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[#Phonepunk#]

Final boss is indeed tough! Haha I keep falling. I’m glad though this is after all the final boss. Wouldn’t want it any other way.

Really wonderful job with the remaster. The sun dappled forests especially we’re just super beautiful to look at.

 

[Mr Branding]

Finished the game on release and was astonished. Blew my mind.
Bought the remaster, reached 7th in one night and it still is one monumental game and one of my faves. But that bull is always in the back of my mind. I dreaded that fight in the original.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

Ah I just beat it. That ending! I was about to cry several times. Wow. The story in this is so good.

Ah devil baby! I love it!

 

[GlockSaint]

I'm definitely in the minority but but i think the game is terribly over rated, good game sure but after the internet hyping it up for me the past 15 years, i was left very underwhelmed. Great atmosphere sure, interesting boss fight, definitely. But that legendary status doesn't make any sense. It's just a good game nothing more (for me at least)

 

[Gamerguy84]

I tried but couldnt get into this game. The controls ans camera put me off too much.

 

[MafiaMurderBag]

People who think this game is overrated should probably consider that when the original PS2 version released, there was nothing else like it in terms of scope and vision. Obviously over the next 2 console generations, games would take Alot of the concepts that SOTC birthed and improved on them, which pretty much establishes this game as influential on a lot of games in the same way RE4 was influential on others.

I do agree with the complaints about the camera and mechanics, It is distracting and a bit of a bummer for a game that's so immersive yet it gets broken by the fact you're constantly wrestling with the controls.

It's kind of a staple with Ueda's games, some say it adds charm and makes the games themselves feel like mysterious expressions of art left behind from another civilization. I know it doesn't always make it alright, especially to someone who isn't as keen on the fine art influence on games and just wants to play something functional but it seems to be the intention across the trilogy.

 

[Paracelsus]

It's memorable but the gameplay does become tedious.
Not even halfway through I started having the unusual feeling "Oh, so you climb the wing, crawl through the fur and stab. Cool, can I skip it?"

It's not challenging, it's just a drag. Ueda was probably drunk when he wanted to put 48 colossi in the game.

 

[JimiNutz]

I played through this for the first time recently.

I remember playing a demo for the game on PS2 but I'm glad I waited as this remake feel far more epic.

I really liked how 'basic' the game structure was. Literally just boss fight after boss fight.

Some of the Colossi blew my mind when they appeared on screen for the first time. This game recall does a good job of making you feel like you're engaged in an epic battle!

Even the modern controls had their moments of frustration and jank and there were definitely a few moments where I was cursing the game. I do think the unique controls and animation add a lot to the game though so I wouldn't change them.

I think it was a solid 8/10 game overall although I'm not desperate to play it again anytime really soon.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

i love the camera. i know people want the same 3rd person completely controllable camera in every game. but i don't think it needs to be in every game. when games first really went 3D i think there was a lot more experimenting with camera angles and art design. i think the convenience of the standard double stick 3rd person controls have in a way hampered creativity. imo it's less impressive to show of 3D areas if you are always looking at them from behind the player character vs. incorporating alternate perspectives.

there is something about using a specific camera framing that produces a really nice dramatic effect. usually that kind of thing only exists in cutscenes or transitions but i love when a game includes camera angles and moves alongside gameplay. imo it makes a more memorable experience. the creator of the game usually has a perspective in mind, so i love when they set up a nice looking shot you can actually play in.

at any rate i had no issue playing it. not once did i struggle with controls. either you can learn the controls or you don't. they aren't "bad" in any way, you can easily do everything you need to right from the start of the game. not once did i ever see something i needed to do and then had trouble doing it because of the controls. even the final boss was just a question of doing it.

 

[Skifi28]

I actually never want past the fourth colossus. Tried to get back into it a couple of weeks ago and the horse controls put me off immediately while searching for the next one. I really do want to finish it at some point, guess I gotta try a little harder next time.

 

[Rodolink]

Finished the game on release and was astonished. Blew my mind.
Bought the remaster, reached 7th in one night and it still is one monumental game and one of my faves. But that bull is always in the back of my mind. I dreaded that fight in the original.

for me it's always been that stupid turtle that needs to be toppled by geysers. very frustrating

 

[Rodolink]

problem

i love the camera. i know people want the same 3rd person completely controllable camera in every game. but i don't think it needs to be in every game. when games first really went 3D i think there was a lot more experimenting with camera angles and art design. i think the convenience of the standard double stick 3rd person controls have in a way hampered creativity. imo it's less impressive to show of 3D areas if you are always looking at them from behind the player character vs. incorporating alternate perspectives.

there is something about using a specific camera framing that produces a really nice dramatic effect. usually that kind of thing only exists in cutscenes or transitions but i love when a game includes camera angles and moves alongside gameplay. imo it makes a more memorable experience. the creator of the game usually has a perspective in mind, so i love when they set up a nice looking shot you can actually play in.

at any rate i had no issue playing it. not once did i struggle with controls. either you can learn the controls or you don't. they aren't "bad" in any way, you can easily do everything you need to right from the start of the game. not once did i ever see something i needed to do and then had trouble doing it because of the controls. even the final boss was just a question of doing it.

problem are not the angles but that if feels springy, it's very difficult to hold a certain angle because it wants to move back like a spring. I was hoping to have camera options to change this in the remake.

 

[subsmoke]

Anything negative said about SotC should be a ban-worthy offence.

