History VideoGame / ShadowOfTheColossus

''Shadow of the Colossus'' was originally released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. In October of 2011, Sony bundled it with its predecessor ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'' for an UpdatedRerelease on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3. Sony announced a remake of ''[=SotC=]'' for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 during E3 2017, to be developed by Bluepoint Games with assistance from SIE Japan Studio. The remake's assets were made from scratch, along with an optional new control scheme, but it is otherwise faithful to the original. It was released on February 6, 2018.

* EasterEgg: Along with the aforementioned [[spoiler: beach from ''ICO'']], one was added in the UsefulNotes/PS4 remake. [[spoiler: It's possible to find one of the barrels you can feed Trico in ''VideoGame/TheLastGuardian''.]]

* PhotoMode: Added in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 version that lets you apply filters and rotate the camera up to 90 degrees.

''Shadow of the Colossus'' was originally released on the [=PlayStation=] 2. In October of 2011, Sony bundled it with its predecessor ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'' for an UpdatedRerelease on the [=PlayStation=] 3. Sony announced a remake of ''Shadow of the Colossus'' for the [=PlayStation=] 4 during E3 2017, to be developed by Bluepoint Games with assistance from SIE Japan Studio. The remake's assets were made from scratch, along with an optional new control scheme, but it is otherwise faithful to the original. It was released on February 6, 2018.

''Shadow of the Colussus'' serves as a {{prequel}} to ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'' in terms of timeline placement. However, elaborating any further would reveal [[WalkingSpoiler a massive spoiler with Shadow of the Colossus proper]]. It is also in continuity with ''VideoGame/TheLastGuardian'', though ''Guardian's'' relation with ''[=SotC=]'' in the timeline is more ambiguous than ''[=SotC=]'s'' placement is with ''ICO''.

A movie based on the game was announced years ago, but it currently sits in DevelopmentHell. On one hand, it has plenty of potential for SceneryPorn and a compelling plot; on the other hand, how do you adapt [[PuzzleBoss what amounts to a puzzle game writ large]]? While [[Film/StreetFighterTheLegendOfChunLi Justin Marks]] had the initial credit for the film's screenplay, the studio ended up [[http://www.siliconera.com/2012/05/23/shadow-of-the-colossus-live-action-film-moving-forward-with-chronicle-director/ replacing him with]] Creator/JoshTrank after the success of his film ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'' -- at least until his ''next'' film ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' came along, as its massive failure (largely laid at Trank's feet) essentially ended any involvement from him.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''ICO''.

* UpdatedRerelease: After seeing how the first two ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' games were getting a hi-def upgrade for a [=PlayStation=] 3 re-release, Team ICO hinted that they'd like to do the same for both ''ICO'' and ''Colossus'', but may not because of the cost and effort involved. At least, that was initially: [=TGS10=] had ''confirmed'' an ''ICO'' and ''Colossus'' HD Compilation remake with 3D, upped frame-rate, and widescreen. [[http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/707541/IcoShadow-of-the-Colossus-Collection-Trailer-Towers-Over-Expectations.html And The Fandom Rejoiced]] once it was finally released.

* TheOverworld: The game has one shrine in the center of the map and then an expansive overworld with 16 bosses in it. That's it [[DoingItForTheArt and it's beautiful.]]

* SceneryPorn: The lush detail added to every canyon, every field, every forest and lake, can only be explained by DoingItForTheArt. It has been described on this wiki as 'a love letter to SceneryPorn'. The remastered, high definition release is even ''more glorious''

* SoftWater: Those of us enjoying the stunningly realistic animations of Wander might wince [[ArtisticLicensePhysics whenever he falls from several stories into a pool of water and doesn't lose any life from it]]. While he survives falls from several stories anyway, due to either becoming an EmpoweredBadassNormal or otherwise being MadeOfIron, at least he can lose health if he does fall onto a hard surface. [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Thankfully]], it makes fighting the third, fifth, seventh and twelfth colossi a little easier should you find yourself falling off things a lot. If you love the DoingItForTheArt style, the colossi are more than ample distractions.

