Shadow of the Colossus

 PlayStation 2
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 1497 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,356 out of 1497
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 1497
  3. Negative: 75 out of 1497
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. GRANDDAD
    Oct 18, 2016
    0
    I can't believe it. I can't believe it. I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY DID THIS. This game is a TOTAL ripoff of Shadow the Hedgehog! The name alone should tell you everything. Another fact: BOTH GAMES ARE EDGY! Except this one doesn't have guns, so it isn't cool edgy, it's lame edgy! You also move really slow, and DID I MENTION THIS GAME DOESN'T HAVE GUNS!? DON'T SUPPORT STEALING!!! BOYCOTT THISI can't believe it. I can't believe it. I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY DID THIS. This game is a TOTAL ripoff of Shadow the Hedgehog! The name alone should tell you everything. Another fact: BOTH GAMES ARE EDGY! Except this one doesn't have guns, so it isn't cool edgy, it's lame edgy! You also move really slow, and DID I MENTION THIS GAME DOESN'T HAVE GUNS!? DON'T SUPPORT STEALING!!! BOYCOTT THIS GAME AND BUY SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG INSTEAD!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  2. can1235
    Feb 17, 2015
    3
    The colossi are literally the only good part of this game. They do what most bosses can't do-feel huge. They are epic, well designed, and the music is cool too. Too bad the music is 30 seconds constantly looping, and just plain stops after about 3 minutes. Oh, and let's not forget the camera, which has a mind of its own, and the platforming, which is the worst I've ever seen. Good luckThe colossi are literally the only good part of this game. They do what most bosses can't do-feel huge. They are epic, well designed, and the music is cool too. Too bad the music is 30 seconds constantly looping, and just plain stops after about 3 minutes. Oh, and let's not forget the camera, which has a mind of its own, and the platforming, which is the worst I've ever seen. Good luck trying to climb anywhere without falling 5-7 times first. Oh, and the horse! Have fun trying to bond with it when it's too busy slowing down for no reason and being near-impossible to control! Team ICO obviously spent way too much time designing their open world, because all living creatures besides the colossi look like crap. Prepare for useless features like: A bow that does almost no damage to the colossi! The ability to wield nothing, making you defenseless! And crouching, because maybe if you get low enough, the colossi won't see you!
    I tried to like this game, I really did, but its controls make it absolutely unplayable, and like I said, the best part is how cool the colossi look.    … Expand
  3. RPGROB
    Oct 16, 2011
    3
    Not sure what was harder, the bosses or the camera. You have to dance with your fingers to get the angles perfectly or you go falling 50 feet. All you do is fight about a dozen huge monsters, then the game ends. Woopdy doo. Feels more like the world's slowest boss rush mode. V
  4. Missredone
    Jun 10, 2012
    1
    After 20 minutes of playing this game, I had to quickly turn it off, run to my computer to search for spoiler reviews perhaps explaining that Ico was playing a trick on us all explaining this was only a horse riding simulation game or perhaps the weeks winning lottery numbers are displayed... But what do I read instead? The absurd truth that this game really does consist of four keyAfter 20 minutes of playing this game, I had to quickly turn it off, run to my computer to search for spoiler reviews perhaps explaining that Ico was playing a trick on us all explaining this was only a horse riding simulation game or perhaps the weeks winning lottery numbers are displayed... But what do I read instead? The absurd truth that this game really does consist of four key ingredients- rock, horse, awkward running character, and 'collosi.' Even funnier are all the flamboyant, exuberant exclamations clearly from guys unaccustomed to actual art as their vision has been blurred from the terrible games they are playing. As a female, allow me to illuminate, the Shadow of the Collosus is not art, or a game. How could anyone possibly stake that claim when Bethesda created vast expanses of playble art long before ICO's failed experiment.… Expand
  5. DontFeedSquirl
    May 18, 2014
    0
    Let's get the good stuff out of the way first: The graphics are impressive-ish for the PlayStation 2 and the controls are somewhat manageable when your cameraman isn't having a seizure. Oh, and you have a horse.

    Now that that's over, let's get to this absolutely atrocious mess of a game. This game mainly consists of Boss Battles. Twelve of them. Then the game ends. That's it. Of course,    Let's get the good stuff out of the way first: The graphics are impressive-ish for the PlayStation 2 and the controls are somewhat manageable when your cameraman isn't having a seizure. Oh, and you have a horse.

