Given that my blog has been mostly mmo-centric during its lifetime it’s probably safe to assume that there’s a good chance that many of you are not too big on console gaming. Or even if you are, there is still a good chance that the greatest game ever made (in my opinion of course) slipped through your fingers. I am, of course, referring to Team Ico’s Shadow of the Colossus for the Playstation 2. Simply put, Shadow of the Colossus is a masterpiece and is the centerpiece in the whole Game vs Art debate.
The premise is very simple, yet the message it conveys is as complex as you want it to be. You play as Wander and your motivation is to find a means to bring the girl you’re carrying back to life. To do this you make a deal with the Dormin who claim they have the power to bring her back, but only if you go out into the world and kill the 16 colossi. You then set out with your horse Agro with only a sword, a bow, and some arrows to achieve your task.
As you explore the Forbidden Land you’ll discover nary an enemy, just you, your horse and the occasional fauna between you and the scattered colossi. It’s almost haunting how serene and lonely the landscape is and the game is as much about the exploration as it is tackling each of the colossi themselves. Each of the colossi are different from each other and you’ll have to employ different techniques to take each one down. When you do manage to take down a colossus, you’re met with a remorseful cinematic where their life essence is absorbed into your body. It’s both satisfying and depressing. You’ll probably even feel a tinge of guilt after killing such a magnificent creature, but you must save the girl … so you carry on.
You owe it to yourself to play this game. Period. If you still don’t believe me, then watch this video …
Sold? Ok, good.
Now you understand the err in your ways for not picking this up, fret not! Shadow of the Colossus should still be relatively easy to find for PS2, but you may want to hold off until the spring of 2011 for the Team Ico Collection for the PS3. Yes folks, today it was confirmed that we’re all going to be the recipients of HD remastered versions of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico. If that’s not enough for you, Team Ico is also remastering each game to play in HD-3D if your television supports it.
If you own a PS3 and do not buy this collection then you’re missing out … and I hate you. Strong words, I know but I’m in a bit of a pickle myself. You see, I never did play Ico and holy crap is that game hard to find nowadays. Fortunately for me I get to stop hating myself for missing out on the game that started it all and get to play it glorious HD. Just after I play through on hard mode a couple of times in Shadow of the Colossus ^^;
Nevik's Notebook 