My favorite game, and the most innovative one I've played. Shadow of the Colossus has become a tradition for me to play.
Already, while fighting the first colossus, I knew this was going to be my favorite game. I was in awe of the graphics, setting, and the enemies I was facing. The thing that hooked got me was the soundtrack. I had never played a game like SOTC before, let alone seen anything of its kind. Who ever thought that scaling giants would make such a great game?
To start, the game is about a young man named Wanda, (Wander) who must awaken his lost love (or sister, mother, random girl?) from a curse. He arrives at a temple in a cursed land where a spirit dwells within. He requests that the spirit could repeal the curse, or at least help him. The spirit, Dormin (Dormant or dormir- to sleep in french) tells him he can, if he defeats 16 colossi using an ancient sword that Wander had in his possession.
The only enemies you will face in this superb game are the 16 colossi. Despite their size, it is still extremely hard to find each one. The only guide to finding them is holding your sword into the sun, where it shines in the direction of the next colossus. After galloping around on your horse Agro, you finally find the colossus. The hardest part of the game is just figuring out how to approach each colossus and what is needed to weaken it. Only one hint is given to you after a few minutes into a battle, which sometimes can be a huge aide. I enjoyed this challenge, and also, the realism of how the colossi tried to shake you off or attack you. Controls took some getting used to, but otherwise they were quite simple. The X button, surprisingly, is used to call or gallop upon your horse. At first, I was a little confused as why this was, but as the game progressed, Agro was very important in defeating some colossi and getting around the whole map. (If you didn't have him, it would take hours to get to one colossus)
The graphics in this game were breathtaking for the PS2. I would definitely say that Shadow of the Colossus has the best graphics for the entire platform. The superb visuals and landscape made for an awesome experience. The setting for the game is all too familiar with me now, as I have played through the game about 5 times. The colossi had great detail themselves, with the way that their fur (or hair) shook with each step, or the texture of their skin. Gameplay was smooth throughout the game, with no choppiness.
The soundtrack for this game was unlike any other. Directed by Kow Otani, a full orchestra composed each track. Each track corresponded perfectly to the situation. The songs themselves were beautiful, and quite peaceful at some points. I loved the soundtrack so much, I went out and bought it. I listen to it whenever I am trying to read or rest. (Yep nerdy)
I consider Shadow of the Colossus to be a tradition in my life (yep), and I don't play many video games. If I could keep one game for the rest of my life, it would be this one. It is the first and only game that instantly earned my respect and gratitude. If I had to buy this game again, I would pay any amount of money for it. I would recommend this game to the select few gamers that actually respect a game for all of its aspects, game play, visuals, story, and soundtrack. If you are one of those people, and have not played this game, I would go out and buy this masterpiece now before it's gone!