The First Colossus, Valus the Minotaur

This is part of an ongoing series about my favorite memories from video games. You can find the original list and table of contents in last month's post or by clicking here. Please be aware that these posts are going to be full of spoilers which may ruin the impact of these events on anyone who wishes to experience them on their own in the future. I’m sorry that my schedule got out of sync. I plan to be back on track for weeks to come, now.

#6 - The First Colossus, Valus the Minotaur

Shadow of the Colossus is by far one of the most amazing games I’ve ever played. Nothing I can say in this article will truly express to a reader how impressive this game is, nor could I predict what any individual would take away from the experience. I do believe the game has a unique ability to connect with any player. It has distinct artistic style and strong literary themes. It’s simple, yet effective, approach to telling a deep, emotional story is remarkable. To say the music is outstanding, I consider an understatement. In all honesty, the entire game experience is one of my most memorable moments, but I will attempt to fine tune my attachment by walking you through the first of sixteen encounters. It truly sets the pace and tone of the entire adventure, and just happens to be the first time the game took my breath away as I found myself toe-to-toe with the first of these giant, earthy monsters.

I played and enjoyed Ico years earlier, the predecessor developed by Team Ico, so I was interested in Shadow of the Colossus initially. A friend somehow convinced me to pick it up shortly after its original release back in 2005. Other than a friend’s trusted recommendation that I would enjoy it, I didn’t have any real expectation for the game. I assumed I would find it fascinating and artistic as I had previously found Ico. That was perhaps my initial reaction, but that would all change as I found myself up against the first colossus, Valus the Minotaur.

This may look like suicide, but this summarizes most of the game nicely.

Much like Ico, the game doesn’t waste time on words. You experience the story through actions and environments mostly. As the game opens with Wander arriving at some ancient temple with his horse Agro carrying the unconscious woman named Mono, this is practically all you will know for sure about them for most of the game. Wander proceeds to contact some powerful being named Dormin and requests he return Mono’s soul back to her body. Dormin replies with a deal. Wander defeats the sixteen colossi spread across the land and he’ll comply if it’s possible. After that, the game starts and the world is yours to explore. This story seems very basic and simple, but it's already sowing the seeds of doubt about the dubious nature of this deal.Wander is willing to risk so much simply for the possibility that Mono may be returned, and he pays no heed to what it may cost. The notion is romantic, but also hauntingly desperate. This game has your mind already turning over the possibilities with just a few lines of simple dialogue.

Are you intimidated yet? Do you feel desperate and alone?

From there you mount Agro and leave the temple to explore this strange, empty land. The first things a player may realize is that this place, called later the Forbidden Land, is mostly green and beautiful, but almost void of life. There’s the occasional splatter of trees, and a lizard may dart here and there, but that’s it. As you rush off to find and fight the first of many giants, you are not met with any resistance. You simply make your way to where the light of your sword guides you and marvel at your beautiful, yet unusually quiet surroundings. The game’s interface itself lends to accessibility of  the environment by being unobtrusive and out-of-sight when not in use. When you switch between your bow and sword, a small icon briefly pops up and then fades away. Wander’s strength is measured by two meters - a stamina gauge to measure how long he can climb or hold back his bowstring, and a health bar for when he takes damage. When they aren't actively being used, it’s just Wander, his horse, and the empty world on the screen. This reinforces some of the game’s primary themes. Although the environment is peaceful and tranquil, it also fills you with a sense of loneliness and despair. The way the game is presented to you is really indicative of what Wander himself feels: alone and desperate.

The light from Wander’s sword leads to a cliff where a brief tutorial teaches how to climb, jump, duck and roll – all the physical skills a budding colossus slayer needs to survive. When Wander finally crests the top of the cliff, there’s a brief cutscene to introduce the player to the first colossus. Each colossus is usually introduced with a rather cinematic scene which clearly illustrates just how gigantic they are compared to Wander. As Valus lumbers past he doesn't notice Wander standing there, as if he were an insignificant insect. Wander appears barely taller than the hoof of this cloven-foot monstrosity. If wandering through the lonely landscape didn’t make you feel alone, desperate and perhaps insignificant then standing at the toes of a giant surely will drive the feeling home. Valus continues on his way, away from Wander.The letter-box frame of the cutscene fades away leaving you to chase after this enormous creature and begin to look for a way to defeat it.

He is not so big and tough from this camera perspective!

