I don't think it's quite right to frame Dormin as the villain. Long ago, he was sealed away for fear of his power. There's no real indication that he was ever truly malicious to the ancients who sealed him. He attacks the shaman out of anger, for revenge, and also to prevent himself from being sealed away again. And he's completely fair with Wander. Though he was ultimately sealed, he upholds his end of the bargain. Mono is revived. Dormin even goes the extra mile and gives Wander a second chance at life. Dormin isn't a hero, but he isn't a villain, either. This goes along with Dormin's nature as a dualistic being. Light and dark. Good and evil. Life and death. Even his voice follows this motif: there is a deep male voice and a higher female voice when Dormin speaks. In fact, SotC has neither heroes nor villains. Every character is morally ambiguous. Is Wander doing the right thing? Why was Dormin sealed? Was it just? What about the colossi? They are vessels of Dormin's power, after all. Is it right for the shaman to seal Dormin again? Why is he doing it? Even Mono herself is ambiguous. We don't really know why exactly she was executed. Was it simple superstition? Ritual? Had she committed some crime? We just don't know for sure.
I think that's touched on in the video at the end, that there are no heroes and villains. Also Dormin isn't a he. Like you said, they're too complex to be referred to as a singular entity. Interesting theory that it's Dormin who resurrect Wander. I guess I assumed it was the Shaman's magic, or the magical pool. Love how much the game inspires imagination through the questions it poses! Also if I recall correctly the Shaman says that the girl died because she had a "cursed fate". So I've always presumed it was a ritualistic sacrifice, like in Ico.
Yeah, I do think you're right, that every character in the game is morally ambiguous, including Dormin. I guess I did pretty heavily imply that Dormin was villainous, hard to catch these things when I'm trying to talk about the music. 😂 It's all very complex and grey and that's part of what makes it great. The fact that it plays with your emotions and conceptions of the characters and morality.
@@morank3 you understood it as the shaman resurrecting Wander? That's interesting, I never got that impression. Given that the shaman decided to peace out ASAP and was kind of a dick to Wander (how justified that is, we really don't know), I always got the impression that he didn't care what happened to Wander. Given Wander's shiny new horns, I always understood it as Dormin's doing, since horns are one of Dormin's things. If we assume the shaman is responsible for Wander's rebirth, that changes the shaman's characterization a lot, so it's definitely something to chew on.
Always loved how they credited each musician in the orchestra in addition to the composers and arrangers. Still haven't seen any game treat it's OST with such respect like Team Ico did.
This was a great video, but I do kind of wish you had discussed the final boss theme, "Demise of the Ritual" as it specifically seems to play into the points you talked about. Mainly that it is the only confrontation theme that is not heroic and triumphant, rather it is mournful and resembles a requiem throughout, as it it the true end and the ultimate act of sin Wander commits, and the game does not try to frame it as anything else for the first time.
How dare he kill sixteen animals to bring his love back to life. This 'sin' only works as such if we equal the life of a human being to that of an animal, which except for vegetarians, though our actions, make clear we do not at least once a day usually.
If you view them all as animals then I guess that logic sorta works, but they're more living works of art. It's not like the game is trying to directly compare it to killing animals or anything, they're just beautiful creatures. So like, fuck off and stop being a dick for no reason in an otherwise cool comments section
This video explains so well why this game is in my opinion art, and honestly a game I completed all three versions of the game (ps2 original, ps3 HD remaster and ps4 remake) deserves eternal recognition for what it does. In my opinion this is and may always be the best game of all time
Same on all points, when I first played it on ps2 it quickly became my favorite game of all time. Ps3 version was great too and I had a 3D television to play it in 3D which was awesome, but the ps4 remake is definitely the most beautiful version and a perfectly faithful rendition of the original. I loved the addition of finding those gold coins to unlock a hidden item that wasn't in the original, I remember watching the live stream of the first person who found all of them and finding out what it unlocked and I seriously had chills as tears in my eyes I felt like I was a part of gaming history. Phenomenal game
I have always held this game and Ico as two of the most captivating and emotional gaming experiences I've had. Thanks for giving their scores the attention and inspection that they so dearly deserve.
Going to have to disagree with your reading of the initial encounter music (Creeping Shadow), honestly. I don't find it to be calm or indicative of peaceful nature, but rather unnerving and foreboding. A potential threat looming, but only once *you* provoke it, which you necessarily have to in order to progress with Wander's ultimate goal of reviving Mono. The theme plays to the strength of the unique relationship between Wander and the Colossi, but in a way that I feel is more so highlighting the latter's line between curiosity and aggression that Wander must cross. It's a beautifully haunting track, to me.
I'm so sorry I didn't give you the attention and full commitment you deserve. I've watched your channel since day one and have made the mistake of doing nothing but pressing "subscribe". You deserve significantly more- your insight is truly valuable.
