Epic
Shadow of the Colossus is easily a game that will remain in my top five list for all eternity.
This game, while it still has its kinks, is an experience that no single gamer should deprive themselves of.
From the very opening sequence of the game the tone is set for you as the protagonist, the wanderer, quietly rides his horse towards an ominous castle on a mission to save a loved one. Somber, yet epic.
In this game you are tasked by an ambiguous deity to defeat sixteen colossi. That is it. There are no small time baddies, nor are there small villages full of NPC's. It's just you, your horse, and giant anthropomorphic statues.
The music of SotC is one of the most epic parts of the game. The subtle interludes of music that play before approaching a colossus give you a genuine feel of "the calm before the storm". Then as you climb the heights of these monstrous beasts crashing crescendos only make for some of the most epic and beautifully crafted music in any game to this day.
The visuals of SotC are top tier on the PS2 as every detail of sand, water, grass and stone are crafted into a realistic yet stylized manner. Sometimes just looking at the colossi becomes captivating until you realize you need to be fighting and not ogling them.
The only issues that the game presents are controls and camera work.
For the most part the wanderer, while sometimes a little too loose feeling, controls very well and after about the first or second colossus become second nature. The same, however, can not be said for your horse, Agro. Riding horseback in SotC is entertaining, but it comes with a bit of a learning curve. Turning can be a pain as Agro backs up or goes in the opposite direction you are commanding. This, accompanied with random rearing to complete stops at what looks like a easily jumpable gap, can be frustrating.
The camera issue also comes in to play when on horseback. With somewhat of a mind of its own, frequently shuffling to either side of your character causing you to lose focus of where you were heading, or even where the massive target is. This is especially trying when aiming an arrow at a colossus. The same can be said for on foot travel and climbing. If you are acending a tight spot the camera has a tendency to get stuck between the wall and the wanderer.
All problems aside, which can be easily looked past, Shadow of the Colossus is a beautiful and epic masterpiece on the ps2. I highly reccomend this game to any game whether it be casual or hardcore. Now with a Greatest Hits Twenty dollar price tag there is NO reason not to play it.