The game offers very little in the way of hints on how to topple these monsters or even wound them. If you fumble around long enough Dormin (ever impatient) might offer you some clue as to where to start, or where to strike. I remember my first encounter with Valus didn't go well as I struggled to find a way to climb his massive body and find his hidden weaknesses. What you learn by trial and error on Valus continues to be the main way of fighting all the subsequent colossi. You search for the places on their body you can grip and climb, until you find the glowing sigils that indicate their weak points. However, each new colossus brings a unique challenge. Some fly; some swim; some are covered in seemly impenetrable armor. Discovering how to find their hand-holds, or expose their weakness becomes more and more like a dangerous puzzle. Being the first, Valus is perhaps one of the easiest, but because the game just throws you, your sword, and your wits against this giant being with very little in the ways of instruction - just learning to climb, stab and hold on for dear life is the puzzle with him.

 There are countless games of lone warriors braving all odds against formidable foes or impenetrable fortresses, but they all emphasize action or drama. Shadow of the Colossus really emphasizes emotion. From the art design to the music selection, from the cinematic scenes to the minimal dialogue and character interaction, everything lends to influence the way a player will feel when playing the game. Aside from the loneliness and the despair, there is also a great sense of foreboding, sadness and tragedy. As I played the game, I feel a certain amount of delight in conquering these living mountains, but when I finally plunge Wander’s sword in for the final time, as the behemoth takes its final steps before falling lifeless, I’m not met with a victorious fanfare to celebrate my achievement, but a sorrowful dirge to mourn its passing. I questioned early on whether what Wander was doing was even right. The game makes each victory feel monumentally triumphant, but also tremendously sad. It’s woven together beautifully and because you are Wander, because this story is told as a video game, you truly get to experience it all yourself as if it were you.

How about the power of flight! Does that do anything for you?

I cannot stress enough that this is a game to experience rather than read about, and there has never been a better time. Both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus were re-released in HD for the Playstation 3 back in September, 2011. Since then I’ve played through Colossus two more times. Everything is even more breathtaking in high definition. But even if you only have access to a Playstation 2, it’s still worth tracking down a copy of this game and experiencing it for yourself first-hand. This is the one entry in my TOP Ten that I doubt I could spoil because each person will probably take something away from this game that is unique to their own personal experience. Whether you lost someone you cared about, or have felt alone, insignificant, or desperate in some other fashion, the game really speaks to human emotions. As long as you’re not expecting an action packed adventure game, I believe it’s a game that anyone (with emotions) can appreciate.

-TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

 Related Links
TOP Ten Memorable Moments
Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack on Grooveshark
Valus the Minotaur on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbqt_XlXRl4

Week in Review - 6/8/2012

PC

• Diablo III 

Nightmare Witch Doctor

The biggest challenge to me in Diablo III is my internet connection. Since I bought the game, my internet has given me and my wife nothing but trouble. We recently rearranged some furniture and since then we can’t seem to stay consistently connected to the internet after 8pm EST. It’s making progress in the game difficult. I have never been a naysayer against the demand to be online to play the game, but it sure is annoying me now that I can’t stay online at night. We never had this problem with any MMO. We recently hit up Whimsyshire in the afternoons, though. 

Wii

• Xenoblade Chronicles 

Shulk: Terrible name, Cool character

I had a patch of being busy lately and now that I’m caught up with life, I return my attention (nearly undivided) to Xenoblade Chronicles. It pains me that I was unable to stay focused from start to finish, but after briefly reintroducing myself to the game’s mechanics I’m firing toward the end and breakneck speed. I’m determined to see it through to the end before any other distractions pop up. I continued to be amazed by the music. The story is now picking up nicely, too, and I find myself more and more desperate to know what happens next.

Games on Deck:

Ever since I started blogging back in February, I've been reading more and more video game news and personal blogs about gaming in order to come up with topics and familiarize myself with what's going on in the world of gaming. That is to say, more than I used to. Since February I keep stumbling on the name of a game I'd honestly never even heard of until this year. It's surprising because most people are commenting that it's the best role-playing game (or Western role-playing game if they are segregating) of all time. How could I have never heard of this? 

The game is Planescape: Torment and I'm told it's an existential experience. I recently procured a copy for Father's Day and I'm hoping to turn my full attention to it after finishing up Xenoblade Chronicles. It means pushing back Persona 4 again! Can anyone who reads this far comment on whether they'd rather play Persona 4 or Planescape: Torment? I expect I'll have to decide which I devote my time to sometime next week.

