SOTC Archives - iXie Gaming https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/tag/sotc/ Where Games Level Up Thu, 14 Mar 2024 06:34:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.ixiegaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cropped-ixieLogo-120x120.png SOTC Archives - iXie Gaming https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/tag/sotc/ 32 32 Top 5 Games that Deserve the Shadow of the Colossus Treatment https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/top-5-games-deserve-shadow-colossus-treatment/ https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/top-5-games-deserve-shadow-colossus-treatment/#respond Fri, 04 May 2018 01:54:56 +0000 https://ixiebackupstg.wpengine.com/blog/?p=1623 Shadow of the Colossus has hit the PS4 with rejuvenated life making accessible to audiences who missed it during its PS2 days. The secret formula for this remake was simple, they updated the game to current gen graphics and tweaked the controls and kept everything else the way it was 13 years ago. And the...

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Shadow of the Colossus has hit the PS4 with rejuvenated life making accessible to audiences who missed it during its PS2 days. The secret formula for this remake was simple, they updated the game to current gen graphics and tweaked the controls and kept everything else the way it was 13 years ago. And the result is a game that mesmerizes you again just like it did back in the day, without showing any signs of aging.

This had me thinking about the other gems from the heydays of gaming (you know when you got a complete game on a disc and did not have to spend again?). These are the games that blew me away and have inspired many games of today. So without further ado, here are the top 5 games that would be perfect candidates for such a remake.

5 Prince of Persia – Sands of Time

One of the first games that I played on the PS2, the first Prince of Persia was also the most vibrant and prettiest of them all, aesthetically speaking.(I still can’t digest the dark and gothic, sequels that followed it.) With smooth controls and impressive graphics for its time, the game was definitely a looker. Add to it an intriguing story with a likeable protagonist and we had a winner. This game was a perfect representative of gaming during its time. Visiting this game back in its old form today still has its charm. However, if this game were to be updated from the ground up with today’s graphics, this would be one of the prettiest games out there. (Just look at the Menu screen of this game and you will understand what I am on about). This game has the pedigree to sell well, if remade with the same car given to SOTC, and may get Ubisoft to bring the Prince back from the dead. You never know.

4 The Thing

Set in Antarctica, this game is all about immersive atmospheric horror. A follow up to a movie of the same name, this game puts you in control of a squad leader who must investigate a spaceship found in the region. This sounds clichéd, yes, but the game executes tension and despair to the player in spades. Not only must you look out for the ‘Thing’ in the game, but also keep your squad intact and keep them from panicking and keep their trust in you (yes it’s a game mechanic). Throw in excellent sound design and voice acting, and you have the “Dead Space 2” of 2002. This is one game which does not need the mechanics hampered, what so ever (except maybe for the shooting), and only needs a graphical overhaul to today’s standards so it’s excellent atmosphere is brought to life. And we will be in for one very “chilling” experience.

3 Onimusha Trilogy

Ninjas, Demons, Feudal Japan, Time travel, Jean Reno. Put them all together and wrap it up in a 3rd person action adventure and you get the Onimusha Trilogy. Dating back to the early days of the PS2, this series was an essential and remains a classic to this day. From the gameplay to the visuals, these games set the template that many games follow even today. Any boy/man who holds his PS2 close to his heart will know what these games meant in the early 2000s. And they are the perfect candidate for a remake in an age when games like Nioh have triumphed. Just make Onimusha 3 with the same opening cutscene with current gen graphics, only this time, running in real-time and have that transition into gameplay seamlessly. Dream fulfilled.

2 Darkwatch

When there were literally 1000s of games to choose from on the PS2, and many of them ripping off elements from each other, in came Darkwatch. A glorious mash-up of steampunk western horror FPS set in the 19th century, If that doesn’t sound awesome, I don’t know what will. You play as an outlaw, who is on a race against time to stop himself from turning into a vampire while battling demons from another realm. The game pits you against Vampire lord Lazarus, on top of a speeding train, then moving on to a horseback while fighting demons on Zombie horses (step aside Game of Thrones) using his trusty redeemer shotgun. All this within the first 20 minutes of the game. However, Darkwatch, simply put was the Titanfall 2 of 2005. Released amongst juggernauts like Shadow of the Colossus and God of War, this gem of a title did not hit the highs that it so deserved. Which is why a remake which captures its eerie environments and characters perfectly, with a tight shooting mechanic, will give us a game that is unlike any in the market right now. And it will be, to put it mildly, completely Bonkers.

1 Metal Gear Solid 3 – Snake Eater

Hideo Kojima may not make any MGS games anymore. And Death Stranding looks like it will be a launch title for the PS5 (There, I called it. You heard it from me first). But the legacy of MGS which was at its high point in MGS4 Guns of the Patriot still lives on. However, the no.1 choice for the remake will have to be the equally excellent MGS3 Snake Eater. This was a game that was way ahead of its time. From the tight gunplay and stealth mechanics to the lush vegetation in the Jungle, this game was the full package, polished to a mirror sheen. So one can only imagine, what we can get if all of the games codes are kept intact and given a graphical overhaul that is built from the ground up. You wouldn’t need Guns of the patriot, or Phantom Pain. The best MGS is right here. And it is a remake. Who would’ve thought?

