Shadow of the Colossus

‘The wanderer roams the land, searching for the answer to his darkest prayers.
She is beyond hope and yet salvation may still await her.
But they are not alone…’

I love larger-than-life spectacle in my games. More and more I find it the reason my predilection with the interactive medium maintains itself.  Tremendous scenes of cinematic grandeur are guaranteed to have me hooked. From the first time I flew through Venom on Star Fox to the time I took on a Tyrannosaurus Rex in Tomb Raider and my more recent adventures in Ancient Greece with Kratos, I can’t get enough of widespread vistas, towering structures, orchestral scores and epic storylines.

And this is a large part of why I hold Shadow of the Colossus so very close to my little gamer heart, and why I consider it as one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure to play. Developed by Team Ico and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Shadow of the Colossus is an action game, an adventure, a puzzle, a romance, a mystery and a beautiful work of art. It is, simply, a game that gets inside you and refuses to leave.

Shadow of the Colossus is the spiritual successor to the dreamlike Ico, a haunting game with which Shadow shares many similarities. Both games were developed under the direction of lead designer Fumito Ueda, a man infamous for his perfectionist attitude. His crystal clear vision and insistence on being the sole artistic and creative lead have caused bottlenecks in the production of his games, Ueda stating himself, ‘That’s why our games take so long!’

Ueda has said of himself, ‘If I was not in the games industry, I would want to become a classical artist. Though I regard not only games but also anything that expresses something – be it films, novels or manga – as forms of art.’ He also describes himself as an inquisitive child – ‘I enjoyed catching and keeping living things, such as fish or birds. Other than that, I liked both watching and making animation. Basically, I seemed to be interested in things that moved.’ This combination of a fascination with nature and a love of art is surely the impetus that drove Ueda to make games such as Ico and Shadow of the Colossus – games that take an artistic approach, and rather than deny emotion they embrace it, creating a game experience that few others can truly match. Ico and Shadow are distinguished by a severe economy of plot and scenario, and rather they are illustrated with overexposed, desaturated light and sparse dialogue. Ueda calls this approach “design by subtraction”, something which lends his work an almost illusory and dreamlike tone.

Shadow of the Colossus began its development in 2002 under the project name ‘Nico’. An early technology demo for the project was shown at the DICE Summit in 2003. It depicted a group of horned boys (all very similar to Ico’s protagonist) riding horses while attacking and defeating a colossus. Ueda, however, expressed that the similarity to Ico’s character was solely because it was easiest to reuse at the time, and he never explicitly desired a sequel to Ico. Rather, he simply wanted to make a game that he himself would want to play. Ueda wanted a larger-than-life game, something unparalleled by its peers and something that offered a different experience than had come to be expected from video games.

So he began work on Shadow of the Colossus. The story is very light on the ground. You play the role of a young warrior named Wanda who has brought his loved one to a faraway temple in hopes of restoring her to health. This is all shown in a beautiful opening sequence. Subtle and evocative it shows you the story rather than tells you it, slowly drawing you into the haunting world. As you begin the game a mysterious presence in the temple tells you the only way to save the girl is to hunt down and destroy the sixteen colossi that dwell in the forbidden lands. Is the girl your wife? Your sister? Is she dead or injured? What is it about killing the colossi that will bring her back? Maybe the most important question is, do the answers matter? Shadow of the Colossus avoids complex character interactions and storylines; it communicates with emotions rather than words.

Shadow’s gameplay consists of two parts – finding a particular colossus and then destroying it. The game’s pacing is in stark contrast to that of typical action games in that there are long stretches of gameplay with no actual combat. There are no towns to visit, no dungeons to explore, no characters with whom to interact and no enemies to defeat other than the colossi, all of which makes for a rather lonely experience.

You find the colossi by using your sword as a compass of sorts, holding it up to the sun causes a beam of light to shine from the blade that points to your next location. You will traverse mountains, forests and deserts to get there, whereupon you will destroy the colossus, go back to the temple, and start over. There is no levelling up here. No minor foot-soldiers to take on, no potions, no shops in which to purchase items or new weapons. It is just you, your horse Agro, and the colossi. Ueda has stated that he desired to limit the game’s elements in this way not only to differentiate the game from others, but also to ensure that the programmers’ focus was entirely on the colossi, so the quality therein would be as high as possible.

Getting to the colossi is as integral a part to the game as is destroying them. Watching your horse move across the beautiful yet barren landscapes is a wonderful sight. You must navigate lush forests, gallop across expansive deserts, and traverse huge caverns. Unfortunately Agro will not always be able to take you straight to the colossi (whilst at other times he will be vital to taking them down), so sometimes you must engage in the platforming elements of the game, climbing moss-covered walls or hoisting yourself over ledges in order to arrive at your next encounter.

