Shadow of the Colossus
(2005, T For Teen)
4/15/16
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This time around I’d like to honor a man whose name likely won’t be familiar to those who don’t regularly play video games or keep up with gaming news and events, but whose work is definitely worth checking out: Fumito Ueda. He is known for leading the Japanese development team, Team ICO, in creating their first game, Ico, which has become a cult hit since its release on the Playstation 2 back in 2001. When a friend of mine lent her copy of Ico to me back in college, I was captivated with both its visuals and its intricacies in spite of its often-confusing geography. (No joke: if not for the guidance of Youtube walkthrough videos I never would have completed Ico for the sole reason of my constantly getting lost). Partly due to increased exposure, it was their next project that really cemented Ueda’s name and that of Team ICO in the world—and most especially, the art—of video games.
It is rumored that in a distant land there lives a being capable of controlling the souls of the dead—only, travel there is strictly forbidden. A brave warrior named Wander rejects this as he is willing to do absolutely anything to restore the life of Mono, a young girl implied to be his love interest and who had been supposedly sacrificed due to a curse. Upon reaching the ancient temple and easily dispatching some shadow creatures with the magic sword he processes, Wander is approached by Dormin, the mysterious unseen deity that resides within the Temple and is the one spoken of in the rumors. Wander asks Dormin to bring Mono back to life; it agrees, but in exchange Wander must use his sword to slay the sixteen giant beasts known as colossi that live in various parts of the forbidden land. Only then will Dormin use its power to revive Mono, though it does warn Wander that he may have to pay a heavy price in the process. But Wander is undaunted. With no one but his swift and faithful horse, Agro, for company and aid, Wander sets out to battle the colossi and fulfill his part of the bargain, no matter what it takes.
Considered by many to be a spiritual successor to Ico (or even a prequel by some others), not to mention one of the greatest video games ever made, PERIOD, Shadow of the Colossus is, to this day, a highly innovative game title for a number of reasons. Unlike most traditional action/adventure games, this one is very minimalist, with no weapons or upgrades to collect (Wander has only his sword and a bow and arrows); no areas to explore; no smaller enemies to fight; and no other people or creatures to speak to. While this concept may sound dull for a video game, it works here to set the melancholy tone of the game’s world and story. This is a “forbidden land,” so it’s only natural that it be deliberately devoid of almost any life aside from some birds and lizards. The environments themselves are just gorgeous: lush forests, immense mountainous cliffs, ancient ruins, vast deserts, all of these emphasize the feeling of isolation and powerlessness of the main character. The sounds and music serve a similar purpose. When Wander is traveling throughout the land in search of a colossus, all is silent except for the wind, the local animals, and Wander as he races upon Agro along the surrounding terrain. But then a full orchestra begins to build up an atmosphere of awe and wonder when a colossus is either nearby but not yet seen, or in sight but not yet attacking . . . but when the colossus at last appears, the music strikes with a power more than worthy of the god-like beings that rule over this land. There are exceptions to this, though: during some colossus battles the music remains slow and subdued throughout. I find this especially unique, as game boss levels in general are most often accompanied by music that’s loud and fast-paced, yet during these the player may hear slow and somber strings, majestic church organs and bells, even a choir that sounds more suited for a funeral than for a chaotic fight scene. Along with other reasons which I will explain shortly, this makes the battle with the final colossus in particular exceptionally poignant.
Each colossus differs in its appearance, its territory, and the varying methods that the player must employ to defeat it. Some stand up right or on all fours; some walk or fly or swim; some are more humanoid and others more animalistic; some attack with weapons or magic or brute force; some are relatively small, say, the size of lions or elephants, while others are like towers that seem to touch the heavens. But they all appear to be made up of a combination of grass and stone as well as fur and bone, as if they had been born from the very earth itself. Each one has a weak point in the form of a glowing sigil that must be pierced with the sword. And here’s where one of the truly enthralling aspects of Shadow comes in. This game consists of virtually nothing but boss battles, and part of the game’s challenge involves not only finding each colossus, but figuring out how to slay them. To reach and exploit the sigil, the player must literally scale a colossus like a mountain, using the nearby environment and/or even tricking the colossus into giving the player access to the sigil. And of course, like the wild beasts they are, many of the colossi will attack on sight, their eyes glowing red as they immerge from their hiding place and prepare to destroy the mortal that dares to invade their territory. They will also try to shake Wander off as he climbs or runs upon their backs like an insect on a dog, or plunge into water or sand to get free from his grip before going in for the kill.