-TOP

@TOPGamingBlog

Sora's Sacrifice

This is part of an ongoing series about my favorite memories from video games. You can find the original list and table of contents in last month's post or by clicking here. Please be aware that these posts are going to be full of spoilers which may ruin the impact of these events on anyone who wishes to experience them on their own in the future. I’m sorry that my schedule got out of sync. I plan to be back on track for weeks to come, now.

#7 - Sora's Sacrifice (Kingdom Hearts)

I spent some time in February working on an article about how much I can relate to Sora, the main character of Kingdom Hearts. I was not talking about any of the other games to come out of that franchise, but the original game as I first played it when it was released. Although I cannot speak as highly for the other members of the “Kingdom Hearts” family, the original game remains a treasure in my game collection. I’m tempted to replay it again this summer based on this and the previous article I’ve written about it. It wonderfully blends the Disney movies I grew up with and the Final Fantasy styles of story-telling with gameplay that has come to define the “active RPG” genre. It’s a great adventure story that culminates in a very bittersweet ending. I doted on all this back in February as you can read here.

One side of the Kingdom Hearts story is about Sora’s struggle to reunite with his close friends, Kairi and Riku. When Sora’s home world is enveloped in darkness, they are both lost to him. His primary personal goal is to get them back. On the other hand, Riku chooses to accept the darkness and comes to resent Sora over the course of the game. He can only see Sora having fun with his new friends (Donald Duck and Goofy) and doesn’t realize how much Sora is struggling to get back together with him and Kairi. Riku is manipulated by Maleficent and comes to be a primary antagonist to Sora. He shows up to taunt Sora several times about his inefficiency at helping Kairi, who is trapped in a comatose state. Riku’s story is the mostly untold story of a tragic anti-hero who is also trying to do the right thing, but mostly going about it in the wrong way.

This all builds up to its boiling point at the unusual, original world, Hollow Bastion. It’s there that Riku fills Sora with enough self-doubt that he temporarily relinquishes control of his legendary weapon, the Keyblade to Riku. Riku triumphantly announces he was always meant to be the rightful wielder. This is where Sora really shows his true colors, though. The following events are what make Sora really shine as a character as he discovers his inner strength and steps up to face Riku. When Sora next sees him, the Keyblade returns to him and Sora explains that his connection to his friends (all the Disney friends he’s made as well as Riku and Kairi) is what makes him stronger, not weak. Riku proceeds to draw him deeper into the Hollow Bastion fortress where Kairi sleeps.

I spent a while playing Kingdom Hearts actually thinking that Riku is making a good point – that Sora is getting easily distracted by the Disney side of things and not focused on his true goals of finding his friends and saving the universe. I think that’s mostly a result of poor choices of words in the game’s script because the Sora that shows up to Hollow Bastion is pretty intense on both accounts. Riku’s taunting finally manages to get to him, and he loses the Keyblade, and with it the power to fight against the darkness. Nevertheless, Sora decides he can’t give up and he presses onward. His determination to succeed ultimately regains him the Keyblade and reunites him with his friends on the doorstep to Kingdom Hearts, which is a source of ultimate power sought after by the villains.

Sora means serious business.

Here is where the quest comes to its climax. The door is incomplete without the light from Kairi’s heart which is oddly absent from her comatose body. Riku explains her heart is locked away within Sora’s heart. Riku now has his own Keyblade which has been forged from the power of people’s hearts, particularly the other Disney princesses’ hearts. He claims it has the power to unlock people’s hearts to the power of darkness and plans to use it on Sora to get at Kairi. An intense battle ensues – for me it is the most difficult battle in the entire game (excluding a certain optional battle). The fight really gets me all worked up and drawn in. Riku is extremely fast and with his newly formed Keyblade, he hits hard.

The emotional significance of this fight is how worked up it manages to get you. Riku is not a villain and the game does not lead you to hate him. If anything, the game makes you care about him in a way similar to how Sora cares about him. I pity him. He is confused and needs help. He has also sided with the villains in an attempt to do the right things, but at what cost to himself and the worlds around him? Despite being the tragic anti-hero, the fight that ensues, Sora’s Keyblade to protect the Light vs Riku’s Keyblade to unleash the Darkness, is so challenging it always gets me into a frenzy. It builds my emotional state so high because I really, really want to knock him off his high horse, even though I do not hate him as I would a true villain. The character of Riku is the perfect rival to test Sora’s resolve, and the player’s skills. Despite how worked up this moment can get me, this isn’t THE moment. It’s the precursor to the scene that follows.

