Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Guitar Hero III (Xbox 360)

Reviewer: Erich Hiner


Title: Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock

Platform: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2, Wii, PC, Mac

Price: $89.99 (with guitar controller) or $49.99 (game alone)

ESRB Rating: T for Teen (13+)

Developer: Red Octane/ Neversoft

Publisher: Activision


Age Range: 12+

Buy?
YES. While it suffers from some minor technical problems, the game succeeds in delivering a fun and rewarding musical experience that most gamers will enjoy


Summary:

Having taken up the axe once again, it’s up to you to bring the gift of rock n’ roll to the masses. Several modes of play are present including career mode, quickplay, cooperative, battle and versus. By playing “live shows” the player earns digital cash that can be exchanged for new songs, guitars, characters and outfits. In career mode, the player is responsible for bringing his or her upstart rock band fame, fortune, and, eventually, rock n’ roll salvation.


Difficulty: HIGH

While easy mode still offers simple tunes, hard and expert modes will strain even the most dedicated rocker. It should also be said that this particular iteration of the franchise is much more difficult than its predecessors. Those familiar with Guitar Hero I and II should prepare themselves for a more challenging game.


Learning Curve: HIGH

New players normally experience a sharp learning curve with the Guitar Hero series and Guitar Hero III is no exception. The unique controller takes getting used and it will take several attempts to complete a difficult song for most starting players. Getting a grasp of the notation system is a slow process that eventually becomes second nature. While there’s a lot of fun to be had later on, the first few hours of play will likely be spent acquainting oneself with the unorthodox controller and gameplay.


Family Factor: Guitar Hero III is rated T for Teen for mild language and some suggestive themes. Some of the female characters in the game are scantily clad and hyper-sexualized. While most of the songs are tame, several of the tracks are very heavy and may be deemed inappropriate by some parents. The songs contain no explicit lyrics. Slayer’s “Raining Blood” is just as brutal on the ears as its title suggests. Other songs, such as Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Suck my Kiss” may also be deemed inappropriate due to their somewhat adult-oriented lyrics. Parents should also be warned that a segment of the game involves the player “guitar battling” the devil for one’s soul. The game’s ESRB rating is appropriate for its target audience. Parents are advised to listen to some of the songs in question before buying Guitar Hero III. View a complete songlist here.


Review:

Like the Rolling Stones or the Beatles, Guitar Hero is a rock legend that just refuses to die. Fortunately for the gaming public, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Building on the mistakes and successes of the series’ first two installments, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock explores some new territory while perfecting the rock experience as defined by the first two games. The result is an improved and even more addicting game that allows for greater ease of use and vastly improves replay value.


The graphics, while having been improved since Guitar Hero II, are still very poor. Characters on stage move robotically with only a handful of animations. The crowds are embarrassingly animated and are poorly rendered. In all fairness, it should be said that the graphics are not the main focus of this game. Most players will be too entranced by the constant flurry of notes to notice what their Jimi Hendrix lookalike is doing on stage.


The sound and music of Guitar Hero have both improved by leaps and bounds. With dozens of tracks to choose from, there’s at least one song that everyone will enjoy. The game includes 73 tracks including the bonus songs, up from 64 tracks in Guitar Hero II. The more musically inclined will notice that, unlike Guitar Hero II, every song in the game is actually a recording of the artist and not just a cover band. The quality of the recordings is also better and makes playing familiar songs all the more enjoyable.


Where Guitar Hero III’s main appeal lies is its rich and engrossing gameplay. After the initial learning curve, players will find that the controls are easy to pick up and equally difficult to master. Players will find that they will teach themselves new playing techniques unconsciously through trial and error. Continued play reveals new techniques and new layers of depth to this deceivingly simple game. The hammer-on/ pull-off mechanic, which allows the player to play a note simply by holding a fret button instead of pushing the button and strumming, has been has been drastically improved. This makes speedy solos and licks more accessible and enjoyable. During my time with Guitar Hero III, I found that, like an actual instrument, persistence led to better understanding and more efficient playing styles. Every time one picks up the controller, one increases their skill. Simply put, the game just gets more fun each time. The sense of accomplishment one gets after conquering a tough song is one of GH3’s greatest assets. While it can be challenging at times, Guitar Hero III is fair and outrageously fun.