It's my favorite game, and to this day I highly recommend it to all my friends. The soundtrack is massive with I believe 41 tracks? It's so so great. Finding it was a doozy back then back so worth it. Also, I believe Wander knew the sacrifice he had to make, and knew it was worth it. Because in the beginning he says that she was a mistaken sacrifice.. I think he wanted to atone for that.
when the agro fall scene in final collosi fight, i can't stop crying..., shadow of Collosus is masterpiece and i'm lucky this game growing my emotion in my chilhood, one of the best game n memorable that i ever played in my life
Such a heroic story initiaĺly, turned upside down into a tragic sum of events. But it is indeed interesting that requiems are heard all the time from beginning to end, meaning that from the start you can totally sense that there is no heroism in what Wander set himself off to do and the msic completely captivates this. Amazing video man, keep up the great work! PD: too bad you didn't include Demise of the Ritual as the end-boss theme in your analysis. It captivates the feeling of dread, desperation and despair as the journey is coming to an end. Good job anyways.
I just wanted you to know that this video affected me in a way that i didn't know was possible, I've never cried during a youtube video ever, but in this one i did, the way you described the experience and the music, just... Wow!
I've been playing games ever since I was a little kid. i finished this game for the first time in ps3 when i was 30 years old. The story really kicks you in the teeth when you finish it, and the game barely has any cutscenes or even story progress; you get the opening setting, then you just play it for hours the same way, searching, killing. But the small details like the "dark matter" sucking in to the character, the requiem music after finishing a colossi, everything slowly starts to freak you out, especially when you notice for the first time that Wanders appearance starts to change. The whole ending scene where Wander shrinks from colossi back to himself again, reaching for his loved one but can not do anything against the dark abyss, shaman's last monologue about atonement etc. crushes you. I still come back to this story every now and then, its so simple yet it strikes very hard emotionally. I even tried to stream the game to my friends to bring it to more people, to notice, but I felt I could not do any justice for it. Everybody should experience this. When the ending credits roll, the brilliant song from the soundtrack "epilogue" starts and you're just thinking.. What have I done? Thank you for the great video and analysis! You certainly noticed and felt the same things as I did when experiencing this.
I remember this video! But also I'm glad you used the HD remaster to remake it, because it's the first time I actually see images from it and it looks incredible! Now i'm tempted to get it for myself
I understand it must be hard to go back and redo a video. However, I very much appreciate what new you had to say. I love the care and quality your channel has. Keep doing what you are doing, as it is great! Don't beat yourself down. We are all learning and growing on this youtube journey. :)
When I watched this video the first time, it inspired me to tell the story of the game I'm making through music, visuals and gameplay, rather than relying on short textual stories I had planned in the beginning. Thank you for that!
It takes courage to redo an old project, and I'm glad you had it. This version feels more complete than the previous video. The one thing I wished you used though would be "A Despair-filled Farewell" - that track completely underlines what you tried to say, starting with its title alone, then of course the panic-y and later mournful-tragic sound of the track, and finally the first time you hear it - fighting Avion, the majestic peaceful bird who is just trying to shake you off. It is as if the choir is begging you to let this creature alone, still knowing that you can't and you won't.
Thank you for this video. At first I was dissapointed by the game, maybe because of how highly everyone spoke about it. Maybe that got my expectations too high. But after watching this video I want to play the game again and really listen to the soundtrack and it's effects.
Shadow of the Colossus has been one of my favorite games since the moment I slayed the first Colossi; that gut punch of the music the first time I heard it and realized what the game was really about has stuck with me more that practically any other moment in a game. Love this game so much! Also, I was unaware of how absolutely gorgeous the remaster looks. Holy crap.
The score for this game isn't just my favourite video game score of all time, it's some of my favourite music I have ever heard in my life and this music means so much to me I can never put it into words how much I love it. As a musician Kow Otanis compositions in Shadow of the Colossus & Ico inspired me so much even though I compose a completely different genre of music. I can't thank you enough for this video Game Score Fanfare. I love it.
One of my favorite PS2 games ever (really saying something!), and an great, great soundtrack to listen to on it's own, and I strongly agree with everything in this video apart from Part 4. Even as a teen I thought the battle music, while pleasing, was an awkward fit with what was happening on screen, unless you played through the game a few times, and got REALLY good at jumping on/climbing up/killing the colossi. Otherwise you had this sweeping, majestic music playing, but the player would struggle to climb properly or time a jump. A huge melody playing but the player is just flailing on a tuft of fur. Then you'd fall off, and the music would transition back to the previous, more ambient track, which now would sound out of place after the epic kind of action that just took place on screen. I think the battle with the flying flatworm in the desert was the worst offender. It's quite a jarring switch, and I always felt it made the experience of battling each colossus very "game-y", and took the atmosphere out of the experience.
Finally, a voice of and for our beloved video game culture. This is the first time that I have ever left a comment for a channel and I must say that I am very proud of you as a fellow Gamer. The very first video that I watched of yours was on Fisherman's Horizon. It is a song that I dedicated to my father who has passed years ago for reasons that I am still learning about. I knew that people and fans alike loved the song, but I have never encountered someone who spoke realistically about the echoing impact of key moments that resonate with us through video games. I too will be doing videos very soon (Channel: Game 2 Honor) and I sincerely look forward to working with you someday. Your love, like that of so many others within our culture, is what will mend our divides as Gamers. Thank you for your contributions to cultural development, preservation and intellectual evolution of gaming my friend. May this comment find you and your loved ones well. ~ G Squared ~
I discovered this channel the other day with your Uncharted 4 video shared by Neil Druckmann on Twitter. I'm so glad I did. It's a mature, insightful look on the power of video games as a complex and impactful medium. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Ah, thank you for making this video! Shadow of the Colossus has one of my favorite soundtracks and I've always wanted somebody to discuss it in-depth, on its own.
