This game is a revolutionary gameplay experience, and should be enjoyed by anbody with the desire for something new.
Story:
Shadow of the Colossus' story is very simple. You play as a nameless Wanderer, who ventures into a forbidden land carrying a dead girl and an ancient sword. In the temple that lies at the center of this land, he seeks to revive the girl with the help of spirits who occupy the temple, known as Dormin. Upon arrival, the Dormin say that they may be able to grant your wish under one condition: you must destroy the 16 colossi that populate the land using only your sword, your bow, your horse, and your wits.
The story remains fairly simple throught the game. Most of the development occurs quite subtly throughout the gameplay, and you probably won't realize it until you beat the game. The ending is a long, satisfying, and bittersweet sequence of cutscenes and short clips of gameplay that heavily contrasts with the normal play, which is largely devoid of cutscenes. However, it's safe to say that the story is one of the better parts of the game, and is extremely good.
Gameplay: But what really matters is how the game plays. Here, we see the true focus of the game. There are 16 gigantic foes you must conquer in a certain order in order to win. That is, really, all there is to it. All that is demanded of you is that you find these colossi and defeat them. You locate them by holding your sword up to the sunlight. The colossi lie where the beam is most focused. This does a very good job at pointing where to go without removing you from the game.
Upon arrival, you generally have to navigate some very light platforming, none of which is particularly difficult. After that short stretch, you must fight the colossus. These foes are some of the largest you will find in any game. I won't give specifics, but in order to beat any colossus, you must reach its weak point(s) and stab them with your sword. The way to get to these points is the crux of the entire battle. The battles are all quite varied, as are the colossi. Nothing besides the primary goal remains constant throughout these battles, and the game continually ups the complexity and time required for these encounters, keeping things fresh.
The colossi battles are the main part of the game, and, for the most part, they are all amazing. You truly feel small next to these enormous beasts, who attempt to shake you off as you cling to them. And they require a unique mix of puzzlesolving, platforming, and reflexes. There is nothing like them anywhere. The only problem is that sometimes, the solution to victory is not readily apparent, making things extremely frustrating, and completely ruining the game's mood. There are some hints that you get from the Dormin, but they don't always help.
Whatever you think of this, these battles are really the only action in the game. There are no smaller enemies or anything else. What makes this game great is that it really doesn't need anything else. The tension of the colossus battles is enough to drive the entire game forwards, without requiring much extra.
The controls are somewhat complex, especially as there's a button devoted solely to gripping. It becomes apparent quickly why this is necessary, but it makes things a bit tough to get used to at first. However, it won't be long before they become fairly natural. The controls do little to bog the game down.
Graphics:
The graphics are extremely impressive, especially for the PS2. The lighting is very good, especially in certain areas, and the artistic direction is unparalleled. Each colossus seems similar in some ways, but they all have a very unique look, and great animation. The two other characters in the game, the wanderer and his horse, Agro, also have superb animation. The environments perfectly capture the feeling of desolation that you experience, being entirely alone in an enormous world.
The only problem is that the expansive world is a bit more than the PS2 can chew. Pop-in is frequent as you move across the map, and although it usually occurs far away, it can be quite jarring. Also, framerate problems occasionally occur in system-intensive areas. For me, they have never interefered where it might hurt the action, but your experiences may vary. The graphics aren't really bad, but they are too ambitious for the system.
Sound:
The sound in Shadow of the Colossus is perfect. The sound effects are great for the mood, from the thundering roars and cries of the Colossi and the jarring power of their footsteps to the wind moving through the empty landscape. The soundtrack rarely comes up, which helps to accentuate the feeling of loneliness, but when it does, in the battles, it gives tenseness to the duels, a soaring epic grandeur when you get close to victory, and a mournful sadness to the defeats of these frightening, yet beautiful creatures. There is really nothing bad to say about the sound.
Value:
The main quest is fairly short, especially if you rush through it. However, there is a lot to explore. The environment may be mostly empty, but there are trees, whose fruit gives you increased health, and white-tailed lizards, whose tails increase your stamina. It would take a long time to find them all.
Also, after you complete the quest, a number of unlockables emerge. Not only do you get the option to start again with your characters stats from the end of the first time through, a hard mode opens up, which moves some of the weak points on the colossi, and lends a new element to familiar battles. There is also a time attack mode, which can earn items to help make beating colossi the second time around much easier. These can add quite a few hours to the game.
Shadow of the Colossus is really all about the experience, and the experience that you find here is simply unmatched. The game is narrow in its focus, but it achieves everything it sets out to do, pitting you against enemies that are truly difficult to defeat, and are quite intimidating. The feelings of loneliness, of astonishment and awe, of accomplishment, and of sadness are all emotions that you will likely feel while playing this game. And the ending is a good payoff for your hard work. This game is a must-have. It will show you why games today are lacking, by bringing originality, soul, and heart.