Colossuses

So I just finished Shadow of the Colossus and I have a few observations of my own.

First of all, SotC is a very good game. It is a game that will go down in history, not only as a staple of game design, but as a work of art and beauty. It is, visually, absolutely gorgeous, not just as far as graphic capabilities go, but in the textures and layouts of the landscape, the tones of color, the movement of the models, the overall stylization, and, of course, the design of the colossi themselves, all made the more impressive with the absence of in-game loading times. The game is, technically, perhaps not superior to many other action titles, but certainly bolder, more experimental, and much more fascinating and fun than most any other action game on the PS2 market. Its story, though it left me wanting something more sensible and conclusive, is admirable in its unflinching ambiguity. The lead designer himself suggests that the story, and its connection to the story of its sister title, ICO, is open for interpretation, and discovering the many little elements of SotC that hint at a much larger story that may never be entirely revealed is an enthralling experience.

For example -- and this is where I post the OMG SPOILERS LOL notice -- after defeating a colossus, not only will a shadow appear before the hero's unconscious body -- and two shadows after having defeated two colossi and so on -- but a white dove will also appear around the maiden's corpse, so that by the time eleven colossi are gone, eleven doves will surround her, etc. The shadows could quite easily be ghosts, but what could the doves represent? A contrast, perhaps, between light and dark? There certainly does seem to be such a theme present throughout the game: the Forbidden Land is constantly wreathed in sunshine, the Dormin entity is represented by a light in the sky, the magic sword guides the hero through light, and wherever a colossus falls, a beam of light ascends into (or possibly descends from) the sky; meanwhile, ghostly shadow creatures appear several times throughout the game (usually those shadows that appear after the defeat of a colossus), tentacular streams of darkness always possess the hero after each colossus, the colossus "bleed" a dark substance that is simultaneously liquid-like and gas-like, and the Dormin achieves a form at the end of the game that appears to be physical darkness. That last point is especially intriguing: through the main body of the game, the Dormin is represented by light, but when given a corporeal form, it is darkness. What could that mean?

I could analyze and analyze the game for hours; there's certainly enough content to do so. Indeed, several already have, as a quick browse through the internet will prove. The conglomeration of this ambiguous depth, the beautiful visuals, and expertly crafted gameplay makes for what may be one of the best games of all time. It is not, however, without its flaws.

Now, SotC can be a very unique experience for each player, so perhaps any qualms I have with it may not be shared by other players and may be assigned to the highly artistic and experimental nature of the game. That said, I did feel let down at certain times, and I think my disappointment had mostly to due with the overall gameplay structure. For one thing, the game offers little besides the fights with the colossi and the journeys through the sparse (though gorgeous) landscapes. It would have been nice to have one or two puzzles a la ICO before each colossus to extend play time and to build anticipation of the upcoming battle. More of my complaints have to do with the battles themselves: while they are certainly challenging and puzzling, they often feel too simple and systematic. Often a colossus's ultimate weakness can become obvious with only a bit of experimentation; sometimes you just have to remember its attack pattern, sometimes it has an obvious weak point, sometimes the hints the Dormin gives you are too easy. There are a couple of battles where the environment is situated in exactly a way that makes it immediately clear how you're supposed to win. Now, the game never explicitly says "Do this to win," but sometimes the implication is so plain that I was able to win the battle in no time.

I think the battles would have benefited from multiple solutions. It's especially odd that there's only one way (as far as I could tell) to kill each colossus when the game's plot is so ambiguous and open to player interpretation. Shouldn't the puzzles reflect the player's allowance to think of their own approach by offering two or three ways to defeat the colossi? At least do away with those special magical weak points. And there were definitely a few stretches as far as solutions to the colossi, like the fire-fearing one that just so happens to reside next to torches that never burn out, or the sea monster who can be controlled by molar-like things on its head? That just doesn't make sense. Even worse, the lack of depth in the puzzles are made up for by monotonous crawling and stabbing segments, which have left my controller's R1 button broken after mashing it while holding for dear life onto an angry colossus's head.

My personal distastes with the game should be taken with a grain of salt, of course. They don't change anything that I've written earlier, and if I were more inclined to, I might continue on about the stunning musical score, the vastness of the explorable terrain, the mixed emotions of defeating an imposing monster and cutting down a peaceful giant, the strong, concentrated ambiance, and even more about the story, the graphics, and the gameplay. But, as the time currently resides in the dark morning, a time that man was not meant to be awake during, and as I have a half hour's worth of dishes to wash before bed, that inclination simply does not exist. Therefore, good night.