    Now that that's over, let's get to this absolutely atrocious mess of a game. This game mainly consists of Boss Battles. Twelve of them. Then the game ends. That's it. Of course, that's going to take you anywhere from 10-100 hours depending on whether or not you actually know what you're doing, because each boss is controller smashing-ly, tv-bashing-ly difficult for no apparent reason, with absolutely no indication given whatsoever of what to do and the boss having an insanely high health bar. You can only destroy each boss by doing an extremely specific set of actions that require perfect timing and quick fingers, if you can figure out what those actions are in the first place. And, instead of each boss, or "colossus" having multiple ways to defeat, the game is constantly cramming its linearity down your throat, only being able to go to any given place when it wants you to, and only being able, like I said before, to defeat bosses in a certain way. And even then, you need perfect timing, as every boss has undodgable attacks (which are mostly undodgable because your character moves so darn slow) that happen every time you go within a certain range of the boss, and these attacks take away anywhere from a quarter to all of your health away.

    Now for the story: One cutscene! Yay! One cutscene that has nothing to do with anything you do in the story whatsoever! Because that always makes sense in an adventure game (if you can call this linear garbage an adventure game). This would honestly be forgivable if any other part of the game were any good.    … Expand
  6. 400lingrush
    Apr 4, 2011
    1
    The perfect example for why originality does not translate into quality. The game is a cinematic platformer. I really don't need to say anything else, but I'll at least elaborate. The game starts, you run across a field, climb some ledges, and find your first colossus. You start off by grabbing onto his foot and stabbing him in the ankle 10-20 times. Then, he finally hunches over, so youThe perfect example for why originality does not translate into quality. The game is a cinematic platformer. I really don't need to say anything else, but I'll at least elaborate. The game starts, you run across a field, climb some ledges, and find your first colossus. You start off by grabbing onto his foot and stabbing him in the ankle 10-20 times. Then, he finally hunches over, so you can climb up and stab him in the ass 20 times. Repeat this pattern for about 10 minutes, and you just beat your first colossus. Repeat that for a few hours, and you beat the game.… Expand
  7. BorisP
    Jan 5, 2010
    3
    I agree with Brad B - I've started this game several times, hoping that something new would happen after 1 or 2 colossi, only to remember that there's nothing more to it. A waste of a sleek engine.
  8. BradB
    Nov 18, 2009
    3
    God, you people act like you're critiquing artwork instead of reviewing a video game... I played the demo for this game a long time ago... and that was it. I couldn't stand anymore. All of you who are giving this stuck up 'games as art' argument for this game must be able to stare at a rock and call it a masterpiece. The world is so desolate and boring and when God, you people act like you're critiquing artwork instead of reviewing a video game... I played the demo for this game a long time ago... and that was it. I couldn't stand anymore. All of you who are giving this stuck up 'games as art' argument for this game must be able to stare at a rock and call it a masterpiece. The world is so desolate and boring and when action/adventure games are often all about the journey, this journey is a tedious one. There's no real progression outside of fighting the colossi, which dampens the feeling of accomplishment. You're as outfitted as you're going to be throughout the game: bow/arrow, sword, horse. Nothing else. It's a puzzle game in a deep disguise, and not even that complex of a puzzle: find weak spot, attack, kill. Rinse and repeat. BORING. Also, if i wanted a 'compelling' story, I'd watch a movie or read a book, not play a PS2 game. All in all, a game where minimalist design is exactly what it looks like, lacking in all areas. But what do i know? I'm an uncultured swine of a gamer looking for a fun time, not some haughty elitist that needs everything I play to be a moving experience.… Expand
  9. TomC.
    Nov 22, 2005
    2
    This game's lovely graphics are the only thing that kept me from giving it a zero. The story is extraordinarily dull, the controls are too difficult, and the world of SOTC is a lonely, depressing place.
  10. BonalsII
    Apr 10, 2013
    1
    Wow. This game is bad. I have no idea what all the fuss was about. I tried to play it twice once on the PS2 and once again on the PS3 when the collection came out. There is nothing interesting going on here you ride a horse and climb on top of a couple of big monsters. I think i would have more fun watching someone play a bass masters fishing simulator.