I loved the original game but I thought the remake was a major missed opportunity. I tend to think of it as a remaster rather than a remake because it's just a graphical upgrade and doesn't add anything new like remakes are supposed to do. There was a lot of well known unused content in the original game like the dam level and unused Colossus, and the remake was a golden opportunity to make use of some of that but they didn't.

As a side note, I didn't know the PS4 version was ever free on PS Plus. When did that happen?

 

[Psykodad]

I loved the original game but I thought the remake was a major missed opportunity. I tend to think of it as a remaster rather than a remake because it's just a graphical upgrade and doesn't add anything new like remakes are supposed to do. There was a lot of well known unused content in the original game like the dam level and unused Colossus, and the remake was a golden opportunity to make use of some of that but they didn't.

As a side note, I didn't know the PS4 version was ever free on PS Plus. When did that happen?

Reported!
Well, not really, but in my mind you're reported!

But yeah, one or two extra bosses would've been nice.

Not sure when it was free though. Might've been a year ago?

 

[Miles708]

problem are not the angles but that if feels springy, it's very difficult to hold a certain angle because it wants to move back like a spring. I was hoping to have camera options to change this in the remake.

The thing is: it's crucial to NOT micromanage both the camera and the horse. The camera will most likely re-position itself (it always does) to let you see the action, and Agro is smart enough to find the most effective route in 9/10 of cases, even when there are obstacles and cliffs.
This is true both in exploration and during boss fights.

Going with the "direction" of the game, instead of fighting it all the time, is essential to the experience.

 

[Rodolink]

The thing is: it's crucial to NOT micromanage both the camera and the horse. The camera will most likely re-position itself (it always does) to let you see the action, and Agro is smart enough to find the most effective route in 9/10 of cases, even when there are obstacles and cliffs.
This is true both in exploration and during boss fights.

Going with the "direction" of the game, instead of fighting it all the time, is essential to the experience.

I get the point but is not the best UX decision. it's like being on a rollercoaster ride.
I like to see the environment while moving my character. and the game's approach removes this freedom partially.

 

[sono]

Wow!

 

[Miles708]

I get the point but is not the best UX decision. it's like being on a rollercoaster ride.
I like to see the environment while moving my character. and the game's approach removes this freedom partially.

Well, yes, but as you say it's only partially.
The game makes constant use of "the rule of thirds" in its camera direction, especially when on Agro, so you basically move your character from one side of the screen to the other, when rotating the view.

I also love to constantly rotate the camera and see everything while exploring, so it can take some time to get used to, but I think that (especially coupled with the fact that the horse does NOT need constant input) it works wonders for this game.
The camera dictates not only the viewpoint, but also the mood and atmosphere, and Shadow of The Colossus is one of the few games (aside from fixed-camera ones) to make effective use of this additional artistic tool.

Lastly (this is not directed to you, it's just a little fixation of mine): when I see on Youtube people going full-speed on the horse by repeatedly tapping X on the controller, I always die a little inside.

 

[-Arcadia-]

Make this 4K/60FPS on PS5, and I will seriously do a replay.

One of the most gorgeous games I've ever played, even just at 1080p/SDR.

 

[skit_data]

Playing this now on PS5 with my brand new C8.
I never had a PS2, I only had Gamecube back then. I’ve only made it past the first Colossi, but damn, I’m impressed. Bluepoint has made a stellar job in the graphics department, and the tone and aesthetic of the game really is timeless.

Does anyone know what resolution the Performance/Cinematic visuals are respectively?

 

[Zekra Dezivad]

- water shader has problems switching from above to under. In the original there was a clever hack to make it underwater more visible.
- water shader + particles makes it even more disoriented
- IK correction is fucked up on quite a lot of surfaces. Maybe because they added polys but not fixed it
- collisions are botched in a lot of places: you can't grab, can't stand, can't hit places that were easily doable in the orig
- double jumps with grabs are fucked up
- camera is really something else. Path correction was probably not play tested
- I think they increased stamina, to at least somehow make it more playable.

There are probably other things. Got to 8th or 9th and rage quit. Because the character was not doing what I wanted and easily did in the original.

"The tech in the original is amazing" and it runs at 20fps, but "the tech in the remake not so much sadly"... and stamina, camera, double jumps?
Hmm... I don't know

 

[TastyPastry]

sad that there hasn't been a 4k/60fps patch for ps5. come on bluepoint.

 

[jonnyp]

5/10 too much walking.

You know there is a horse right?

 

[RAIDEN1]

I tried it when it was a freebie on PSN, just couldn't get into it...

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

When this game was made free on PS Plus, I was so happy! Truly and honestly one of the greatest games of all time.

Totally agreed with you.

One of the greatest games of all Time.... Japan Studio forever in my heart with team ico.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Also , The movements of Argo Is the Best animation of horse in Any game existed.... Is better than The last of us part 2 honestly.

 

[Rodolink]

Also , The movements of Argo Is the Best animation of horse in Any game existed.... Is better than The last of us part 2 honestly.

until RDR2

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I didn’t enjoy the game much on PS2 with all its jank. They pushed the hardware too much, and the graphical results weren’t a good tradeoff for the loss in performance and responsiveness.

I later tried the PS3 remaster, but as soon as I tried climbing on the first colossus something immediately felt off. It’s absolutely true that something was changed in the collisions.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

until RDR2

Until Gravity Rush 1 And 2