Zero Punctuation: Shadow of the Colossus

[Tarakos]

Well personally, I didn't like this game. But 'twas a good review. But the summer drought should be letting up soon w/ Mafia 2 and Kane and Lynch 2.

 

[Stabby Joe]

There are actually more games he's reviewed he DID like but had more criticisms for, like Fallout 3 and Just Cause 2.

 

[alittlepepper]

Christ, you must love saying something nice about a game for once.

..And no, I'm not saying hów good that must feel.


Personally I'd love to play Shadow of the Colossus, since I never had the opportunity to do so. Meh, I bet this game costs way too much on E-bay these days.

Though I don't know where you're from, you can get the game for pretty cheap on Amazon. Here's the listing for it actually:

http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Colossus-Playstation-2/dp/B0009I6S0O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1281571052&sr=8-1

It's a great game totally worth playing. If you've got the funds to spare and can actually use Amazon...totally do it.

As far as Ebay is concerned, a quick search shows pretty much the same buyout bid range for a few of the auctions, around 9-10 bucks USD. So it isn't too expensive.

And no, I don't have a copy there, I'd never sell my copy of that game. I'm just giving a hand to someone with interest in the game.

 

[antipunt]

Understandable that he doesn't want to play SC2. Some genres just don't appeal to everyone (obviously).

That said, I really liked SC2

 

[Digitaldreamer7]

I bet he would like SC2's story, prob not the gameplay, Sad really cause SC2 has a very solid story.

 

[Stabby Joe]

Well so far we've got a good influx of posts mostly since both die-hard SotC and StarCraft fans have a lot to say.

It's also interesting to get posts from those who dislike these two games to, under the mounds of praise.

 

[Centrophy]

Now to be arbitrary and post my opinion of this game for the sake of it. *Ahem* I have an active dislike of this game. I remember playing and yes, finishing this horse riding simulator back when it first came out and received critical acclaim. Sure the boss fights were entertaining however I found that I spent most of the game in an empty lifeless world on the back of my horse trying to figure out how to get over those awful mountains. It was just really really boring and IMO a poor design decision and can be constituted as length padding.

I honestly can't understand all the love when half the game is spent doing nothing.

Then again I'm not trying to sway any opinions nor am I going to, just stating my opinion. Now don't quote me! Tired of getting the blasted things in my escapist inbox.

 

[Zanaxal]

I dont see what makes sotc great, sure some of the colossus and felt, colossal. But there's nothing more to it. Having to ride around a empty game world to get to the next boss is half the game, pretty much pointless, you could have just had a load screen between every colossi and spared yourself the trouble. This game is more a artsy/nostalgic fanboi eyewa..pleaser kind of game then something with actual "game"play.

It would be like running around in God Of War games, no monsters around, no souls or upgrades or anything. Just running to every boss, killing them. OH WAIT no dialogues at all, just some mumbling statue telling giving some dumb vague hint where to go then having to use Kratos'es bald head to gleam into the sun to see where to go.

I bought the game thinking, damn this is going to be a good ps2 game better then FFX in adventure and story... I should have just got FFX.

 

[The Super Action Squad of One]

Honestly, friends and neighbors, I'm glad Yahtzee abstained from reviewing that new Starcrafting game for the same reasons I wasn't looking forward to his review of that second Mario's Galaxy; anyone who's been paying even scant attention over the past few years would know pretty much exactly what he would say about it and why he would say it. Aside from that, why should you care? If you're in to Strategies Happening in Real Time and the controlling there of, then bully for you! I know it certainly didn't bother me when ol' Yahtz-o bashed that Smashing Brothers' Brawl game, didn't hamper my enjoyment of either the game nor the review none.

Starcrafting 2 aside, I actually got a bit of a request for Mr. Yahtzee if he so happens to find this post in amongst the sea fan feedback. Since we're now in the doldrums of the vidyagame releasing schedule and you seem to be scratching the bottom of the barrel for review material, might you consider another title from the last generation? Maybe an over-looked gem of a game, who's sad tale of bad marketing and sub-standard sales figures many now consider to be a poster child for all of the negative effects of the current state of the videogame industry? Now I haven't read all ten-plus pages of comments yet, so maybe somebody has already beat me to the punch, but I happen to know from watching your youtube reviews that you were once quite fond of Beyond Good & Evil, so maybe that might be an appealing choice for a future review. Just a thought.

 

[Decabo]

Men and women both have X chromosomes. Just thought I'd clear that up.

Correction, he said "An EXTRA x chromosone."

I've listened to it multiple times, he clearly says, "She's the only thing in this plot with an X-chromosome."

It's a simple mistake on Yahtzee's part, not a big deal.

 

[ziggy161]

I love surprise reviews XD
This one was damn funny! one of the most funny in recent months
Massive lols at Prince of Persia: Breast edition XDDD

 

[CronoDAS]

I want Shadow of the Colossus in HD.

 

[johnman]

Seriously, more adverts before the start of the video? Feeling greedy much?

Yes because all of this content jsut creates and hosts itself.

 

[Zydrate]

I like that you rip SC2 apart when the escapist gave it a perfect score for a different review.

o_0

Yahtzee =/= Escapist.

 

[Altherix]

Don't know why anyone is asking him to review SC2, you watch his Halo Wars review? He doesn't like RTS, end of discussion, unless you want to watch a review that boils down to, "It sucks, It sucks, It sucks, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it."

