Shadow of the Colossus: Official Thread!

[Sammy]

http://vgamers.de/screenshots/wanda/statue04_003.jpg

We're a little less than 2 months away (EDIT: October 18th --- delayed to make the game more juicy!) - And soon, they'll be handing out demo CD's for those of us that pre-order.

They've done some polish since the E3 build, so check out this damn awesome preview: "damn awesome preview" (http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=7101&type=mov)
Sony has got the game runnin' in 480progressive-scan, and also the option for full widescreen-tv support ...... So those of us with good TV's gotta start shopping for new pairs of pants soon :perv:

For those who haven't seen the game before, it's from the Sony-Development team behind ICO ---- Firm believers of the "less is more" approach to design (they actually call it "subtractive design") and it's a huge part of why many of us loved ICO so much.
-ICO didn't throw loads and loads of McFarlaine action-figure type monsters at us.... Just a few ghostly-apparitions that don't dilute universe.
-Didn't have some 2-page inventory of melee and long-range weapons.... Just a stick.
-Didn't embarrass itself with terrible game-dialogue.... The characters were rooted in each of their native languges.
-Didn't throw as many outlandish environments out as it could.... The castle was more of a character than most average games' "heroes"
-Didn't !RAWK! some techno-dribble music in your ear at each encounter.... Just the simple ambience of the surrounding nature.
..... I could go on and on, but basically ICO took itself seriously and respected gamers' intelligence. There's a lot to learn from their "subtractve-design"

In Shadow of the Colossus they're throwing an open landscape at the player and asking them to hunt down the 15-18 ancient Colossus' that dwell in the universe ....... note: you won't be smacking-down hundreds and hundreds of tiny filler-creatures.
You travel on the back of your horse, and this will have a huge part of how you take-on different Colossus creatures.
Your sword is also used to reflect the sun, a beamn of light guides you on the landscape and helps to point out puzzle-solutions.
Each Colossus is its own puzzle, and scalling it (is very much like a playground) can be approached from many many different points.

---- The developers are working really hard at hitting our heart-strings to. They want us to feel terrible for taking down the ancient ancient creatures, and question if taking all of their 'souls' is really worth bringing back one girl.
Should be interesting how they do this, since they did such a good job of bringing Yorda and ICO to life (mostly with the hand-holding, since that had never been done close to that level)

Lookin' very forward to it and its art
http://vgamers.de/screenshots/wanda/world_005.jpg

[jetpack42]

wow.....now I wish I had a PS2...THE ONE game that's a must have...edit: agreed with patzdon, it's so sweet! everything I've ever wanted in a game! The minimalism! i WILL play this game...

[Dizon]

That's amazing. I love the realistic approach to the gameplay cuz of all the "minimalistic" elements. The fact that you have to figure out ways of defeating each colossus makes you feel you're in the game. Armed with only a sword, bow and arrow, along with your horse makes it more exciting.

[Advocate of Fate]

ICO was absolutely beautiful, i think SotC will actually bring me to tears.
the graphics in that preview are still WIPs, but they're still stunning.
feathering ftw!

[HugeHarHar]

Just a side note, the oringal name was "Wanda and the Colossus".

But they had to add the typical American flare "SHADOW!!"

AH... I'm still getting the game the day it comes out, it looks gorgous.

I just brought up this note though, because of the mistake they made with the American cover for Ico, which probably was why it didn't sell so well. I hope they don't make the same mistake, so the game can get the glory it's more then likely going to deserve.

[The Iconoclast]

I remember when I saw LOTR when Legolas jumped aboard the huge mumakil and slid down the spine and I thought, holy shit, I wish that was in a game. This game will hopefully fullfill that need xD

Yeah, the replay value seems kind of short. So you just go from place to place, searching for these beasts? Do you get to talk to people in order to figure out where to go? What are the environments like (I'd like to see some snowy areas...mmm...snow)? How does the whole horse-as-a-companion thing work?

Those are the questions on my mind...looks awesome, though.

[Dizon]

I remember when I saw LOTR when Legolas jumped aboard the huge mumakil and slid down the spine and I thought, holy shit, I wish that was in a game. This game will hopefully fullfill that need xD

Yeah, the replay value seems kind of short. So you just go from place to place, searching for these beasts? Do you get to talk to people in order to figure out where to go? What are the environments like (I'd like to see some snowy areas...mmm...snow)? How does the whole horse-as-a-companion thing work?

Those are the questions on my mind...looks awesome, though.

There's more than meets the eye. Like the variety of the Colossus's you'll see.

[jfwalls]

I can't wait for this game. ICO was amazing, and I'm sure this will follow in its footsteps. As for replay value? Well, I beat ICO in 3 days, but played through it 2 more times in a row just to experience its perfection again. Hmm...I think maybe I'll play it again.

[ArtbyWard]

Here are some VERY nice high res gameplay movies + the intro: http://www.1up.com/do/download?cId=3134836


fucking awesome

This game will make me cry.

[0kelvin]

Yep, this is pretty much #1 on my most wanted list.

It looks soooo good.



0kelvin

[Advocate of Fate]

There's more than meets the eye. Like the variety of the Colossus's you'll see.

Yeah, in the Game Informer reveiw of it, there were quite a bit of different collosuses....collossi? collossen?

heres (http://www.gameinformer.com/Templates/News/ScreenShotsViewer.aspx?CS_pid={1C7201B1-7F6A-4262-B9F9-924DA2769111}&mediaId=12) an SS of some sort of dragon-like flying collosus. Getting on that one is going to be a b-i-itch.

smaller collossus (http://www.gameinformer.com/Templates/News/ScreenShotsViewer.aspx?CS_pid={1C7201B1-7F6A-4262-B9F9-924DA2769111}&mediaId=6) the second smallest, from what ive seen

apparently, this is one of the smaller ones (http://www.gameinformer.com/Templates/News/ScreenShotsViewer.aspx?CS_pid={1C7201B1-7F6A-4262-B9F9-924DA2769111}&mediaId=10)

im gonna scan in the article later, its got tons more pictures and goodies.

[one2hit]

Just a side note, the oringal name was "Wanda and the Colossus".

But they had to add the typical American flare "SHADOW!!"

AH... I'm still getting the game the day it comes out, it looks gorgous.

I just brought up this note though, because of the mistake they made with the American cover for Ico, which probably was why it didn't sell so well. I hope they don't make the same mistake, so the game can get the glory it's more then likely going to deserve.

nah, the original name was Wanda and the Giant. I believe Shadow of colossus is a better name overall. The cover probably didn't help ICO but I doubt a great cover would have helped it sell a whole lot better. No one knew about ICO when it came out, no one cared. If the horn boy was running from explosions with a glock carrying the princess in a bikini on the cover it wouldn't have sold more...it just slipped in under the radar. Colossus should do better, mainly because it's getting more exposure, and the idea is more original than ICO's "save the princess get out of the castle" philosophy...although I will wave the ICO flag all day and still hail it as one of the best games you can play on PS2.

[Scubasteve]

Don't worry Corro, those guys will work out any problems like that Im sure. This is honestly the only PS2 game I'm really looking forward too. Thats kinda sad considering the PS3 wont be coming out for at least another year. I can't wait for this one though.

[hayeske]

This is honestly the only PS2 game I'm really looking forward too. Thats kinda sad considering the PS3 wont be coming out for at least another year. I can't wait for this one though.

Oh man, if you like online play or 3rd person shooters, get SOCOM 3 for the PS2. That and the new Zelda are the only games I plan on definitely buying this year. This game looks good, but it's probably a renter (if only 15 enemies), but I could be wrong.

