Shadow of the Colossus
2005
- platform
- puzzle
- adventure
- action
- fantasy
- drama
- open world
- single player
The story
An open-world action/adventure game in which a young wanderer, along with a stolen magical sword and his steed companion, trespasses a cursed land, makes a deal with an ancient being to bring a sacrificial victim back to life, and sets off to fulfill his end of the bargain, which involves tracking down and infiltrating the abodes of sixteen colossi and sacrificing them to achieve his goal.
What it’s like
Vast, nearly empty landscapes rendered in soft, hazy polygons: sun-bleached grass rolling under pale skies, ruined stone temples half-swallowed by mist, long shadows stretching across canyon floors at dusk. The palette is muted and earthy, broken only by the glowing gold of the protagonist's sword and the dark, furred bodies of the colossi, which loom like weathered hills. Sound is sparse, with long stretches of wind, distant birdcall and the clop of a horse, and the score swells in rare, mournful bursts, so each climb and fight feels hushed and deliberate. Camera and control are weighty and a little stiff, so scaling a giant's flank or drawing a bow in a hurry feels physical and effortful. Vibe: solemn, lonely, quietly awed, with a steady undercurrent of melancholy. It suits a slow evening alone, a long unhurried session, or a moment when you want wonder without clutter. Intensity is moderate: the colossi are huge and their fights tense, with dark imagery and sudden falls, but there is little gore and no gratuitous cruelty; the mood is more grief than horror. Pacing is deliberate, with long travel between encounters and each fight a focused puzzle of climbing and striking. It is for players who want quiet awe, melancholy beauty, and the patient satisfaction of a hard-won victory.
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