The most special game ever released makes all other games just feel small.
On paper, this game appears like it never should have left the drawing board. A big empty world, a pair of lovers separated by death, and only 16 enemies to fight. Yet Shadow of the Colossus takes these bare and basic elements and somehow makes them not only work, but makes them excel.
You play a young man named Wander, who comes to the Forbidden Lands with the body of his lover, who recently died. Here you seek to bring her back to life. Dormin, the entity of the Forbidden Lands, tells you to kill the 16 colossi that roam the land, and your love will be reborn.
And so begins the most unique adventure ever brought to video games. First things first, do NOT skip the opening movie. It's about three minutes long, but it establishes the basic story, and especially the feeling, of Shadow of the Colossus. After the movie, you and your horse Agro set out to find and destroy each of the behemoths that are spread throughout this land.
Just getting to each Colossus is an experience in and of itself. There is nothing here, just plains and mountains and deserts and forests. Every now and then, you happen upon some ruins or signs that there was once civilization here. Again, on paper, this seems very mundane. But it's done so beautifully and masterfully, that this setting immediately makes your imagination go wild. Who were these people? How did they build such intricate structures? And where did they all go? Your mind will begin to write its own story as you traverse over the Forbidden Lands.
In a sense, this element is what makes this game so unique. Each player can come up with his or her own storyline. While everybody will have the same basic adventure, nobody will perceive the game quite like anybody else.
Once you reach the Colossus, be prepared to be amazed. The colossi range in size, from small like a rhinocerous, to massive bipeds that stretch endlessly to the sky. Your mission, however, does not range; you must fell these monsters. Doing so, again, is basically the same throughout. You find a way to climb the beast and stab its weak points until it dies. These are some of the most harrowing and emotional battles you will ever see. Climbing these massive beasts is unreal, and watching them fall to a glorious orchestral score will make your heart leap.
In fact, killing these beasts is often a sad task. You almost get the sense that these creatures, for the most part, are peaceful animals that wouldn't hurt anyone. Yet you are the exterminator, a cold, ruthless, silent killer. Some of the deaths are absolutely heart-wrenching.
I won't spoil the ending. Suffice it to say that Shadow of the Colossus has the most unique ending of any game I've ever played. But after all, it's only fitting, considering this is the most unique game you'll ever play. Gorgeous in every detail, brilliant in its execution and immersive in its experience, Shadow of the Colossus is required gaming for anybody who considers themselves a well-rounded lover of video gaming.