[Advocate of Fate]

Oh man, if you like online play or 3rd person shooters, get SOCOM 3 for the PS2. That and the new Zelda are the only games I plan on definitely buying this year. This game looks good, but it's probably a renter (if only 15 enemies), but I could be wrong.


dont think of it as 15 enemies. these arent going to be as easy as anything you've been used to. No quick easy combo repeating or something. We're talking 2, 3, even 5 hour long epic battles. And you can be sure you'll be sweating bullets the entire time, as well as crying when the things finally murt. Judging how they did with ICO, there's going to be the super-emotional story to go with it. trust me dude, this is something you're going to want to get. Its games like these that we can pass on to our children, and them to their children, so that the meaning of true games can be remembered forever...


/sniff sniff

[hayeske]

dont think of it as 15 enemies. these arent going to be as easy as anything you've been used to. No quick easy combo repeating or something. We're talking 2, 3, even 5 hour long epic battles. And you can be sure you'll be sweating bullets the entire time, as well as crying when the things finally murt. Judging how they did with ICO, there's going to be the super-emotional story to go with it. trust me dude, this is something you're going to want to get. Its games like these that we can pass on to our children, and them to their children, so that the meaning of true games can be remembered forever...

I'm not saying that this isn't a buy-it game, I just don't know enough about it. My problem is that I buy games that I think are going to be great and beat in 1-3 days (Devil May Cry, God of War). I was recommending SOCOM as a game because of the replay value that's through the roof. I plan on atleast renting this game and then maybe buying it. It does look awesome and like I could get sucked in. I never played ICO. Is it an involved game as this one looks? I think the only game I've ever played and gotten emotionally involved, as lame as that sounds, was Final Fantasy X. It was my first experience in that series, and after 100+ hours, I was bummed when it was over.

[Dizon]

Yeah, in the Game Informer reveiw of it, there were quite a bit of different collosuses....collossi? collossen?

heres (http://www.gameinformer.com/Templates/News/ScreenShotsViewer.aspx?CS_pid={1C7201B1-7F6A-4262-B9F9-924DA2769111}&mediaId=12) an SS of some sort of dragon-like flying collosus. Getting on that one is going to be a b-i-itch.

smaller collossus (http://www.gameinformer.com/Templates/News/ScreenShotsViewer.aspx?CS_pid={1C7201B1-7F6A-4262-B9F9-924DA2769111}&mediaId=6) the second smallest, from what ive seen

apparently, this is one of the smaller ones (http://www.gameinformer.com/Templates/News/ScreenShotsViewer.aspx?CS_pid={1C7201B1-7F6A-4262-B9F9-924DA2769111}&mediaId=10)

im gonna scan in the article later, its got tons more pictures and goodies.

LOL you're right, it's collossi.

That dragon like collossus looks awesome!

[ArtbyWard]

I'm not saying that this isn't a buy-it game, I just don't know enough about it. My problem is that I buy games that I think are going to be great and beat in 1-3 days (Devil May Cry, God of War). I was recommending SOCOM as a game because of the replay value that's through the roof. I plan on atleast renting this game and then maybe buying it. It does look awesome and like I could get sucked in. I never played ICO. Is it an involved game as this one looks? I think the only game I've ever played and gotten emotionally involved, as lame as that sounds, was Final Fantasy X. It was my first experience in that series, and after 100+ hours, I was bummed when it was over.

You can beat ICO in like 6 or 7 hours. But beating the game is'nt really the point of it IMO. I could just take an hour and do nothing but stare and relax in that game. It's all about atmosphere. And when you've beaten it, it stays inside your heart forever :teeth:

[hayeske]

You can beat ICO in like 6 or 7 hours. But beating the game is'nt really the point of it IMO. I could just take an hour and do nothing but stare and relax in that game. It's all about atmosphere. And when you've beaten it, it stays inside your heart forever :teeth:
I'll have to go check it out then. What system is it for?

[PHATandy]

I cant believe this is for consoles only (ps2 right).

it looks freakin awesome but i dont have anything but my trusty PC.

Looks like im missing out on alot.. the Zelda aswell :(

life sucks..... *hangs himself*

[Advocate of Fate]

I think the only game I've ever played and gotten emotionally involved, as lame as that sounds, was Final Fantasy X. It was my first experience in that series, and after 100+ hours, I was bummed when it was over.

We need to start an RPG support group, for people who feel like they've lost something inside when they beat a game. I've had my heart broken by pretty much all the Final Fantasys, the legend of Dragoon, all the Legend of Zeldas... well, pretty much every old school traditional RPG.

Now that i mentioned it, i think thats what makes select games so freaking amazing: the ability to tap into the players emotions and feelings. must remember for the future... must not let generic games overrun us...

[/rant]

[Scubasteve]

Yo hayeske, I forgot about Socom3 actually. I'll be gettin it too. Comes out September I think. OK 2 games then! I assume you play Socom 2? Whats your gamertag. Im Sc00ba with 2 zeros, me and a few guys get on about twice a week. We also play Halo 2. Anyway, I understand your concerns about Wanda but after playing Ico, I know it will be great. Ico is the only linear game I still go back and play from time to time. I don't do the RPG thing anymore, but I still love Ico. Ico is more akin to a great work of art then a videogame. Its brillant, I would recommend it to anyone.

[hayeske]

Yo hayeske, I forgot about Socom3 actually. I'll be gettin it too. Comes out September I think. OK 2 games then! I assume you play Socom 2? Whats your gamertag. Im Sc00ba with 2 zeros, me and a few guys get on about twice a week. We also play Halo 2. Anyway, I understand your concerns about Wanda but after playing Ico, I know it will be great. Ico is the only linear game I still go back and play from time to time. I don't do the RPG thing anymore, but I still love Ico. Ico is more akin to a great work of art then a videogame. Its brillant, I would recommend it to anyone.

My tag is Purple Hayes and will probably be the same for SOCOM 3. I'll try and add you to my friends list. I don't play Halo 2 online because I'm too cheap to pay. Besides, I hear it's got way more cheaters than SOCOM. What system in ICO for?

[Scubasteve]

PS2 hayeske. You can probably find it on the bargain rack cheap. It may be slightly hard to find, but well worth it. Cool, I'll be looking for you on S2 bro. Yeah, Halo definatly has its pros and cons... The chat is handled way better and you never have to worry about getting on the same team as your friends. I don't see many cheaters, but lag and people leaving in the middle of games are definatly big problems...

[hayeske]

I looked for you last night sc00ba, but you weren't on. The lag last night was pretty bad. I've been on a friggin' tear the last few days. I didn't play for about 8 months, but I started back a couple weeks ago. It was a slow start, but I've been playing the best I ever have lately. I'll be on tonight probably. I'll look you up again.

[ExilE]

Lol, another game which makes me happy I don't own a PS2. After watching the first mintute or so of this game I thought it looked pretty sweet, then I realized that the entirety of this game is comprised of trying to figure out how to kill just those giant creatures.... Seems like an overblown puzzle.

[hayeske]

Lol, another game which makes me happy I don't own a PS2. After watching the first mintute or so of this game I thought it looked pretty sweet, then I realized that the entirety of this game is comprised of trying to figure out how to kill just those giant creatures.... Seems like an overblown puzzle.

Well, that's why they have hack 'n slash, RPG, shooter, and many other genres of games. Everyone has their likes and dislikes.

[Ian Mack]

The first one did have an understated sort of quality to it. They took a very simple game idea and polished it off until it gleamed. Well, the castle wasn't very simple.

I loved when you got to a ledge, looked down and saw a place that you went through an hour ago. I wonder if they'll have similar situations in the second where you're fighting a colussus in the shadow of one of the dead ones you've already killed.

[SexualSideFX]

Wow it looks like they took the worst part of every zelda game since Ocarina and turned it into an entire game!

[hayeske]

Wow it looks like they took the worst part of every zelda game since Ocarina and turned it into an entire game!

Did you not like Ocarina of Time? That was an awesome game. Majora's Mask wasn't that great. The Wind Waker was great, too.

