Another Shadow of the Colossus post...

Sometimes, creative decisions regarding a game's content are based on the platform's technological limitations. Mario had red clothes on a blue background because the colors looked best on the limited palette of the NES. He wore a hat so Miyamoto wouldn't have to animate his hair. He had a mustache to hide his facial features because it was far easier than creating expressions on his tiny, pixelated head.

Fast forward twenty years, and graphics are infinitely better, but there are still limits. Shadow of the Colossus was critically revered as a masterpiece of modern gaming. The biggest complaint: the PS2 holds down the game from reaching its full potential. Graphics! No way. Can a beautiful game really be faulted with living on a system that is not powerful enough to support its weight? Well, of course it can. There was draw-in in the distance. Textures were grainy. Every creature in the grain had sharp edges that should have been smooth. The scale was terrific, but the game could have been better (read: more beautiful) if it had even waited for one more generation before being released.

For a PS2 game, SotC was pretty. However, when it was released, the 360 was set to come out the next month, and that was much, much prettier. If Colossus had been released 2 years earlier, right in the middle of the PS2's life cycle, it would have been much more appreciated. Comments on its non-beauty would be non-existent. Imagine if it was a lauch title! It would've blown TimeSplitters, Evergrace, and Summoner out of the water. Still, with technological advancements, you need to evolve and innovate. Even graphics. Yes, a game can be good without stellar imagery to stare at while you slice and dice enemies, but the fact of the matter is that you are going to be spending a good amount of hours in this digital world you just purchased, and graphics are the only thing you can see. Taking too long to develop a game (*cough*Too Human*cough*) makes its eventaul release unimportant, unimpressive, and unnecessary. It's a thin line to tread between getting a game on the market quickly and making sure it is bug-free. Gamers don't care about that. They want both.

SotC: The Movie

Shadow of the Colossus is getting its own movie! However, it's being written by the guy that wrote the Street Fighter movie that just came out last month. Looks like Shadow will go the way of Max Payne - take everything awesome about the game and throw it away, then make a big-budget movie which in no way captures the spirit and essence of the game. Too bad, because Colossus was mesmerizing and beautiful, and the power and money of Hollywood should be able to make something as mesmerizing and way more beautiful because movies aren't limited by PS2's graphical prowess. At least the movie poster is sweet...

Feature Intermission

I have been cutting into my sleep to play some sorely missed games, and it's nice to know that Half-Life 2 is still just as cool as it was years ago. Next up, Shadow of the Colossus. Another game that was, is, and always will be amazingly terrific and magically delicious. But don't worry, I'll be back to writing genre essays tomorrow.

OMG!

The team that made Ico and Shadow of the Colossus is finally getting ready to release their next game and they're going to announce it at E3 2009! Yay! First the first time in years, people will care about E3. The new game still won't sell... but it will be awesome.