I loved this so much! However I wished you talked about the ending. Even though there was death and tragedy, at the very end, there was birth and life and hope for the future and the music illuminated this beautifully, ending on a positive, beautiful note. Life goes on. It's such a great game. Thank you for making this video!
I adore this game's soundtrack. It's beautiful, exciting and mournful in all the right quantities. Thanks for this video! Also: Goddamn, that remaster is looking gorgeous. Gotta get my hands on it sometime
@@rustymiller9555 Ulm, Germany. They had an exhibition about shadows and light and stuff, and a whole room was designed around a ps4 where you could just play the game however long you deemed necessary
This wonderful video gave me the same sensation I had hearing this amazing soundttacks over and over again, and playing this great game over... ans over again.
Demise of Ritual music during last Colossus, and the storm, makes you feel you're about to become the devil who destroyed Paradise. Like a tragedy that is just mere collateral damage in your ultimate mission.
This was a really great video, I'm a little upset that it's been a while since you uploaded an new one though. If you're taking a break then take all the time you need, but if you feel unmotivated to create more of these amazing works then just know that there are plenty of people who appreciate your work and all your efforts.
Great video! A phrase you said "growing to a crescendo" reminded me of a book compiling some writings and telecasts by Leonard Bernstein that has an essay about writing with "musical language". In short, Bernstein points out that crescendo is Italian for Growing so "growing to a crescendo" is saying "growing to a growing". Pedantic I guess, but something to think about.
I love how this game has inspired so many people to think so deeply, If this isn't true art then I don't know what, I'm glad this remake resparked interest in this amazing game and its beautiful soundtrack, and thankyou for this analytical video.
Even though the colossus fights are the highlight of the game I tended to find the initial discoveries of the colossi and the death scenes after you deliver the killing blow to be the most memorable parts. That carries over to the soundtrack too. Don't get me wrong, the fights are fantastic and so is the accompanying music, but when I think of this soundtrack my mind goes towards the mellow and mournful pieces.
There's no villain, just different individuals/entities with different purpose. One of the very few really special games indeed. I find Bloodborne and this to be transcendental experiences.
I found it interesting how the music can get more sinister or not change but have a new feeling, and I was wondering if you could make a video on that. How a piece of music can get corrupt and have a different feeling or meaning, yet still have the same melody or idea.
Shadow of the Colossus is a Masterpiece. KOH OTANI did a wonderful if not awesome, music pieces that go perfectly with the game... enough to summon different emotions. One of the best games ever made, one of the best set of Music ever composed.
I did not have the chance to play this game so far. Its on my list nevertheless. What is really telling about its music, is that while i was watching your video, tears started to well up in my eyes, when you arrived at the death of the colossi. It already feels wrong to kill an other ways docile creature, but when you see it's childish face, and it's vain effort to get rid of the player and how these majestic creatures are falling to the ground lifelessly... its overwhelmingly sad. Their mere prescence brought some life to the desolate land they inhabit, and now even that is gone. The game practically tells you: "Congratulations! You made yourself even lonelier!" I also noticed how the camera shows them from afar in their last moments, which seems to work out in two ways: First, it shows how their bodies fall, in front of the already big landscape, emphasizing how truly enormous these creatures were. It gaves us a sense of scale again. Secondly, as the player mounts and kills them, we unavoidably see them up-close first. Changing to a distant view is not only a very obious visual sign of the impact of our deed (as well as a scene-change), but the colossus, that was so big, it did not even fit into the monitor just moments ago, now appears relatively small on the screen. This simple way of changing the perspective makes them look giant and small at once. Huge, strong, tough, but also helpless and in a way... frail. Like all life is frail, if you know how to end it. May seem contradictory at first, but in fact its a very well expressed complementary duality, a very sharp contrast. Heck, i am just watching your video, not even playing it. I did not have the chance to immerse myself in it as the player character. Yet i feel a sorrow, similar to when i've first seen the Lion King, when Simba tried to wake his dead father. Or the intro of Ori and the Blind Forest. Only a handful of medium could make me cry in my 27 years of life so far. The above mentioned scene of your video is one of thoose. While i belive, that the game in itself delivers that efficiently, your video-editing and cutting enhanced the experience. You know when its your time to talk and when you should let the game speak for itself. This speaks volumes about your passion for these games. If you dont mind, i'd guess that we, you and me, are similarly passionate about games, as we see them not only as entertainment, but also ways of artistic expression. While i always played with the idea of trying game-journalism or starting a game-experience blog, where i could express my adoration of the artistic values of games, i never really went that way. While i have a very few fanart drawings and a moderate urge to at least participate in the making of a game in my lifetime, i dont make videos out of my relating experiences, so you are in front of me in this regard. In the end, i feel like you also speak in my place in your videos. In short, i wanted to say, that You do a great job! Keep up! :)
This was one of those games I really enjoyed the first time around, but the more I revisit the game, the more moved I get by the story and music every time. Such a good game.
This video is wonderful, except for one thing that's missing. The song that plays when you die whilst fighting a collosus. The song haunted me the first I heard it. It's melancholly in nature, almost peaceful sounding, but turns darker and more sinister as the song reaches a close. It's almost telling you that it could be good for wander to die. That the land is now peaceful, as the song fades.