[SexualSideFX]

I loved ocarina but everyone complains about the hyrule field where you run around doing nothing. I think it was fun because it was small enough to not matter, but it looks like in this game you run around doing nothing for ages. LIke in WW when you went sailing.

[hayeske]

I loved ocarina but everyone complains about the hyrule field where you run around doing nothing. I think it was fun because it was small enough to not matter, but it looks like in this game you run around doing nothing for ages. LIke in WW when you went sailing.

I agree about Wind Waker. It did get frustrating just sailing around. I think the thing everyone is talking about with this game isn't so much the gameplay itself, but the graphics and the mood of the game. But I could be wrong.

[Scubasteve]

Sorry hayeske, I've been kinda busy. I'll probably be getting on this friday evening around 9 or 10 eastern time. Maybe we can play together then.

SexualsideFX - yur dumb.... :D

[HugeHarHar]

nah, the original name was Wanda and the Giant. I believe Shadow of colossus is a better name overall. The cover probably didn't help ICO but I doubt a great cover would have helped it sell a whole lot better. No one knew about ICO when it came out, no one cared. If the horn boy was running from explosions with a glock carrying the princess in a bikini on the cover it wouldn't have sold more...it just slipped in under the radar. Colossus should do better, mainly because it's getting more exposure, and the idea is more original than ICO's "save the princess get out of the castle" philosophy...although I will wave the ICO flag all day and still hail it as one of the best games you can play on PS2.

Wow, appeantly this one will ignored as well. Maybe we should contact the developers and tell them to add laZer gunz OMG and alizenz! WTF TheN MIllions! of anememies!!!

No. Personally I'm extremmly glad they're making the game built around this simple idea. And I do hope that it does let you explore a lot, not many games let you do that any more.

Well, if I came off as an ass, I'm sorry, it's just that this thread is meant to "GET THE HYPE ROLLIN!" If you don't want it, let us savour our desire, and let us keep the hype going in our own little corner.

[Scubasteve]

Hear! Hear! HugeHarHar!

Wow, appeantly this one will ignored as well. Maybe we should contact the developers and tell them to add laZer gunz OMG and alizenz! WTF TheN MIllions! of anememies!!!

No. Personally I'm extremmly glad they're making the game built around this simple idea. And I do hope that it does let you explore a lot, not many games let you do that any more.

Well, if I came off as an ass, I'm sorry, it's just that this thread is meant to "GET THE HYPE ROLLIN!" If you don't want it, let us savour our desire, and let us keep the hype going in our own little corner.

[0kelvin]

Wow, appeantly this one will ignored as well. Maybe we should contact the developers and tell them to add laZer gunz OMG and alizenz! WTF TheN MIllions! of anememies!!!

No. Personally I'm extremmly glad they're making the game built around this simple idea. And I do hope that it does let you explore a lot, not many games let you do that any more.

Well, if I came off as an ass, I'm sorry, it's just that this thread is meant to "GET THE HYPE ROLLIN!" If you don't want it, let us savour our desire, and let us keep the hype going in our own little corner.

Perhaps you should read the post you're responding to more closely.



0kelvin

[Advocate of Fate]

I promised scans earlier, and this is all i could find. I swear on my life they had a big 2 page article circa E3, but i cant find it anywhere.

heres what i got
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9547/shadowofthecollosus9oj.jpg

[tinyhands]

Advocate of Fate-cool pics man. The flying colossus looks awesome. Truth be told I thought I was gonna pass this game up, but it looks too damn good. The last quarter or so of the year is gonna be pretty decent for ps2.

-tiny

[SexualSideFX]

I agree about Wind Waker. It did get frustrating just sailing around. I think the thing everyone is talking about with this game isn't so much the gameplay itself, but the graphics and the mood of the game. But I could be wrong.


Those aren't very good reasons to be excited if the gameplay sucks.

[HugeHarHar]

Did you ever play Ico?

It's made by the same people, probably going to be a very similar playing style, which happend to of been pure genious. I highly doubt the gameplay will suck.

[Sinnyo]

I'd have to admit, as visually stunning as this is, the game seems pretty limited. I mean, sure, the battles with the Colossi are innovative and just stunning to see, but... no other enemies? What on Earth is there left to do? The video says that there are no other enemies and that there is free roam but to be honest I'd have to see some non-Collossus gameplay to be truly impressed with the game so far.

[Advocate of Fate]

game informer has a media update on SotC
http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200508/N05.0818.2055.10617.htm

/cheer

[Sammy]

.sex.

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205208_0_big.jpg

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205209_1_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205211_2_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205212_3_big.jpg

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205214_4_big.jpg

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205215_5_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205217_6_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205218_8_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205218_7_big.jpg http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050820_205219_9_big.jpg

Oh, so ya say there's another game-generation commin' up? Hmm... interesting.......

[MoP]

Hot stuff.

[Sammy]

More quick info I found -
The entire game is made of 52 blocks that are roughly 600x600 feet each --- Some have said to get that much land in a game you'd have to multiply GTA: San Andeas' environment by 680 :O
There should be plenty of cliff climbing, and platforming in all that too --- the demo had a fun little 5 minutes of climbing.

The entire game-engine runs the environment as 'streaming' --- this means no load-times :confident
That's a good thing for the sake of emmersion - i assume that they may use some cut-scenes to mask over some of the streaming loads/hickups.

this is gonna be quite the adventure.
OPM seems to be puting out a demo-disk of the game in next month's issue, lets keep our eyes pealed.

[Sammy]

website up! (http://www.us.playstation.com/Content/OGS/SCUS-97472/Site/)


http://playfrance.com/images/ps2/326,46429/zoom/2068.jpg

[Sammy]

This battle should prove pretty epic, I hear the Colossus ends up flying you almost entirely across the continent as your horse (Argo) struggles to keep up.

http://img323.imageshack.us/img323/8633/wanda21wa5ee.jpg

http://img323.imageshack.us/img323/2131/wanda10rr4kp.jpg

There's a great forum interview with one of SONY's NA localizing-managers --- He's mentioned that some of the later Colossus battles have taken testers up to 3 hours to defeat on the first go.
forum interview (http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=shadowofcolossus&message.id=380)

[Scubasteve]

Sweet shots Sammy. So OPMs September issue is supposed to have a demo of it? Will definatly be checking that out. Do you guys know the exact date the games coming out?

[Sammy]

So OPMs September issue is supposed to have a demo of it?

OPM's October issue --- should be the cover, and should be on shelves this (or next) week :confident

[magicgoo]

I LOOOOOOVVVEEED Ico! It was sooo much fun!!!

As soon as I heard about this new game, I was so excited to see what the same people would be doing next. I can't wait!

[darkarts]

I think the demo was supposed to come with OPM - I've heard it was the same as the E3 demo. I'll search for it.

EDIT: Yeah, it's the latest OPM apparently, or if not, next month's. That means for us on mainland Europe it's at least 1-2 months away. Anyway, it IS the E3 demo but without the improvements on the camera and such.

[oracrest]

....... Anyway, it IS the E3 demo but without the improvements on the camera and such.

Damn Sammy, so that would make it, what, the 6th time you beat the shit out of that colossi?

[Sammy]

Anyway, it IS the E3 demo but without the improvements on the camera and such.

Actually, it appears that OPM is lying about it being the exact E3 demo (and the review is frustrating too, since the game obviously isn't finished or hasn't gone 'gold' yet) ---- I'm assuming that this demo is from a build, maybe a month or so after E3 - It has a few newer tweaks, mostly the new motion-blur effect that you're seeing in recent screen-shots (that wasn't at E3), and some improvements in the animation.
I don't think there was ever an issue with the camera, but it's a very cenematic camera like the one in ICO ------ and some people can't stand that. It never gets in the way, but if there's an open area the camera will take more cenematic liberties and create more epic shots .... which is awesome!!
But if people are used to other games, the ICO camera isn't like other action titles and doesn't paste itself directly behind/locked onto the character .... it's very smooth and majestic.

