Nerdy Knight
05-27-2008, 04:57 PM
First of all, I would like to once again apologize for being late on my game reviews again. I went to Mackinac City in Michigan for Memorial Day Weekend, and had absolutely NO Internet access until around 11:00 PM last night. Anyways, I would like to review a game that not only stunned gamers with it's amazing graphics, but was also considered a game that wasn't just a game, but ART. This game is:
Shadow of the Colossus
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/4/924364_58450_front.jpg
In Shadow of the Colossus, you play as a nameless young man who journeys to a forbidden land in hopes of obtaining help from it's gods. Bringing your dead lover along, you seek an audience with the gods, so that they might bring her back to life. The gods agree...under one condition. They say that you must slay the 16 giant beasts called "colossus" that roam the forbidden land, and only then will they resurrect her. However, the young man knows little of the TRUE price he must pay...
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Storyline/Plot...9/10
Shadow of the Colossus may not seem very plot based, but it IS. The small amount of storyline that is fed to you during the game all leads up to the EPIC ending. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but it is truly amazing how a little amount of storyline can burst into an ending of breathtaking proportions. As you go through the game, you'll also start becoming attached to the nameless hero and his trusty horse, Agro. You can feel the pressure he is facing as you progress through the game, and the connection the game's small cast of characters have with each other. The story is absolutely remarkable, and I think it's definite movie material.
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Graphics...10/10
I have never seen a game with such beautiful graphics. I completely understand how they can consider this game artwork. The gritty and forsaken atmosphere of the landscape is truly breathtaking, and truly pushes the graphics of the PS2 to it's limits. The models are well done, and the colossus are made with enormous detail. Every little speck of rock, gravel and grass on the colossus is brought into detail. The landscapes are also enormous, and amazing to look at. There will literally be caverns and temples that serve no absolute purpose except to be explored and marveled at. There is only one thing that I ever found wrong with this game. You wack your horse with your sword, and it sounds like it's made of metal :laugh:, but that's the only thing. Anyways, if this game has anything good about it, it's the graphics. Don't believe me? Check out these screens and see for yourself:
http://www.vedrashko.com/uploaded_images/shadow_colossus-759239.jpg
http://expresodemediodia.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/shadow-of-the-colossus-20050927025333795.jpg
http://www.binarymoon.co.uk/files/images/sotc_1.jpg
http://www.binarymoon.co.uk/files/images/sotc_2.jpg
And this is on the PS2! Imagine what a game like this could show if it was on the PS3! *Drools...*
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Gameplay...9/10
One of the things about this game that I find interesting is that the game has an amazing look and storyline, it's gameplay is surprisingly simple, not to say it's easy that is. I think this game is a fresh breath of air, because it has literally NO minor enemies to fight between the colossus. You simply find him, go to him, and kill him. Rinse, lather, then repeat. When confronting a colossus, you must first figure out how to get onto the colossus, and then climb it until you reach it's vital spot. Then you stab it. In order to climb these beasts, you'll need a combination of 4 things: your horse, your sword, your bow, and your brain. The first few colossus are a cinch to figure out, but they start getting difficult QUICK. At that point, you'll need to start devising a strategy in order to kill each one. There are 16 colossus in all, and they all must be killed in different ways and with different strategies. Several of the colossus even offer numerous ways of approaching it, making it even more great. The controls are a little hard to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, it will be second nature. And once you beat all the colossus, you can play in Time Attack mode, where you try to defeat each one under a certain time limit. For every 2 you defeat, you obtain a special item that can help you as you replay through the game as many times as you want! What more COULD you want?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Overall...28/30
To make this story short, Shadow of the Colossus is an amazing game that will blow your mind with it's intricate gameplay, amazing storyline, and breathtaking graphics. If you ever see this game, don't worry about the price. Just BUY IT. You will not be sorry. It will be worth every penny...I promise. I hope you enjoyed my review.
Shadow of the Colossus
http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/4/924364_58450_front.jpg
In Shadow of the Colossus, you play as a nameless young man who journeys to a forbidden land in hopes of obtaining help from it's gods. Bringing your dead lover along, you seek an audience with the gods, so that they might bring her back to life. The gods agree...under one condition. They say that you must slay the 16 giant beasts called "colossus" that roam the forbidden land, and only then will they resurrect her. However, the young man knows little of the TRUE price he must pay...
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Storyline/Plot...9/10
Shadow of the Colossus may not seem very plot based, but it IS. The small amount of storyline that is fed to you during the game all leads up to the EPIC ending. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but it is truly amazing how a little amount of storyline can burst into an ending of breathtaking proportions. As you go through the game, you'll also start becoming attached to the nameless hero and his trusty horse, Agro. You can feel the pressure he is facing as you progress through the game, and the connection the game's small cast of characters have with each other. The story is absolutely remarkable, and I think it's definite movie material.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Graphics...10/10
I have never seen a game with such beautiful graphics. I completely understand how they can consider this game artwork. The gritty and forsaken atmosphere of the landscape is truly breathtaking, and truly pushes the graphics of the PS2 to it's limits. The models are well done, and the colossus are made with enormous detail. Every little speck of rock, gravel and grass on the colossus is brought into detail. The landscapes are also enormous, and amazing to look at. There will literally be caverns and temples that serve no absolute purpose except to be explored and marveled at. There is only one thing that I ever found wrong with this game. You wack your horse with your sword, and it sounds like it's made of metal :laugh:, but that's the only thing. Anyways, if this game has anything good about it, it's the graphics. Don't believe me? Check out these screens and see for yourself:
http://www.vedrashko.com/uploaded_images/shadow_colossus-759239.jpg
http://expresodemediodia.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/shadow-of-the-colossus-20050927025333795.jpg
http://www.binarymoon.co.uk/files/images/sotc_1.jpg
http://www.binarymoon.co.uk/files/images/sotc_2.jpg
And this is on the PS2! Imagine what a game like this could show if it was on the PS3! *Drools...*
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Gameplay...9/10
One of the things about this game that I find interesting is that the game has an amazing look and storyline, it's gameplay is surprisingly simple, not to say it's easy that is. I think this game is a fresh breath of air, because it has literally NO minor enemies to fight between the colossus. You simply find him, go to him, and kill him. Rinse, lather, then repeat. When confronting a colossus, you must first figure out how to get onto the colossus, and then climb it until you reach it's vital spot. Then you stab it. In order to climb these beasts, you'll need a combination of 4 things: your horse, your sword, your bow, and your brain. The first few colossus are a cinch to figure out, but they start getting difficult QUICK. At that point, you'll need to start devising a strategy in order to kill each one. There are 16 colossus in all, and they all must be killed in different ways and with different strategies. Several of the colossus even offer numerous ways of approaching it, making it even more great. The controls are a little hard to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, it will be second nature. And once you beat all the colossus, you can play in Time Attack mode, where you try to defeat each one under a certain time limit. For every 2 you defeat, you obtain a special item that can help you as you replay through the game as many times as you want! What more COULD you want?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Overall...28/30
To make this story short, Shadow of the Colossus is an amazing game that will blow your mind with it's intricate gameplay, amazing storyline, and breathtaking graphics. If you ever see this game, don't worry about the price. Just BUY IT. You will not be sorry. It will be worth every penny...I promise. I hope you enjoyed my review.