SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS

Somewhere between a remaster and a remake, this lavish update of Fumito Ueda’s mournful masterpiece is a fascinating marriage of archaic code and contemporary tech. The foundations of Ueda’s unforgettable world remain, but makeover expert Bluepoint Games has now rendered its vast, featureless plains in flourishing, hi-def detail.

For those with fond memories of the 2005 original, it may initially seem uncanny. Saturated with glowing light, those desolate landscapes once suggested a world pulsing with mythical

magic. At first, Bluepoint’s update simply looks overcast, its heightened realism at odds with the fable-like story. Once so convincing, the expressive animation of protagonist Wander now appears awkward. But, like replacing a fuzzy VHS of a beloved film with a Bluray edition, you’ll soon adjust, while newcomers will be instantly captivated by its scale and austere grandeur.

At a time when open-world games are marketed on how many distractions they offer, Shadow’s single-mindedness – Wander must climb up and bring down 16 titans to revive a young woman – feels wonderfully refreshing. The battles against these lumbering, magnificent creatures are now all the more spectacular. And that curious mix of elation and sadness you’ll feel as they fall is every bit as potent. This is an unmissable chance to revisit a rousing, affecting adventure that towers above all but a few of its peers. Chris Schilling