The same similarities go for the controls too, some people might have a time getting used to them ---- Like ICO, Wanderer has some weight and 'give' to his controls... Unlike most action titles where characters digitally spin on a dime, Wanderer doesn't do that --- if you flail his controls arround, he'll stumble a bit on hiself. And you don't just press the jump button, you have to "pump" it in preparation. Also, on Argo, it's more like you're controling Wanderer's 'influence' on his horse and not the digitized movement of the horse.
Some of us are used to more realistic-animation controls like this, where you have to anticipate a character's movments -- but if you're not, it may take some getting used to.

I hear that the demo is poping up in Jewel-Osco's arround Chicago, so I'll go out hunting for it today ... (man it's been since middle-school that I've had a good magazine-demo hunt!! awesomeness)

There's still TONS of exploration to do in the demo --- But always be carefull exploring demos and take your memory-cards out ... You never know when an early build of a game might gimp-up and erase all your saves.
But subscribers are already spending hours hiking across SOTC's landscapes, and they've found a few areas (like a forest, series of waterfalls, that huge epic bridge, a lake to take a swimp, some ancient ruins, geckos the character can shoot and eat, and other stuff that isn't explained yet)
Here's a video of how to take advantage of one of the demo's glitches (the demo doesn't register diagonal-climbs as a hit off your 'grip-meeter'), and get to the HUGE view from on top of the ruins: name the extention as .avi (ftp://media2.xboxyde.com/secret.avi)

Oracrest, ya totally man ... that dude needs a break! ---- I'll do some good old-fashioned exploring when I get the demo.

[darkarts]

Sammy - what did OPM say about the game? I didn't expect a good review from them (good as in unbiased and informative) - I've got too much experience with official magazines, but I hope they didn't slam the game for no reason. Anyway, I've heard it said they further fine-tuned everything you see in the game, so that's good news. :confident

[talbot]

I just finished playing the demo on the OPM disk. The game is...I hope I don't get banned for this...kind of boring. It might just be because it's a demo, but there really wasn't much to do. Aside from some birds flying over head, there is nobody in the game aside from you, your horse and the colossuses (colossi?).

It felt just like the game got rid of all the levels and you just go off to fight the end boss. You use your sword to reflect sunlight to find out where to go. Once you get to one of the statues you have to fight, you use your sword again to shine light on it to find his weak points. It was frustrating because your character moves too slow and by the time you're in the sunlight, ready to find the weak spots, the colossus is on top of you already. I spent most of my time running for my life and fighting the camera controls.

The graphics are good and the music and atmosphere are really good. Aside from that, it's about the only good things I can say about the game (so far). But then, I prefer fighting games and this one was just too slow for my tastes. I’m curious to see what fans of the first Ico think about this game.

[Scubasteve]

talbot - never post here again! :P

I guess I need to get that demo and see for myself....

[Scubasteve]

The demo Rocks! I've seached every nook and cranny of the demo. Sammy, I heard about the glitch and tried to look at your video, but it needs a password,username, etc. Anyway, were can you do this that allows you to get to the secret place? I looked all around the temple that you start, and found where you can climb and get really high, but all the ledges look impossible to reach. I thought maybe you could reach the huge bridge, but so far I can't find a way up there. Anyway, if you could tell me where to use the cheat I would appreciate it.

I will love this game, but there was quite a bit of pop-up and dissappearing buidlings, trees, etc. And the framrate could definatly use a little tweaking, but I attributed alot of this due to it being an early build. Even if it retains these flaws I will still love it. October can't come fast enough for me.

[Sammy]

I just finished playing the demo on the OPM disk. The game is...I hope I don't get banned for this...kind of boring.

There's probobly many people that'll feel this way, especially people that are more used to faster-paced more modern games. I think anyone that hated ICO will probobly detest Colossus ----- It's just not a game for everyone.

The demo Rocks! I've seached every nook and cranny of the demo. Sammy, I heard about the glitch and tried to look at your video, but it needs a password,username, etc. Anyway, were can you do this that allows you to get to the secret place? I looked all around the temple that you start, and found where you can climb and get really high, but all the ledges look impossible to reach. I thought maybe you could reach the huge bridge, but so far I can't find a way up there. Anyway, if you could tell me where to use the cheat I would appreciate it.

I will love this game, but there was quite a bit of pop-up and dissappearing buidlings, trees, etc. And the framrate could definatly use a little tweaking, but I attributed alot of this due to it being an early build. Even if it retains these flaws I will still love it. October can't come fast enough for me.

There's a glitch in the demo, where if you jump at a diagonal you don't lose any 'grip' --- Keep going up the East side of the structure... lots of climbing and experementing here but keep jumping and climbing over to the bridge.

Also, you can find the forest that runs in the game intro --- cross the rock bridge over the canyon, continue to follow it West for about 8 minutes --- eventually you come to a rock bridge with geckos on it, go into the cave and have some fun :wink: really pretty stuff.

The demo is mega glitched up, and the framerate is sub-par ---- really, they shouldn't have even have released a demo from such an early build. I hear that the final build runs a solid and locked 30fps, so that's good. But yea, even in the demo there's trees and rock structures that pop in and out because the models haven't been placed into the world yet.

But I'm even more pumped for the game, I just play the demo over and over and over again between other games..... there's just nothing like this game at all --- nothing so zen, that lets you just chill and steady yourself before fighting a giant beast ---- I hope the ending is as twisted as ICO's was.

it's good that people aren't spoiling it too much, but I've heard a little 'clue' about the 'final-colossus' from a few japanese reviewers ---- You know that Knight Colossus that shows in the video (with the huge huge sword) ? --- well they say that he would fit in the hand of the game's 'final-colossus' ... we'll just have to wait and see.

[Scubasteve]

Thanks Sammy. I finally figured it out and after about an hour of trying I got up there on that huge bridge, but as soon as I did it gave me the dreaded black screen. Oh I was pissed. I think I've exahusted the demo as far as exploration. The forest, swamp, beach, all that stuff is awesome. I can't wait to play the final build of this game, I imagine I'll spend about 30 hours playing through the first time, I intend on taking it slow and exploring. I hope the other colossi are a little more difficult then the first one. He didn't seem all that tough, but maybe he will be harder on the actual game.

[staceydiana]

i want this i want this now that's all there is to it...played the demo had me so hooked i could shout for joy at the easy attachment that i can form to that horse..especialy when he try's to follow but gets stuck on a steep rock surface. As for the camera angles cinamatic journey yes!! finally!!

[Sammy]

I still can't put the demo down, I keep commin' back to it between games ---- I really hope the final build runs a solid 30fps, I hear it's locked in at that framerate.

Newer Pics - and a video from the Tokyo Game Show:
No insane spoilers --- but more images on one of the more vague water-Colossus
The video has footage of that water-Colossus and the sky serpent one ----- breathtaking, this game constantly amazes me.

shots:
http://www.jeux-france.com/news12459_shadow-of-the-colossus.html

video:
http://ruliweb.dreamwiz.com/data/rulinews/read.htm?page=1&num=13918&find=g_machine&ftext=ps

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050919_222403_13_big.jpg

[Scubasteve]

Thanks for the new screenshots Sammy. Whats with that electricity? Thats a cool idea, looks like you'll get fried if you try to jump on that ones back.

[Sammy]

IGN just posted a great video comparison of the improvements made since the demo-version: http://ps2.ign.com/articles/654/654180p1.html

lookin good guys, only weeks to go!

[Sammy]

direct-feed trailer of final build (http://anon.sce.speedera.net/anon.sce/wander/wander_tgs05_high.wmv)

pretty epic!

2 MORE WEEKS

[Scubasteve]

Noooooooo! Now I've gone and seen too much. Awesome how that one comes up out of the ground!

