Standing in the Shadow of the Colossus: An Essay

[blissfulnoise]

First, let me say I'm going to wax poetic here a bit, so bear with me. Second, let me say, sorry, I know there is a Shadow of the Colossus thread, but I think this post is about more than just the game, so it may be worthy of it’s own topic. If not, feel free to shut 'er down. And finally, there will be some minor spoilers to this game and others, but nothing that most of us don’t already know.

I just beat Shadow of the Colossus.

There have been exactly three times where television entertainment has caused me to weep openly in front of my wife. Today I had a fourth. Shadow of the Colossus.

Not a single video game in the past had managed to stir this emotion out of me. Not when Nei died. Not when Azel looked across the sands. Not when Aerith died. Not when Yorda carried Ico from the crumbling tower. They all had strong emotional weight, but none could break that barrier in the mind that separates the pixel and the polygon from the soul.

We've all played an endless number of games we sound the trumpets for and herald as being wonderful. These games make us amazed with their graphical prowess, or rich gameplay, or unique styles. But I cannot think of a single game, save this one, where I was so emotionally drained I had to put down the controller because I just couldn't go on. The cost was just too high.

The devout among us constantly point to specific games as "art". We look at titles like Jet Set Radio, Ecco the Dolphin, Panzer Dragoon Saga, and Ico and say, there. There's art. Can't you see it?

And while all of these games are undoubtedly artistic, it's hard for us to quantify what gives them that spark. That essence that makes them different from other games that are nothing more than entertainment regardless of how well executed they are.

I would point to Ico and say, there; there's love made digital. That's what love is. That's what hope is. And most people would just shrug their shoulders and say all that they see is a puzzle game with a girl who won't do what you tell her to.

And while I'd stand baffled at why they can't see the soul of that game, burning so brightly, I would have to just say, "I guess you don't get it."

But with Shadow of the Colossus, the analogies come easy. You can only compare it’s scope to the great Greek and Shakespearean tragedies. Oedipus Rex, Othello, Faustus. Heart wrenching. Terrible. Magnificent. And beautiful. So incredibly beautiful just like the Colossi themselves.

You can point to Colossus and say, see, this is tragedy made digital. No one can argue with it. They may not be as moved by it as others are, but even the most jaded Halo fiends out there could only nod and agree as long as they were kept honest (nothing against Halo players either).

Despite all odds, Shadow of the Colossus is number 1 at gamefaqs right now. And that’s a great thing. The community has embraced this game. And, God willing, we’ll see more developers take this medium more seriously.

I hope that gamers of all ages and all types play this game, if for no other reason then to experience what all the hype is about. I hope they’ll love the singularly unique gameplay. I hope they’ll sit in awe at the unparalleled orchestral score. I hope they’ll stop and marvel at the lush and breathtaking landscapes. I hope they’ll sit, agape, for just a moment, the first time they see the Colossi.

But, for all of this, I'm realistic. No matter how enjoyable Shadow will be to most people, the majority who play won't see through the Shadow of the Colossus. They won't see the beauty and bitterness in that inky void.

But what they WILL do is stare at that screen and wonder what all these reviewers are talking about. What is this non-tangible factor that is making so many people put Shadow on a pedestal over others? Where is that spark?

They'll play it through a second time and wonder what all the posts on all the different forums like this one are talking about. What was that forum regular talking about when he said that this game changed her? Where is that spark?

They'll go and get another copy of Ico, and try it again, staying alert to try and figure out what they missed out on the first time around in this game with the dumb girl, made up language, and weird puzzles. Why would people say this game is about love? Where is that spark?

And one of them; one of them will get it. They'll see the potential of this art form. They'll feel it. Where pixels and polygons break through that last dimension. Where they’ll feel it in their soul. Like music. Like art. They will open up to the Opera of sight, and sound, and feeling. It'll be tactile. And they won't ever look at video games, this disposable pastime we all love, the same way again.

[njiska]

I've been debating getting Shadow for the last few days and based on your essay, i'm gonna go pick it up.

While i'm rather stonewalled when it comes to emotion in games (the only time i felt anything was the ending of MGS3 with Snake standing on The Bosses grave) but it looks like a masterpiece.

[Mayhem]

I'm dead busy at the moment, otherwise I would have pre-ordered it. I'll pick it up next month when I'm in the US.