And yet . . . despite how noble Wander’s quest may seem at first glance, there are hints throughout the story that suggest he may taking this too far. Dangerous and alien though the colossi may be, like many other more earthly creatures their beauty, grace, and power are to be admired and appreciated as a marvel of nature. Some of the colossi don’t even attack at all unless directly provoked. When a colossus is defeated, a cut-scene depicts its death: it lets out one final roar of agony, the light in its eyes fades, and then . . . the earth quakes as the ancient behemoth’s body crumbles like a magic spell breaking and it falls, never to rise again. Sometimes, if the player passes the site of a fallen colossus, it may look as though it has been swallowed back into the earth, a new hill covered in grass and rock, with little indication that it had ever been a living creature at all. By the time Wander reaches the sixteenth and final colossus, so much will have happened that, rather than reveling in the glory of slaying these giant monsters, the player may possibly instead regret undertaking this mission. And besides all that, how does the player know that Dormin will keep its word to revive Mono? Will Mono really awaken after all this? Is her brief mortal life truly worth the destruction of these awesomely beautiful beasts that, up to now, had kept to themselves?
Ueda and his team really strove for realism in the creation of this game, and it shows. Since its release, Shadow of the Colossus has been cited as a prime example of video game art, and I personally couldn’t agree more. This game is both a visual wonder and a beautifully heart-rending story that deserves to be experienced.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
It is rumored that in a distant land there lives a being capable of controlling the souls of the dead—only, travel there is strictly forbidden. A brave warrior named Wander rejects this as he is willing to do absolutely anything to restore the life of Mono, a young girl implied to be his love interest and who had been supposedly sacrificed due to a curse. Upon reaching the ancient temple and easily dispatching some shadow creatures with the magic sword he processes, Wander is approached by Dormin, the mysterious unseen deity that resides within the Temple and is the one spoken of in the rumors. Wander asks Dormin to bring Mono back to life; it agrees, but in exchange Wander must use his sword to slay the sixteen giant beasts known as colossi that live in various parts of the forbidden land. Only then will Dormin use its power to revive Mono, though it does warn Wander that he may have to pay a heavy price in the process. But Wander is undaunted. With no one but his swift and faithful horse, Agro, for company and aid, Wander sets out to battle the colossi and fulfill his part of the bargain, no matter what it takes.
Considered by many to be a spiritual successor to Ico (or even a prequel by some others), not to mention one of the greatest video games ever made, PERIOD, Shadow of the Colossus is, to this day, a highly innovative game title for a number of reasons. Unlike most traditional action/adventure games, this one is very minimalist, with no weapons or upgrades to collect (Wander has only his sword and a bow and arrows); no areas to explore; no smaller enemies to fight; and no other people or creatures to speak to. While this concept may sound dull for a video game, it works here to set the melancholy tone of the game’s world and story. This is a “forbidden land,” so it’s only natural that it be deliberately devoid of almost any life aside from some birds and lizards. The environments themselves are just gorgeous: lush forests, immense mountainous cliffs, ancient ruins, vast deserts, all of these emphasize the feeling of isolation and powerlessness of the main character. The sounds and music serve a similar purpose. When Wander is traveling throughout the land in search of a colossus, all is silent except for the wind, the local animals, and Wander as he races upon Agro along the surrounding terrain. But then a full orchestra begins to build up an atmosphere of awe and wonder when a colossus is either nearby but not yet seen, or in sight but not yet attacking . . . but when the colossus at last appears, the music strikes with a power more than worthy of the god-like beings that rule over this land. There are exceptions to this, though: during some colossus battles the music remains slow and subdued throughout. I find this especially unique, as game boss levels in general are most often accompanied by music that’s loud and fast-paced, yet during these the player may hear slow and somber strings, majestic church organs and bells, even a choir that sounds more suited for a funeral than for a chaotic fight scene. Along with other reasons which I will explain shortly, this makes the battle with the final colossus in particular exceptionally poignant.
