Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

In a nutshell:
In a world of identikit sequels and licenses this game stands alone. Cast as the mysterious Wanderer you are charged with destroying sixteen colossi – gigantic and apparently invincible stone monsters. Each colossus has a weak point though and by climbing onto them and exploring them like moving castles you may have a chance to save your sweetheart.

The lowdown:
This game really does look and plays like nothing else, with a game world as large as the colossi which you can only explore via your trusty horse Argo. The graphics are fantastic, both technically and in terms of artistic design, and the melancholy atmosphere utterly unique. The colossi look particularly amazing, as you reach barely to the toe tops of most of them. The method of killing each one is perhaps not quite as varied as it could be and it’s a shame that there’s not anything to do in the overworld except travel to the next colossi, but the overall gaming experience is unparalleled.

Most exciting moment:
Your first sight of a colossus, as you realise the end-of-level boss is the level.

Since you ask:
This game is by the same team behind cult hit ICO, although a connection between the two stories is only evident at the very end of the game…

The bottom line:
One of the most beautiful and original video games ever made.
HARRISON DENT

Following a voice from the heavens, you embark on a dark and dangerous quest to seek out and slay the enormous wandering monsters that roam this strange world. Only you can defeat these formidable Colossi, and in doing so, only you can bring life to the girl who lies waiting on the altar.

Each beast is immense in size and strength, the team's new and unique motion control system giving an incredible depth of motion density. The 'Organic Collision Deformation' system enables the player to grasp and climb the Colossi with precision, stealth is also essential in navigating these ever changing, moving and dangerous terrains. You must climb these terrifying beasts and strike the deathblow that will bring them crashing to the ground. However, slaying such fearsome opponents is no easy task before these enemies can be toppled, you must first discover how to defeat them. And the challenge does not end there; after you have slain one monster you must begin the demanding task of finding the next&

The monsters in Shadow of the Colossus present the game player with one epic terrain but another is the world they inhabit. With only your trusty horse, Agro, for company, you must explore lonely plains, mountains, lush countrysides, sinister lakes, great caves and ancient ruins. Each Colossi is unique, organically reflecting the environment in which they reside. Each one you track down takes you one step closer to discovering your destiny and the fate of the girl who remains motionless and oblivious throughout.

An intense journey of exploration, puzzle solving and eerie battle, Shadow of the Colossus also includes the distinct, highly-acclaimed graphic style that came to prominence in ICO, making this an absorbing voyage of discovery with some of the most picturesque landscapes and formidable enemies ever to be seen on PlayStation 2.