Shadow Of The Colossus

Back in 2006, Shadow of the Colossus was a groundbreaking release. To this day it's amazing what power Team Ico squeezed out of the PS2: sixteen screen-sized colossi to kill that stomp the ground, dive underwater and fly through the clouds. Nothing like it had been seen before and nothing has matched its magnificence since - until this remake from Bluepoint Games.

More so, it was a lead example in the 'video games as art' argument. That's as much for its minimal design as it is its visual aesthetic. Director Fumito Ueda has become known for his design by subtraction philosophy and Shadow of the Colossus is his masterpiece. It's tightly focused: just you, your horse, and sixteen beasts to destroy in order to save a mysterious girl. Each element, each colossal puzzle, has been meticulously crafted, a linear journey of steadily increasing difficulty and creativity. It oozes style and atmosphere, the lonely yet peaceful ride between each colossus only bettered by the thrill of riding high on some towering beast.

But it's a game that poses more questions than it answers. It thrives on ambiguity, Ueda teasing just enough detail to form the narrative while simultaneously keeping us in the dark. What is this land? Where did the colossi come from? What power can be wielded by killing them? Is this even the right thing to do?

Minimalism informs the presentation style too: this bleak, empty, silent, ancient, decaying world. It's mournful, drenched in sadness, hopeless despite each triumph. Is it even a triumph to kill such beautiful creatures with fear in their eyes? David destroys Goliath, but Goliath is innocent and helpless.

This remake on PS4 updates the game's visuals from scratch and introduces a new control scheme. The lead characters are perhaps too cartoon-like, but otherwise this is the game as it was always intended - stunningly beautiful and with the smooth, polished framerate it always deserved.

What hasn't been touched are the confusing camera, awkwardly finicky controls, and a horse with a mind of its own. Wander, the warrior, moves with a strange momentum that takes some time to get used to and the stiff camera swings wildly in the heat of battle. You're fighting these elements as much as the colossi themselves, adding unnecessary difficulty. The game's (perhaps purposeful) scrappiness is acceptable the first time through, but replaying it in Time Attack is a hugely testing exercise in frustration.

Still, the remake does include the best possible feature: a photo mode. Pause the game at any moment and you can reposition and tilt the camera, as well as add a variety of filters. Shadow of the Colossus is a true work of art; now we have the perfect mode with which to appreciate it all over again.