amazing and great game for slightly more mature audiences. when stabbbing a colossi black blood shoots and squirts out everywhere, there is also one scene where the main character gets stabbed, there are also some frightening creatures and areas that even me a 15 year old was frightened by.... but other than thos few points its amazing! Shadow of the colosuss is a masterpeice that takes gaming into an entirely different level! =)
Shadow of the Colossus
(2005, Video Games - Action/adventure, Rated T, Play it on: PlayStation 2)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Dark, brooding masterpiece is best for teens.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–15
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Shadow of the Colossus was written by Chris Jozefowicz
Parents need to know that the main task of the game is killing 16 giants. While the giants look like they're made of stone, black blood shoots from their bodies when they're struck. One human character is killed by being impaled on a sword. While the violence is somewhat limited, players are likely to feel powerful emotions: both the thrill of the kill, and sympathy for their victims.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about the role of violence in games. How is this game different than other action games you play? Do you prefer this game -- or mowing down hundreds of enemies? Which has more impact on you? Do you feel bad when killing these giants?
Do you play it? Review It!
More on Shadow of the Colossus
What’s the Story?
SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS casts players as Wander, a young man who ventures on horseback to a remote temple. He carries with him the body of a dead woman. He lays the woman on a stone altar and asks the spirit of the temple to restore her to life. The disembodied voice of the spirit responds that Wander has entered a forsaken land, but if he kills the 16 giant creatures that inhabit this land -- the colossi -- then the woman might be revived.
Once players find a colossus, they must take the giant monsters down using fighting skill and some puzzle-solving abilities. The main mission takes about 10 to 12 hours, and after that there is not a great deal of replay value. Finishing the game unlocks a higher difficulty setting and a time-trial mode to challenge players to defeat the colossi as fast as possible (players earn rewards such as special arrows and protective clothes for completing these extra tasks).
Is It Any Good?
One of the most remarkable things about the game is the way it takes what is arguably the greatest cliché of the action game genre ("Save the princess!") and uses it to subvert many of the conventions of that genre. Who is this woman, and how did she die? Why does the temple spirit say only that she might be revived? Such unsettled and unsettling thoughts create feelings of ambivalence about Wander's mission -- what exactly are players getting themselves into when they take control of Wander?
The sense of isolation in the beautiful but lonely landscape furthers the unease. Even in the colossus battles, the sense of triumph is undercut by a sadness that comes from destroying such awe-inspiring beasts. Players may be bothered by the slow frame rate, which can make play choppy, and by some awkward camera angles. Overall, though, this is a fascinating and unique game that evokes powerful emotions.
Publisher’s Details
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released on: 10/19/2005, Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: T
Released on: 10/19/2005, Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: T
Our Members Say
See 21 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Good for 13 years and up
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
I love this game, for starters, it is an extremely fun and well made game, and every single fight is like a boss battle from Zelda also it has a bunch of symbolic stuff and messages. There is slight violence, when you stab the creatures black stuff comes out, but its hard to tell wether its a liquid or a gas. The message is positive, however the role model is not, he very selfishly kills 16 majestic collosi, who would normally be immortal, just to bring his love back to life. *SPOILERS* At the end it turns out that he had actually been working for an evil omnipitant monster, whose soul had been split and kept protected in each of the collosi, and if the Wanderer got his power back by killing the collosi he'd bring the girl back to life. In the end after all the collosi had been killed the evil monster posseses the Wanderer and makes him grow huge, you then fight the "good guys" trying to stop the monster, but they eventualy win, and suck you into a giant portal. *END OF SPOILERS* Anyway my main concern is that for anyone less than 11 it may be too hard, it takes alot of patience, skill, and puzzle solving, to climb all the way up to their weak spot (most of them are about 150 feet tall), which may be very frustrating to 10 and younger
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
- Easy to play
Truly a masterpiece.
This is officially the most meaningful game I have played in my entire life. The main character's love for the girl, his beautiful friendship with his horse Agro. And a plot that leaves you guessing until it sums it all up at the very end. Though most kids will not appreciate the true beauty of this game. I certainly do. Without wishing to spoil anything for you, I can officially say that this is not a game. It is a piece of art. Lovely.
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
Shadow of the Colossus
This is one of those games that some people will never understand and others will love immediately. It is a beautiful game. I'm not just talking graphics either (which are far ahead of its time), this game has a plot that can easily be forgotten, but that is the beauty of it! The plot doesn't matter! All that matters is the sense of freedom when galloping around the vast fields, deserts, and forrest with hardly anything on the screen (like life bars, etc.) obstructing your view, the bonding between horse and man, the sixteen giant colossi that all need to be taken down in different ways, even the sense of guilt the player is left with adter taking a colossi down (because they are mostly submissive and peaceful) is beautiful. I've beaten this game two and a half times and am still not tired of it. Appropriate for all ages, I recommend this game for Zelda fans and artsy people who can respect games like this.
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
An artsy masterpiece.
One of those games that you could play ten times and never get tired of it. SOTC doesn't have an obvious storyline. You don't even know the main character's name, why you're trying to kill these giants, or where in the world you are! Ok, now that I got the negatives out of the way, here come the positives. This game requires a sharp eye and quick thinking to figure out ow to climb up you're opponents and hit vulnerable points. If you haven;t already, I would recomend an onling walkthrough, because this game can get immensly frustrating if you don't know what you're doing. What this game doesn't have in storyline, it makes up for in gameplay and a beautiful atmosphere. I would say to anyone who wants this, get ASAP.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My highlights are:
An outstanding achievement in video game design.