Sheepish grins are now warning signs of noble sacrifices.

When Riku is defeated and gone, Sora is left with two problems. First, he must seal Kingdom Hearts away from the villains, but the door (and keyhole) is incomplete without Kairi’s power. Second, he’s found Kairi, but she remains comatose. There is a brief emotional lull here as Sora, Donald and Goofy all ponder the problem. Then it happens. With nothing more than a sheepish grin to his closest allies, Donald and Goofy, he picks up Riku’s discarded Keyblade and stabs it into his heart. He decides on his own that bringing Kairi back is more important than his own preservation. Sora unlocks his heart to darkness, which releases Kairi, and transforms Sora into one of the mindless creatures of darkness he’s been seeking out and destroying. This is the “Mickey Mouse” way of saying he dies and is reborn as something evil.

With a player’s emotions running high from the mostly unwanted (but satisfying) battle against Sora’s best friend, the next scene immediately transfers all that emotion into the most shocking moment in the game. Sora’s self-sacrifice is the ultimate test of his loyalty to his friends, and his faith in their ability to carry on the quest without him. I struggle to express how much this impacts me every time I experience it. He’s just a boy! I proclaim. How could he be this noble? If the Keyblade chooses its wielder based on the strength and conviction of their heart, it’s clear now that it would have always been Sora and never Riku, despite what Riku tried to have Sora believe earlier. This single moment defines the very core of what the “Kingdom Hearts” story is trying to tell.

This game really plucks my heartstrings in a lot of ways. It sings to my nostalgia for the old Disney films and the beloved characters from both Disney and “Final Fantasy.” It tells a fascinating story of one boy’s journey against all odds to do what’s right. It is a great game with an interesting story, but what it does best is really suck me into that one moment where all three friends are reunited again. I truly wish all the games in the “Kingdom Hearts” series were like this for me. They all have their strengths and are good games, but there is something special about Kingdom Hearts and something amazing about this one moment. It’s as if the game itself has the power to unlock my heart and fill me with an extraordinary amount of anguish and sadness over these fictional characters. It is a testament to what a game can make you feel, and help you discover about yourself, when it’s done right and strikes you in just the right way.

-TOP
@TOPGamingBlog

Related Links
TOP Ten Most Memorable
Sora's Sacrifice on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e24MHDM0dBQ
Origin of Sora's Sheepish Grin - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRmtPjXyjgc

Week in Review - 6/1/2012

I apologize that my post about Chrono Trigger's Magus was published late, and this week's article has been postponed. I had some family in town, followed by Memorial Day weekend, and my scheduled has gotten all out of sync. I decided to take the week off and not worry about posting again until next Tuesday, June 5th. I should have thrown something up earlier explaining I wouldn't be writing this week. Please forgive me. I'll be back on schedule next week.

PC

• Civilization V

She looks so friendly!

I finally pulled off a Catherine (Russia) victory on Prince difficulty. I’ve been choosing random map-types so I never know if I’ll be playing on full continents or small islands. My Russian empire happened to be an island nation which is an odd choice for a Russian victory, but I pulled it off splendidly. My fleet of battleships was a force feared all along the high seas and with them I crushed the mighty Spanish empire back into submission. Taking Madrid sealed my victory. I then went on to win another Prince game with Egypt. That time on Earth-map I controlled all of Europe and the Middle East. 

• Diablo III

Witch Doctor Mola Ram

My adventures in Diablo III continue, but I have recently taken Monk out of the picture. Don’t misunderstand me, I love Monk but he’s becoming impractical in groups. When I play with friends he spends more time dead than alive. I know I could throw money into his gear to increase his survivability, but since he remains untouchable when I play solo I think I shall put him on the back burner as my solo class. I’m currently trying to catch up a Witch Doctor to join with my friends. Although he’s creepy, I enjoy the class. 

X-Box 360

•  Forza Motorsport 2 

I'm actually using a 1970 914.

Although I typically prefer Gran Turismo, I had the urge for a race and this was the only game I had on the shelf. I wasn’t interested in purchasing a new game. Although this game is old, it’s still quite fun. Surprisingly, my kids love this game. They love helping me pick which cars to race and what colors to paint them. They even enjoy the first couple races before their attention spans wander off. Since putting this on the first time, I’ve popped it on for a race or two just to distract them from their perpetual toddler drama.  

-TOP
@TOPGamingBlog