Shadow of the Colossus
Thy next foe is... productivity.
Published: October 24, 2005
Searching is a modestly simple affair; simply hold your sword aloft and spin around until the beams of light converge and your controller coughs up a light rumble, then you’re off, spurring your black stallion Agro on in the direction that the sword points. It’s not hard to get lost, and because of the size of the world the developers have created, without frequent consultation of your map and a little basic deduction, it’s possible to spend a good hour running around in where you think is the right place only to find it was merely a waypoint to the next leg of your run.
It doesn’t really matter, though, because the game is only as long as the colossi battles, which for me clocked in at about eight hours or so, but the actual exploration is enough to ensnare you for almost as long. The world you’re free to explore can span environs from grassy plains to bleak windswept deserts to volcanic fields choked with sulfuric clouds, all in a good ten minute’s ride.
Shadow’s realm is massive and filled with so much detail (once you get close, at least) that it tangibly tugs at you, beckoning you to give up your quest just to gallop around and see the sights. On more than one occasion, I ceded, just letting Agro ride in one direction while I explored the different parts of the map not yet calling me via my sword.
As it turns out, this is a good thing, since the game actually rewards exploration in the form of lizard tails and fruit you can seek out to help boost your health and stamina meters (something I didn’t realize until after I’d beaten the game and unlocked the Time Trial and Hard Modes).
In fact, the sheer amount of stuff you can find is insane, from the gifts given out every two colossi in Time Trial to hawks that you can glide on to the hidden garden at the top of the temple seen at the end of the game. With two Time Trial and regular game difficulties, a massive world to explore and basic character upgrades, it’s entirely possible to extend the play time of the game a good two or three times the first run.
Regardless of what you seek out, your character does undergo some subtle changes as the game progresses, and it’s almost shocking to see what kind of transformation he’s underwent from the first colossus battle to the last.
The fact that it’s so gradual, and really represents the only forced bit of character growth (the weapons and abilities you start out never change) is a testament to the developers’ ability to deliver something without shoving it down your throat or making it blatantly obvious.