I always interpreted the requiem as a funeral and rebirth, first half is the immediate funeral followed by a rebirth, maybe the Collossi death and is then path to the rebirth of Dormin? Also Wander possessed by Dormin's death and rebirth as the baby. Idk that's how I felt
First off: This is my favorite game of all time and it makes me so happy to see someone covering it. Thank you. Second: I would love to hear your thoughts on the music in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. (You might already have, I haven't checked.)
For a game as critically acclaimed as SotC, I'm surprised as to how less videos are there on it. Great video, really nice explanation of how music ties to the game. From your footage, I found out that the demise scene of Dormin transform of Wander is non-interactive in the remake, where as it was interactive in the Original and was one of the most effective scripted interactive scene I've experienced. I don't know for what reason BluePoint decided to alter that, because from whatever else I've looked, it was clear that no other studio than BluePoint can do a faithful remake.
No, it's interactive in the remake too! There is a cutscene that shows Wander's transformation and then it hands control over to you, I just didn't show that part.
It's been More than a decade we are talking and analyzing.imagine in that period creators did all that and thought through all this. Which is fucking mindblowing.respect to those peoples and to u did a great job. Another guy made a vid abt this,I forgot though.anyway well done.
Fantastic analysis, man!! One of my favorite games and video game scores of all time. Right there with Rayman 2 The Great Escape and Twinsen's Odyssey.
Will you do a Xenoblade soundtrack video? I just finished Xenoblade 2 Torna the golden Country and for the first time in a videogame I cried more then 30 minutes irracionally... its so interesting that when you fight a villain in the game you don’t hear their music, but the one of their subconscious (blade in most cases), the game attaches musics to themes that follow you throughout you 100h adventure, expending their meaning with multiple playthroughs. After much thinking I realized this was my favorite game of all time, synthesizing all I love about videogames in one place
I fell out of console gaming for a while, so I've been collecting some of the more noteworthy titles that I missed along the way. Your analyses of this and Journey have me truly excited about what lies ahead. But first I have to finish Donkey Kong Country - those games are BRUTAL. X-D Lovely soundtrack though. (I picked that series after the episode on water music.)
First time encountering your channel, but I really appreciate the work that you put into these videos. I could not understand some of the emotions packed into these music until you said it in these videos. Thank you. Could you do patapon possibly if you know it? It has been my favourite game for many years. The emotions packed into this game may be quite simple (i'm not really sure), but I would like to see how you interpret it :)
I think part of what makes it so moving is how slow the change is. The realization of what is actually happening usually comes a bit later on, as the first few fights are dynamic and exciting and it's difficult to notice Wander's corruption at first. Later colossi become more passive, the music starts changing, and the corruption becomes more noticeable. Repeatedly viewing Wander getting attacked by the shadows after each battle also gives you more time to think about what's actually going on. Then somewhere around midway through, you realize what's happening and try to avoid it but there's nothing you can do. You try to find some other option, but there are none. You're in basically the same position as Wander: you don't necessarily want to keep doing it, but you don't have any other choice. On another note, I would love to see your take on the NieR: Automata soundtrack. There is so much I have to say about it and what it does. Heck, I've written an entire essay just on how the editing for the CD version of the E ending theme is stunningly brilliant in what it manages to do and say.
Yeah, the first time I played it the feeling of HAVING to do it was what grabbed me the most. Like I was being forced to continue and kill the Colossi, much like Wander was. I think in future playthroughs I realised that he isn't being forced to at all, he is choosing to. I really want to do Nier:A but I'm scared! That soundtrack is massive and the game is so complex with its themes... I think I will get to eventually, just gotta find the time and work up the courage!
Well, to be fair, you also have a choice as the player: you can stop playing the game. But within the game's bounds, you have no other choice, just like how Wander has no other choice within the bounds of his world in order to achieve his goal. Which starts getting metafictional. I think I spent a good portion of my first playthrough trying to find ways to outrun or avoid the tentacles of shadow, despite knowing it was futile. And that's understandable. There's so much that can be said about NieR's soundtrack and how it relates to the game's story and themes, it's tough to get it all. But what the music manages to say about the world is just stunning, and I haven't seen much analysis of it. If you ever do decide to do it, and want to include the ending theme, I'm fluent in Japanese and could provide a bit of insight on the differences in the different language versions. (I don't know much French, though, so that's missing for me.) Everything in the game is so thought out that even the differences in the lyrics in the various languages are pretty significant and meaningful. Especially when they all come together during E ending.
Wow, thank you for offering! I will definitely hit you up if/when I ever decide to tackle it. Also, you should check out Jake Butineau's channel, he has a couple videos up on Nier:Automata's soundtrack. I haven't watched them because spoilers, but hopefully they'll scratch that itch.
And what about the epilogue? It have a song that looks like to me much more exiting... like if in the end of everything, the nature of life and the cicle of life, that defines thos who die, and those who remain, is something great, represented in the game with a song that remmembers us of the begining of the game, showimg the cicle, but, now that we have passed by all the process of the game, in another, new and more epic way.
