Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus is a single-player action-adventure game. The game tells the story of Wander, a young man who travels to a forbidden land to save a girl named Mono. Guided by a mysterious voice, Wander makes a pact to restore her life in exchange for destroying sixteen colossal beings that roam the landscape. With only his sword, bow, and horse Agro, Wander sets out across vast empty plains, deserts, lakes, and ruins to locate and defeat each of these towering creatures.

Gameplay revolves around tracking and defeating the colossi. Each one functions as a living puzzle, requiring the player to discover how to climb its massive body and reach the weak points marked by glowing sigils. Wander’s sword can be used to reflect light as a guide to each target’s location. Once mounted on a colossus, the player must manage stamina to cling to fur, armor, or stone surfaces while the creature attempts to shake them off. Combat is less about direct fighting and more about exploiting terrain, timing, and observation.

Progression is structured around a cycle of exploration, battle, and return. After defeating a colossus, Wander is transported back to the central temple, where statues representing each foe crumble as proof of victory. This unlocks the next target. The world is otherwise devoid of enemies, emphasizing traversal across natural landscapes and giving each encounter with a colossus the weight of a climactic battle.

Wander’s abilities are simple but grow subtly over time. Maximum health and stamina increase as colossi are defeated, and players can further extend stamina by hunting special lizards. Fruit found throughout the land also boosts vitality. Equipment is limited to a sword and bow, with later unlockable items available after completing the game.

The 2018 version is a full remake of the original 2005 PlayStation 2 release, Shadow of the Colossus. It features reworked graphics, improved controls, and new camera systems, while preserving the story, structure, and mechanics of the original. The remake also includes quality-of-life changes such as photo mode, modernized performance options, and remapped control schemes.