When Shadow of the Colossus came out in early 2006 you would have been hard pressed to find many people (from my school at least) who knew anything about the game, let alone anyone who had pre-ordered a copy for its release. However, I was one of the few people that did. I had been looking forward to its release as soon as it was announced and always made sure to buy the monthly Gamesmaster magazine to keep up with the latest news and developments regarding this unique game.
And it was the unique concept which was the factor that sparked my interest in Shadow of the Colossus in the first place; the uniqueness of the game that transformed my interest into an obsession to know more about it. Any little tidbit would be welcome. I would carefully read an article and scrutinise the possibilities of any information revealed and then re-read it again. This would include gameplay previews describing the mechanics of the game, the multiple ways of tackling a colossus and screenshots showing the expansive world and art direction - you name it, I knew about it.
THE GAME
Shadow of the Colossus actually has a fairly straightforward premise. A youthful man called Wanda comes to a seemingly empty and baron land with a deceased young lady. Wanda then talks to a voice, in a tower, that offers him a deal to bring his loved one back to life, but there's a catch - Wanda must kill 16 Colossi. These Colossi are behemoth 'beasts' - some the size of skyscrapers - that roam this 'Forbidden Land'. Some are small and fast moving, some big and slow, some fly and some swim, but the task is the same in every case - they must be killed.
Shadow of the Colossus actually has a fairly straightforward premise. A youthful man called Wanda comes to a seemingly empty and baron land with a deceased young lady. Wanda then talks to a voice, in a tower, that offers him a deal to bring his loved one back to life, but there's a catch - Wanda must kill 16 Colossi. These Colossi are behemoth 'beasts' - some the size of skyscrapers - that roam this 'Forbidden Land'. Some are small and fast moving, some big and slow, some fly and some swim, but the task is the same in every case - they must be killed.
How are you meant to kill something that is 100 times bigger than Wanda? Don't worry, you come well equipped. Along with your trusty steed - Agro - you first have to locate the colossus and then make the journey through the Forbidden Land, which despite its baroness, has a real beauty to it, thanks to Team Ico's art direction which made it one of the most beautiful games of the PlaysStation 2 era. Once the colossus is found, its weak spot must be located by reflecting a beam of light - from your sword - onto the colossus. Then the hard part; with Wanda's - at first - limited grip and stamina, you must figure a way of scaling each colossus and stab the monolithic creature in its weak spot(s).
"Simple enough" I hear you say. It is anything but...
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| 'The Swordsman' as I affectionately call this colossus. I wonder/Wanda how he got that name... |
The game is in essence 16 boss fights; 16 puzzles that must be solved - 16 different challenges posed by 16 different colossi. There are no smaller enemies to fight in between the colossi. All of the games energy is focused towards these 16 epic battles. However, unlike most games that involve killing the enemy, you actually start feeling guilty for killing these majestic creations. They haven't done anything to you to warrant killing them. Most of them don't attack you until you either (a) disrupt them, (b) enter their territory or (c) attack them first. The only reason you are killing them is because some mysterious voice from the sky told you to do so in exchange of bringing the girl back to life.
As each colossus falls, the feeling of success when killing each colossus slowly wanes away and you start to question why the voice - who's name is Dormin - has asked you to kill these innocent creatures and whether killing 16 times is worth the life of a loved one.
It can be argued that the sympathy that we have for the colossi stems from their eyes. That's a strange thing to say for a video game which is nearly eight years old, but the change in colour and shape when they fall is affecting. Through them you can see the gentleness and peacefulness in which the colossi lived their lives, roaming the Forbidden Land - before you disrupted it.
It can be argued that the sympathy that we have for the colossi stems from their eyes. That's a strange thing to say for a video game which is nearly eight years old, but the change in colour and shape when they fall is affecting. Through them you can see the gentleness and peacefulness in which the colossi lived their lives, roaming the Forbidden Land - before you disrupted it.
This is the genius of the game and is partly what makes it number one on my list of the greatest games ever made: the ability to make the player question why they are killing and making the player feel guilty for doing so. Add to this great art direction, sound and innovative gameplay, clever game design and a story (though minimal in information) that you are invested in but question, then you have all the attributes of a game that will go down in history next to the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario 64, Metal Gear Solid, Half-Life 2, GTA III and Resident Evil 4 - all games that were unique and pioneers of what was possible in gaming.