@@GameScoreFanfare personally Orta's but the first two game's soundtracks give a nice odd and alien soundscape. So a look at the series whole would not be so bad( I know a daunting task but look on the bright side its 3 Sega Saturn games and one Xbox railshooter).
This game is a beautiful tragedy, Wander does not want to let go of Mono and his cold determination and insanely strong focus cause him and the others to suffer, wich don't push wander towards his goal of be with Mono again, the whole game is about Knowing when to let it go, the song put us in a duality of feelings that, we think about stuff, about the Colossus, the song make us sad for them, tell us so much. And yet, the only one who is not affected about anything of that, is Wander, and he knows his actions are not heroic, he show us that in his very answer to Dormin's warning "I don't care". It's shocking! And in the end we are forced in a choice between an impossible objetive and the choice to Let it go. This represent the whole game, is about Wander refusing to let go of Mono, the song tells us that, that this quest has something unfair about it. And when you let go at the end, Wander does too. Is indeed a masterpiece .
The visuals at 9:10 are confusing to me. There's a close-up of Wander that transitions with a sort of match cut as the narrator describes how his character model becomes more demonic and corrupted-looking over the course of the game. The only difference I can perceive here, though, is that his head might not be held so high in the latter cut. I can't see any difference in his appearance that really lines up with the narrated description. If Wander's character model does change as described, this would have been a great place to show that off with one or more cuts transitioning between his starting appearance and his final appearance.
@@GameScoreFanfare Oh, pshaw. I don't care. I love this video just like its predecessor. I look forward to getting back into the game and experiencing it all. 🙂
Greatest soundtrack of all time for one of the greatest games ever. God how I hated slaying Avion, it was after the battle with her that made me question wanders morality. I lost my connection with him. So i scurried along finishing the game as an empty shell. No other game has done this to me which why i have it as my all time favorite peace of "ART". Crossing my fingers for a sequel
The ambiguos morality in Shadow of the Colossus always get me. But have to disagree with you, *Warden is NOT an victim of Dormin.* He is a victim of his own actions. Of the slaying against the colossi. If you pay attention of the first dialogue betweeen Dormin and Wander, the colossus's bodiless has WARNED the main protaganist, that his actions will cost a huge cost. Dormin gave a change to back down. But Warden cut him off. HE is the one, who agreed but without fully listening to his words. Wander didn't follow Dormin's biding, he followed the instructions and pulled the sword. And killed despite consequences. All the deaths are your fault, your doing and choice, all because for Mono's revival.
Yeah, absolutely. Dormin warned him, but he still went ahead. I guess that makes Wander complicit in his own death, but I don't think that wipes Dormin clean of responsibility!
Dormin said the cost would be high, but did not mentioned WHAT it would be. That's like me selling you a car, I warn you "It will cost you very dearly", you think of your savings :( but its for something you need. Next, Im taking and sacrificing your family to Satan as payment for the car xD while your savings are intact lolololol. Thats what's trickster do.
@@hermitcard4494 And you didn't paid attention to the game? Before Dormin could tell the cost, it was Warden that cut them off hefore telling the warning. Besides, the typical example of "Selling your Satan" is incredible overused. We all known that he is a liar that trick you into servitude.
Back when this game first came out I was in college and taking a course on mythology. One of the final assignments was to right a paper on what you thought was a contemporary myth, so I wrote a paper on Shadow of the Colossus. Is there a better piece of media from the current age to call a myth? I don't think so.
GSF hearts your comment: Oh shiiiiit! Give yourself some credit though, that comment would only cover about one minutes thirty seconds worth of material in this video AT BEST.
Destiny has amazing music. You should see if it would be possible to do one of these videos on it. Not too sure if it'll be as good as other games since it isn't a story driven game.
This is beautiful. Have you think of exploring the music of the others Ueda´s games? Though the narrative story in The Last Guardian is more explicit, I´d love to see what do you think of its soundtrack!
Yeah, I was planning on playing Ico recently but realised my PS3 no longer works. 😢 So I'd have to find a PS2 copy. I didn't finish The Last Guardian, but I should give it another try.
Oh, I hope you can get some ps2 copy! Or that your ps3 comes back to life! I´ve never played Ico. And with TLG, it took me a lot of effort to truly commit with the story. Maybe the mechanics to control the boy and Trico are a bit odd, but at the end it all pay off! The music is beautiful. Hope you can finish it sometime and enjoy it. Keep making these greats videos. This is one of my favourites youtube channels. Really enjoy your analysis :)
Hey Game Score Fanfare! I hope you can hear me out on this... Can you make a video on I Am Setsuna? It has pretty beautiful tracks you might want to listen to.
I wish I was older when I played this game for the first time, because I didn't catch any of this nuance, subtletly and themes, and just thought "wow, big monster, I'm gonna kill him, he is bad because he is monster and big" :v
I believe wander fully understood the consequences of his deal with dormin. & what’s more I don’t believe dormin is such an evil being. 2 reasons that lead me to this: A) dormin kept his end of the bargain and revived mono. B) he allowed wander to be reborn. Whether dormin benefited from these things is moot. He’s a god of his word.