In addition to satisfying single-player play, GH3 also offers some of the best multiplayer features in the industry. Every track in the game includes a separate part for the bass or rhythm guitar that can be played by another player using a second controller. The entire career mode can be played through cooperatively, making GH3 a great game to play with friends. The game also allows each player to select his or her individual difficulty level, allowing players of differing skill levels to jam in tandem or go head to head. Although few things are more fun than rocking with a friend, parents should be warned that purchasing multiple guitar controllers will be an expensive process. Thrifty gamers will be glad to know that guitar controllers used for Guitar Hero I or II can be used for Guitar Hero III provided that the older controllers are designed for the system on which the third game is being played.


As novel as GH3 can be, several issues keep it from reaching true superstar status. Most noticeably, songs that are played on the lower difficulty settings are often confusing to play. In order to make difficult solos more beginner friendly, the game requires to player to play only every other note. In songs that require one to keep rhythm, this can cause confusion. I found that some songs were actually easier to play on expert than on hard due to the fact that the higher difficulty required that every note be played. Similarly, some of the higher difficulty settings seem to butcher familiar songs just for the sake of making them harder. In the case of The Who’s The Seeker, the notes being played in the recording are in a different time signature than those being played by the player. For a game that is based entirely on music, Guitar Hero III should not have musical issues.


GH3’s career mode, while solid, also suffers from a few blunders. The guitar battle system, where players can pit their skills against computerized in-game characters or a friend, has been touted by GH3’s creators as the most innovative new mode of play. The goal of every guitar battle is to obtain battle stars that cause the other player’s display or control scheme to become somehow distorted. As well intended as the battle system is, it feels broken and tacked on. This mechanic may work well in theory but comes off as shallow and poorly executed. When I play musical game, the last thing I want to do is use powerups to magically make another guitarist’s strings break mid-concert.


Despite the poor graphics and minor technical issues, GH3 is a solid game that many gamers will enjoy. Single player shredding is fun to play and watch while GH3’s cooperative play is some of the best around. Even with some slight blemishes, few games can rival the excitement and pure fun that Guitar Hero III elicits. The track list is fantastic, the music is great and the experience is unlike anything else. Guitar Hero III is a game that everyone should play. In spite of its brief mishaps, it is a game that warrants a look from everyone in the gaming world.


Related Games:

Guitar Hero (PS2), Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (PS2), Guitar Hero II (Xbox 360), Rock Band (Xbox 360)

Total Hours of Play: This will vary for every player. Career mode can be completed in about 3-4 hours on a low difficulty. Nailing the trickier solos on the higher difficulties can literally take days of practice depending on the talent of the player in question. The most difficult songs are so grueling that most players will never technically finish the entire game.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Mass Effect (Xbox 360)

Reviewer: Will Kirschner
Title: Mass Effect
System: Xbox360
Price: $59.99
Rating: M for Mature (17+)
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: Microsoft

Summary: You serve as Commander Shepard on the USS Normandy, a prototype space-ship, as which will serve as the central jumping-off point for your mission. The world you live in is full of aliens who look down on humans as a lesser race. Your main goal is to bring Saren, a rogue Spectre (government special from completing his plans to retrieve powerful ancient technology from an extinct race of people called Protheans. You traverse the galaxy completing side-quests and filling in the side stories.

Overall Score: 8.8
Graphics: 10
Story/Concept: 10
Music: 6
Gameplay: 10
Replay value: 8

Difficulty: A solid medium. There are some parts in the game where you will want to throw the controller in disgust, but otherwise a game that will present a medium level of difficulty.

Learning Curve: Two hours tops to master everything but the vehicle controls.

Total hours of play: 20-30 hours depending on the level of side-quest completion you strive for.

Family Factor: This game earns its mature rating with a few exceptionally graphic scenes rather than a game full of adult situations. There are three possible sex scenes in the game , however the most notable would be the lesbian woman and female looking alien sex scene. It isn't any more graphic than a scene out of a pg-13 movie,but it still isn't appropriate for the kids. The two other scenes,though more acceptable in nature, are only a bit more graphic. The scenes were graphic enough to draw the ire of Fox News but nowhere near as graphic as the average episode of Lost. As far as violence there are a few scenes that are rather intense. More than a few times your allies are impaled and turned into enemies in a rather grotesque way. Other than that the violence is minimal, only drawing a T-rating. Overall this game earns its M-rating so don't buy it for your kids.

