So I picked this game up on the PSN for just under $10 for the HD remaster and it's the first time I've ever played it. Going in, everyone was explaining how this game is astounding and one of the best games of all time, yet after defeating the second colossi, I'm not feeling this sense of amazement. To me, it's just too simple. You start the game and are given one objective, to kill all the colossi. Surely that can't be all there is to the game, is there? Now I know I've only done two, but so far it seems like all you do is ride around on the horse, find the colossi, knock it over somehow and climb on, stab head/other areas a few times then repeat. I just can't accept how simple it is. Maybe everyone else felt this as more of a "games as art"- type thing because that's the only way I really see this being heralded as amazing. I'll definitely be playing more, it's not bad by any means, just very very simple and not really intriguing to me. And yes I know this is quite an unpopular opinion, but I want to hear thoughts.
Shadow of the Colossus - I'm not feeling it?
(22 posts)-
Posted 10 months ago #
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Thats exactly what i thought !! Its 12 boss battles and inbetween horse-riding .
Posted 10 months ago # -
Yea it's how I'm feeling about it right now. Maybe it was one of those games that you just had to play at the time like Morrowind? (Doesn't age a single bit).
Posted 10 months ago # -
It's nothing to do with "games as art", because I hate all art games.
You're a tiny guy and have epic battles with massive enemies. Maybe you just don't have a sense of adventure or a creative imagination where you pretend you are the protagonist.
Maybe the remastered edition doesn't have framerate issues. The low framerate of the PS2 version made it seem a bit more epic because of the sluggishness.
As far as it being simple, Mario is just jumping on the heads of enemies then jumping onto a flag...Call of Duty is a 3D whac-a-mole game with guns, etc.
Posted 10 months ago # -
I admit i've not tried SotC but I felt very similarly with Ico.
Posted 10 months ago # -
What did you think of saints 3? :)
Posted 10 months ago # -
Basically what Stardog said.
It doesn't have anything to do with playing it when it was released. It's still an amazing experience even though finding the colossus isn't the most fun.
Posted 10 months ago # -
^^ No sense of adventure or creative imagination? Lawl, ok lets try this...
As I rode out the dank castle towards the open plains looking for yet another Collossus to kill my mind was full of foreboding. Probably because the saddle was crushing my nuts and my ass was crying out for a cushion.
Eventually I heard the dull thud of a Colossus out for a stroll, "Time to get busy" I muttured, hoisting myself out of the saddle and grabbing my Giant Killing Super weapon... Ok it's a bog standard sword, not even that sharp, but as it's done the job before and I was certain it'd do it again...
Besides what guy doesn't exaggerate?
After walking a little while towards the thumping footsteps I saw the Giant. He, she, it, whatever was strolling around a large meadow, sunlight playing along its rough stone features, occasionally holding up its arms to allow a flock of birds to perch, before gently waving them off and I swear it was laughing...
"Your dogmeat motherfucker!!" I screamed and hurled myself at the gentle giant, who bellowed so loud it was more like a physical blow and lumbered straight at me. Luckily for me, big foot wasn't too bright.
Basically the fight came down to my speed and agility, versus it's immense strength, but crippling slowness. The poor sap never even touched me. It was almost child's play to dodge it's slow footfalls, grab onto a ankle, scurry up its leg, then torso, towards the blatant weak spot on its neck.
A quick stab with my faithful little sword caused the Colossus to judder like a Parkinson's patient, black crap spurting everywhere, but after a few rinse repeats, the deed was done... Slowly it sank to its knees and... Died?
I looked at my blackened hands and questioned if what I was doing was right? Fuck it, I'm seeing this through to the end... Just wish I could get myself a cushion.
Posted 10 months ago # -
On a related note. I loved ICO first time around. And I still regard it as one of the most important games ever made, but I have to admit I bought the HD collection and found it far too annoying to play now. I don't know whether that's because modern gaming has made me lazy, or less accepting of slightly wonky controls or what but, I hate to say this, I really didn't want to carry on. Maybe its also because I'd already explored it once and knew what was coming. It's kind of put me off playing SoTC even though I missed out on it first time around, and have always wanted to play it.