  11. Joe9999
    Apr 6, 2014
    0
    I know I will be in a definite minority, but I'm writing this review to help provide a more accurate picture of this game for those gamer who need usable controls to play a game. Shadow of the Colossus is a unique game with a VERY beautiful aesthetic. BUT the camera is so atrociously bad as to make the game unplayable. It makes any attempt to play the game an exercise in frustration.I know I will be in a definite minority, but I'm writing this review to help provide a more accurate picture of this game for those gamer who need usable controls to play a game. Shadow of the Colossus is a unique game with a VERY beautiful aesthetic. BUT the camera is so atrociously bad as to make the game unplayable. It makes any attempt to play the game an exercise in frustration. It's always attempt to move itself back to where "it" want to be, not where you need it to be. Just trying to walk up a winding path along a mountain side takes extreme patience. Otherwise you'll step off the ledge and drop down. Sometimes killing yourself accidentally. And when you get into a situation where it REALLY matters, like attempting to climb to where a colossus is located, or even worse, in the middle of a battle, a single erratic jump of the unpredictable camera can mean an hour of battle time is lost, and you have to start from scratch (including the frustrating climb to reach the colossus in the first place).

    Bottom line: Unique and distinctive game. Just be ready to deal with the hideous camera.    … Expand
  12. MarkM.
    Jun 15, 2008
    1
    The horrible camera work made me give up on the game within 30 minutes of starting to play it. I have no idea why people are so enamored with this game as I've never been so frustrated when starting a game. Just awful.
  13. JamesM.
    Jul 26, 2007
    3
    Dude...how can some people give this a 10? It sucks ok. Ok maybe the Graphics are amazing but thats the only high point. The collosi are huge and sort of fun to kill but really. 16 Collosi to kill then thats it. Nothing else. No upgrades. Sword and Bow. Weeeee....fun...... Graphics are spectacular. But just need something more. Something else then killing Colossi with 2 weapons.... If Dude...how can some people give this a 10? It sucks ok. Ok maybe the Graphics are amazing but thats the only high point. The collosi are huge and sort of fun to kill but really. 16 Collosi to kill then thats it. Nothing else. No upgrades. Sword and Bow. Weeeee....fun...... Graphics are spectacular. But just need something more. Something else then killing Colossi with 2 weapons.... If your a fan of great adventure and graphics with almost no action get this. If not, dont.… Expand
  14. OliverW.
    Oct 21, 2006
    0
    A deeply flawed game where you spend more time LOOKING for the colossi then actually killing them. With no storyline, no plot and a character who runs like he's missing a leg makes this game a total bust. On top of all that there is almost NO dialogue, it would be worth it to rent it but definetly not for buying.
  15. MikeC
    Nov 22, 2006
    4
    the emperors new clothes of the gaming world. you don't appreciate the 'experience' of finding and climbing ah.. then my good sir YOU are an idiot.
    If I want an artistic game I'll go back to ICO which was a GAME not this drivel.

    either that or for once in your life actually visit a real art gallery
  16. DudeLabowski
    Oct 20, 2005
    1
    Played the demo and found it horribly boring. Also the graphics made my eyes hurt. Oh and the contols suck big time. Not sure why everyone is on this games nutz cuz the demo had nothing good about it. I don't even remember hearing any music and the sound was nothing special. Oh boy lets jump on the back on a large gorrila type thing and stab it till it dies! What a joke. Gets aPlayed the demo and found it horribly boring. Also the graphics made my eyes hurt. Oh and the contols suck big time. Not sure why everyone is on this games nutz cuz the demo had nothing good about it. I don't even remember hearing any music and the sound was nothing special. Oh boy lets jump on the back on a large gorrila type thing and stab it till it dies! What a joke. Gets a 1 cuz at least it didn't crash or anything. And it was free cuz it was a demo. If I had payed money for this game I would be pissed cuz its lame. And if you bought it your lame too. That includes you boneheads below me. Yeah I said it what you gonna go about it.… Expand
  17. MoonCatWolf
    Mar 20, 2006
    4
    The most hyped games i've ever seen! The graphics are bit linear. You have the feeling that nothing happens on that massive land! The gameplay is poor, with bad controls, bad camera, little and scarse weapons! Story, what story? There is none. There's no quest! Just killing monsters! And they are easy to beat, with one or more challenge! And that's it! Nothing more! ICO was The most hyped games i've ever seen! The graphics are bit linear. You have the feeling that nothing happens on that massive land! The gameplay is poor, with bad controls, bad camera, little and scarse weapons! Story, what story? There is none. There's no quest! Just killing monsters! And they are easy to beat, with one or more challenge! And that's it! Nothing more! ICO was the game, the quest, the girl, the romance! Colossus it's just that, Colossus being killed! Make a real ICO 2!… Expand