That said, I could never get into Shadow of the Colossus, might be because I'm against white knight protagonist. Also, the fact the story pretty much screams at you you're being tricked into a task that shouldn't be done. I don't like stupid protagonist either, might be the fact I was all these things when I was younger and don't like being reminded of it.

I can understand how people praise it and get sucked in, but for me it was just, "Ok, she can stay dead then because the price is too high." then being forced to do the idiot thing that I didn't want to do from the beginning.

 

[psycoking]

What?! Nothing about the horse? The horse controls in that game were shit. I loved Shadow of the Colossus, but the whole damn time I was playing the game I wanted to shoot the damned horse.

 

[TheBaron87]

I bet he would like SC2's story, prob not the gameplay, Sad really cause SC2 has a very solid story.

It can easily stand on it's own with alone it's singleplayer. I played through SP and really enjoyed it, it had a good story.

I've no idea why people bother discussing SC2 with people that say things like "It's only mining minerals and spamming the best units".
Would you discuss Team Fortress 2 with someone that said "It's just cartoons jumping around" or COD4 with someone that said it was "just walking around and occasionally clicking your mouse or pressing a button"?
No, you'd understand the person has no clue what they're talking about or are just simplifying an universally acclaimed game for the sake of trolling.
Don't feed the trolls, people. Just be glad you get to play SC2 and experience what is, by all accounts, an amazing game.

I can honestly believe people would be that stupid in this regard. I've met people I know aren't trolling that say things like that.

Now to be arbitrary and post my opinion of this game for the sake of it. *Ahem* I have an active dislike of this game. I remember playing and yes, finishing this horse riding simulator back when it first came out and received critical acclaim. Sure the boss fights were entertaining however I found that I spent most of the game in an empty lifeless world on the back of my horse trying to figure out how to get over those awful mountains. It was just really really boring and IMO a poor design decision and can be constituted as length padding.

I honestly can't understand all the love when half the game is spent doing nothing.

Then again I'm not trying to sway any opinions nor am I going to, just stating my opinion. Now don't quote me! Tired of getting the blasted things in my escapist inbox.

I dont see what makes sotc great, sure some of the colossus and felt, colossal. But there's nothing more to it. Having to ride around a empty game world to get to the next boss is half the game, pretty much pointless, you could have just had a load screen between every colossi and spared yourself the trouble. This game is more a artsy/nostalgic fanboi eyewa..pleaser kind of game then something with actual "game"play.

It would be like running around in God Of War games, no monsters around, no souls or upgrades or anything. Just running to every boss, killing them. OH WAIT no dialogues at all, just some mumbling statue telling giving some dumb vague hint where to go then having to use Kratos'es bald head to gleam into the sun to see where to go.

I bought the game thinking, damn this is going to be a good ps2 game better then FFX in adventure and story... I should have just got FFX.

Haha, quoted you anyway Centrophy. The running around is for atmosphere, ambiance, exploration. The game is meant to be an experience, not a "game" in the literal sense. Zana, the fact you thought of the searches as "trouble" shows that you were intent on looking for something the game was never meant to provide. The game is a stroll through a beautiful countryside, and you're jogging through it with a pedometer and an ipod. Not that that's wrong, I enjoy competitive games as much as "artsy" ones, but of course you won't enjoy a game you go into with all sorts of expectations. Centrophy, you just fail at navigation. It sounds like you spent hours wandering in circles. Do you get lost in new places often? Besides, the searching was another way to express Wander's dedication to reviving Mono. The game would have been less compelling if he rode the magic teleportation bus straight to every fight. It's not supposed to enhance the gameplay, it's supposed to enhance the narrative.

That said, I could never get into Shadow of the Colossus, might be because I'm against white knight protagonist. Also, the fact the story pretty much screams at you you're being tricked into a task that shouldn't be done. I don't like stupid protagonist either, might be the fact I was all these things when I was younger and don't like being reminded of it.

I can understand how people praise it and get sucked in, but for me it was just, "Ok, she can stay dead then because the price is too high." then being forced to do the idiot thing that I didn't want to do from the beginning.

It's very possible he knew exactly what would happen. Maybe not EXACTLY how it would play out, but he knew he was helping something very bad. It's made clear that the whole village knows the area is forbidden, and serves as a seal for some evil entity. Even if Wander wasn't from Mono's village, their relationship was obviously close enough that he would know why she had been sacrificed. I like to think he just doesn't care what happens to the village or himself if it might save her.

 

[RootbeerJello]

Not to mention that the game is so immersive that I almost cried when one of the characters "died" (Not the main character or any of the colossi).

Honestly, in my opinion that "death" was nowhere near as sad as some of the Colossi.

Anyway, I agree with most of the points brought up in this review, although I'm surprised the camera angles didn't get brought up, since they presented some problems in the form of a Jason Bourne eyefuck. SoTC is also one of my favorite open worlds, just because despite all the exploring you have to do, there are very interesting areas and beautiful minimalist touches that are never on your direct path.

 

[MB202]

I swore to myself that I would stop watching your videos after watching your Super Mario Galaxy 2 review. I'm not going to bother to explain why because I know you don't care whether or not I watch you're videos. But to be honest, I've been contemplating whether or not I actually like you're videos anymore ever since you're New Super Mario Bros. Wii/Left 4 Dead 2 review, so the SMG2 was more or less the final straw, I suppose.

However, I decided to watch this video because it's about Shadow of the Colossus... Which I've never played since I don't own a PS2, but I desperately want to play along with several other games for said system.