[Nesmaster]

Great Essay... This game is truly an artistic masterpiece

[segarocks30]

The only problem I have with this game is that all the game is, is 16 boss battles. I mean, what the hell? It might be "emotionally draining" but all i care is if the gameplay is damn good. 16 boss battles does not seem like a game to me. I have never been emotionally drained by a video game. Im not lieing. A good game to me is The Warriors. Now this game will sometimes make you laugh. Maybe I'll give Shadow of the collosses a try. I might be giving the wrong intentions. Maybe I'll give it a try. If it makes me cry, you just made a hell of a game. I mean cry with sadness not laughter. (I cried in laughter at a lot of awful games like Superman 64).

[segarocks30]

BTW good essay! Keep on posting, you are a good poster. Also i laughed at the Zero Wing joke by Cats: "All your base belong to us!"

[Sothy]

Shaq Fu makes me feel the same way.

[njiska]

The only problem I have with this game is that all the game is, is 16 boss battles. I mean, what the hell? It might be "emotionally draining" but all i care is if the gameplay is damn good. 16 boss battles does not seem like a game to me. I have never been emotionally drained by a video game. Im not lieing. A good game to me is The Warriors. Now this game will sometimes make you laugh. Maybe I'll give Shadow of the collosses a try. I might be giving the wrong intentions. Maybe I'll give it a try. If it makes me cry, you just made a hell of a game. I mean cry with sadness not laughter. (I cried in laughter at a lot of awful games like Superman 64).

Yes it's true that the game is just 16 boss battles, but those killing those bosses is like playing through a platforming level. It's an odd style of gameplay but it is a fun style. If you doubt it then rent it first.

[PDorr3]

Very well written.
I can agree with this for Ico. I tell people is a visual and story telling masterpiece. Many will question me and say its just all this platforming with a kid with a stick, and a dumb headed girl. Less is more, and Ico definitly shows that beatifuly.

Shadow is an epic gaming masterpiece, while it has a few flaws (the small colossi....they are broken in their gameplay), but all of this games minor problems dont keep it from being an excellent gaming experience.

[njiska]

Shadow is an epic gaming masterpiece, while it has a few flaws (the small colossi....they are broken in their gameplay), but all of this games minor problems dont keep it from being an excellent gaming experience.

The graphics are really starting to wear on me. The kid's cape just looks horrible and a lot of the textures, just have that nasty PS2 look to them. But that aside i've really been enjoying the game.

For those of you who are still on the fence let me say this. There is nothing like the thrill of taking down a Collossi. It's just and unbeleiveable feeling and one you won't soon forget.

[lendelin]

blissfulnoise, I wouldn't go so far and compare the game to Shakespeare, Goethe, or Tolstoi; but I agree that one of the main tasks of game designers is the balance of challenge, storytelling and atmosphere, and creating emotions through gameplay.

I played only the demo, and I loved Ico. The two games seem to achieve identification of the player with game content by other means than Miyamoto and Lanning did.

Still, the crucial Q is: how did the game designers of Shadow manage to create emotions (= identification with the protagonist)? Which gameplay elements in the game are crucial to achieve such a result? In short: what makes this game so damn good and different?

[blissfulnoise]

It'll be nice to have a discussion on this with you lendelin. Thank you for chiming in.

blissfulnoise, I wouldn't go so far and compare the game to Shakespeare, Goethe, or Tolstoi; but I agree that one of the main tasks of game designers is the balance of challenge, storytelling and atmosphere, and creating emotions through gameplay.

But there's the point. Video games are unlike any other medium and have to be treated slightly differently. Not unlike the juxtapositions between, say, a Graphic Novel and a Novel.

The point I was trying to make was in the scope, not necessarily execution. Though I would argue the execution is just as meaningful as that of other great works of tragedy.

If you've completed Ico, and taken it in, you're halfway to seeing it. Once you complete Shadow of the Colossus, the full narrative will reveal itself and perhaps you'll think differently.

I played only the demo, and I loved Ico. The two games seem to achieve identification of the player with game content by other means than Miamoto and Lanning did.

Still, the crucial Q is: how does the game design in Shadow manage to create emotions (= identification with the protagonist)? Which gameplay elements in the game are crucial to achieve such a result?

Let me first comment by saying I've never played an Oddworld game.

And let me politely disagree with you that emotions are generated purely through character identification. Haven’t you ever been moved by beauty solely for beauties sake? I would like to hope we all have been, otherwise we’re leading empty lives indeed.

Back on point, while games like Windwaker are certainly moving, they do not operate on the level that Ueda does. So you hit on an excellent question about game design equating to emotional response.

