Shadow of the Colossus (PS3) Review
A gem from the 6th generation is back and just in time to remind everyone the Last Gaurdian is coming. Is it worth playing? Is it worth playing again? I think you already know the answer. Here’s Shadow of the Colossus.
If this comes off as a bit biased I apologize. Shadow of the Colossus was hands down one of my top five games of the last generation. Everything from the art style, to the scale, to the graphical polish, Shadow captured a unique epic feel that I had never experienced in any game. Each Colossus was an independent experience and the bare-bones, no BS, journey to each giant felt like a tasteful art-house project.
Shadow of the Colossus felt like an adventure. The lonely protagonist trying to save his love interest story was wrapped in mystery and his noble horse following him was a call back to many older tails. In a industry where things like Kung-Fu Rider and No More Heroes come out of Japan, its hard to think that something so subtle and dynamic was developed there too. To call the art-style in Shadow of the Colossus anime wouldn’t be doing it justice. Its obviously Japanese, but its classy and low-key. Looking back at it, has made me realize that with the rise of online gaming and fewer and fewer opportunities for large art focused titles, this game may not have gotten the green light had it been pitched today. Shadow of the Colossus is a game that everyone should experience, just like the Lion King is a movie everyone should watch.
Is it perfect? Oh of course not. The original game was clearly stretching the capabilities of the PS2 as far as they could go. The frame rate was choppy in the visually intense areas and texture pop and clipping were both prevalent throughout. However, Shadow of the Colossus is one of the best examples of a game so enjoyable that the flaws seem worth it, granted none of the flaws are game breaking and are mainly caused by the original platform’s restrictions. Moving Shadow to the PS3 shouldn’t be too much of a problem, all developer Bluepoint had to do was not break it.
When remakes or releases are done there are several different directions that can be taken. The game could be completely remade with new art and engines (like Tomb Raider Anniversary), the game could have new art bolted onto the old engine (like Halo Anniversary), or the game could remain the same and the visuals smoothed to look better on newer systems. This is the route taken on Shadow of the Colossus.
Everything from the poly-count to the textures have be preserved and moved in the porting. The texture pop is inexplicably still present, but that’s a minor set back. Sure, small things have been added, like better lighting, 3D support, a solid frame rate, 1080p video, and trophy support, but largely, Shadow of the Colossus is the exact same game it was on the PS2.
Don’t take that as a bad thing. The battles feel just as epic and satisfying as they were originally and the soundtrack is still as somber and elegant as it ever was. What has been created is a pristine, almost historical record of what Shadow of the Colossus was on the PS2. Let’s say as a kid you watched Raiders of the Lost Ark on VHS hundreds of times, then you buy the movie on Bluray, that’s the difference you are going to see and experience with the ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection. For anyone just getting into gaming or anyone that was too young to play the original release, this collection is a fantastic way to experience the best of the PS2. For fans of the original, this is a great opportunity to get rid of your PS2 copy.
Verdict: A great primer for impending release of The Last Guardian.
(PS – An ICO review is still to come)