I always feel it's a bad idea to revisit older games as I tend to measure them by today's standards, which is probably unfair. I wonder if I'll feel that way about this gen's games.
Posted 10 months ago # -
If you're anything like me, you need more time for a game to make you excited. I think it hit me after the 7th Colossus or so.
So keep going brother.
Posted 10 months ago # -
I loved the game, I loved exploring the environments looking for Lizard Tails and Fruit, and after the 1st few basic Colossi the battles start to get pretty epic.
Sometimes I'd just ride around on my horse having a look around.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Thing is, you must consder the time it launched and take that into context as well. Huge boss fights and the sense of open world riding through vast landscapes were somekind of a rarity back than. No Oblivion or anything around, you know?! Plus the superb soundtrack it was an experience like never before.
And personally I think that it holds up pretty well even today and I consider it one of my favorite top10 games, that left huge impressions.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Are you in writing by any chance Orbit?
First the MW3 haiku, now this epic tale of butthurt Colossus slaying.
That is good stuff :D
Posted 10 months ago # -
It is a simple in terms of gameplay. The reason it was lauded was the sense of immersion through the way the game was designed in the visuals and music. It sounds pretentious but you need to approach it from the perspective of an experience empathising with the main character; if you can only look at it as a game from a mechanical point of view i.e. objectives and goals then you're not likely to understand why many feel it is such a fantastic game. I think the best way to play it is in a quiet room without any distractions and a decent sound system.
Posted 10 months ago # -
If you're not feeling it by the firth colossus, you're probably not going to feel it at all.
It's still my second favourite game ever made.
Even today, the game's feeling of scale and epicness is near unmatched in the industry. The game is a testament to great art design and a lesson in how to streamline gameplay while still creating a brilliant experience.
Things do not need to be complex to be good. This is why the Metal Gear Solid storylines are atrocious. Nor does gameplay have to be complicated (as opposed to complex) to be great - this is why Virtua Fighter will always be a better fighting game than Tekken.
It's slow paced. It takes its time. It will not overload your senses at every corner. If you want that, play some other shit like Call of Duty.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Despite the characteristc stab at Metal Gear, Ireland is quite right. SotC was a brilliant game if ever there was one. With Team Ico, it's always about the atmosphere.
Posted 10 months ago # -
I see there are some different views on this but yea I'll definitely take a different approach at it. I played it right after Saints row and moving from that environment to a very serious one was probably what got it.
Speaking of which, @silk I'm really having a good time with it. The mindless action and comedy really keeps it going. Maybe I'll save SotC until afterwards and really drink it in.
It really is all about the atmosphere, the quiet scenes with no music or anything and only the galloping of your horse is quite a feeling.
And yes I've noticed I've made a few threads now with issues on my mind but they seem to spark some discussion which is always good. I need to stop feeling so controversial :)
Posted 10 months ago # -
I also can not accept its setting. The game full with finding , I like directly simple fighting . Just so
Posted 10 months ago # -
I didn't like this game all that much at all. It was the first time I didn't really agree with what I was doing. I felt bad running around and slaughtering these giant amazing creatures. I couldn't bring myself to play past the third one I think.
I do also think you needed to play it at the time it released to get that full wow factor.
>sent from my iPad, on holiday, in Portugal. Hope the UK is still miserable. ;p
Posted 10 months ago # -
The whole reason I loved the game was the lack of bullshit.
Most games artificially extend themselves by making you backtrack through the use of locked doors and keys etc, or by making you fight through waves of pointless low level battles.
SotC did none of these things. Just pure boss battles. Because of it I can no longer play the sort of games mentioned above.
Posted 10 months ago # -
That's kind of the opposite to how I felt about the game. The character was so devoted to his cause, saving his love from an unjust, undeserved death. Moving heaven and earth with a monomaniacal cause, taking down huge, ancient beasts in a show of fierce determination. No messing, no being pulled by the nose. You are a normal man, you have a mission and nothing can stop you.
You are really a misguided bad guy, but I just loved the blind devotion.
Posted 10 months ago # -
SotC is one of the best art I have seen
Posted 10 months ago #
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