Review:
This Sci-Fi RPG is the latest to come out of RPG giant Bioware, whose is seen as a strong developer pushing out titles like the award winning Bioshock, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
You start the game by creating your character s role, his or her past, and a highly detailed facial construction. Much like KOTR, this game s strength lies in the intense level of customization that it provides. As you level up, you gain more powers and the different classes are proficient in different things, giving the game a fair level of strategy. The classes include a standard warrior class,a biotic class and a vanguard class which is like the in-between class. The weapons include snipers, shotguns and assault rifles. There are many different types of armor which vary between class and carry the classification of light,medium and heavy.
You will learn to hate the games attempt at vehicle combat, which is a fair part of the exploration of the game. The movement is jumpy and the combat is really not satisfying. You will have the urge to jump out and fight it on foot most of the time, no matter how bad the atmosphere condition gets. While not quite shooting game, not quite RPG feel, it's innovative and interesting.
The game has a very simple shooting reticule that is quite simple but it requires a whole lot of strategy with different powers. The intense story and stunning visuals are why this game was so well received and received so many awards. The voice acting is superb and is played by a well casted group of experienced video-game voice actors plus the amazing talents of Seth Green as Commander Shepard (male). This is a game that you can play many times before seeing out all the storyline possibilities. You won't be sad if you pick this exemplary piece of work.


Related games: If you like RPGs (role-playing games) or space this is totally for you. Incredibly reminiscent of the Knights of the Old Republic series and the Final Fantasy series.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360)

Reviewed by: Erich Hiner
Title:
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Platform: Xbox 360
Price:
$49.99
ESRB: M for Mature
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks and 2K Games

Summary:

One’s adventure in the land of Cyrodil begins in classic style. Your self-created avatar is inexplicably found in a cell in the Imperial Prison with little light, little hope, and little chance of escape. After a few dank moments inside your cell, the guards approach with the Emperor Uriel Septim in tow. It is soon explained that assassins have made an attempt on the emperor’s life. Seeing his fate before him, the emperor gives your character the fabled Amulet of Kings, the divine birthright of the royal bloodline. Moments later he is slain. With the line of royal blood severed and no heir in sight, it is up to you to deliver the amulet to friends of the crown, find the long-forgotten heir to the throne, unmask the identity of the assassins, and save all of Cyrodil from the onslaught of demon hoards that are pouring from the fiery realm of Oblivion.

Overall: 9.2
Graphics: 9

Story: 9

Music: 10
Gameplay: 8
Replay Value:
10

Difficulty: MEDIUM

The game manages to keep a level of difficulty that is challenging without being overwhelming. Every encounter is scaled to your character’s level, making large portions of the game accessible from the minute your character is created. Every conflict feels fair and well-balanced.

Learning Curve: HIGH

Getting one’s bearings in Cyrodil can take several hours. Players of the series’ third installment will feel right at home while new players may feel overwhelmed by the game’s depth. Nothing is difficult per se, but the sheer volume of the game may prove to be too much to absorb in one sitting.

Total Hours of Play:

For an experienced player, the main quest should take roughly 15-25 hours. Completing the entire game (finishing every quest and maximizing every skill) will take the average gamer more than 200 hours of play.

Family Factor:

With violence, blood, sexual implications, alcohol and drug references, and some language, Oblivion is not a family game. While it pales in comparison to some of its contemporaries in the gore department, the violence is brutal and feels realistic to the player. Every sword swing lands with a sickening “thud” and every spell emanates destructive power. It should also be known that some segments of the game that take place in Oblivion (a fiery demon realm) contain grotesque corpses and frightening monsters. While there is no nudity or explicit content, several situations hint at sexual encounters. In one such case, the player is required to infiltrate an all-female gang by posing as a potential “customer”. In addition, several situations hint at drug use. When a player visits a city bar, several NPC’s (non-player characters) can be seen downing beverages. The content of Oblivion is typical of any adult-oriented game. Parents who allow their children to view adult-oriented movies should have no problem with Oblivion. Those with younger children are advised to stay clear.

Review:

Reviewing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is much like one’s first few hours in the world of Cyrodil. It is difficult to know where to begin. Bethesda has gone above and beyond all expectations and has created a game that is truly a must-buy title for all fans of fantasy.

