What I came to find out was, that while Ico contained a very simple play style and story, it was also very refreshing to play. Instead of letting my fingers do most of the work, it was allowing me to flex my brain not only with the puzzles involved but with the beautiful environment that contained said puzzles. I quickly became enamored with the game, and found myself wanting more, and more I now have, in the form of Shadow of the Colossus.

Like most I’ve been salivating over the screenshots and video that have become available for SotC in the past couple of months, counting down the days until the game was released. I played through the demo disc over and over, coming damn near to perfecting the single Colossus fight within, until I finally had the full game in my hands. The first thing I can tell you is this... the game does not disappoint. At all.

Shadow of the Colossus has you controlling a young warrior labeled “The Wanderer” who has come to a temple setting with the recently deceased body of his loved one, hoping that she can be revived. A spirit within the temple reveals that this is possible, but first the Wanderer must seek out and battle 16 giants, or Colossus, that roam the world. Only with the power that each of these beasts contain will it be possible to bring his loved one back to life. So, along with his steed Agro, and armed only with a sword and bow, you set off to destroy these gargantuan creatures.

The first thing I’d like to delve into is the gameplay. I know there are a few out there wondering exactly how 16 boss battles can make a game. Well, truth be told, for a lot of games it really wouldn’t work. The best way I can put it is this; these battles are INSPIRED. Seriously. Take your favorite boss fight from each of your favorite games, and imagine them mashed together into one incredibly breathtaking environment that requires you to think, explore, and ultimately act. Granted, there’s not much else in the game besides the boss battles, but to fill the world with small enemies or intermediary bosses would detract from the feel of everything else. It would have honestly ruined what makes the game so unique. Assuming you take the best path to your next Colossus, you shouldn’t be involved in travel for more than 10-15 minutes at a time, unless you feel like taking the scenic route. Your character, the Wanderer, has a simple and very organic control feel. He won’t stop on a dime, or execute precise sword strikes and jumps. This isn’t, however, due to lazy design, and after spending a few minutes testing things out you’ll quickly come to understand this. This organic style of control is very appropriate, especially in the fights against the Colossi, which you find yourself constantly adjusting to the lumbering beasts attempts to shake you off. The Wanderer’s horse, Agro, adheres to a similar style of control, the only difference being that you can’t accidentally send him flying off of a cliff, which is good thing, because I’d accidentally be doing it all the time. I clocked in a bit over 10 hours on the game, and considering myself to be more or less an average gamer, I’d say that’s a fair assessment of the amount of time you’ll spend on your initial run through. There are some Colossi that most will breeze their way through, and others that will nearly make you snap your controller in half in frustration. The Colossi designs are also quite varied, and while the core mechanic involves hanging on and stabbing into their weak spots, the methods of getting there are almost always different.

Graphically, the game is beautiful. Easily one of the best looking PS2 games you’re likely to see in the systems dwindling lifetime. The environments are incredibly detailed, and vary from grassy plains, mountain paths, barren wastelands, vast deserts, and lakes filled with broken temples and other debris. The Colossi themselves all carry a different design, and it’s a real treat to just take a second and watch each beast rumble its way across the land, that is, before you sink your sword into its head. The only thing I can gripe about would be some framerate issues that tend to pop up, along with a camera that doesn’t quite do what you want it to do. You’ll notice significant framerate drops, in particular during fights when the Colossus is stomping at the ground or causing debris to fly around. I never had a problem where the framerate dropping caused me to die or screwed up something I was attempting, so it’s not a gamebreaker in any way. The camera, on the other hand, was a pretty constant source of frustration. You are able to adjust it, and at times those adjustments will stick, while other times it will pan back to center. It would have been nice to have thrown in a truly adjustable camera, and allow the user to pan out a bit during the Colossus fights to get a better sense of where you are at times.

The sound of the game is also quite beautiful. During your traveling times you won’t notice much outside of the hooves of your horse, birds chirping, and other environmental sounds. When the battles begin though, the music kicks into high gear, and manages to do what video game music should... get your blood pumping and get your mind geared up for the fight. The slight shifts in music are also appreciated, especially when you manage to finally get a grip on the particular Colossus you’re fighting with. It’s hardly noticeable, but it is there, and very cool to pick up on.

All in all, this is the most fun I’ve had on my PlayStation 2 since God of War hit. It’s definitely a game that belongs in every PS2 owner’s library, and honestly I’d say it’s a good excuse to buy a PS2 just to play this game. After the initial play through, you unlock both a hard mode and a time attack mode, both of which should keep the average player busy for quite some time. If you’re a fan of innovative and quality based games, I definitely suggest showing your support by picking this game up. It’s something that ultimately has to be seen and played by everyone in the gaming community.