There is a huge contrast between fighting the colossi and finding them. The absolute peace is suddenly torn asunder with the introduction of a new colossus. Fighting any of the sixteen colossi is frantic, exciting, hectic and thrilling. Climbing the back of a thrashing enemy the size of a skyscraper is quite the experience. Some fly, others go underwater, some even go underground. Some are fast, and some are slow. The design is incredibly thoughtful and no two battles are the same. The colossi are not end bosses; rather they are a simple foe, hiding a secret. Discovering this secret is the mystery you must solve in order to defeat them. The colossi are organic puzzles, each one unique aesthetically (some tower over you as tall as skyscrapers, others are only as big as a house) and distinct in their actions. The setting also plays a part in how you will tackle the colossus. You must use your environment creatively, as well as use some colossus’ strength against them if you are to reach their weak point and bring them down once and for all. Shadow of the Colossus feels as much a puzzle game as it does an action or adventure game.

Reaching the creature’s weak point can be quite a daunting task when you first see it towering above you. Getting onto the colossus is usually the first part of the puzzle, and is followed closely by clinging onto hair for all your life is worth hundreds of feet above the ground, getting flung every which way. The colossi will thrash and buck wildly to get you off and you’ll more than likely find you spend more time clinging on than actually attacking. The constant threat of being thrown off creates a wonderful sense of tension and excitement, all of which is released when you finally strike the monster’s figurative Achilles’ heel. Clutching to the back of a soaring winged beast, running from the danger of a giant’s crushing hammer, firing arrows from the back of your speeding mount – the battles are truly exhilarating. You’ve got to play through one to realise the true magnificence of the experience.

Shadow of the Colossus features stunning artistic presentation across both characters and landscape. Similarities to Ico are prevalent as both games share an attention to detail and subtlety of design that lends itself to a dreamlike atmosphere. The game’s architecture – moss-covered buildings and statues blended seamlessly into nature – is beautiful and evocative; hinting at a society that once inhabited this land but has long since left it behind. Effects such as soft focus, unsaturated colour, motion blur, partial high dynamic range rendering and a heavy emphasis on bloom further emphasise the game’s haunting ambience, mixing beauty with solemnity. It is a lonely, immaculately detailed world, offering deserts, forests, lakes, underground caverns – all of which perfectly illustrate the breathtaking nature inherent in the environment.

What really differentiates Shadow of the Colossus and Ico graphically is that Ico’s focus was on the intimate and moving portrayal of the protective relationship between an outcast boy and a fragile feminine prisoner. The focus remained closely on them, portraying the intricacies of their bond. In Shadow the camera has been pulled out. Instead of a close examination of two people you see expansive landscapes and some of the largest foes ever encountered in a video game. Showing things in this manner serves the same purpose as in Ico though. The broad scenery and immense enemies serve to emphasise Wanda’s tiny size, and in turn underscore the bravery behind the huge feats he’s willing to perform for his loved one.

Again, in similar vein to Ico, much attention has been paid to character animation in Shadow. In Ico an affinity was created between you and the two main characters through the most subtle of actions. Just the simple act of Yorda holding your hand, or resting her head on your shoulder whilst you saved the game made you feel closer to these characters, to love them even. This forming of a bond to the protagonist through animation can be seen again in Shadow. Wanda will stumble after a long leap and he will clamber awkwardly, flailing his legs. These animations make Wanda less perfect and more real, more human. You find yourself caring for him more knowing he is just as fallible as you or I. The colossi themselves also move in a way that is always appropriate to their size and shape. Some move almost like slow, plodding humans, other’s move quick and with the ferocity of a rabid beast. Again, it creates a personality, one which is clear throughout the entire battle.

Getting the character’s movements to realistically react to the actions of the colossi was no easy task. Kenji Kaido (the Shadow’s producer) set the programmers the daunting assignment of creating lifelike movement in the game’s protagonist. He wanted to see a shift in the Wanda’s body when the colossi moved, both in terms of how he might be displaced and how he could use the movements to his advantage. For example, if a colossus were to shake Kaido wanted Wanda’s body to shift realistically in response. Kaido also set the task of programming the game to understand that if a colossus’ leg moved so that it was horizontal, Wanda should be able to run across the flat surface as if it were level ground, or if the player were holding onto the leg he’d have to move up as the leg moved up. Kaido labelled these two concepts as “player dynamics and reactions” and “organic collision deformation”.

There were problems with these variations on organic movement. The first was with organic collision deformation. When the colossus’ joints were moving what if the character was behind a creature’s knee as it bends, causing the player to get squeezed? A second technical challenge was with the player dynamics and reactions. Kaido stated that it was easy to have a character hang off of a colossus or stay still as the colossus moved, but what if the character was swinging? Kaido says that getting the physics right as the colossus moved was very tricky. A third technical problem was with something called “motion blending and posture control”. These technologies can be seen on a small scale with the horse. If you were galloping at a full run and turned the horse it would smoothly tilt its head and lean into a turn – the blending of the two animations made the horse’s movements seem very organic. However, technically this was a nightmare. The smoothness with which it occurs in game belies the difficulties they faced in getting it right. They managed it though, and created an organic in-game experience like no other.