[Sammy]

...one.more.week...
http://x10.putfile.com/10/28117270145.gif

[oracrest]

theres a pretty sweet fold out poster for this in this months electronic gaming monthly

[Sammy]

design by subtraction (http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3144638)
- a really good 1up article about Fumito Ueda's design process for ICO ---- lots of ICO spoilers though... so be prepaired!

EDIT: Holy Crap in a great interview (http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3144673) Ueda stated that you chose what Colossus you want to fight:
FU: Rather than fighting with several enemies at once, in order to get to the boss, we make the boss the focus of the game. For example, for the boss, there is a button to select and target the boss. It's necessary to go after the colossi one at a time; choosing which one is up to you, and is part if the fun.


Oracrest, here's many of those ads.
http://img42.imagevenue.com/loc31/th_6e6_shadowcolossus.jpg (http://img42.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc31&image=6e6_shadowcolossus.jpg)




http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/3081/sotcposterprev13to.jpg (http://img22.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc298&image=3e4_sotcposter1.jpg)..... http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/3275/sotcposterprev26dg.jpg (http://img111.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc193&image=b09_sotcposter2.jpg)

[light]

I got the demo in the mail a couple days ago. Ive beaten it 15 times.
Some of the graphics looked a little rough, but you can tell it will be beter just by the amazing animations. I was riding the horse around on random areas for like 20 minutes. Running through the rocks and trees near the beggining has such a dream-like quality and fighting the colossus is one of the greatest experiences since anything ever <3 .
Just climbing him and watching him collapse is so great, this shit is CRAZY.

[Sammy]

Running through the rocks and trees near the beggining has such a dream-like quality and fighting the colossus is one of the greatest experiences since anything ever <3 .
indeed :wink:



1up.com just posted their review (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3144750&did=1) of the game ---- extremely posative:
This is virtual reality, this is the great escape, this is a game that takes you somewhere you've never been before, Ico or no Ico. It's a game that dares you to exhilarate while hammering you with consequence. In short, Shadow of the Colossus breaks storytelling barriers none of us knew existed. It's the rare game for which the often overused words "ground-breaking" were truly reserved for, and it's enough to make you regret every stupid coin you ever collected. There's more to gaming than rote clichés and borrowed ideas, and Shadow of the Colossus is kind enough to remind us of what could be. You really couldn't ask for better than that. Besides merely being one of gaming's great moments, this is the experience of the year.

EDIT: paint to kill time to next wednesday:
http://www.modelforge.com/sammy/o-rlyweb.jpg

[light]

Sammy... I love you... :yayca:

[Digisaur]

1-up's review mentioned the game has a great soundtrack. You can hear some of it on the officail website of course. I found www.gamesarefun.com (http://www.gamesarefun.com/news.php?newsid=5475) also has mp3 samples. Very cool to listen to while you work. :wink:
I hope they release an artbook or something. I can't wait to play this game.

[one2hit]

Sammy the O RLY painting is awesome! "O RLY, U TRYN 2 GET ME?"

1up's review was pretty sweet, and I have to admit, I am dying to play this game as I am a huge fan of ICO. I have no idea how I'm going to play it though. I don't own a PS2 (or know anybody who does close enough to me) blah

[p4b10]

I really enjoyed ico and i'm sure Shadow of the colossus will be amazing. If anyone is around Spain at the end of October, Fumito Ueda is going to talk about the game at Artfutura (www.artfutura.org). i'll try to be there!

Thanks for the videos and screenshots, sammy.

pablo

[winjer]

ugh.. i havent even played a video game in about a year, nor do i own a playstation, but i think i have to play this somehow... :thinking:

[darkarts]

Looks like this game has to battle with my buspas for my next purchase.

...


...


Damnit, I'll just walk the 15 miles to school.

[Ian Mack]

I haven't played vids in such a long time but now I must play. MUST play.

[Scubasteve]

Awesome art Sammy. Is that one of the actual colossi in the game? Nevermind don't tell me. I wish I didn't know what I already do about the game. think I can wait one more day....

[I.was.ink]

It's soooo close.

[one2hit]

Ign's and Gamespot/spy's reviews are up. I always find it amusing how IGN is quick to get on their knees and praise every sucessful attempt, while other sites like gamespot never freak out, or give high scores. Anyways IGN give 9.7 and gamespot gives 8.7

[Sammy]

IGN's review (http://ps2.ign.com/articles/658/658991p1.html) is very nicely done and very spoiler free ---- So far SotC ranks in at 91% (http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/924364.asp) on gamerankings.com ..... that's more than i could ever ask for :bashful: especially for a "not for everyone" kinda game!!

Gamespot's usually more modest and cautious with their reviews, but hell 8.7 (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/wandaandthecolossus/review.html) that's damn awesome :O
--- In comparison they gave Metal Gear Solid3 an 8.7
but be wearry, there's some spoilers at gamespot -

It's shapin' up pretty nicely, Wednesday can't come quick enough --- I'm glad they delayed it a month to work out the kinks.

[one2hit]

from the interview posted above, it sounds like they really gave this one the star treatment. Spent actual time opening up areas, fixing frame rates, tweaking details ect... man it's killing me that I don't have a PS2!!

[I.was.ink]

You know what would be a great project for the Sotc team to work on next?
Nivbed's world. I've always loved nivbed's work and it seems to fit perfectly with the style of work the Sotc/ico team do.

btw, here's a link to nivbed's site: http://www.livejournal.com/users/nivbed/

-ink

[Sammy]

*got it*

I'll be back once my journey has ended - godspeed my friends :perv:

http://vgamers.de/screenshots/wanda/statue03_003.jpg

[light]

:^^;: Soul Calibur III and Shadow of Colossus coming out in same week. OH CRUEL FATE WHY MUST YOU MOCK ME SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[dusty imp]

can someone tell me how to "save" in this game?
the manual that comes with it has no mention of saving or loading

[Nimrod]

You get the option to save after you defeat each Colossus. Also, if you die fighting a Colossus, you can retry starting right when you first encountered it.

4 hours in, 10 Colossi down... starting to feel a little guilty here... ;)

THY NEXT FOE IS...

[I.was.ink]

I'm about 45 min. into the game and i've only beaten two colossi.
I love to just ride the horse and get lost for a bit. There's something so peaceful about it....aahhh...

-ink

[light]

:upset: :upset: Tell us if its goooooood :upset:

[Sammy]

.wow, what an awesome game... what an uplifting reminder of why I play so many games in the first place --- so i can be there for that rare event when a game like this comes along.
I just had a marathon game-run unlike I've had in a long time ---- I kinda rushed through it since I have some busy weeks coming up and completed it in about 13 hours, I've brought it to work so I can unlock all the goodies and secrets now :^^: ----- and crank through it again in hard mode and soak up much of the landscape I've yet to see.

I play an ass-ton of games, I always find great inspiration in many of them - but this is the first time, in my experience of the medium that I've ever been impacted emotionally from *solving a puzzle* - I know that sounds strange, but sometimes when you figure out exactly how to tackle a Colossus your heart will either sink to your stomach, or you'll get the most evil grin on your face. This really picks up the later when you get in, one example (spoiler?) is a Colossus that becomes so tattered, worn, and broken that it screams out in pain as it tries to maintain its defense - it then becomes your job to pain it even more through the environment, so you can simply get on.
The lifelike personality, nature, and animation of the beasts really drives it all home - there just hasn't been enemies with such life I've ever had to battle in a game, so there's a true connection not just a conflict that needs to be solved ---- many of the Colossi personality will simply remind you of pets you have, or have had in the past.


I'm still buzzing from seeing that ending last night --- like ICO, Colossus has to be one of the coolest damn endings a story can tell .... it felt good, since games so rarely reward you with any decent or stimulating ending sequences.
But a game that tells a story like this comes along so rarely for us - one that's completely committed in telling a story to creative-minded people ---- much of the minimal approach hints at ambiguities, encouraging your mind to fill in blanks defining your own narrative - that's a kind of maturity I hope to see more in games where the story doesn't stumble, spoil, or get too lost in itself more than it needs to.

