First released on the PlayStation 2 (PS2) in 2005, the original Shadow of the Colossus, created by Sony Interactive Entertainment and Sie Japan Studio, was rated with a high review from GameSpot and Metacritic. Then it was released as a bundle with ICO in 2011 on the PS3, and it continued to get high reviews from IGN Entertainment and GamesRadar. Now it’s 2017, and on a newer generation of game systems. So I’ve got to know why this game is getting so much praise.

Shadow of the Colossus is a third-person action adventure puzzle game set on a forbidden island. The main character is a young man named Wander, traveling by horseback to defeat 16 massive creatures, known as Colossi, to revive the life of a girl named Mono. There are no enemies except the Colossi, and there are no other characters to interact with, except your horse.

The thing that I first noticed about the game was the simple landscape with such a beautiful color design. The shadows within the game are just as important as the light that shines through the forest and valleys. Many portions of the original game, despite it being very new for its time, still had minor hiccups that the new 2018 remastered version cleans up. The graphics look good on the PS4, and look even better on the PS4: Pro.

The soundtrack to Shadow of the Colossus is outstanding from the opening narrative, making horseback rides through plains and forests and each time you encounter a Colossi feel a lot more tense.

Even though there is not a whole lot of opening narrative to start off this game, it quickly becomes apparent to the player what their objective is and why they are doing it. Some of my favorite moments in Shadow of the Colossus are the hunts and defeats of the Colossi. Each Colossi has its own way that it needs to be defeated, and it’s a puzzle that needs to be solved to find the most effective way to conquer each beast.

While taking on these skyscraper sized creatures, Wander clings to the Colossi, and the tension comes from the player having to make all the right moves. Although it is important to save Mono, it comes at a price for destroying these peaceful creatures and Wander as well.

The beauty of this game and its soundtrack makes it obvious as to why Shadow of the Colossus has been made for each PlayStation console since the PS2. It’s truly a modern classic.

    5 out of 5 Spurs.