Game Soundtrack Spotlight - Shadow of the Colossus (2005)

Shadow of the Colossus (2005;
Sony Computer Entertainment)

by Christopher McElfresh

Ico was a great sleeper, launching early in the Playstation 2's run, developed by Team Ico, an offshoot of Sony's Japan Studio head up by designer Fumito Ueda.  It was a stand-out title, displaying a unique style, beautiful graphics for its time and it also perfected much of the 3D platforming tropes that were introduced by titles like Tomb Raider in the mid 90's.  The fluid gameplay became the framework for this sort of adventure/platformer, a genre that boasts other titles like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and the Uncharted series.  

In the mid 2000's, concept art and screenshots arose for a game called "Wanda and the Colossus".  When I first read this title in a game magazine I was baffled by it, considering Wanda, as the once-traditional female name, was associated these days with a recurring comedy sketch starring Jamie Foxx in drag.  I did later learn that this title was a Romanization of "Wander and the Colossus", Wander being the name of the lead character.  Released in the fall of 2005 in the U.S. as "Shadow of the Colossus", the game instantly became one of my favorite games of all time.

Shadow of the Colossus was unlike anything I had ever played before.  It was massive in scale, it was lonely yet beautiful.  It invoked emotions that were not common in games.  The premise centering on Wander, who rides into a massive valley on horseback, the body of a young woman in tow.  He arrives at an abandoned temple, places the girl's body on an alter and is immediately addressed by a mysterious voice that we later learn is a being called Dormin.  Wander, in order to save his lost love, is charged by Dormin with the slaying of sixteen colossi.

The captivating element of the story is how the game offers zero exposition, opting for a show-don't-tell approach.  It is easy to get the sense as you progress through the story that maybe, just maybe, what you are doing is kind of bad.  True, these creatures are an obstacle to overcome in the name of love, but at what cost?  Is this an act of love or selfishness?  We are obviously meant to find many of these creatures majestic, not demonic and the ones that are in full-on attack-mode tend to be later in the game.  Are they defending themselves from the slayer of their allies?  As Wander slays more of these creatures, he begins to change.  His skin goes pale, with black veins and black eyes.  A strange black, ghost-like figure emerges from the dead colossi.  Are these creatures separate, sentient prisons designed to protect the world from the release of Dormin?  There are so many questions to be asked of this story which makes it truly captivating.  Rarely does a game have a story that is even worth mentioning, let alone discussing and debating.

One feature of Shadow of the Colossus that I found to be perfectly striking was its atmosphere.  You and your horse, Agro, are pretty much alone in this valley and it feels like it.  It feels so remote, so desolate, so foreboding.  The lack of music through much of the game is an element that ads to this atmosphere.  The music will queue in when you arrive at a destination, and during combat, with  only a few other themes placed sparingly throughout the game.  The combat music has two modes: the theme when you are engaging the colossus, or trying to find your way onto its massive body, and the theme when you began your ascent of the great being.  Naturally, as the stakes are higher, the ascent themes are much, much more intense, invoking in me memories of great action movie themes and even some music from horror movies.  The composer, Kow Otani, is a veteran of Japanese entertainment, with experience in film, anime and games in a career that spans 25 years.  The soundtrack of Shadow of the Colossus has a number of great tracks to choose from, all following a distinct sound.  Many of these themes are actually variations on each other so I have chosen seven that I believe are the most distinct and captivating.  There are many more songs in this soundtrack and I do recommend checking out the entire thing at some point.

The Soundtrack-

Commandment-

Before and between facing the various towering creations in the mysterious valley, the occasional soft piece will fade in, bringing with it a sense of peace and assurance.  This is one such piece.  Its softness and relaxing tone marks a calm before the storm.

Grotesque Figures-

As one of the themes that kicks in just as you scale the great beast, this is one of the songs that invokes a real sense of danger.  I love these songs in this game.  The flutes and accompaniment have a flighty sound to them amidst the thundering chorus, sort of like how Wander is a gnat on these great creatures' shoulders.  I love the contrast there.

Revived Power -

This is probably my favorite song on the soundtrack.  Revived Power is anthemic and adventurous.  It invokes a sense of danger while encouraging a great feat.  Another example of how perfect this soundtrack is for this game.

A Violent Encounter-

We return to a minor key, this time with a dark and dangerous song with an epic air about it.  Everything about this song screams of danger and excitement.

In Awe of Power - 

Another great challenge, another epic tune. I love where the song changes, featuring the violins sweeping in, filling the song with a sense of terror.  A nice little tune.

Liberated Guardian-

This one is high on my list of favorites.  The strings chant a fearful shriek as the accompaniment seems to chase you.  There is an intensity and immediacy to this song that really drives it.

The Final Battle -

This is quite literally a march to the end.  It features some nice background while the melody is exciting and encouraging at the same time.  However, it still manages to instil a sense of danger as many of this soundtrack's best themes do.

This has been a quick look at a mere fraction of the soundtrack to one of my all-time favorite video games.  If you have not checked this one out, the HD version is available on the PS3 and it is well worth your money, I highly recommend this and its companion piece Ico.  Next time we will look at some of my favorite songs from Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori.  Until next time...

All above music, Shadow of the Colossus and all elements therein are property of Sony Computer Entertainment.  The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.