A really great one-time experience.
Remember the days when all you have to do is save the princess? It was simple, easy to understand and during that time it was simple fun. Well Shadow of the Collosus (SoTC) takes you back to those days where you find the boss, kill the boss, and move on to boss number 2. SoTC is the spiritual successor to ICO but unlike most sequels of this current generation of games, it does away with the complex backstories, 100+ items of inventory, power ups and healing potions. Instead the game works on trying to absorb you in its world through sheer eye and ear candy. From the beginning to end, you have only three things: a horse, a sword, and a bow and arrow. At first glance, the game's map doesn't look large but when you leave the princess' "castle" you will be greeted by so much open ground that the game almost encourages you to go sightseeing. The sightseeing is impressive in itself too since you'd expect to see some fog or draw-in but that's not the case. The developers were ingenious enough to design the map in such a way that everything that is far is visible around you. If you can see the mountains, you should be able to travel there...sometimes. A few games have accomplished this but SoTC takes it to the next level. This is even more evident with the colossi you meet. In the first encounters, the game introduces you to some really big behemoths and tries to make you feel helpless; making David and Goliath look like an even match.
In later encounters, some colossi are suprisingly "different" and unexpected. It's almost as if the game developers deliberately designed certain colossi just to be funny or to have you underestimate its power. Much like the old school Nintendo games you may have played, each boss has an obvious weakness. SoTC's bosses all have them and, in some cases, they all flash brightly. If not, your sword will show you where. In some ways, killing a colossus is not so clear cut. However, it is through this intellectual and creative pursuit of finding these bosses' weaknesses that makes SoTC such a unique experience. The game wants you to explore creative ways to solve problems and then rewards you with the satisfaction of taking down one of the big boys in that final stab...all in cinematic fashion with a very good soundtrack to boot.
There realli isn't much negative points I can say about SoTC simply because it really doesn't do anything else. If you have played ICO, you'll have a little bit of backstory but it doesn't look like there are alot of bonuses here for people who've played that prequel.
The game is a great ride with a small twist at the end. Either way, SoTC plays like an interactive movie that you'll want to start and finish. Great for renting. Good for collectors who want to revisit and play the hard mode.
radcastro.com