Game Review: Shadow of the Colossus
The future is here! As of today, Nov. 22, 2005, next-gen gaming has officially arrived. Microsoft has released their much-anticipated first salvo in the next-gen console wars, the Xbox 360. Along with the system come a slew of new entries in the all too familiar genres. Sure, there are sports titles, shooters, racing games and puzzlers. What isn’t apparent from the media onslaught about Microsoft’s new system is where the innovation is. For all intents and purposes, the new Xbox offers gamers prettied up versions of the games they already know and love. From a marketing perspective this might seem like a no-brainer. Gamers, however, are a savvy bunch and will only purchase the same titles three or four times. Ask us to buy a rehash one more time and we just might say, “No, thanks.” The irony here is that gamers’ expectations are so low after years of mediocre product that they happily accept the marketing line of “better graphics, high-quality sound, etc.” as gospel. But there is a bright spot on the horizon in the form of an innovative new PlayStation 2 exclusive game called Shadow of the Colossus.
In order to appreciate this beacon of hope, we need to first look back a few years before the advent of Sony’s PS2 console. Games were often shipped with less than stellar visuals, often underwhelming the casual gamer. In addition, gameplay hadn’t evolved much from previous generations of home gaming consoles. Much like today, gamers were bombarded with marketing slogans playing up the awesome visuals, but delivered few examples of what they truly desired: innovative new kinds of gameplay. Things changed in September of 2001 when Sony released an in-house development effort called ICO for the PS2.
ICO was groundbreaking in many ways, but first and foremost it offered gamers unique gameplay. The fact that this unique gameplay was also really fun and enjoyable was only the beginning. ICO utilized just about every visual trick the Sony engineers could pull off at that time. The game sucked players in with a simple yet utterly involving storyline that had them protecting a loved one throughout the course of some serious action/adventure gameplay. From quality story and characters to visual excellence to creepy enemies, ICO delivered.
Flash forward to the present, once again and see that some gamers are shrugging their shoulders at this new next-gen of gaming. For the first time gamers aren’t in a mad rash to purchase the newest console. While there are early adopters willing to fork over their cash for almost any new gadget, the majority of gamers seem to be taking more of a wait and see stance. The first question most gamers ask is: “What games are there for this new system?”
For the Xbox 360, the answer is disappointing. Most of the games available at the launch of the new console are also available on other systems. For most gamers, few exclusives mean fewer reasons to buy a new console. Every console needs its equivalent of the killer app, that one title that is worth owning the system for. Back in 2001, ICO was a killer app for some gamers. Now, Sony has followed ICO up with the similarly styled Shadow of the Colossus. In almost every way, Shadow of the Colossus lives up to the standard set by ICO four years ago, including pushing the visuals of the PS2 to new heights. In the words of Fumito Ueda, lead artist and designer for Sony Computer Ent. Japan, “Shadow of the Colossus is definitely not a sequel. It is a kindred spirit...”
Innovative gameplay? Check! Stunning visuals that seem to accomplish more than most other games on the PS2? Check! Involving dramatic storyline that has the player reaching for the tissues? Check! At this point the PS2 is near the end of its lifecycle. Sony has already announced its plan to launch the PS3 early next year, so it’s great news for gamers to get this likely last treat on their current system. After all, Sony could have held the game back a few months and launched it for the PS3 instead.
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