http://teamicogamers.blogspot.com/2007/12/shadow-of-colossus-versus-god-of-war.html
Recently there have been many arguments where God of War and Shadow of the Colossus were compared under different criteria. Here we are taking both games and examining them for their looks, story, characters, enemies and gameplay.
-- Looks --
God of War
Many have said that God of War II is the best looking game on PlayStation 2 and they are right. Santa Monica have squeezed everything out of the PS2 and made visuals that rival those of many next-gen outings.
Temples are imposing, forests menacing and hell, bloody and dangerous. Every level in the game looks vibrant, and full of life. Both character and enemy animations, overall, are very fluid and attacks look flashy and violent, just like they're supposed to.
Shadow of the Colossus
Not much can be said against the game's visuals. The world in Shadow of the Colossus is desolate but beautiful. Deserts, forests, lakes and the ocean - this game has it all. The sepia tones are a joy to look at.
Animations are among the best not just when compared to all other games of its generation but the current ones too. Every little thing looks unbelievably authentic - from the tiniest movement of the horse to the colossi falling to the ground after they're defeated.
-- Story --
God of War
Greek myths entertain so much because the stories depicted are amazing feats accomplished against all odds. And is there something more of an amazing feat than for a man to defeat a god?
God of War's story takes us all over ancient Greece, to temples in deserts looking for long hidden treasures to the depths of hell and back. Revenge is what fuels this tale and the game keeps throwing enough reasons for you to continue playing and see how it ends.
Shadow of the Colossus
Similar to God of War, Shadow of the Colossus is the story of a man set out to do what no other attempted before. One could argue that there is no plot, technically - just a man with a wish and nothing else.
Although this is what sets it apart from many other games, it's a hindrance to many players in that they're not accustomed to make up their own story when playing. This is not to say it's good or bad. It's just how the story in Shadow of the Colossus plays out.
-- Characters --
God of War
Kratos, the main character in God of War is a raging warrior with a past that torments him. Once a servant of the gods he's now fighting, he does not display any emotion other than hatred. Although this is enough to drive forward the story, it's not sufficient to help the player connect with him.
Every other character in the game, be it a god or soldier is there to let the story happen. They feel shallow, but serve their purpose well.
Shadow of the Colossus
There are only a handful of characters in Shadow of the Colossus. Wander the hero, Mono the sleeping girl, Agro the horse, Dormin the god and Emon the priest.
What's special about them is that each inspires a different emotion. And that emotion is totally dependent upon what the player perceives. For someone Wander could inspire selfishness and immorality while to a second person he could just be a desperate man who lost someone important to him. This can be said for the other characters as well. Each is open to interpretation.
-- Enemies --
God of War
Enemies in God of War come in many different shapes and forms. They're there as cannon fodder, to slow the player on his quest to glory.
They do a great job. Some of the monsters are visually intimidating and their power is always enough to be a hindrance to Kratos. The gods are as frightening as they should be, with many players requiring to re-load the game more than once.
All in all, enemies in God of War do what they're there for.
Shadow of the Colossus
In Shadow of the Colossus there are just sixteen enemies. But while in other games it takes you seconds or minutes to break opponents into two, in this game it could happen that you'll spend hours on one opponent.
Each colossus is a puzzle, requiring you, first of all, to figure out how to bring it down. When you have a plan you'll have to actually get to the top of each beast because it's there that they're vulnerable.
After you thrust your sword in them for the last time, they start to fall and it's then that you learn something is wrong. These beasts are not attacking you. You're trespassing their territory. You're the one on the offensive. This, coupled with amazing design, makes each colossus an enemy to be remembered. They have a name and a story - much like the other characters.
-- Gameplay --
God of War
God of War is hectic and furious. Waves of enemies will storm at you. Kratos' attacks require a mix of button mashing and combo building. Each boss fight asks for a different strategy, and although it's a simple matter of repeating the process once you figure out what you need to do, it's still massively exciting.
Puzzles come in the usual form of use the block to unlock. They're simple but logical. They serve as a nice pause from the action and while some bits can be maddeningly difficult because you need to think in a different way, they're just as enjoyable as the rest of the game.
Shadow of the Colossus
Gameplay is very simple in Shadow of the Colossus. You have sixteen battles and in each you do just the same thing. Find the colossus, look for the weak points, get to them and bring the enemy down.
What's surprising is that each of these fights requires a different strategy and they all feel genuinely exciting. Grabbing onto their fur, with stamina almost empty, making risky jumps to reach a better point to grab and finding new ways up to bring the total time taken down by a few seconds. Shadow of the Colossus is a joy to play.
Winner: Shadow of the Colossus
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I agree 100%
GOW is overrated
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