The world that is shown to the player is immense and involved. Factions vie for control in a land that lacks a leader. New cities are built and fights break out between angry townspeople. Bethesda has expertly detailed a fantasy world in which in the player is the main focus. Every character speaks out loud with a clear voice and maintains their own unique dispositions towards all of the other characters and factions in the game. Nothing is small scale. Diverse flora and fauna abound. Day and night cycle frequently and seasons pass.

Oblivion’s graphics are excellent. Shadows move fluidly over different surfaces and a palette of constantly changing colors makes up the diverse landscape life of Cyrodil. The lighting effects are outstanding. Every candle produces realistic light that bounces off every nearby object. However, Oblivion does lose an element of detail due its immense size. There are times when the landscape appears as a tapestry a blocky colors rather than the richly detailed land one might expect. Given the game’s size, such minor flaws are to be expected.

The game’s sound and score are truly something to appreciate. The orchestral score is epic, grandiose and highly emotional. The main score of the game is expertly composed as feels more characteristic of a high-budget Hollywood epic than a video game. Where Oblivion really shines is in its vast reservoir of recorded dialogue. Every phrase that is spoken by every character in the game is an actual voiceover, giving the stories a very organic, human feel.

Despite the epic nature of the world and the main quest, Oblivion is first and foremost an open world. There is little pressure to continue with the world-saving main narrative. Instead, this game’s focus lies squarely in doing whatever one desires. Want to be an assassin? Feel free. Tired of being a sorcerer? Find a trainer and build your alchemy skill. Bethesda has succeeded in granted almost unlimited freedom to Oblivion’s players and the courtesy has not gone unnoticed. Join a guild, instigate a goblin war, become a vampire, raid a tomb, or explore the extensive countryside. Nothing is out of one’s reach. Because each fight is automatically scaled to the player’s skill level, almost no quest is off limits. Players can begin building their characters immediately without the constant worry of being attacked by some unmanageable foe. Essentially, the game functions as an enormous fantasy sandbox in which anything is possible.

Unlike Oblivion’s predecessors, players will find that combat is actually fun and engaging due mostly to the game’s ingenious controls. Even a task as mundane as swinging a sword becomes a deep battle of wits and reflexes. The combat system has been entirely revamped with great positive effect. The control of each fight rests firmly in the hands of the player. Spells have been made easy to access and healing potions are just a button press away. The sneaking system has been drastically improved, enabling the player to become a sly thief with little training. If fighting isn’t a player’s strength, than the in-depth conversation system will surely make one’s day. Oblivion is a treasure trove of small games rolled into one. Each character ability unlocks new approaches to seemingly simple tasks, creating an unprecedented amount of replay value.

The only complaints that can be lodged against the gameplay are minor. I felt at times that the enemies lacked variety. Hours seemed to pass where my character encountered nothing but wolves and goblins. When I found myself underground, skeletons were the order of the day. In addition, each enemy type behaves in much the same way. There is almost no difference from one bandit encounter to the next. I was also somewhat dismayed with the lack of consequence that the game offers. Sides need not be chosen in Cyrodil. One can simultaneously be the benevolent savior of the realm and the maniacal head of the murderous Dark Brotherhood. I find it disappointing to be drawn so far into the world that Oblivion creates only to realize that yes, I am in fact playing a game. As I said, these grievances are mostly minor. The combat in Oblivion is fun, intuitive, and well-crafted. The story and its subplots are all expertly penned and well-voiced.

Overall, Oblivion is a momentous romp through a high-fantasy realm like few gamers have experienced. Whether your character happens to be a sword-wielding orc or a spell-slinging elf, Oblivion will deliver a high-caliber role-playing experience that fails to disappoint at every turn. From the overhauled combat controls to the vastly improved character-creation system, Oblivion is nothing short of a masterpiece that triumphs both aesthetically and mechanically. This game is must-buy.

Related Games:

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Xbox)
Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)
World of Warcraft (PC)
Vampire: the Masquerade- Bloodlines (PC)


Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Madden 08 (Playstation 2)

Madden 08

Reviewed by: Tyler Charles

System: Playstation 2

MSRP: $29.99

Rating: E for Everyone

Developer/Publisher: EA Sports

Synopsis: The 08 edition of the Madden series is the most comprehensive football game on the market. The game allows you to take control of the players, head coach, the general manager, and the owner, as you work towards the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl championship, or just beating your buddy from down the street.

Overall Score: 8/10

Graphics: 7/10 -- The graphics really depend on your television set. On a “normal” TV, the game looks remarkable, but on HDTV’s, the graphics are a little choppier, and do not have the polished quality of a PS2 game.

