Shadow of the Colossus is the pride of games-as-art advocates, and with good reason. If commercial video games can be considered art, Shadow of the Colossus is, hands down, the best example the industry has offered. Every element of the game, from the inventive game design to the phenomenally grand visual execution, oozes artistic expression and the effect is thoroughly moving. Playing Shadow evokes strong senses of adventure, love, and even guilt.
The game's unique design plays to the emotional impact. The main character, Wander, is virtually alone in a sprawling forbidden land and must seek out and kill 16 colossi, towering creatures of various forms that seem to be the only inhabitants of the world. As Wander, the player traverses the world in desolate isolation, without enemies to fight or coins to collect. Each colossus discovery is simultaneously thrilling and fiercely intimidating, as the player gawks at the arrival of a new beautiful beast while struggling to imagine a way to fell the colossal challenge.
But what people often forget is that Shadow of the Colossus is not just an artistic triumph but also an impressive game. Strip away the staggering scope, remove the swelling musical score, and ignore the heart-wrenching tug that comes with each guilty success, and what's left is a series of brilliant puzzles that are a joy to play. Each colossus battle requires study, planning and execution. That the action plays out on the furry backs of impossibly massive mystical creatures only adds compelling context to the rippling platforms and shifting hand holds and cements Shadow of the Colossus as the absolute best PlayStation 2 video game of all time.
