A second chance to enjoy a gaming masterpiece
There are a few schools of thought that revolve around the remaking and remastering of classic games from past eras.
Some would say that we should be pushing the envelope with new innovations and ideas rather than cashing in on past glories, while others would suggest that the trend of remastered games is simply an effort to preserve outstanding achievements in gaming’s past.
If ever a game was to lend credence to the latter school of thought, it is Shadow of the Colossus.
Initially released in 2015, Shadow of the Colossus is the progenitor of the modern cinematic game aesthetic. Epic in scale, beautiful beyond measure and with a geniunely moving storyline devoid of rampant exposition, Team Ico’s sophomore effort received well-deserved critical acclaim.
While the 2018 version of Shadow of the Colossus does not make any changes to the core gameplay, what it does do is elevate the visuals to a breathtaking modern standard. So breathtaking, in fact, that this remaster can stand head-and-shoulders with some of the best looking games of all time.
Everything from the superb lighting effects to the most minute flora dancing around in the breeze show the deft, confident work of master artists. While the PS2 version of this game suffered from framerate issues brought on by a perhaps overly-ambitious design team, the PS4 version suffers no such flaws.
The framerate is magnificently consistent the whole way through, on both the PS4 and PS4 pro versions of the graphics settings.
Shadow of the Colossus tasks you with slaying mysterious gargantuan stone giants. If the sheer size of these behemoths left you breathless in the original version of the game, these modern recreations will leave you speechless.
Every ripple of their enigmatic stone features are brought out in astonishing detail.
Each strand of their ropy manes seems to have a life of its own, even to the point where they will make way as the game’s protagonist straddles these hulking giants, searching for weak points to drive his blade home.
Shadow of a Colossus was hailed as a once-in-a-lifetime game when it was first released. We now have a second chance to enjoy this masterpiece. If you own a PS4, do yourself a favour and play this game.