A dead girl, a quest to bring her back to life, and some truly colossal fights...

User Rating: 9.1 | Shadow of the Colossus PS2
In SotC, you play a nameless hero set to bring his wife (or sister, or girlfriend, you're not told) back to life. In order to revive her, you must find and slay 16 colossi that roam the majestic landscape. The key element in this game is atmosphere. As you explore the world with your faithful steed, Agro, you soon find out that the land is devoid of human life. This lack of distractions allows you to feel the intense sadness that the game wants to convey. Locating your colossus is done by raising your sword in the light and travelling to the direction where the light that bounces off it is concentrated. To defeat the creature, you have to hit it in its weak spots. This is done by utilizing the environment of by observing its movement patterns. Each battle is brilliantly designed and will be remembered with great satisfaction. What's interesting about the game is the non-hostile nature of most of the colossi. This makes you wonder about the entities that want the creatures killed and the nature of your character. Overall, it bucks traditional gaming elements and succeeds, striking a balance between story, atmosphere and action.