|
kt6192003's Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
|
| [January 26, 2008 02:20:34 AM]
|
Gameplay Session 2
GAMEPLAY
And here I am on my second hour of the game. I managed to kill another 2 colossi making the total 4 out of 16. What I forgot to mention in the last entry was that there is a kind of stamina gauge that determines how long your grip will last when you're clinging on for dear life on the back of 1000 feet tall monster trying to shake you off. The graphics for the game are quite amazing, considering that its for the PS2. The colossi are very detailed as well as the world that you play in. Frame rate stays surprisingly consistent for the amount detail and action that goes on while you're battling a colossus. Not much more to say about the gameplay other than that it does get a little repetitive and kind of formulaic after a while because you're basically doing the same thing over and over again 16 times.
DESIGN
This is probably one of the more innovative games for the PS2. The whole concept of not having any dungeons to explore or regular ragtag monsters to kill was something not done before by any other game. The world is very beautiful and well designed with an emphasis on big, just like the bosses. Boss design is top notch as well, with the colossi resembling fusions of animals and building structures. Challenge increases little by little after the defeat of each colossus. Each one requires a different strategy and have different weak spots that you have to find and exploit. One of the things I really love is how the AI functions. The colossi have a very animal-like nature about them. They'll realistically buckle in pain when injured and sway violently back and forth trying to shake you off. Each battle just seems epic.
As amazing and innovative as the game is, there are some bad points worth pointing out. First off is the story. There really isn't a lot of it and that really detracts the player from the whole game experience. I never really cared for the plight of the girl that I was trying to save, mainly because I just didn't know anything about her. Not adding dungeons and towns was creative, but it also created a flaw in the storyline. I think putting in a few NPCs to give more background and insight would have been nice. The game also has very little replay value. There aren't any side quests that you can complete adding to the shortness of the game. It does have some unlockables and a boss time trial run, but that doesn't really give much incentive to play the game again. Overall, Shadow of the Colossus is a game that I'd recommend everyone should try. It's one of the more unique action adventure games out there and it definitely won't disappoint.
read comments (1)  -
add a comment 
|
| [January 26, 2008 01:28:35 AM]
|
Gameplay Session 1
SUMMARY
Shadow of the Colossus is an action adventure game for the PS2. You play as a young man trying to save a girl who was a victim of a sacrifice. Armed with a magical sword, your bow, and your loyal horse Agro, you must traverse across a forbidden land and defeat 16 colossi in order to bring back the soul of your beloved. The game has a unique twist in that there are no enemies to defeat and no dungeons or towns to explore. The only thing standing between you and the goal are the 16 colossi.
GAMEPLAY
Of all the PS2 games that I've played, this is one of the more unique ones, mainly because of the lack of enemies and dungeons. The game has a bigger emphasis on the semi-puzzle element of fighting each of the colossi. Right as you start the game, you're already given your goal through a deep ominous voice. Speaking of voices, the game uses its own language which sounds like some sort of garbled asian language. Anyway, once given your goal, you're off on your way to the first colossus. In order to find each one you must reflect the sunlight off your sword. The light then focuses into a beam and acts as a sort of compass to guide your way. After finding a colossus, you have to find a way to get onto them in order to attack the weakpoints on their body. This is where the bulk of the gameplay is. The colossi themselves are puzzles that you have to solve in order to progress.
The initial feeling you get from playing Shadow of the Colossus is one of loneliness and wonder. For the course of the whole game, your only friend and companion is your horse, Agro, that you start with from the very beginning. He's with you everywhere and even serves as a key element in some of the colossi battles. The world that you play in is vast and expansive which adds more to the atmosphere and to the sense that your character is just an ant compared to the massive world of the colossi. As for story, there actually isn't much to it other than the initial cutscenes that are shown to you. There's no backstory behind the main character or the girl you're trying to save. The only thing you do know are that the 16 colossi hold within them a part of some being called the Dormin. It is through the Dormin that you will be able to bring the girl back to life. That's pretty much the bulk of the story. For this first hour, I've killed only 2 colossi.
add a comment
|
|
|
 |
kt6192003's Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
|
|
Current Status: Playing
GameLog started on: Friday 25 January, 2008
GameLog closed on: Friday 8 February, 2008 |
|