  18. JeffD.
    Oct 22, 2006
    0
    What an absurd waste of $20. I'm all for different -- I love all sorts of very unusual games, but different doesn't *always* mean good. This game is a perfect example of that -- what it is, is essentially a climbing game. But the camera and movement controls are terrible, making climbing the colossi a real chore. And why did the designers think it would be such a great plan to What an absurd waste of $20. I'm all for different -- I love all sorts of very unusual games, but different doesn't *always* mean good. This game is a perfect example of that -- what it is, is essentially a climbing game. But the camera and movement controls are terrible, making climbing the colossi a real chore. And why did the designers think it would be such a great plan to have a game which had only bosses, anyway? Boss fights are exhausting, and hardly the fun of most action/adventure/rp games. The music is nice, but repetitive (how come the music clip for a colossus fight is only 30 seconds long, when the fight is guaranteed to last 15 minutes?), and the translations from the Japanese are straight out of an early 90's NES game. Yuck. A great example of why games should be returnable.… Expand
  19. weloole
    Jun 23, 2008
    1
    This game make me hate the playstation :D ... for that i give it 1 point in rate, but really i get weared when i see people give it more then 5 !!!! .. i play it more then 10 hours .... hahaha 10 hours of boring, i decide to broke the cd and go back playing devil may cry :P:P .... i comment after i have the real feeling of the game, first there are no plane to play just walking and wast This game make me hate the playstation :D ... for that i give it 1 point in rate, but really i get weared when i see people give it more then 5 !!!! .. i play it more then 10 hours .... hahaha 10 hours of boring, i decide to broke the cd and go back playing devil may cry :P:P .... i comment after i have the real feeling of the game, first there are no plane to play just walking and wast the time trying to find the next mission after thet you have long story to figure out how you can kill him then you have sick from the playing after you win you search and find nothing i kill 2 then i go all over the map to find the thired and i find nothing ... really i give it money and time and it doesn't deseve all that .. sorry for that comment ... we loole.… Expand
  20. CameronM.
    Nov 10, 2005
    3
    It was like most hot chicks. Pretty but boring. Taking down the Colossi was fun but getting their was not. The controls of the horse were terrible, and the gameply was terribly repetitive. I had high hopes and looked long an hard to rent this game just to take it back the next day.
  21. SteveH.
    May 25, 2006
    2
    Horrible game. Nothing but big bosses as you would expect but you spend al your time finding weakspots and how to attack them. No real fun after the 1st monster, then everything becomes a boring, dumb, drawn out find Waldo.
  22. SteveS.
    May 15, 2008
    1
    This game was awesome... till you get to the second colossus. I mean there is more interaction in old first person shooter games like duke nukem 3D. Yes the graphics were amazing but i had about as much fun killing the little lizards running around as i did with the colossi. I got a real "you've killed one you've killed them all" feel in this game
  23. andersonconker
    Jan 29, 2017
    0
    Nas palavras da desciclopédia : ” um jogo mal feito que deu certo”.
    Joguei cheguei até o final, 16 colossos. Os colossos são muito maneiros, o clima do jogo é bom, uma boa música instrumental de clima.
    Mas vamos ser realistas, o que existe entre aquele templo onde fica aquela menina deitada e os colossos que voce tem que matar ? Resposta : Nada. O jogo é só matar 16 colossos. Um vasto    Nas palavras da desciclopédia : ” um jogo mal feito que deu certo”.
    Joguei cheguei até o final, 16 colossos. Os colossos são muito maneiros, o clima do jogo é bom, uma boa música instrumental de clima.
