GAMELOG 2
Classics: Shadow of the Colossus
ENTRY 2
SUMMARY:
I left the temple after direct instruction to a new location (which is also pointed-to by the sword's light-rays), to find the next colossus. I mounted the horse and continued south-west of the temple, finding a cliff-side path that led me down to a lake area near a canyon. Soon, the second colossus appeared, with a much different physical structure than the first. This ancient beast was on all-fours, while the first walked on two legs. Using the bow, I shot under its feet as it tried to stomp on me, which brought it kneeling, allowing me to climb up its furry leg to read the back. Once on the back, I found the weak spot and struck it with my sword. It took a few tries, because it kept trying to shake and brush me off of it as I climbed. Upon bringing it down, I was, once again, sent back to the temple after dark spirits knocked me unconscious.
DESIGN:
The design of this game is absolutely stunning. Beautiful. I've never played a game that uses its graphical limitations to their fullest and presents them on such an epic scale as this. Even with the limited capabilities of the Playstation 2, in comparison to the new "Next Gen" consols, this game eliminates the need for power by having such a beautiful design and addictive gameplay. The low resolution is overridden by use of fog effects, and the fact that objects in the distance are loaded up respectively, and are rendered simply from far away to give the illusion of distance.
All the creatures (boss battles) are different from the last, and this game uniquely has no small enemies that most games have. This game has exclusively giant enemies, and presents them each in unique locations with distinct challenges and battle-structure for each, so you never get the sense that the game is repetative.
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Max Weinberg's
GAMELOG ASSIGNMENT 2
Classics: Shadow of the Colossus
ENTRY 1
SUMMARY
I started a new file on Shadow of Colossus. The intro cinematic, although somewhat vague, sets the mysterious tone for the game. The setting, called the Colossus, is a massive, epic-scaled landscape with deserts, forests, and grasslands, and gives you the sense, immediately, that your character is very small. The main character is seen carrying the body of a woman, and he lays her down on a stone table inside a large temple. Because your character is alone (besides your faithful horse), you get a sense that you are in forbidden territory. A mysterious voice calls down and tells you that you must quest, and kill the Colossi, on order to be granted the power to revive the woman.
I continued on and defeated the first colossi, which rests in a valley just north of the starting temple. I was able to find it after using my sword to light the way, glancing sun-rays in the direction of the game's goals.
Taking down the first colossi consisted of climbing up the grab-able furry patches that spot the creature. Upon finding its weak spots, a few powerful thrusts of my sword took it down. After defeating it, dark spirits swarm out and entered my body, and then I was transported, unconscious, back to the starting temple. The voice congratulates you and tells you that you have taken the first step towards your ultimate goal.
GAMEPLAY:
Soon after setting off on the quest, I first noted how uncluttered the HUD (heads up display) is. There is virtually nothing other than your health bar and a "grip" gage (which appears while climbing). It gives a realistic sense, and a cinematic quality that allows for an almost movie-like experience.
The controls are quite simple. You have a simple attack swipe with the sword, you can mount and dismount your horse, or call your horse, and climb climb-able walls. You can run and jump, and the animation stays very fluid throughout gameplay actions.
Taking down the first monster was satisfying, giving the sense that even a small individual (like this game's avatar) can take down a monsterous beast using strategy and skill, rather than brute force and power.
The game's main challenge comes from saving your grip-energy while climbing up the beasts, and finding their weakspots before your grip-energy runs out and you end up falling from great heights.
I had a lot of fun playing the first section of the game.
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