The development team made many technical accomplishments whilst creating the game, but the conceptual work behind the game is a feat in and of itself. The colossi are a wonderful creation, different than anything seen before in a video game. Ueda has said that he wanted them to seem half machine and half animal, almost a mountain that lived and breathed. There is a majesty and grace to these creatures – something in their movement and the way they look speaks to the player. There is a mystery about them that serves to engross anyone who plays the game – reeling them further in to Shadow’s strange land.

The colossi come across almost as if they feel, and in some cases, are almost deserving of pity. With a few exceptions the colossi are not aggressive. Most regard you with curiosity or indifference, whilst some almost give the impression that they simply wish to be left in peace. There is a definite sense of moral ambiguity in this game, and you’ll certainly feel a sense of pity for some of the beasts once you’ve killed them once and for all, and they slowly come crashing to the ground. Your quest is arguably selfish, and although the storyline does not fully develop until the game nears its climatic end it’ll have you wondering just who exactly is the villain in this adventure. It is a mystery why the designers wished to have this moral ambivalence infused within the game, but it certainly takes Shadow of the Colossus in new directions. It makes you feel sorrow and compassion rather than just the usual dose of exhilaration other games are content to offer.

The atmosphere in this game is like no other. There is nothing unnatural in the game, and yet there is a constant otherworldly sense of place. A feeling of loneliness permeates the Shadow and the colossi themselves feel as if they are deserted and forlorn creatures (get close enough to them and sometimes you’ll see a certain sadness in their eyes). It makes the game feel so much more personal, and reinforces the connection you feel with your only companion, your horse. Putting hordes of enemies between you and the next colossus may have lengthened the game but it would have diluted the experience. All elements of the game – audio, gameplay and visuals all included – were used to achieve an atmosphere which Ueda termed ‘a lonely hero’. Ueda considered this an important element in the development of the game and it certainly creates an engrossing yet pensive game experience as you explore the forbidden land alone and isolated.

The music, as would be expected, plays a large part in creating the otherworldly atmosphere so prevalent in Shadow of the Colossus. Usually the only soundtrack to your adventure is that of the sounds of wind and water, and the thuds made by your horse’s hooves in the dirt. This limited use of music emphasises the open nature of the game world and lack of life therein, and aids in establishing a mood of solitude. However when you encounter a colossus the music changes to befit the situation, the orchestral overtures matching the grandeur of the colossi perfectly. As you climb the colossus and make your way to its weak spot the music changes, a swelling in the score matching the exhilaration you feel inside.

A soundtrack to Shadow of the Colossus was released in Japan only, entitled Roar of the Earth. The score was composed by Kow Otani, who has worked on Playstation games as well as 1990s-era Gamera films and some anime.

Shadow of the Colossus is a game that promotes singularity of design and focus and refuses to be bogged down by unnecessary superfluities. It is a game that is as full of awe and wonder as it is full of excellent design implementation and conceptualisation. Shadow’s detractors have criticised it with arguments such as poor frame-rate during actions sequences, an inadequate camera, and unwieldy controls. Whilst these points do have grounding in reality they far from make Shadow of the Colossus a poor game. Shadow is a truly unique and cerebral game, one that is more then happy to defy convention. It flaunts a different style of play, one that is huge, beautiful, romantic, tranquil, soothing, spectacular, exhilarating, thrilling, haunting, and saddening all at the same time. It is a game that has, quite simply, achieved a legendary status. It has pushed the boundaries of gaming, allowing emotions such as guilt and pity into the gameplay experience rather than just focusing on elation and joy. Shadow of the Colossus represents potential; what the future could be if more creative control is put in the hands of the imaginative few. Epic in design and virtually flawless in execution, Shadow of the Colossus truly is a rare gem amongst pebbles.

So what’s next for Team Ico? Maybe they have new, innovative idea they’d rather do, but a sequel to Shadow of the Colossus on the PS3? Could that possibly be the best thing, ever? Currently they are working on a secret game for the PS3, but little information has been announced. Ueda had this to say when asked, ‘I can’t really go into much detail on our current ideas. We just started our planning stages for Playstation 3 and other hardware. For the PS2 period, we tried to accomplish a lot with the art style which pushed the limits of the Playstation 2 hardware. The Playstation 2 hardware has a lot of limitations, but we tended to ignore those. I created something very unique and different within the limitations of the hardware. The same ideas cannot be on the Playstation 3, but we’re looking to see what the limitations are of the Playstation 3 hardware.’ Well let’s hope it’s something as new, innovative and moving as Shadow of the Colossus. Maybe some sort of crossover? ;-)

A quick little bit of extra joy for you here. Famitsu did an interview with Fumito Ueda in which he talks about his impressions on God of War II. It’s a good insight into the different philosophies between Western and Japanese game development. I get the feeling that some of what Ueda says gets lost in the translation as it’s a bit vague in parts, but a good read nontheless.