For me, Ueda achieves this goal through factors that are similar in both of his games. Beyond answers that might be specific to the medium of video games, such as gameplay or graphical prowess, let me try to answer more generally.

Minimalist Narrative: Probably most importantly, Ueda presents both Shadow and Ico in a very matter of fact way. You're dumped into the narrative instead of eased into it. Ico opens with a horned boy being taken to a castle wordlessly by armored soldiers. Colossus opens with a Wanderer journeying to a great tower build on a vast, barren terrain.

Who is Yorda? Who is Mono? Who is Ico? Who is Wander?

There are no guiding voices, third parties, or overdrawn soliloquies to solidify what's going on. Instead, much of the story remains open for interpretation on the part of the player. As a result, our imaginations leap into action to try and piece together the larger narrative on our own. This gives us a bond with the story that other games, or even other entertainment mediums, do not achieve.

Otherworldly Presentation: The worlds that Ico and Wander inhabit are familiar yet very alien. There is an ethereal quality to everything; the landscape, the characters, even the language. There is something intriguing to them, something alluring about them.

The feeling they invoke in me is not unlike seeing a beautiful, understated, girl sitting quietly alone in a crowded room. I know that's an esoteric response, but it was the only analogy that would work for me.

Other designers like Kojima and Itagaki can certainly create awe inspiring worlds for us to play in; but each seem inaccessible, unfamiliar, and less charismatic then the ones Ueda forms. Even if they're set in New York, Japan, or other very real world locales.

Miamoto certainly cannot be accused of these things; but his environments do not trigger the imagination in the same way Ueda’s do. They seem to exist purely for exhilarating gameplay. A merit that should not be frowned upon, no doubt. After all, we are still talking about video games. But even Hyrule, which is perhaps closest to Ueda's work, still seems to exist statically when stood next to Ico or Colossus.

Simple but Evocative Themes: Dormin responds that the cost for reviving Mono may be high indeed. Wander simply responds, "It doesn't matter."

Passion and desperation. These are the cornerstones for great tragedy. Shakespeare knew it. Marlowe knew it. Sophocles knew it. Ueda knows it.

With two lines. Two simple lines, Ueda has already set the tone for the rest of the experience.

In Ico, the first time you catch Yorda over a wide chasm and pull her to safety, you know, you must protect her. A bond forms instantly.

When Yorda is ripped away from you, so close to escape, and you're left for dead, that pivotal sense of sadness turns to hope, and then turns to vengeance.

Basic themes that are not compromised by heavy handed story arcs or thick dialogue. They resonate. And they stay with you long after you're done playing.

Sound: Ueda’s games should be textbook examples to other development houses about how to use music in gaming. Not only are the technically excellent, they’re functionally excellent. The shifts in tone, the consentience use of silence, and the understated use of sound effects; each envelope us in these worlds.

Other games rely on catchy tunes and familiar licensed tracks to elicit a response from would be players. In Colossus, Koi Otani falls to no such conventions. Instead we are given an epic score that crescendos and fades on the actions of the player. A maelstrom of sound and fury while riding high atop the Colossi; a bitter dirge as they are toppled to the ground.

Size: Both games are so much about size, it’s impossible not to mention.

The castle in Ico, the Colossi in Shadow of the Colossus; the protagonists in both struggle against size to reach their goals. And I believe these vast environments exist not only to impress and marvel at, but they exist to intimidate. To stop you, making you wonder; what can I do against this? As a result, each accomplishment weighs a bit more.

Ico and Colossus are certainly not the first two games to use size in this way. Shooters, platformers, FPS games; heck, nearly every genre has.

But in spite of all that size, all that vast space, there is virtually nothing to inhabit it, save the protagonists themselves. Or, if you’ll allow me, you.

There is a great metaphor here. I’ll leave it up to you to discern.

Beauty: I’ve touched on it already, but there is something undeniably beautiful about these works. Beyond the glowing landscapes, beyond the themes and stories, beyond the awe factors, both aural and visual. They make us exert ourselves to find solutions to answers; to look at the mundane and see meaning.

Ico and Colossus work seemingly to affirm what it means to be human. And, that, is inherently beautiful.

[2Dskillz]

The emptiness that these titles possess I think is a major part of the breathtaking effect. It is what pulls "you" into that world.

[2Dskillz]

Accident.......

The emptiness that these titles possess I think is a major part of the breathtaking effect. It is what pulls "you" into that world.