GAME AS ART
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| Literally, game as art... |
Team Ico, the developers behind Shadow of the Colossus and Ico, have helped elevate the gaming industry to something that can now be considered an art form - if it wasn't already. In fact, the legendary film critic Roger Ebert had to retract his previous view on the matter and admitted that games can be art. He duly followed this up by saying that he had been encouraged to start with Shadow of the Colossus and Ico - models of video games as art. Recently, Guillermo Del Toro has gone on to say that these two titles are, so far, the only forms of art produced by the medium. You would think Del Toro, a keen gamer himself, would know what he was talking about; after all, he did create Pan's Lambrinth - one of the most imaginative and fantastic film ever made.
Here are the factors that make me agree with Del Toro and help argue that Shadow of the Colossus (in my opinion) is art:
The Story
As said earlier, the story is sparse on information. However, this factor makes the story stronger as the gamer's own imagination is needed to fill in the gaps of the back-story. Also, the gamer's own interpretation is required to understand the motives of certain characters, thus how the story plays out.
And there are many things we don't know. We don't know how the young lady died, who she is and what relationship she had with Wanda. Is she his true love, sister or something else entirely? Why is the Forbidden Land, well, forbidden? Why can we not see Dormin and was he, maybe, a dark figure in the past? All of these unanswered questions in fact add a huge amount of depth to the story, very subtly. As a result of not knowing certain pieces of story, we, the player, fill in the gaps with our own ideas and back-story, which gives us our entry into the game through our intrigue and emotional connection with the characters. It also doesn't hurt that the end isn't a straightforward 'good triumphs and beats evil'. It leaves you with a lump in the throat, a heavy feeling in the stomach and a lot to contemplate and discuss with others; exactly what a lot of the best films do.
Gameplay & Structure
Similarly, the structuring of the game is subtly implemented. The fact that there are no other smaller opponents to defeat, other than the 16 boss battles that are the colossi, means that the encounters between them are elevated in importance as they are the only foes the player will face. In turn, this builds the tension for the encounters with the colossi. This is cleverly done as the player must travel through the Forbidden Land to get to the colossus' location. And there is no distraction from the main event, as there are no smaller and weaker enemies which would have detracted from the solitary journey to the battle. Also, minimal music is used; often the only sound heard is of the wind and the odd eagle as you gallop towards your destination. It is a melancholic build up to the battle as you travel through the ancient, wind ravaged land.
Then, as you get closer to the colossus, a little groan of moody music is introduced. And when you arrive in the colossus' habitat, a clash of music is released and the steady build up to the battle is complete.
Once the battle is won, the music swells to a somber note, indicating that what you have done could be wrong. Questions start to raise in your mind. Am I in fact the the real monster?
It is the reflection that you encounter after defeating a colossus that is as much a part of the game as anything else. The game gives you an uneventful travel to each colossus on purpose, in order to allow you to reflect on the battle that you were just in. It gives you the opportunity to think about the consequences of your actions.
Also, if you carefully look at Wanda after each battle, it is noticeable that his appearance becomes more gaunt and worn as he defeats more and more colossi. This must be an indication that you are committing a crime, surely? Little details like this just help add that little more depth to the game and its story and show how much thought and hard work has been put into it. With the added environmental storytelling that is in abundance throughout the world and some emotional and tear inducing events that occur, they help elevate the game to the echelon of what is possible in games as a form of art.
"THY END IS NIGH"
It is suffice to say that experiences like this don't come around very often. Sure, it's not perfect by any means. The graphics have aged (though, the art direction and the high definition re-release have helped soften the blow in this area), the frame rate is not the best and the camera can be a pain to control when holding on for dear life on the top of an angry colossus, but these are minor quibbles in what is an unforgettable experience that stays with you long after you have finished it.
Eight years after its release, there is still nothing like Shadow of the Colossus in the gaming industry. Of course you could say that the God of War series allows you to fight against titans and other giant monsters; that the Elder Scrolls series provide a mythical land to navigate; that Uncharted weaves a cinematic narrative into a playable package, but you'd find it hard to find a game that has all of this and more. Shadow of the Colossus does. What other game actually gives the player the control to climb a 100+ foot creature? (Answer: nothing)
Nonetheless, long after you have completed the game, you will remember how you thought of a way to jump from your galloping steed on to a colossus, ran along its back and had the world fly past you while clinging on for dear life. Yes, you can actually do this and yes, it is as magical as it sounds. I think I was justified in my anticipation of Shadow of the Colossus back in 2006. Now, if you will excuse me, Agro is waiting for me.
The Last Guardian is the latest game that Team Ico is working on. It is another puzzle game in the vein of the Team Ico's previous two efforts. The game marks the relationship between a boy and a giant bird-cat creature and their combined efforts to make their way through a crumbling castle. It was scheduled for release in 2009, but has since been delayed. Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony's Worldwide Studios, has recently gone on record to say that it still exists and that Sony are looking to "reintroduce" the game soon. Here's hoping that it makes the light of day.
