#7:

sotc1.jpg

Shadow of the Colossus

The wanderer didn’t care about the following awards:
‘Most one with nature’
‘Best companion’
‘Most painful feeling of loss’
‘Most welcome feeling of isolation’


I find it hard to describe the core of what makes Shadow of the Colossus truly stand out so much. Of course I could name the obvious things like the amazing soundtrack and epic boss fights, but there are so many important underlying subtleties to this game. It gets called a work of art more than any other and for good reason.


Everything about Shadow of the Colossus is presented in such subtlety, simplicity and clear vision that immersion is immediate. We’re in a forgotten land, armed with only a sword, bow and arrow for the entirety of the adventure, accompanied only by our good friend Agro and no-one else. Before you know it you’re standing next to the altar in beautiful light staring at the same scene for multiple minutes. Are we still playing a game?


Shadow of the Colossus brought immersion and compassion to a new level. Wandering around this wild forgotten land I stopped and stared at the various landmarks and scenery, hung out with the lizards for no reason at all, hunted for fruit, galloped along soaring eagles, complimented my best friend and companion with a pet on the back and while all of these things are never the goal of the game, I felt like I needed to anyway. And I wanted to.

Shadow of the Colossus is a tragic, epic tale of a wanderer in a forgotten land and I can’t wait to go on this desolate adventure again.