So those were my picks for the top 5 games that deserve the SOTC treatment. I am sure that you will be in agreement with at least one of the titles on this list. So it is safe to say that I share the sentiments of millions of gamers across the world. Any developer listening?

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Shadow of the Colossus (PS4) Review https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/shadow-colossus-ps4-review/ https://www.ixiegaming.com/blog/shadow-colossus-ps4-review/#respond Tue, 06 Mar 2018 08:18:32 +0000 https://ixiebackupstg.wpengine.com/blog/?p=1432 It was back in 2005 when Shadow of the Colossus graced the PS2 and went on to become one of, if not the best PS2 games ever. Thirteen years later this timeless classic has been re-introduced with a fresh coat of paint for the current generation of players. So how does it hold up? In...

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It was back in 2005 when Shadow of the Colossus graced the PS2 and went on to become one of, if not the best PS2 games ever. Thirteen years later this timeless classic has been re-introduced with a fresh coat of paint for the current generation of players.

So how does it hold up?

In this review, we will go through every aspect of this game like graphics, gameplay, story and overall experience in detail. However, to understand the pedigree of what we are looking at here, we need to look at one more aspect of this game which is it’s…

… Legacy

When it comes to timeless classics in video games, very few games have the impact of Shadow of the Colossus. I remember when I first booted the original SOTC on my PS2, back in 2005. I went in completely blind, not knowing anything about this game. No reviews or spoilers back in the day. After the initial roadblock of trying to figure out the climbing mechanics, it was a moment of awe that only a few games could provide at the time.

Fast forward 12 years, the second colossus was released. I knew that this was a rare masterpiece that needed to be savoured. And I was not the only one sharing this sentiment. Almost anyone who has played this game had a soft spot for it, regardless of whether they had finished it once or, like in my case, at least a dozen times.

But games have come a long way since 2005. And the sheer variety of genres and the advancements in mechanics that we have experienced in these 2 console generations since PS2 is staggering, which is why I am left speechless when I see how well the PS4 version of this game holds up today.

 

Are remastered games really worth playing?

Read the Verdict


 

Story

 

The main story of SOTC can be written in a few sentences. Man tries to save beloved Mono. Man is offered a chance to do so by slaying 16 colossus. Man does it. And then the ending. But there is so much more complexity in this simple story. You cannot help but fall in love with every character. From Agro, your trusty steed, to the wanderer, the protagonist and each of the 16 magnificent colossi. All of this only leads to an emotional gut punch every time you kill these colossi. And not to mention an ending that is both as much an absolute heartbreak, as it is beautiful.

Graphics

 

Part of SOTCs charm lies in how simple everything is, and the underlying complexity is all born in the player’s mind. It may have been due to the limitations of the PS2 that things were kept so simple, but Bluepoint games have used that simplicity along with the PS4’s graphical fidelity, delivered in spades. This game is one the best looking games for the PS4 right now. Everything in this game, from landscapes to the towering colossus themselves, have been redone from the ground up. And the result is phenomenal. There is a staggering attention to detail in every nook and cranny of this game. And these visuals play a vital role in the overall experience of this remake.

Advanced Game QA

Gameplay

 

The core gameplay of SOTC involves riding through the landscapes of the cursed land on the back of your horse, looking for the next Colossi. You are left to figure out where to go with help of your sword which reflects beams of light towards the direction of the target. Once you do find the Colossi, you need to figure out how to take them down as each of them need different strategy and planning. This keeps the game fresh all the way until the end. Reminiscent of the game’s simple theme is your arsenal, which consists of just a sword, and a bow and arrow.

For all the praise this game commands, there is no denying that the controls were a little janky. Even back in the PS2 days, we have had games with much better controls than SOTC. While we cannot say that this has been fully resolved in the remake, there are some notable changes here. The button layout is mapped to appeal to today’s gamers, which can be set back to original settings if you please. Adding to this there are also collectables in the game now and some clever Easter eggs referencing Mr Ueda’s other games.

While the core game can be finished in about 10 hours, longevity is provided through other difficulty settings and quirky rewards. And a mirrored mode which, well, mirrors the game screen and it feels surprisingly fresh. Add to this a Photo mode which lets you take screenshots of the game, with various filters and tools. Honestly, I spent hours here and the end results are all amazing.

 

Never compromise on Game Quality

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Overall

 

The original SOTC on the PS2 took players’ breath away and added to the notion that video games are indeed an art. It was timeless in its own right and did not need a remaster. But this remaster was still made and the result is a Masterpiece. Had the PS4 come out in 2005, this may have been Fumito Ueda’s original vision. We may never know, but as gamers, we can only thank the creators for making this happen. SOTC on the PS4 is not only an essential but a timeless classic which sets new standards for remakes.

 

Score 10/10

 

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