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kinoko's Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
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| [January 26, 2008 02:12:13 AM]
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(gamelog 2, part 2, for CMPS 80K)
GAMEPLAY
After my second round playing Shadow of the Colossus, my appreciation continues to grow. Having fought and defeated many different Colossi by now, I am beginning to gain a better sense of how to do so. However, as my technique becomes more advanced, so do the Colossi I am pitted against. Each Colossus requires that the player adopt a new strategy or problem-solving method. Several are made easier when the player is comfortable riding Agro, and a few actually require the player to make use of the extra speed that is only attainable while the character is on horseback.
Often, the game will grow rather frustrating. In one instance, for example, the Colossus I was required to defeat was hidden at the bottom of an underground lake deep inside a cave, the entrance to which was extremely well hidden. Once a Colossus has been found, defeating it is often just as much of a challenge. On occasions where I got stuck, the on-screen hints were a valuable source of information, and since they are relatively vague I still felt as if I was accomplishing something with every problem I solved correctly.
DESIGN
As I mentioned before in my last entry, the designs of each of the bosses – these giant and menacing Colossi – is distinctly unique, and serves the dual purpose of creating diversity in both characters and gameplay, since each Colossus' physical attributes play a crucial role in its defeat. This further advances the differences in battle-strategy in even the simplest elements, since a Colossus who moves around quickly and is difficult to latch onto will require that the player employ a completely different method of attack in order to vanquish it.
However, the strategy dimension that is added to the gameplay is partially and illusion: a Colossus may be defeated using a path that is directly and actively chosen by the player, but the fights are directed in such a way that the strategy itself is more or less the same. For example, the player may be required to lure the Colossus into a certain area first, an event which can only be achieved if the player triggers it via the appropriate action. How the action itself is executed, however, is a direct resultant of the player's level of skill and control.
As a broader variety of tactics are honed, so are other elements of the game. As the player is required to go farther and farther afoot in his or her mission of search-and-destroy, the broad expanse of this diverse yet eerily-empty terrain is opened up.
Best accomplished, perhaps, is the sense of loneliness and isolation which the game's environment evokes. Coupled with a creeping sense of foreboding that is established with the advance of the plot, Shadow of the Colossus delivers a unique and complex tone that is achieved through subtle shifts rather than dramatic dialog. With the event of every Colossus slain, Wander is besieged by a visible, tangible darkness which renders him unconscious, and continues to plague him each and every time he awakens.
What is most interesting about the design, however, is that there is no evident reward structure. Instead, the player is simply encouraged to move on to defeating the next foe. As the avid explorer will realize, though, it is possible to receive a sort of power-up for Wander's grab ability by returning to the spot where each Colossus was defeated and eating the tails of small lizards that now reside there.
Overall, I found Shadow of the Colossus to be a very well thought-out and designed game which is incredibly innovative and original, and is only further enhanced by truly breathtaking graphics.
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Jan 26th, 2008 at 02:12:55.
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| [January 26, 2008 01:10:26 AM]
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(gamelog 2, part 1, for CMPS 80K)
SUMMARY
Shadow of The Colossus is an action-adventure game with a high emphasis on puzzle-solving. Published by Sony in 2005, the game centers on a male hero named Wander. Along with his horse, Agro, Wander must traverse a vast and secluded world in order to restore the life of a young girl. The goal of the game is for the player to take control of Wander and hunt down and destroy sixteen giant Colossi and return his deceased friend to life.
GAMEPLAY
Having seen a few brief glimpses of Shadow of the Colossus beforehand, I was excited to try the game firsthand. Well aware of the its reputation as a quickly-established classic, I was happy to discover that Colossus does not disappoint; the game's impressive design, unique and challenging battle system, expansive setting and stunning graphics are sure to win over virtually any players of all skill levels almost instantaneously.
Most notably, the game is set in an expanse of blank terrain, untouched by civilization save for the mysterious temple-like building to which Wander first arrives in the opening cinematic. The land's sole inhabitant (aside from the odd Colossus or two) is the equally-mysterious Dormin; a godlike and slightly eerie bodiless voice who promises to grant Wander's wish to restore the life of his young friend in exchange for the destruction of the sixteen Colossi.
Although a large number of background details pertaining the world and characters are left unexplained during the opening cutscenes, the player quickly learns via helpful on-screen instructions how to take control of the protagonist. Although some of the necessary abilities are a little difficult to pick up (such as directing the beams of light reflected from Wander's sword towards the resting place of each Colossus) the game allows the player to hone these skills by roaming freely around the world.
While utilizing these skills becomes second nature with practice, the brief instructions given on-screen when the player encounters a new obstacle are relatively easy to miss. Doing so has the potential to create unnecessary challenges, as the abilities are not entirely evident. For example, the player has the ability to switch between weapons – a sword or a bow and arrow – at will via the buttons on the directional pad. The configuration makes up in convenience what it lacks in obvious placement, however, as all the buttons that the player needs to control Wander effectively are extremely accessible.
Most impressive, perhaps, are the Colossi themselves. Each Colossus is unique, and the technique used to defeat it depends on both its build and location. Generally, Wander must endeavor to climb up the Colossus' massive body and locate its glowing vital points. Stabbing the vital points with a sword will wound the Colossus, eventually killing it. Where the game succeeds in this element is its ability to provide a variety of puzzles based on this theme; each Colossus is difficult to defeat because it is different from the last.
In my experience thus far, the gameplay has proven to be extremely engaging. Whether riding Wander's horse, Agro around a seemingly-infinite terrain, or using a combination of logic and real-time action to defeat the first two Colossi, I have found this game to be immensely fun.
However, I think what is most enjoyable about this game is the fact that it requires a different sort of skill-level than that demanded by most action-based games, an element that most definitely sets the title apart from its predecessors.
This entry has been edited 1 time. It was last edited on Jan 26th, 2008 at 01:16:27.
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kinoko's Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
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Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Saturday 26 January, 2008
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