Each colossus differs in its appearance, its territory, and the varying methods that the player must employ to defeat it. Some stand up right or on all fours; some walk or fly or swim; some are more humanoid and others more animalistic; some attack with weapons or magic or brute force; some are relatively small, say, the size of lions or elephants, while others are like towers that seem to touch the heavens. But they all appear to be made up of a combination of grass and stone as well as fur and bone, as if they had been born from the very earth itself. Each one has a weak point in the form of a glowing sigil that must be pierced with the sword. And here’s where one of the truly enthralling aspects of Shadow comes in. This game consists of virtually nothing but boss battles, and part of the game’s challenge involves not only finding each colossus, but figuring out how to slay them. To reach and exploit the sigil, the player must literally scale a colossus like a mountain, using the nearby environment and/or even tricking the colossus into giving the player access to the sigil. And of course, like the wild beasts they are, many of the colossi will attack on sight, their eyes glowing red as they immerge from their hiding place and prepare to destroy the mortal that dares to invade their territory. They will also try to shake Wander off as he climbs or runs upon their backs like an insect on a dog, or plunge into water or sand to get free from his grip before going in for the kill.
And yet . . . despite how noble Wander’s quest may seem at first glance, there are hints throughout the story that suggest he may taking this too far. Dangerous and alien though the colossi may be, like many other more earthly creatures their beauty, grace, and power are to be admired and appreciated as a marvel of nature. Some of the colossi don’t even attack at all unless directly provoked. When a colossus is defeated, a cut-scene depicts its death: it lets out one final roar of agony, the light in its eyes fades, and then . . . the earth quakes as the ancient behemoth’s body crumbles like a magic spell breaking and it falls, never to rise again. Sometimes, if the player passes the site of a fallen colossus, it may look as though it has been swallowed back into the earth, a new hill covered in grass and rock, with little indication that it had ever been a living creature at all. By the time Wander reaches the sixteenth and final colossus, so much will have happened that, rather than reveling in the glory of slaying these giant monsters, the player may possibly instead regret undertaking this mission. And besides all that, how does the player know that Dormin will keep its word to revive Mono? Will Mono really awaken after all this? Is her brief mortal life truly worth the destruction of these awesomely beautiful beasts that, up to now, had kept to themselves?
Ueda and his team really strove for realism in the creation of this game, and it shows. Since its release, Shadow of the Colossus has been cited as a prime example of video game art, and I personally couldn’t agree more. This game is both a visual wonder and a beautifully heart-rending story that deserves to be experienced.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
EPISODE SONG:
“Beyond the Shadows” - Sean Zarn
“Beyond the Shadows” - Sean Zarn
All other music and sound clips are from Shadow of the Colossus (directed by Fumito Ueda; developed by Team Ico and Japan Studio; published by Sony Computer Entertainment).
OST SONGS:
“Silence”
“The Opened Way”
“Creeping Shadow”
“A Messenger From Behind”
“The End of the Battle”
“Demise of the Ritual”
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Shadow of the Colossus on Wikipedia
Fumito Ueda on Wikipedia
Shadow of the Colossus on Fandom
Buy Shadow of the Colossus on Playstation Network
Buy Shadow of the Colossus at Gamestop
Buy Shadow of the Colossus on Amazon
Buy Shadow of the Colossus on EBay
^^ Back to Video Games, Simulations, and Other Interactive Experiences
OST SONGS:
“Silence”
“The Opened Way”
“Creeping Shadow”
“A Messenger From Behind”
“The End of the Battle”
“Demise of the Ritual”
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Shadow of the Colossus on Wikipedia
Fumito Ueda on Wikipedia
Shadow of the Colossus on Fandom
Buy Shadow of the Colossus on Playstation Network
Buy Shadow of the Colossus at Gamestop
Buy Shadow of the Colossus on Amazon
Buy Shadow of the Colossus on EBay
^^ Back to Video Games, Simulations, and Other Interactive Experiences