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the most brilliant games to date. Graphics, sound and gameplay are outstanding, and those that say there was no storyline unfortunately didn't get it. It's varied messages are powerful, as it transcends typical good and evil, or saving the princess plot. What we see is the hero, alone with his horse and a body of a woman. He comes to a land where no humans live, but are guarded by large creatures, some the size of 12 story buildings. The woman is somehow cursed, and he is here to resurrect her. For the first and second parts of the game, we are told very little, focusing on the protagonist and his enemy. But is his enemy evil, or is the character that we play there for his own greed, killing these wonders? Is he here for something much bigger than him? We don't know until the very end, and when it comes, it's much more surprising than anything you could have ever imagined. There will be a divergence of thought as to the how and why. And don't get me started on that horse. Agro is Wander's (our hero) horse, and he is simply amazing. He is big, he is fast, and is the single most agreeable, naturally acting animal I have ever seen in a video game. And I don't even like horses. There is something near the end that Agro does with Wander that will stay with you forever. It's an awe inspiring scene, though a bit sad. I'm not going to ruin anything for you. If you consider yourself a gamer, or even a passing one, and you want to see how far a game can go without a machine gun, space marines, and thousands of characters ad nauseum this is the perfect game. IT does require a bit of thought on your part. The story is not handed to you in a neat little package Hollywood style. Ico was the game that came out before this, and it was told with a minimalist style, much like this one. There are echos of the bible, such as a forbidden land, the possible voice of (a) god, life after death, & prayer. You are welcome to interpret several ideas and story events, but you will be handsomely rewarded if you pay attention to small details. SOTC received over 17 awards, including Best Character Design, Best Game Design, Best Visual Arts and Game of the Year. The music also received awards and recognition, and remember Agro? He got "the best sidekick in the history of video games". I wasn't kidding you about him. I don't know how many times I should say it. This game changed the way I view games as a whole. Consequences to my actions, forcing me to make me think about what I'm doing, making me feel more in touch with the character(s) I see on the screen, & giving me unique perspectives on situations that go well beyond a typical story line is not what I expected, but that's what I got. If you play this with your child, (as I did) expect some pretty incredible discussions, if you let it.
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I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
Truely Amazing
I just had to own this game, the beautiful artwork and graphics took me in awe. I just love the mysteries and puzzles the game provided. The huge 16 beasts are truely amazing and find them haunting my dreams. This game has made a big impact on my imagination and can't wait to see more games like this. If not, I will create my own along the same lines but different storyline of course.
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I rate this title iffy and give it
It's O.K.
Good but the Storyline is REALLY lame. And this game is alittle bit dark too. Violence is the only thing on CSM's list that is implied.
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I rate this title on and give it
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I rate this title on and give it
Much violence, But behavior makes up for it...
This game, first off, is a great masterpiece from the creators of ICO. But the violence level in this game maybe be a bit too much for some gamers... But the behavior of the main character makes up for it... I mean, destroying these behemoths for the love of his life? Nuff said... Great game, with an ending to leave you reeling!
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I rate this title on and give it
For Any RPG Fan
Shadow of the Colossus is a must have. It submerges you into a quiet and spectacular world. Playing as a character named Wander you go around this beautiful land destroying gigantic and magestic creatures to reincarnate a women. When you win you feel good but bad because this giant Colussi didn't do anything to you but you killed them. Not very much violence. The ending does leave you hanging a bit.
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I rate this title off and give it
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I rate this title iffy and give it
WOW!!!!!!!!
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I rate this title on and give it
Given the major critical popularity given to this game, I feel like I'm missing something. I hear of how engaging this story is, how wondrous this land is, how you feel conflicting emotions when you strike down your foe. I hear of how wonderfully unique this game. And after playing the game for myself, I can see validity in all of these statements, but none of them are completely accurate. The story is engaging at the beginning and at the start of the end, but it dissapears for the entire game in between. By the end, I'd practically forgotten what I was there for. While the end is well-done, a few moments of poorly-done interactivity kill the intensity of the moment, and I felt a little dissapointed. The colossi battles felt a little repetitive half the time (though wonderfuly cinematic the other half), the control is a bit clunky at times, and the camera is plain junk. Artistically wonderful, but if you aren't that hardcore of a gamer, this probably isn't for you.
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I rate this title on and give it
The Best Game I've Ever Played!
This game can be summed up with one word: fantastic! No other game for the PS2 comes close. The graphics are about as good as it gets on the PS2 and the story is very intriguing. The fights are excellent. Even if you only have 16 of them, it's great. The soundtrack is also very well done. I would recommend this game to anyone anywhere who enjoys a good video game.
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I rate this title on and give it
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I rate this title iffy and give it
so awesome
i wanted this game so bad and when i got it i realized i was right to want to play it.in this game, you fight collosi, these huge rock creatures in a sacred,forgotten land. to kill these creatures you climb up them and stab there weak points. this game is possibly the best game ever on the PS2. blood- well when you hit a collosus a big cloud of black sprays out. it looks really cool and i dont really no if youd consider that blood or not. and if it is than its not really that bad that a rock bleeds. no swear words. the games story is kinda wierd, especially the ending, but besides the story this game is unbeliebable. BUY IT!
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I rate this title on and give it
A must have for puzzle-solvers and inventive minds
This game is probobly the best game ever created, while there are only 16 fights, the puzzle-solving to take them down gradually gets much harder.
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I rate this title on and give it
This Game Rocks!
This game is a must have!!!!! It is addicting you start to think to your self "One more colossi then I'll quit. Although it is addicting it is very challenging, so if your kids have a short attention span, I would'nt advise this game.
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I rate this title on and give it
A Must Have For Serious Gamers
This game is amazing, while there are only 16 monsters to defeat finding and defeating them is quite an issue. A great game for children who like a challenge.
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