I agree w almost everything, and can't get enough of this game. I just don't believe the Dormin are evil. There's no evidence that they are malicious..angry from being imprisioned, maybe. They seem to be a collective of spirits that once worshipped, then feared, then was fractured, and imprisioned, by a cultural conflict long since past, by Wanders, and Emons proto culture. The fractured spirit s inhabited, and animated pieces of the land, the area where the living and dead cross over. The map itself..north where Wander+Emon travel from,you ishe land of the living, and south, where 16 is battle the gateway to the spirit realm, and the Temple is right in the middle. Wander is a Templar to Emons shamanism. He broke w the religion when a girl he was into was sacrificed. Only guilt and intense love will make a man that crazy. I WILL buy it Again, without hesitation when the 8K MEGA ANNIVERSARY, hologram HD VR GREATEST HITS whatever edition comes out on the PStation implant or whatever in 2040. It's a transcendent work of fucking art. And wander isn't turning evil, he looks like a zombie, and appropriately, he's been getting filled and strengthened with the freed spirits of the dead, with every fallen collosi. He had become a vessel of the Dormin piece by piece.
![Why People Love Shadow of the Colossus so Much [Spoilers]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-XuHWdSGOIY/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why People Love Shadow of the Colossus so Much [Spoilers]](/img/tr.png)
I don't think it's quite right to frame Dormin as the villain. Long ago, he was sealed away for fear of his power. There's no real indication that he was ever truly malicious to the ancients who sealed him. He attacks the shaman out of anger, for revenge, and also to prevent himself from being sealed away again. And he's completely fair with Wander. Though he was ultimately sealed, he upholds his end of the bargain. Mono is revived. Dormin even goes the extra mile and gives Wander a second chance at life.
Dormin isn't a hero, but he isn't a villain, either. This goes along with Dormin's nature as a dualistic being. Light and dark. Good and evil. Life and death. Even his voice follows this motif: there is a deep male voice and a higher female voice when Dormin speaks.
In fact, SotC has neither heroes nor villains. Every character is morally ambiguous. Is Wander doing the right thing? Why was Dormin sealed? Was it just? What about the colossi? They are vessels of Dormin's power, after all. Is it right for the shaman to seal Dormin again? Why is he doing it? Even Mono herself is ambiguous. We don't really know why exactly she was executed. Was it simple superstition? Ritual? Had she committed some crime? We just don't know for sure.
I think that's touched on in the video at the end, that there are no heroes and villains. Also Dormin isn't a he. Like you said, they're too complex to be referred to as a singular entity.
Interesting theory that it's Dormin who resurrect Wander. I guess I assumed it was the Shaman's magic, or the magical pool. Love how much the game inspires imagination through the questions it poses!
Also if I recall correctly the Shaman says that the girl died because she had a "cursed fate". So I've always presumed it was a ritualistic sacrifice, like in Ico.
Yeah, I do think you're right, that every character in the game is morally ambiguous, including Dormin. I guess I did pretty heavily imply that Dormin was villainous, hard to catch these things when I'm trying to talk about the music. 😂 It's all very complex and grey and that's part of what makes it great. The fact that it plays with your emotions and conceptions of the characters and morality.
@@morank3 you understood it as the shaman resurrecting Wander? That's interesting, I never got that impression. Given that the shaman decided to peace out ASAP and was kind of a dick to Wander (how justified that is, we really don't know), I always got the impression that he didn't care what happened to Wander. Given Wander's shiny new horns, I always understood it as Dormin's doing, since horns are one of Dormin's things.
If we assume the shaman is responsible for Wander's rebirth, that changes the shaman's characterization a lot, so it's definitely something to chew on.
@@GameScoreFanfare Still a good video (just as good the second time, even). Now play ICO, damn it! I expect a video on it in the future ;)
What if Wanda himself becomes a vessel for Dormin? This supposed 'second chance' of life is in fact Dormin stealing Wanda's body?
Essentially, this is half the reason the game's considered a masterpiece.
Always loved how they credited each musician in the orchestra in addition to the composers and arrangers. Still haven't seen any game treat it's OST with such respect like Team Ico did.
Wow that's awesome. A lot of Japanese game companies have been bad in the past about crediting even composers. More like this please!
This was a great video, but I do kind of wish you had discussed the final boss theme, "Demise of the Ritual" as it specifically seems to play into the points you talked about. Mainly that it is the only confrontation theme that is not heroic and triumphant, rather it is mournful and resembles a requiem throughout, as it it the true end and the ultimate act of sin Wander commits, and the game does not try to frame it as anything else for the first time.
Yeah. I wish I did too now! Excellent point.
How dare he kill sixteen animals to bring his love back to life. This 'sin' only works as such if we equal the life of a human being to that of an animal, which except for vegetarians, though our actions, make clear we do not at least once a day usually.
@@XX-sp3tt I bet wander is a friendzoned and that bitxxx is planning to back to the prince that treats her like trash xD
@@XX-sp3tt You've never even played the game, right?
If you view them all as animals then I guess that logic sorta works, but they're more living works of art. It's not like the game is trying to directly compare it to killing animals or anything, they're just beautiful creatures. So like, fuck off and stop being a dick for no reason in an otherwise cool comments section
This video explains so well why this game is in my opinion art, and honestly a game I completed all three versions of the game (ps2 original, ps3 HD remaster and ps4 remake) deserves eternal recognition for what it does. In my opinion this is and may always be the best game of all time
There's nothing else like it.