Argo has to be one of the coolest fucking NPC's, the game knows this too in how if you let the 'start-screen' sit it'll just cut to demo Argo playing in the landscape by himself ---- There's a true connection in all the subtleties, like when you're climbing a tree and you look down to see he's found a pool of water to drink and cool off in.
The fact that he has some intelligent sense as a 'vehicle' works so well --- you don't have to fight his controls, he'll make his own way through a forest or narrow bridge avoiding obstacles - he won't go lunging off a cliff, and if you're turned around firing arrows in a battle he'll make his own path through an arena.

Like the Castle in ICO, the landscape here in Colossus plays more of a character than most games ever achieve ---- There's so much depth to it, so much that just exists for the sake of emersion - areas you may likely never see and others that give a tiny glimpse as to the universe you're in.
The scripted art-direction works to its advantage, like going down to a beach and the air just fills with salty water and all sounds cut out but the waves hitting the sand.
You can really get lost inside it, especially visual people like us -- at every point you turn there's a chiseled composition that works so nicely.

The game isn't without its hiccups, but nothing at all tears at the fun ---- the framerate isn't stellar, it's quite dramatic with its blur actually and never presents a problem - but it's something framerate buffs like me can spot on the fly.
And like any streaming-world game this generation Colossus has it's pop-in --- arguably less pop-in than most, but the fact that it's so pretty can really remind you that it's there - ambitious, but they made it work out.
The camera can be a bitch if you fight it, but at a colossus just let it do its thing and it finds the right spots to be in - just cling on.
I found the controls to be perfect, no issue there - they feel like you're an adventurer pacing your moves trying not to panic, completely rooted in their dramatic animation ... but they aren't like most recent games with spot on controls like your character is just some avatar over a cursor. Take some time at first with them, get the feel for Argo and Wanderer so you don't panic in a battle.

Awesome game, everyone at least remotely interested in concept-design owes it to themselves to see some of the freshest designs accomplished in these Colossi ---- the game doesn't come off as 'Western' or 'Eastern' it's just it's own expression of a lost culture and that takes a lot of energy to create.

Ok, I'm gonna have a go at 'hard mode' now :ninja:

[I.was.ink]

That's a perfect way to sum up the game Sammy.

I'm only at the 7th colossi and I can't put the game down, at first I was like damn that's a pretty big field out there, but when I actually went out there to explore it....it was WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY bigger than I thought it would ever be. I dont think I've ever played a game where the world that it takes place in is so damn massive and every little corner is unique and breathtaking. Sammy's right, everyone has to play this game. Its just difficult to describe in words, but once you play it and experience it you'll know what we mean. I found myself cheering and hollering when you're atop one of the collosi *SPOILER* and you're flyin on the wings of this massive eagle and I don't know how the game developers did it, but It feels like you're actually a bird flying in the sky. It's one of the greatest emotional experiences I've felt in a game.

I love Shadow of the Colossus!

-ink

[Sammy]

Here's some subtleties I've found in the controls for anyone starting the game --- if you find more please share :rendered:

- You can take a running jump at Argo and get on him, you don't have to be standing still directly next to him: Jump at argo and hold the R1 button, as if he was a platform ledge - He can even begin his run during this.

- Argo has a basic set of AI: He will make his own way through narrow paths and forests, don't fight his controls or he stumbles on himself - Just enjoy the ride ;}

- You can maintain a steady pace on argo: Hold the R1 button on Argo to duck, you can hold in the X button and Argo will maintain a sprint.

- Standing on Argo: While holding R1 press up, if you continue to hold the X button Argo will maintain whatever speed he's at.

- Leaning to Argo's side: While holding R1 hold the triangle-button too, with both buttons pressed in direct the analog stick to the left or right --- if you keep holding R1 and triangle you can repositon Wanda back in the saddle.... I've yet to find a use for this other than to look cool or get off your horse at full speed rather than jumping.

- Tell Argo he's a good boy: With nothing equiped and riding still - press the R1 button and Wanda will give Argo some encouragement :]

- Easy aim lock: hold the square-button for your bow as you hold the L1 button to lock onto a Colossus -- Wanda will lock-aim --- this comes in handy on Argo as well.

- Pull argo into a U-turn -- pull down on the analog stick and mash in the X button for him to hault --- do this again really quickly to pop him into a spin and he'll sprint off in the opposite direction.





That's a perfect way to sum up the game Sammy.

I'm only at the 7th colossi and I can't put the game down, at first I was like damn that's a pretty big field out there, but when I actually went out there to explore it....it was WWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY bigger than I thought it would ever be. I dont think I've ever played a game where the world that it takes place in is so damn massive and every little corner is unique and breathtaking. Sammy's right, everyone has to play this game. Its just difficult to describe in words, but once you play it and experience it you'll know what we mean. I found myself cheering and hollering when you're atop one of the collosi *SPOILER* and you're flyin on the wings of this massive eagle and I don't know how the game developers did it, but It feels like you're actually a bird flying in the sky. It's one of the greatest emotional experiences I've felt in a game.

I love Shadow of the Colossus!

-ink

Yea, the landscape is so breathtaking to get lost in --- each of the unique areas are so modest and mature, no silly 'ice world' here or 'lava-land' there, just a pure landscape that maintains its subtleties you aren't expecting .... sometimes i found myself getting to a new spot and standing in awe of how seamless a forest can blend to a cavern to a bog to a desert.

I'm still playing the game in its different modes ---- It's going to be hard to go back to any other games, I can safely say that Colossus is one of the best experiences I've ever had with a game - it truely is timeless and will stick with me forever.

[Sinix]

I agree, it's a great game. It was quite fun figuring out how to bring each of those guys down. The ending was great. I've been unlocking all the cool items on normal mode time attack and exploring all the interesting things I can find.

[Spacemanchuck]

so its out... Must buy a ps2 now...

[Scubasteve]

WARNING!!!! MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD MATES!!!



Beat the game.. Totally awesome! I loved the ending, but was a little confused by it and wondering if it had multipule endings. So don't read any further or you'll know how it ends....


Spoilers start here....


Sammy, when you become the colossi creature at the end, you seem to have very limited controls, you can smack the ground and look around a bit. Well, I killed a few of the blokes running around and shooting me with arrows, but the head chief guy made it to the top of the stair and tossed the magic sword down into the pool. So can you stop the guy, I didn't seem to be able to turn completely around as the colossus. Also, once the pool becomes the void that starts pulling you towards it, can you escape it, I could't figure out a way, thuss I was consumed by the magical void and aparently became a baby. I was just wondering if this is what is supposed to happen or if I goofed on the Colossi part.

[Ian Mack]

I'm too busy to play this game right now....after readng the feedback about the game though...I know I'm going to enjoy this game enough that waiting for a free day to waste away playing won't be so hard. I still watch the trailer video every couplenights. ^_^

Whoo! 100th post in the thread!

[HugeHarHar]

I just got the game yesterday and I'm fighting the 9th one, and I'm loving it.

SPOILER

The best has to be the eagle over the lake though....oh my god. The first time it dives at you.....I was like.....OH MYYYYYYYYYY GOD!!! I just by chance decided to try and jump it. Just flying on it was the most intense battle so far.

My favorite thing definitly has to be when you jump with a obvious death drop below. Like running up the knight's sword and then leaping to his arm when he starts swinging the sword, and just barely making it to the arm.

END SPOILER

The hero in Shadow is now my favorite video game character ever. This guy is pure bad ass.

[HugeHarHar]

Steve- I just beat it, I don't think you can do anything about being sucked into the pool.

Wow though....most incredable experience ever. Last boss........was a fucking monster.