* CameraScrew: This happens whenever a solid object, like the wall or a Colossus's thrashing limb, is behind Wander and will not let you see what is going on.

[[caption-width-right:350:Stand on the shoulders of giants.]]

* {{Railroading}}: It's possible to head to a different Colossus arena before the first Colossus as soon as the game starts. However, the Colossus simply won't be there until it's their turn in the boss order, regardless if their boss cutscene shows them reawakening in an area the realistically could have only been at prior. The official lore for this is that the Forbidden Lands were FrozenInTime until Wander set foot there, and the Colossi are slowly reawakening the longer Wander spends there. The out of universe reason is [[RealLifeWritesThePlot the limitations of the PS2 made it impossible to have all the Colossi's trigger flags active at once]]. [[spoiler:Weirdly enough, the [[FinalBoss final colossus]] still has an extra seal to prevent the player from accessing their arena early. This is likely because getting to the arena is a PointOfNoReturn.]]

* {{Railroading}}: It's possible to head to a different Colossus arena before the first Colossus as soon as the game starts. However, the Colossus simply won't be there until it's their turn in the boss order, regardless if their BossCutscene shows them reawakening in the area in question. The official lore for this is that the Forbidden Lands were FrozenInTime until Wander set foot there, and the Colossi are slowly reawakening the longer Wander spends there. The out of universe reason is [[RealLifeWritesThePlot the limitations of the PS2 made it impossible to have all the Colossi's trigger flags active at once]]. [[spoiler:Weirdly enough, the [[FinalBoss final colossus]] still has an extra seal to prevent the player from accessing their arena early. This is likely because getting to the arena is a PointOfNoReturn.]]

''Shadow of the Colussus'' serves as a {{prequel}} to ''VideoGame/{{ICO}}'' in terms of timeline placement. However, elaborating any further would reveal [[WalkingSpoiler a massive spoiler with Shadow of the Colossus proper]]. It is also in continuity with ''VideoGame/TheLastGuardian'', though ''Guardian's'' relation with ''[=SotC=]'' in the timeline is more ambiguous than ''[=SotC=]'s'' placement is with ''ICO''.

As Wander navigates the vast and mostly empty land on his horse [[LoyalAnimalCompanion Agro]], he has only one tool to help him: the stolen sword, which is magical and creates a beam pointing in the direction of his next battle when held up to the light. This beam becomes less and less helpful as the game progresses, as finding the later Colossi involves lots of long detours through shadowy mountain paths and dark valleys. Aside from his sword, his bow, and his own strength and cunning, Wander has nothing else to fall back on; there is no armor to collect, no items to use, and no secret power-ups hidden away somewhere. (Well, not until NewGamePlus, anyway.)

When Wander engages in battle with a Colossus, he must defeat it by climbing the creature's body to locate and attack specific weak points. All of the Colossi will do everything to make reaching those weak points difficult, so battles can take much longer than the typical boss fights in other video games. Once Wander kills a Colossus, he is transported back to the Shrine of Worship, and the process repeats itself...with some [[BodyHorror subtle changes in Wander's looks]] after each cycle.

[[SidetrackedByTheGoldSaucer Of course, Wander can also just spend hours and hours exploring]] ''[[WideOpenSandbox everything]]''.

* RealIsBrown: Quite possibly the TropeCodifier; although the brown and grey were fully aesthetic choices, rather than an attempt at being more "realistic". ''Shadow of the Colossus'' balances it out with greens in forests and fields, as well as blues for the expansive skies and some coastal areas. These colors are relatively muted, but still help balance out the brown for an overall aesthetically pleasing and diverse palette.

* RiddleForTheAges: The game very intentionally leaves almost ''everything'' relating to the plot and the characters up to interpretation of the player. Is Dormin evil? Are the Colossi natives of the lands, or were intentionally created to keep Dormin sealed? Did Mono know Wander prior to the events of the game? [[spoiler: Is Emon and his men evil {{Religious Zealot}}s who murdered Mono for no reason, or the real heroes trying to stop Wander from making a great mistake?]] The game doesn't give any hints one way or the other. It just presents the events as they are and doesn't take any sides.

[[caption-width-right:348:Stand on the shoulders of giants.]]