Same on all points, when I first played it on ps2 it quickly became my favorite game of all time. Ps3 version was great too and I had a 3D television to play it in 3D which was awesome, but the ps4 remake is definitely the most beautiful version and a perfectly faithful rendition of the original. I loved the addition of finding those gold coins to unlock a hidden item that wasn't in the original, I remember watching the live stream of the first person who found all of them and finding out what it unlocked and I seriously had chills as tears in my eyes I felt like I was a part of gaming history. Phenomenal game
I have always held this game and Ico as two of the most captivating and emotional gaming experiences I've had. Thanks for giving their scores the attention and inspection that they so dearly deserve.
I still need to play Ico!
You should also play The Last Guardian. All these games are connected :).
@@GameScoreFanfarehave you played Ico yet? It’s a masterpiece as well. Also do not sleep on The Last Guardian. It’s amazing as well.
Going to have to disagree with your reading of the initial encounter music (Creeping Shadow), honestly.
I don't find it to be calm or indicative of peaceful nature, but rather unnerving and foreboding. A potential threat looming, but only once *you* provoke it, which you necessarily have to in order to progress with Wander's ultimate goal of reviving Mono. The theme plays to the strength of the unique relationship between Wander and the Colossi, but in a way that I feel is more so highlighting the latter's line between curiosity and aggression that Wander must cross. It's a beautifully haunting track, to me.
I'm so sorry I didn't give you the attention and full commitment you deserve. I've watched your channel since day one and have made the mistake of doing nothing but pressing "subscribe". You deserve significantly more- your insight is truly valuable.
It's my favorite game, and to this day I highly recommend it to all my friends. The soundtrack is massive with I believe 41 tracks? It's so so great. Finding it was a doozy back then back so worth it. Also, I believe Wander knew the sacrifice he had to make, and knew it was worth it. Because in the beginning he says that she was a mistaken sacrifice.. I think he wanted to atone for that.
I had no idea they used a bouzouki for the soundtrack and as a greek i can confirm it's very well used
when the agro fall scene in final collosi fight, i can't stop crying..., shadow of Collosus is masterpiece and i'm lucky this game growing my emotion in my chilhood, one of the best game n memorable that i ever played in my life
Such a heroic story initiaĺly, turned upside down into a tragic sum of events. But it is indeed interesting that requiems are heard all the time from beginning to end, meaning that from the start you can totally sense that there is no heroism in what Wander set himself off to do and the msic completely captivates this. Amazing video man, keep up the great work!
PD: too bad you didn't include Demise of the Ritual as the end-boss theme in your analysis. It captivates the feeling of dread, desperation and despair as the journey is coming to an end. Good job anyways.
Yeah, Demise is a great track. Thank you!
I just wanted you to know that this video affected me in a way that i didn't know was possible, I've never cried during a youtube video ever, but in this one i did, the way you described the experience and the music, just... Wow!
I've been playing games ever since I was a little kid. i finished this game for the first time in ps3 when i was 30 years old. The story really kicks you in the teeth when you finish it, and the game barely has any cutscenes or even story progress; you get the opening setting, then you just play it for hours the same way, searching, killing. But the small details like the "dark matter" sucking in to the character, the requiem music after finishing a colossi, everything slowly starts to freak you out, especially when you notice for the first time that Wanders appearance starts to change. The whole ending scene where Wander shrinks from colossi back to himself again, reaching for his loved one but can not do anything against the dark abyss, shaman's last monologue about atonement etc. crushes you. I still come back to this story every now and then, its so simple yet it strikes very hard emotionally. I even tried to stream the game to my friends to bring it to more people, to notice, but I felt I could not do any justice for it. Everybody should experience this. When the ending credits roll, the brilliant song from the soundtrack "epilogue" starts and you're just thinking.. What have I done?
Thank you for the great video and analysis! You certainly noticed and felt the same things as I did when experiencing this.
I remember this video! But also I'm glad you used the HD remaster to remake it, because it's the first time I actually see images from it and it looks incredible! Now i'm tempted to get it for myself
It really is gorgeous. But the last video was using the remaster too, most of the footage is the exact same!
I understand it must be hard to go back and redo a video. However, I very much appreciate what new you had to say. I love the care and quality your channel has. Keep doing what you are doing, as it is great! Don't beat yourself down. We are all learning and growing on this youtube journey. :)
Thanks Giiiiiiiirl (it just occurred to me that I don't know your name so I had to giiiiiirl you I'm sorry.)
haha. It's Kirstie. No worries. XD
Thanks Kirstie. ☺️
Why did he have to redo the video?
When I watched this video the first time, it inspired me to tell the story of the game I'm making through music, visuals and gameplay, rather than relying on short textual stories I had planned in the beginning. Thank you for that!
Thank you for re-watching and commenting! I'd love to see your game when you finish it. 😀
The remake for this game is absolutely sublime, one of the most beautiful games I've ever played
I love how it mixes Ocidental and Oriental music.
The quality of this channel is so amazing, I would love to see so much more from you. Much love!
Thanks, stick around and you will!
It takes courage to redo an old project, and I'm glad you had it. This version feels more complete than the previous video. The one thing I wished you used though would be "A Despair-filled Farewell" - that track completely underlines what you tried to say, starting with its title alone, then of course the panic-y and later mournful-tragic sound of the track, and finally the first time you hear it - fighting Avion, the majestic peaceful bird who is just trying to shake you off. It is as if the choir is begging you to let this creature alone, still knowing that you can't and you won't.