Here are the factors that make me agree with Del Toro and help argue that Shadow of the Colossus (in my opinion) is art:
The Story
As said earlier, the story is sparse on information. However, this factor makes the story stronger as the gamer's own imagination is needed to fill in the gaps of the back-story. Also, the gamer's own interpretation is required to understand the motives of certain characters, thus how the story plays out.
And there are many things we don't know. We don't know how the young lady died, who she is and what relationship she had with Wanda. Is she his true love, sister or something else entirely? Why is the Forbidden Land, well, forbidden? Why can we not see Dormin and was he, maybe, a dark figure in the past? All of these unanswered questions in fact add a huge amount of depth to the story, very subtly. As a result of not knowing certain pieces of story, we, the player, fill in the gaps with our own ideas and back-story, which gives us our entry into the game through our intrigue and emotional connection with the characters. It also doesn't hurt that the end isn't a straightforward 'good triumphs and beats evil'. It leaves you with a lump in the throat, a heavy feeling in the stomach and a lot to contemplate and discuss with others; exactly what a lot of the best films do.
Gameplay & Structure
Similarly, the structuring of the game is subtly implemented. The fact that there are no other smaller opponents to defeat, other than the 16 boss battles that are the colossi, means that the encounters between them are elevated in importance as they are the only foes the player will face. In turn, this builds the tension for the encounters with the colossi. This is cleverly done as the player must travel through the Forbidden Land to get to the colossus' location. And there is no distraction from the main event, as there are no smaller and weaker enemies which would have detracted from the solitary journey to the battle. Also, minimal music is used; often the only sound heard is of the wind and the odd eagle as you gallop towards your destination. It is a melancholic build up to the battle as you travel through the ancient, wind ravaged land.
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| The beautifully rendered world of Shadow of the Colossus |
Then, as you get closer to the colossus, a little groan of moody music is introduced. And when you arrive in the colossus' habitat, a clash of music is released and the steady build up to the battle is complete.
Once the battle is won, the music swells to a somber note, indicating that what you have done could be wrong. Questions start to raise in your mind. Am I in fact the the real monster?
It is the reflection that you encounter after defeating a colossus that is as much a part of the game as anything else. The game gives you an uneventful travel to each colossus on purpose, in order to allow you to reflect on the battle that you were just in. It gives you the opportunity to think about the consequences of your actions.
Also, if you carefully look at Wanda after each battle, it is noticeable that his appearance becomes more gaunt and worn as he defeats more and more colossi. This must be an indication that you are committing a crime, surely? Little details like this just help add that little more depth to the game and its story and show how much thought and hard work has been put into it. With the added environmental storytelling that is in abundance throughout the world and some emotional and tear inducing events that occur, they help elevate the game to the echelon of what is possible in games as a form of art.
"THY END IS NIGH"
It is suffice to say that experiences like this don't come around very often. Sure, it's not perfect by any means. The graphics have aged (though, the art direction and the high definition re-release have helped soften the blow in this area), the frame rate is not the best and the camera can be a pain to control when holding on for dear life on the top of an angry colossus, but these are minor quibbles in what is an unforgettable experience that stays with you long after you have finished it.
Eight years after its release, there is still nothing like Shadow of the Colossus in the gaming industry. Of course you could say that the God of War series allows you to fight against titans and other giant monsters; that the Elder Scrolls series provide a mythical land to navigate; that Uncharted weaves a cinematic narrative into a playable package, but you'd find it hard to find a game that has all of this and more. Shadow of the Colossus does. What other game actually gives the player the control to climb a 100+ foot creature? (Answer: nothing)
Nonetheless, long after you have completed the game, you will remember how you thought of a way to jump from your galloping steed on to a colossus, ran along its back and had the world fly past you while clinging on for dear life. Yes, you can actually do this and yes, it is as magical as it sounds. I think I was justified in my anticipation of Shadow of the Colossus back in 2006. Now, if you will excuse me, Agro is waiting for me.
The Last Guardian is the latest game that Team Ico is working on. It is another puzzle game in the vein of the Team Ico's previous two efforts. The game marks the relationship between a boy and a giant bird-cat creature and their combined efforts to make their way through a crumbling castle. It was scheduled for release in 2009, but has since been delayed. Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony's Worldwide Studios, has recently gone on record to say that it still exists and that Sony are looking to "reintroduce" the game soon. Here's hoping that it makes the light of day.
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