May 23, 2023·edited May 23, 2023Liked by radicaledward
I love 'Shadow of the Colossus.' I loved it back on the PS2 and again as a PS4 remake. I wouldn't say it emotionally resonated with me quite the same way, but it definitely made me question the desire to actually attack the Colossi, some of whom don't even bother touching you until you make the first move, like the Great Bird that sits perched on a pedestal until you shoot an arrow at it.
Never thought about the Orphic themes, but I def-ly think they are there now.
I did write an essay about 'Shadow' for a videogame class, where I discussed something about it that always stood out to me - the fact that 'Shadow' kinda deconstructs the very idea of a boss fight. After all, what made videogame bosses - a staple of action games - unique was the fact that they were surrounded by repetition and sameness.
You typically had to deal with hundreds to thousands of regular minions, many of whom were the same enemy replicated numerous times, before you got to the one big enemy that had a unique design, attack pattern, etc. in contrast to the repetitive little guys.
Here was a game where there were no minions, where every 'enemy' was unique, where no one enemy was quite like another, and more than that, these 'enemies' themselves represented stages or levels for you to traverse in order to keep moving forward. The environment itself was thus the 'enemy' the player had to overcome.
I kept meaning to go back and play it but I still haven't! I think it does something that few games even try to do in a meaningful way, which is to challenge the player on the basic assumptions of what narrative agency really is.
Every Team Ico game really pushes at the boundaries of games. I'm not sure they're always successful, but they're always fascinating.
Wow, thank you for this, truly gorgeous writing. You write about video games in a way I've always wanted to.
I remember when I played Shadow of the Colossus when it came out on the PS2 -- a few friends came over, all the lights off in the basement, everyone transfixed for hours. I don't know what I would be able to say about it. Things that inspire that kind of awe and quiet attention are so rare.
Yeah, rarity of powerful art is what makes it hit so hard, I think. I remember the first time I played Ocarina of Time for the first time in much the same way. Just awed by the quiet power, mesmerized.
I love 'Shadow of the Colossus.' I loved it back on the PS2 and again as a PS4 remake. I wouldn't say it emotionally resonated with me quite the same way, but it definitely made me question the desire to actually attack the Colossi, some of whom don't even bother touching you until you make the first move, like the Great Bird that sits perched on a pedestal until you shoot an arrow at it.
Never thought about the Orphic themes, but I def-ly think they are there now.
I did write an essay about 'Shadow' for a videogame class, where I discussed something about it that always stood out to me - the fact that 'Shadow' kinda deconstructs the very idea of a boss fight. After all, what made videogame bosses - a staple of action games - unique was the fact that they were surrounded by repetition and sameness.
You typically had to deal with hundreds to thousands of regular minions, many of whom were the same enemy replicated numerous times, before you got to the one big enemy that had a unique design, attack pattern, etc. in contrast to the repetitive little guys.
Here was a game where there were no minions, where every 'enemy' was unique, where no one enemy was quite like another, and more than that, these 'enemies' themselves represented stages or levels for you to traverse in order to keep moving forward. The environment itself was thus the 'enemy' the player had to overcome.
God, I love 'Shadow.'
I kept meaning to go back and play it but I still haven't! I think it does something that few games even try to do in a meaningful way, which is to challenge the player on the basic assumptions of what narrative agency really is.
Every Team Ico game really pushes at the boundaries of games. I'm not sure they're always successful, but they're always fascinating.
Wow, thank you for this, truly gorgeous writing. You write about video games in a way I've always wanted to.
I remember when I played Shadow of the Colossus when it came out on the PS2 -- a few friends came over, all the lights off in the basement, everyone transfixed for hours. I don't know what I would be able to say about it. Things that inspire that kind of awe and quiet attention are so rare.
Thanks!
Yeah, rarity of powerful art is what makes it hit so hard, I think. I remember the first time I played Ocarina of Time for the first time in much the same way. Just awed by the quiet power, mesmerized.