Shadow Of The Colossus Is Still A Huge Masterpiece, With Only One Flaw

Fans of Team Ico’s iconic PlayStation 2 game Shadow of the Colossus had plenty of reasons to celebrate with the release of the remake for the PlayStation 4. Built from the ground up, it features stunning visuals and a host of new features that appeal to newer gamers. However, an unfortunate casualty of the improved fidelity is one of the charms that made the game such a perfect fit for the PS2.

In its review, The Verge called the Shadow of the Colossus Remake a “perfect cover song” in that it reintroduced a powerfully beautiful game to a new audience. The publication credited Bluepoint Games for doing such an amazing job keeping true to the original version as closely as they could while making it look like a 2018 game.

As a result, the remake now looks as groundbreaking on the PS4 as the original did on the PS2, building on the reputation of the title as being astoundingly ahead of its time. This is particularly impressive when considering the overall tone of the game, which is hugely different from anything it can be compared to.

Even though it’s a fantasy game with elements of fighting giant bosses, Shadow of the Colossus has more in common with experiences like Journey than it does with something like Dark Souls or the Monster Hunter Franchise. By stripping it of all the baggage, which include mobs, crafting, human companions, and a host of pointless other features, the game becomes more focused in its objective and thus becomes more immersive.

Unfortunately, the most dedicated fans of Shadow of the Colossus feel like there’s something about the remake that simply doesn’t connect with them, and many can’t really put their finger on it. A piece by Engadget might hold the answer and it has something to do with the improved draw distance and graphics of the game.

Thanks to the hardware limitations of the PS2, the original version of the game had hazy surroundings, especially when looking towards the distant mountains and terrain. This gave the environment a significant level of mystery, egging players on to keep exploring and clear away the fog to achieve clarity.

It’s worth pointing out that this is likely only going to be an issue for purists who might have wanted to recreate their experience as closely as possible. This was never going to happen and doesn’t take away from Bluepoint’s monumental achievement with the remake.