Story/Concept: 8/10 -- The Owner Mode is the deepest yet, and allows for full control of an NFL franchise. Hits the nail on the head in terms of realism and strategy.

Music: 10/10 -- The Madden series is infamous for its upbeat soundtrack every year, and this edition is no different. An excellent song selection will certainly pump you up for the “Big Game”.

Gameplay: 7/10 -- The controls take a while to get used to for the average gamers, and only veteran Madden players will have the skills to master the game. However, it is more of an “easy to learn, difficult to master” scenario. Not a lot of frustration with how the players react to your decisions on the field.

Replay value: 10/10 -- That is the beauty of sports games. With a 30-year timetable in Owner Mode, and a supply of mini-games and dozens of teams, you could play this game, all day-every day and not get bored.

Family Factor: Once again, the beauty of sports games shines through in terms of difficulty. Boasting four modes of difficulty, and an EAsy Mode, this game can be enjoyed by a 7-year-old newcomer, or a veteran college student. Having a rough day? Lower the difficulty to Rookie and destroy your opponent. Or, if you are ready to face the gauntlet, crank it up to All-Madden and try to outsmart your opponent in any way possible. Either way, you are bound to have a lot of fun doing so.

Review: If you are new to the EA football franchise, have no fear, because EA Sports makes it easy to learn the game. With a Practice mode, Skill Drills, and Mini-Camp, you can practice the essential tactics of the game, without the worries of defenders or the pressure of a 2-minute drill. If you take advantage of these modes, and then apply them to the game, it will take maybe an hour, at the most, to figure out how to play Madden 08.

As it is with most football games, the one thing that might concern parents is the simulated violence in the game. Football is a violent sport in itself, and being a realistic simulation of this, Madden 08 includes lots of hitting and the occasional injury. The inclusion of the Hit Stick allows for even bigger hits, and is made to reward good timing and good defensive play. However, it is worth mentioning that the hits in this game are not blatantly violent in nature, the makers of the game do not include the “illegal” hits in the game that occur in real life. In essence, the only way you can tackle a player in Madden 08 is the clean way. One other thing that might alarm parents is the ability to showboat on a long touchdown run with the use of the buttons on the controller, but it is not necessary to use.

Here’s the lowdown on playing the game. For starters, the amount of detail that has been stuffed into this game is magnificent, whether it’s the various alternate uniforms you can select, or the layout of each and every NFL stadium across the country (This is obviously because of the exclusive contract that EA Sports has with the NFL, stating that only EA Sports can develop an NFL game). The players are very similar to their real life counterpart, and their stats (Despite what the players think they should have!) are a good indication of their playing ability on the field. The helmets reflect light, the sun can affect the way you see the field, and the weather can be downright nasty. All of these factors add up to a great playing experience, and will test your playcalling ability throughout the game.

A more recent edition to the games is the EAsy Mode, which allows for a simpler gaming experience. Instead of selecting plays from the normal formation setup (Nickel, Dime, I, Splitback), you can select plays based on whether they are Run, Pass, or Special Teams. This can quickly let you find the pass or run play you’ve been looking to execute, or give you a different option you might not have otherwise found. It is especially useful for players who have not yet learned how to use the different formations and just want to enjoy a simple game. Another interesting feature of EAsy Mode occurs during a pass play. As your receivers run their assigned routes, a circle appears around their icon, and is either green, or red, depending if the receiver is open or covered by a defender. This allows a player to learn when the time is right to throw to a receiver. The only bad thing about this feature is the unavailability of audibles, which really throws off the flow of the game.

The Owner Mode hasn’t changed a whole lot over the years, but there really hasn’t been a need to add anything. You’re still in charge of all the nitty-gritty’s of running an NFL franchise, which includes setting ticket prices, updating your stadium, signing free agents, and making sure you stay under the salary cap. Are you losing money and have the fans turned their backs on the team? Then pack up and relocate the team to another city, and negotiate a deal to build a stadium in that city. The Owner Mode is definitely meant for hardcore NFL fans, and requires some knowledge of marketing, business, and player management. It would take a new player a good couple of seasons to fully get the hang of Owner Mode.