    Mas vamos ser realistas, o que existe entre aquele templo onde fica aquela menina deitada e os colossos que voce tem que matar ? Resposta : Nada. O jogo é só matar 16 colossos. Um vasto campo de cenário onde não tem nada, só uns lagartinhos e umas tartarugas de vez em quando rastejando. E outros grandes defeitos, a camera e os movimentos do personagem, são horríveis, 80% da dificuldade do jogo é por causa da camera e dos controles do personagens, onde uma tarefa simples de escalada ou montar no seu cavalo pode te matar de raiva. 9 horas de jogo no máximo.Nota 7,5, até Castlevania Lords of Shadow é muito melhor, nem quero comparar com Zelda Twilight Princess porque é covardia.    … Expand
  24. notacarebear
    Feb 2, 2016
    0
    Most overrated video-game in human history.Most overrated video-game in human history.Most overrated video-game in human history.Most overrated video-game in human history.
  25. Broyax
    Apr 11, 2017
    0
    Un jeu qui plairait à Télérama. En effet sa vacuité, son affinité avec le zéro absolu force l'admiration. C'est de la poésie, c'est onirique, c'est de l'art, c'est ceci, c'est cela. C'est surtout et avant tout de la merde prétentieuse et terriblement niaise en plus d'avoir de sérieux problèmes de jouabilité. C'est juste pas trop vilain pour de la PS2 bien que ça rame pas mal. Tout le resteUn jeu qui plairait à Télérama. En effet sa vacuité, son affinité avec le zéro absolu force l'admiration. C'est de la poésie, c'est onirique, c'est de l'art, c'est ceci, c'est cela. C'est surtout et avant tout de la merde prétentieuse et terriblement niaise en plus d'avoir de sérieux problèmes de jouabilité. C'est juste pas trop vilain pour de la PS2 bien que ça rame pas mal. Tout le reste est à revoir !… Expand
  26. arachnid14
    Feb 10, 2016
    0
    i think the developers had some crystal meth. heroin and vodka while making the parkour system. i tried climbing a wall in the tutorial. 95% of the time i dont climb the wall. cant even play the first level cause the game thinks bad parkour is a positive
  27. TheLinkgirl
    Nov 15, 2021
    2
    Sometimes there are games that we just won't enjoy or understand the appeal for, even if they're good. Shadow of the Colossus definitely falls into that category for me, and it's a shame for me to say that beyond the spectacular concept of this game, I found very little substance in an adventure that felt like a repetitive chore. All of the battles felt the exact same to me, with verySometimes there are games that we just won't enjoy or understand the appeal for, even if they're good. Shadow of the Colossus definitely falls into that category for me, and it's a shame for me to say that beyond the spectacular concept of this game, I found very little substance in an adventure that felt like a repetitive chore. All of the battles felt the exact same to me, with very little to really make me feel challenged or interested in what should have been truly epic confrontations.

    I find myself with very little to say, as this game has very little to it. Do the same thing over and over until the game is done. Sometimes a design would be interesting, sometimes I'd run around for a while before being told what I had to do, but nothing quite made me feel engaged in the fights, the world, the story, the characters, or much anything. I can only love the concept of this game so much, but everything else has to pull its weight, and sadly Shadow of the Colossus managed to fall at every other hurdle.    … Expand
  28. GDsReviews
    Jun 3, 2022
    4
    I seriously wanted to love this game, and find it one of the best soundtracks of any videogame ever made to this day. But, the terrible controls and extreme difficulty to reach and battle many of the colossi made it impossible for me to enjoy the game and unable to finish it.

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS2 Game of 2005
4
#4 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
3
#3 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 77 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 77
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 77
  3. Negative: 0 out of 77
  1. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    90
    If you can appreciate artistry in games, if you hanker for an experience that transcends genre, if you want to see what happens when a creative design team is allowed to ignore sales numbers and flavor-of-the-month trends, by all means bring yourself into Shadow's world. [Oct 2005, p.98]
  2. Game Informer
    88
    A truly unique experience that inspires emotions in a way few games can. It has its share of problems, but I love it just the same. [Oct 2005, p.130]
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    88
    It's unlike anything else you've ever played, and so you may love it or you may hate it. Count me firmly in the "love" boat. [Nov 2005, p.142]
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »