out how to climb this thing and find its weak spot, and the utter satisfaction of sweet victory. Lather, rinse, repeat sixteen times, and that's the appeal Shadow of the Colossus in a nutshell for me. When I saw people complaining about the PS4 HD version ruining the melancholy atmosphere and aesthetic of the original, I couldn't muster up any sort of emotion about it. Now I'm a big presentation guy, so I can understand and maybe even sympathize with the sentiment, but as long as they haven't changed the bosses in any way, I can't imagine I wouldn't still enjoy it.

Of course, if the majority of the gameplay is centered around epic boss fights, you better make sure they deliver. Nearly all of them do for me. It's hard to describe the Colossi here because they don't have official names, and just saying what number it is won't necessarily automatically register for people either, especially if it's been a while since you've played it. The only Colossus I actively dislike is the ninth one, a.k.a. the turtle-looking one that you have to shoot with an arrow on the bottom of his foot when it takes a step to knock it over so you can attack it. I don't particularly care for the twelfth one either, which is the plesiosaur-looking one in the giant lake. The best ones are the flying ones (fifth and thirteenth) because holding on for dear life as you try to avoid falling off is pretty exhilarating. I also really like the smallest ones (eleventh and fourteenth) because they're super aggressive and fast unlike most of the other Colossi, and you have to find a way to break their armor before you can actually damage them. The final Colossus is excellent as well. It's definitely a worthy last boss because the game makes you work hard just to get to him, and the atmosphere surrounding him is really good because it's dark and stormy the entire fight. The music in this game is great, too. It really enhances the fights, I think.

As much as I enjoyed Shadow of the Colossus, I haven't tried out any of Team Ico's other offerings. As far as I can tell, they're vastly different games in terms of gameplay, although it keeps the same kind of tone and atmosphere. Maybe the reason I haven't felt the need to try them is because the things they seem to have in common aren't the things that appeal to me. Maybe they're good, and maybe I'll play them someday, but I'm not in a hurry. I'm content with my experience with Shadow of the Colossus.

Bonus Question: What was your favorite Colossus?
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