[Scubasteve]

I think your Right Huge. Yeah, that last boss gave me alittle trouble too. I didn't realize you could stablize his hand and I also never saw that you were supposed to shoot him in the shoulder until I was running around on his head trying to kill him. I got on him by making a flying leap exactly as he lifted me up at the highest point. Since then, I've been unlocking all the extras. This game has a ton of replay value. I have a Hardmode save and one where Im going through it again and playing through the time trial modes. Great fun and you unlock some cool items. Also, the colossi have more vital areas in hard mode and can kill you with one good attack. Not to mention just riding around to explore. This game is a ton of fun!

[Sammy]

ya, the game has so much replay mostly because... unlike many games today ... it's actually really really fun, and the sense of "leap of faith" never seems to die ---- I usually put games down when they're done, but there's something about how dynamic it is to climb a puzzle in so many ways, hard-mode really expands on this when some vital-zones are on arms you have to leap to.

I've just had a lot of fun getting Colossi to leap me into the air, trying to negotiate them faster this way.

As far as I know, I've completed everything --- I have all the items in hard-mode time attack, so now I'm just gonna cruise through the game again :}

But damn.... it's really hard going back to other games now ---- mostly picking up some new game and having to deal with "floaty item pickups" again.

I wish I had a way to record Colossi fights, they're just so dramatic .... The camera may have been irritating at times, but damn... for every moment the camera bugged me there were at least 10 moments that it framed a scene with so much mood and drama that no other game can match.

[Scubasteve]

I've almost beaten the time attack mode on normal difficulty, but a few of them aggrevated me alittle already, so I dunno if Im gonna be able to conquer the hard-mode time trials or not, but Im sure I'll give it a shot. What did you think of the Queens sword Sammy? Is it the same as in Ico?

[Spacemanchuck]

I just got a PS2 for the soul reason of playing this game. I couldn't miss this one. It is a work of art through and through. Im only on the 8th Collosi and Im lovin it. My fav so far is for sure the Flying Collosi over the lake. I loved the setup going into the fight and then flying through the air was fantastic. The way the rain droplets flew at you and the physics of the air pushing against u as u try to crawl your way onto the wings. Even falling off was rewarding.

Could be my favorite game of all time. WIll have to see how the rest pans out. I guess Im gonna have to pick up Ico after this.

[AndyLC]

4 hours and 10 of the enemies defeated, how many are there?
This is something I don't like about a lot of games that come out lately, they seem too easy to beat.

Seems like that with alot of new games. Hard games sometimes get penalized for being too hard. I think EGM scored Ninja Gaiden lower than it would've gotten 'cause it was too hard.

But the hardest game ever made, it's Actraiser II. Even a goddamn bat takes two sword swings for the Master to kill.


http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/1456520050919_222403_13_big.jpg

and are those horse balls in that picture?

[Spacemanchuck]

I just beat the game. It was a pure pleasure to play. THe most pleasing game experience Ive had in forever. Just beautiful. Though I dont know if I will be going through again right away. Im gonna sit on it for awhile before I pick it up again. That said does anyone know if there is alt-endings?

The rest from here is kinda a spoiler--- The ending was interesting. I liked it I guess, but Im not sure If I did everything I could have at the end. As Dormin can I kill the dudes escaping and change the ending? Im alittle confused about him turning into a baby... There is all sorts of symbolic reasoning I supose. Like a rebirth giving him a chance to make up for his fuck up. Where did Dormin get sucked away to?

Afew thoughts... I dont know. I loved the game it was friggin rad. Its just that sometimes I would find my self wishing for alittle bit more of a payout instead of YOUR NEXT FOE IS... I mean I understand the beauty of simplicity and it works perfect with Shadow. But even something as simple as the warrior stumbling upon a new cape just to make riding agro that much cooler. Or perhaps a new hilt for the sword that would make the light refracting a diffrent effect just for the sake of pretty graphics.

It would have been fun if each of those temples scatered across the land had a purpouse besides just a really cool view whenever you climbed them(which was friggin cool btw). U know like if you insert your sword at the top of each one it opens the final collosus... Or something.

Speaking of the final collosus. THe last one with the WOman skirt was my least favorite out of all. Actually I didnt like him really. I wanted more from the final boss I guess and it was borring him being stationary like that. HE was lame...

All said and done it was fun, and I think im gonna go pick up Ico now and give that a whirl!

[oracrest]

an interesting interview with Ueda in this month's electronic gaming monthly......

[CruShTinbOX]

It would have been fun if each of those temples scatered across the land had a purpouse besides just a really cool view whenever you climbed them(which was friggin cool btw). U know like if you insert your sword at the top of each one it opens the final collosus... Or something.


Those temples are save points. If you go up to the glowing slab on the side of them and pray (press the O button), you can save your game. Dormin tells you that after the first colossus battle.


Anyway, fantastic game. I haven't felt so immersed in a game in quite a while. The camera was a complete bitch though. I found parts of the game needlessly frustrating because I was having to fight with the camera all the time.

But it's definately a game of the year contender for me.

[benzo]

Speaking of the final collosus. THe last one with the WOman skirt was my least favorite out of all. Actually I didnt like him really. I wanted more from the final boss I guess and it was borring him being stationary like that. HE was lame...

All said and done it was fun, and I think im gonna go pick up Ico now and give that a whirl!

I beat this over the weekend as well. I think that going into it, I had some very high espectations, and it did not live up to it. Don't get me wrong, it's a very, very good game, maybe even a great game to some, but if you never played Ico, the ending won't be as fulfilling, and it leaves a lot of questions. The camera really sucks at times, the controls kind of suck sometimes, especially for the horse. This makes the game very frustrating at times. It seems that everyone who loves this game gets over these flaws. If your into the game and get over the flaws, its a lot of fun and definitely worth playing. As for the final boss, it is the lamest design of all the collossi, but a coworker of mine pointed out how it is design after an old painting of the tower of Babel, and in fact the whole game is inspired by this story, which is very interesting. The main reason I played this game is because I love the design of the collossi and the graphics style of the game in general, and because I was told that it is even better than Resident Evil 4. It's no RE4.

[HugeHarHar]

Actually most people who love the game love the controls. I personally think the controls we're done perfectly, like the character actually had weight, and the horse was a real thing. Most games forget that characters have weight.

And uh...Resident Evil 4 and Shadow of the Collusus....you can't really compare them, nothing alike. Both are incredable games though, no doubt about it.

The camera I found was another perfect aspect about the game. It was so cinematic, no other game, not even Ico captured that amount of power in each frame.

Anyways, this is all my 2 cents.

[0kelvin]

Afew thoughts... I dont know. I loved the game it was friggin rad. Its just that sometimes I would find my self wishing for alittle bit more of a payout instead of YOUR NEXT FOE IS... I mean I understand the beauty of simplicity and it works perfect with Shadow. But even something as simple as the warrior stumbling upon a new cape just to make riding agro that much cooler. Or perhaps a new hilt for the sword that would make the light refracting a diffrent effect just for the sake of pretty graphics.

This was also my biggest criticism of the game. Don't get me wrong, I loved the game, but it was extremely stingy with rewards (in a broad sense, not just item rewards). There was no story to be had whatsoever between the opening cinematic and the ending. For most of the game the only thing keeping me going was curiosity at what the next Colossus would be. Since they were so cool and well designed, that managed to get me through the game, but each time it only lasted until I got to the Colossus. Once I'd seen the Colossus and the cool stuff it could do, my only motivation was to kill him so I could move on and see the next one.

However, this changed once I beat the game and opened Time Attack mode. Suddenly I was getting these rewards for beating them, so not only was there a huge motivation boost, the items it gives you actually make the game far more enjoyable! I never bothered searching for lizards before, because the world was so huge and stumbling on one is pretty much just dumb luck. But when I got the lizard map, I spent hours going around the world hunting lizards. It added a lot to the game and I can't figure out why they didn't give you the ability to unlock it in the normal course of the game.

Has anyone else figured out how to climb up the temple? It's tricky, but I managed to get up there. There's not much to do, but it sure looks cool. And you can run all the way along the really long bridge, which is even longer than it looks from the ground. It took me 17 minutes to run to the end and back, without stopping.



0kelvin

[HugeHarHar]

Yeah I climbed the temple. All diagonal jumps, it was pretty easy.

[Spacemanchuck]

Oklvin, indeed the thing that kept me pushin on was the treat of seeing the next colossus. And yes it would have been great for them to put all the goodies in it from the get go. For me mainly because I really don’t have much time to invest into playing games, so the likely hood of me going back through shadows right away is very slim. If I’m going to spend the time playing I’m gonna hit up something fresh and new. I did buy ico last night far a mere 15 dollars which I’m about to turn on as we speak.

Hey Benzo glad you feel me on the design of the final boss. I think the tower of Babylon feel could have been done in another way without turning the colossus into a skirt wearing cry baby. That colossus pissed the shit out of me too! It wasn’t hard, that wasn’t the issue. It was incredibly simple in fact, but every time I would get to the top I would fall down in someway or another. I think I probably fell off the damn thing about ten times. That was just aggravating.

Though I must say I would rather spend the time falling off the girl colossus ten times then spending 8 bucks on Harry Potter and the friggin Goblet of Crap! Sorry just got back from seeing it and I must say, CRAP!

What needs to happen next is a multiplayer version of Shadow, where u have to work in teams to bring down a colossus. A multiplayer version with more rewards I say and the world will rejoice.

[Partialartist]

I doubt there'll be a direct sequel, but I hope there's a director's cut. This game is a shadow of what it could've been.

http://www.ranvirdigital.com/2005/11/more-colossi.html

8 more sounds about right.

[Spacemanchuck]

damn what a rip off.

Hey Im playing through on hard mode now... When do you start to get items? Better not be after hard mode I would have to crap on someone...

[Partialartist]

You get items by doing time attacks, which are available when you beat the game and select that file to start a new game+. You get different items for normal and hard time attack.

[ruzkin]

I cannot wait for this to come out in Australia... but I have to. Release date is Feb at the moment *cries*

I've been hyped for this game for over a year now. The first time I saw a screen shot of the little character clinging to the fur of a giant, swinging his sword about wildly... I was hooked. When I read that it was a sequel to Ico, I was just overjoyed. Ico is one of the few games where I've actually bawled at the ending. I've never loved characters so much.

Two months. I can last that long :p

[SeraphSword]

Just got the Soundtrack in the mail like 20 mins ago. :pump:

http://www.seraphsword.com/sketches/sotcpic.jpg






Edit: Wow. My crappy tv speakers didn't do this music justice. The artistry in some of this music makes me almost feel inadequate in my own work.

BTW I got the soundtrack here: http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8l-77-1-15-shadow%2Bof%2Bcolossus-70-10dp.html
There are other places to get it I'm sure if you want to search around

[Abra]

I have beaten the game in Normal Mode and I am now going through all the collossus again in time attack mode and I was wondering if their is some way to save the game w/out beating another colossus and going through the whole "step into the light scene".

-abra

[sparth]

is this music score similar to ico's fabulous score by any chance? :D

[SeraphSword]

is this music score similar to ico's fabulous score by any chance? :D


Some pieces perhaps. But, for obvious reasons, a lot of it has a much more epic feel to it. It is definitely worth every penny though. Still, it makes me wonder why American games don't inspire music like this. What we get are games from EA force-feeding the last pop and hip-hop on us.

[DSillustration]

I have beaten the game in Normal Mode and I am now going through all the collossus again in time attack mode and I was wondering if their is some way to save the game w/out beating another colossus and going through the whole "step into the light scene".

-abra
yeah, go to any temple and pray.
thats the "O" button for ps2.
there is even a temple right at the main castle, down below.

on a side note,
i haven't seen anybody mention the secret garden on top of the main temple.
the secret garden is the same one shown at the end of the game.
you can actually get up there, and back onto the bridge you came in on.
its a CRAZY long climb though.
get your stamina waaay up and look for the ivy on the east side of the temple.
you can even climb where there is almost no ivy at all.
if you do little tiny jumps, diagonally upwards, it takes almost nothing off your stamina.
though, it'll take a heck of a long time.
and btw...
once you are in the secret garden, eat the fruit at your own risk ;)

[Sammy]

crazy crazy Japanese time attack vids:
http://bgr44.cool.ne.jp/wanda/movie/movie.html

dear lord..... they butchered the last colossus in less than 2 minutes...

#5 is awesome too : ]

[Conchobhar]

Jeezlouise, the the last one took me like an hour and half. @_@

[Scubasteve]

I've beaten most of the time trials on the normal difficulty, I don't think Im even going to attemp most of the hard time trials. From what I understand the artifacts you get for them mirror the first set. Some are cool and some are pretty useless, (do I care where the lizards are?). Although you do get a cool mask and a new cloak.

[Moysturfurmer]

Got this mofo for Christmas, and now all my other gifts pale in comparison.

I'm torn between doing Normal Time Trials, and just completing Hard Mode though.

And Scubasteve, you are aware the white lizard tails get you extra stamina, right?

[DSillustration]

dear lord..... they butchered the last colossus in less than 2 minutes...

holy moly!
i never even thought that was possible!
some brilliant moves there...
especially shooting the shoulder early to get onto the hand!

[Scubasteve]

Yeah Moysturfurmer, but besides being able to climb up to that secret garden place, who needs it? You don't have the extras in the Time Trials, and you get a significant boost with each dude you beat, so I really don't need anymore stamina, or health.

[HugeHarHar]

Really you don't need that much stamina for the secret garden.

Just diagnoal jump climb. I got up there after I killed the first 15 colossi, the first time through.

[echino]

Wow Sammy, some crazy videos.. just watched all of them. I think I'm about to go put SotC back in for another whirl. :teeth:

[RefrigeratorCo]

Looks pretty.

[Chris J. Anderson!]

PLayed it, defeated it, and now one of my top ten all time favorites! The game is just incredible.

dear lord..... they butchered the last colossus in less than 2 minutes...


What? Impossible!

[+ venture]

anybody hear about shadow of the colossus 2? for ps3?

[HugeHarHar]

I really hope not. I also really doubt it.

First, the game ended really solid. Adding to it, though it would be fun to kill some more colossi, it would de mean the game. Also the company behind the game doesn't seem like it would milk their games. Everyone thought Ico was going to have a sequel.

They're simply working on a new game. Though if they did make a sequel...I'd buy it.

[Scubasteve]

I read a interview with the lead dev. I think it was and he made it sound like they were not going to be making a sequel. I think its the innovation that make both Ico and Shadows such great games, and as long as they keep coming up with new ideas, I think they will make great games. I would like them to expand on the idea of an even bigger world, with exploration and discovery the point of playing. Make the world bigger and give you more things to do. It would be relatively easy for them to use the same engine, upgrade the textures, come up with 20 new Colossi, slap a story together and put a number 2 out beside the logo and release Shadow of the Colossus 2! for the PS3!, and it would make some decent money, and may even be fun. But I think it would hurt their credibility in the long run, and thats what most of the other developers are doing. I think they'll take the high road.

[K-17]

just beat the game

i'm blown away

[Shinryu]

bump

got this game two days ago, just completed it, 12 hours, fucking fantastic game, just great

everything has already been mentioned by you folks, so im just gonna go explore some more, so much still to see

cheers

[Sammy]

Oracrest found this and posted it in the lounge:
http://insider.ign.com/teasers/695/695145.html

an IGN "design a colossus" contest --- if you have an insider account go for it ;p
they have some prizes up for grabs.

[unknown_epiphany]

Sammy i just love your signature. Nice little mention of the Yoshi's Island level in there=)