New Features Added

To the right, you will notice my lists of favorite games have been bumped down the page a bit. I have inserted a couple of lists of the titles I am currently playing ('In the Drive'), as well as the next discs I intend to pop into the tray ('In the Queue'). Now you can keep track of what exactly is filling my nights -- well, all both of you who were concerned.

I finally finished Shadow of the Colossus before sitting to write this. I stand by my earlier claim of the game's artistry, but that is not equivalent to saying perfection was achieved. I nearly quit playing halfway through the game because I grew weary of fighting the game's controls. The camera was the main culprit, since the thing seemed determined to sacrifice useful views for cinematic impact. My experience with Shadow of the Colossus felt akin to a game from the Legend of Zelda series; for all but a couple of the colossi, I was never in any real danger. The challenge lay in figuring out exactly how to go about my grim task. Unlike a typical Zelda boss, though, you are not continually collecting new toys you know are involved somehow. This is where my frustration arose -- for two or three consecutive colossi, I almost immediately recognized the solution to the riddle, yet I fought for what seemed like eons to execute my plan due to the game's control scheme. Either the software was not up to the design team's vision, or a conscious decision was made to remind the player that his or her avatar is no superhero. I enjoyed the game too much to accept the latter, as sacrificing fun for realism goes against my beliefs of what gaming is.

I have to talk about the story's conclusion, so spoilers follow. You know what to do if you are willing to look.
Having to watch Agro fall into the canyon three times before I was able to complete the game nearly drove me to tears; despite my control complaints, Wander's faithful steed always did what I asked. I was completely off-base on what occurs during the finale. Certain that Wander would become a seventeenth colossus as payment for his wish, I smirked with satisfaction as his form distorted in the shrine. Personally, I would have been okay with his death, since he spends the game killing innocent creatures for what amounts to a selfish desire. Needless to say, the return of Agro warmed my heart, in spite of the limp. As powerful as I found the dénouement, I put nowhere near the thought into its meaning as the guy who wrote the story analysis FAQ at GameFAQs.com. The horned baby seems an obvious link to ICO, which is part of what put that title back in my to-play list.

Game well this weekend, and may your memory cards not fail.