New to the 08 edition is the Player Skill Icons, and On-Field Strengths and Weaknesses. Before the snap, hit the L2 button on the PS2 controller, and a slew of icons will show you whether or not you have a “Great Hands” receiver on the field, or a “Power Back” preparing to run the ball up the middle. The icons are given to all the positions on the field, and this allows smarter players to pick out mismatches and call an audible if he or she finds an opening elsewhere. It takes a good eye to figure out what each symbol means, and it might take a quarter or two to exactly figure out how to use this feature. I personally don’t find it necessary to use in order to play the game on a high level, but for some, it allows for an extra hint before the snap.

Overall, there is nothing out of the ordinary in terms of actual gameplay. The animation is pretty seamless, and EA has done a good job of making the players look and act like their real life counterparts on the field. The level of realism is impressive as well, since a tall, big-armed quarterback can’t easily run out of the pocket and elude a speedy defensive end such as Dwight Freeney. But you can count on the Michael Vick’s of the league to outrun the slower defensive players on the field. One small thing I noticed is the actions of the line judges during the game. Its cool that the when players are running out of bounds, that the line judges fall over because they’ve just gotten plowed over. But, it’s a little obnoxious to have them falling over the same way when a player is walking back in bounds after the play. Small, I know, but a little ridiculous as well. If you are a football fan and have never played Madden before, I definitely recommend buying Madden 08, especially since it is much cheaper than is was before the Super Bowl.

Related Games: NCAA Football 04-08, NFL Street 1-3, NFL Tour (PS3 Only), NFL Blitz (Playstation 1, Nintendo 64, PC)

Monday, February 4, 2008

Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus
Reviewed by: Meghan Ventura

System: Playstation 2 (Greatest Hit)
Price: $49.99, or if a Greatest Hit copy $19.99
Rating: T for Teen
Developer: Team Ico
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment of America

Summary: To revive a loved one, a nameless hero embarks on an incredibly daring journey, tasked with the duty of destroying 16 gigantic, fearsome giants called Colossi.

Overall Score: 8.8
+Graphics: 9
+Story/Concept: 9
+Music: 9
+Gameplay: 9
+Replay value: 8

Difficulty: Hard. Most boss battles require patience and creativity.

Learning Curve: Picking up basic controls doesn’t take very long. Applying them to fighting Colossi may take a little more effort though.

Total hours of play: At the very least, 13+

Family Factor: This is a dark fantasy game that has a few visually disturbing elements. The protagonist has a not-so-lovely transformation throughout the game, and every time after he defeats a colossus, he is impaled by shadowy ribbons that stem from the Colossi’s fallen body.

Review:
Shadow of the Colossus isn’t so much a game as it is an experience. It’s not one of those games you can easily shove into a genre, but floats over to that hazy line separating art and digital media. And in being so close to art, the experience Shadow presents may be one you love, hate or are indifferent to. If you’ve played it’s predecessor, Ico, and didn’t enjoy it, Shadow is probably not for you. It has qualities of adventure games like Zelda and Okami in that you’re a hero traversing a wide world for some great purpose, but Shadow lacks the large inventory of items and cast of characters that are also associated with that genre. It’s a puzzle game not in the sense of lining up blocks, but trying to figure out how to climb up mammoth monsters while they’re trying to destroy you. It’s a role-playing game because it’s a very story-driven game and you get stronger after each battle you win. But, to shortly summarize the game, Shadow of the Colossus is a dramatic series of 16 thrilling boss fights against mountain-sized monsters tagged with a slow-paced surrealistic story, and it’s intense.

The story begins simply and unfolds beautifully with the realistic and detailed graphics. You are the protagonist, a nameless warrior, journeys to a temple to bring a deceased girl named Mono back to life. The hero, called the Wanderer or Wander in the Japanese version of the game, then strikes a deal with the temple’s resident spirit, Dormin—if Wander destroys the 16 Colossi, Dormin will revive the girl, but at a terrible cost. Resolute and armed with a legendary glowing sword, Wander accepts.

Everything about SotC’s storytelling is incredibly eerie—the lack of knowledge about the characters’ pasts, the shadowiness of the environment, the music or lack thereof. In fact, a good portion of the game goes on in dead silence. If you’re not locked in battle with the towering Colossi or watching a cut scene play out, there is no background music. None. This is a very weird move for an adventure game, which usually pump out all kinds of orchestrated tracks, but very aesthetically effective. The only sounds come from Wander, his horse Agro, or the natural surroundings, which is usually the wind whispering over the desolate land. The silence reminds the player you’re truly alone. The only living human in the land. No one would hear a cry for help or your last breath. The challenge of felling the Colossi is yours alone.

And this challenge is by no means easy. Thank goodness the controls are straightforward, even if they do take a bit of time to adjust to and use effectively, or else it would be even more of a challenge.

First, you have to find the Colossus. You always start your search from the temple, which is in the center of the world map. From there, you use your sword to guide you. Not in the Inigo-Montoya-wander-around-a-forest-until-you-hit-something kind of guidance, but in a much more majestic use-the-force kind of way. If you stand in sunlight, the sword will focus a beam of light in the general direction you need to go like a lethal compass. There are several small stone shrines along the way to the Colossi that you can save your game at by pressing the Circle button, providing a fair amount of chances to take a breather and step away from the game (this is NOT mentioned in the game’s manual for some reason). Otherwise, you can save right after you defeat a Colossi.

As the game progresses and finding the next Colossi becomes more difficult, you will need to do this multiple times during one trek and the light beams will sometimes be misleading. If you use your map, ask your sword often for directions, and take your trusty horse Agro, you should arrive at the Colossus within 10-15 minutes.

Upon your arrival, the game will cue the dramatic music and, in a very frightening, rumble-feature heavy sequence, the Colossus will awaken and charge or hulk towards you. This is where the hard part truly begins—determining the Colossus’s weakness.

The Colossi are essentially large moving puzzles, but not in the friendly Tetris-puzzle way, because they can kill you pretty quickly if you’re not careful. If you can find a patch of sunlight, you can hoist up your light sword and its beam will focus in on the Colossus’s weak-points, showing you where you and your sword need to stab. Then you need to find how to climb up to those weak points. This usually involves finding a patch of the Colossi’s hair or armor to grab onto, but can be as intricate or frightening as provoking them into an attack and then finding a way to the top. If you’re having trouble, Dormin’s voice will speak from the heavens and give you a hint, sometimes direct but oftentimes vague, on what to. This part of the battle is often the most difficult, tiresome and tryingly frustrating. For some battles, creativity and resourcefulness will be a much better strategy than blindly running towards the Colossus’s feet and looking for footholds. Some of the victorious strategies were ones I stumbled upon by mere chance or accident. As cowardly of a cop-out they are, I suggest you have a walkthrough handy or, more favorably, an incredible amount of patience.

Eventually, you’ll hit payoff and find its weakness. From here on out the only real difficult part is making sure your strength meter doesn’t drain completely because when it does, Wander’s arms will give out and you’ll fall a long way down. But this moment of discovery is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the game—that spark of triumph, the turning of tables and the music simultaneously morphing into a more victorious melody. For once, you have a chance.

The game’s camera is usually co-operative in battle, but sometimes you have to give it a little guidance by nudging the analog stick. But if you get cornered, you’re pretty much SOL as far as being able to use the camera in any effective manner. This can be very stressful when you have a Colossi breathing down your kneck, waiting to bludgeon you.

Shortly afterwards you find its weakness, the Colossus will fall, and you will be returned to the temple you started at. The game’s cycle continues like this for all 16 Colossi with very little variation. However, despite repetitiveness in the game’s flow, the adventure never gets boring. I found I was always waiting for more explanation, more definition to some of the visual story elements. It took me a while to figure out why after you defeated a Colossi, shadowy ribbons of blood would snake out from its body and impale Wander, who would subsequently fall to the ground and pass out. This reason eventually became clear, but it just goes to show Shadow is a game that requires patience and a certain amount of acceptance to enjoy. Even after completing the game, the story still had unanswered questions from the game’s beginning (like what is Wander’s relation to Mono and why is he so desperate to save her?).

Overall, Shadow of the Colossus offers a surreal, dark experience that I found really engaging and different from the standard adventure-game fare. I was talking to one of my professor’s about Shadow, and he made a very interesting suggestion that the game could be used to help children get over their fear of monsters under the beds or in closets. I can see this game would definitely help with that because I will never forget the feelings of fear and sheer smallness I felt when the first Colossi loomed into sight. You simply have to suck up all fear you might have, toss caution to the wind and face it head-on. Younger kids might get frustrated with the controls at first (they do take a little practice) and find the surreal, slightly scary imagery (like the Colossi’s blood flowing into Wander after battle) difficult to take in.


Related games: Ico (PS2); also, adventure games like Okami and Zelda

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(copyright ESRB 2008)