A masterpiece of the PS2 era and the soundtrack definitely elevated the unique gameplay
Best game ever! That OST! PFFFF!!! LOVE IT! From PS2 Bro... PS2!
Retro Is BACK!
Thank you for this video. At first I was dissapointed by the game, maybe because of how highly everyone spoke about it. Maybe that got my expectations too high. But after watching this video I want to play the game again and really listen to the soundtrack and it's effects.
Shadow of the Colossus has been one of my favorite games since the moment I slayed the first Colossi; that gut punch of the music the first time I heard it and realized what the game was really about has stuck with me more that practically any other moment in a game. Love this game so much!
Also, I was unaware of how absolutely gorgeous the remaster looks. Holy crap.
The remake does the game so much justice, its what it deserves. Kinda shows how ahead of its time it was.
*Music is the language of emotions*
Bruh....
Subscribed!
The score for this game isn't just my favourite video game score of all time, it's some of my favourite music I have ever heard in my life and this music means so much to me I can never put it into words how much I love it. As a musician Kow Otanis compositions in Shadow of the Colossus & Ico inspired me so much even though I compose a completely different genre of music. I can't thank you enough for this video Game Score Fanfare. I love it.
You're welcome!
One of my favorite PS2 games ever (really saying something!), and an great, great soundtrack to listen to on it's own, and I strongly agree with everything in this video apart from Part 4.
Even as a teen I thought the battle music, while pleasing, was an awkward fit with what was happening on screen, unless you played through the game a few times, and got REALLY good at jumping on/climbing up/killing the colossi. Otherwise you had this sweeping, majestic music playing, but the player would struggle to climb properly or time a jump. A huge melody playing but the player is just flailing on a tuft of fur. Then you'd fall off, and the music would transition back to the previous, more ambient track, which now would sound out of place after the epic kind of action that just took place on screen. I think the battle with the flying flatworm in the desert was the worst offender. It's quite a jarring switch, and I always felt it made the experience of battling each colossus very "game-y", and took the atmosphere out of the experience.
Finally, a voice of and for our beloved video game culture. This is the first time that I have ever left a comment for a channel and I must say that I am very proud of you as a fellow Gamer. The very first video that I watched of yours was on Fisherman's Horizon. It is a song that I dedicated to my father who has passed years ago for reasons that I am still learning about. I knew that people and fans alike loved the song, but I have never encountered someone who spoke realistically about the echoing impact of key moments that resonate with us through video games. I too will be doing videos very soon (Channel: Game 2 Honor) and I sincerely look forward to working with you someday. Your love, like that of so many others within our culture, is what will mend our divides as Gamers. Thank you for your contributions to cultural development, preservation and intellectual evolution of gaming my friend. May this comment find you and your loved ones well. ~ G Squared ~
I discovered this channel the other day with your Uncharted 4 video shared by Neil Druckmann on Twitter. I'm so glad I did. It's a mature, insightful look on the power of video games as a complex and impactful medium. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Very good musical analysis
Ah, thank you for making this video! Shadow of the Colossus has one of my favorite soundtracks and I've always wanted somebody to discuss it in-depth, on its own.
Very well done. The music is super important in such a lonely and desolate world and was very memorable and beautiful
I loved this so much! However I wished you talked about the ending. Even though there was death and tragedy, at the very end, there was birth and life and hope for the future and the music illuminated this beautifully, ending on a positive, beautiful note. Life goes on.
It's such a great game. Thank you for making this video!
The last song that plays when the hawk is flying away is amazing!
I adore this game's soundtrack. It's beautiful, exciting and mournful in all the right quantities. Thanks for this video!
Also: Goddamn, that remaster is looking gorgeous. Gotta get my hands on it sometime
It's the definitive way to play it. So deserving of the remake.
The museum in my city built a whole exhibition around that game
What city was that??
@@rustymiller9555 Ulm, Germany.
They had an exhibition about shadows and light and stuff, and a whole room was designed around a ps4 where you could just play the game however long you deemed necessary
@@Soguwe sounds amazing
@@rustymiller9555 entry was free and i got to beat(and sadly dislike) a classic, 10/10
Its always a good day when you upload! Thanks for all your hard work that you put into making these videos.
Thank you for sticking around! 😊
The music of Shadow of the Colossus works really similar to the music of Dark Souls (1), with the use of silence and music on bossfights.
I played this game once it was released on ps2. What a great game and incredible music. Thanks for this video.
This wonderful video gave me the same sensation I had hearing this amazing soundttacks over and over again, and playing this great game over... ans over again.
Demise of Ritual music during last Colossus, and the storm, makes you feel you're about to become the devil who destroyed Paradise.
Like a tragedy that is just mere collateral damage in your ultimate mission.
This was a really great video, I'm a little upset that it's been a while since you uploaded an new one though. If you're taking a break then take all the time you need, but if you feel unmotivated to create more of these amazing works then just know that there are plenty of people who appreciate your work and all your efforts.
Great video! A phrase you said "growing to a crescendo" reminded me of a book compiling some writings and telecasts by Leonard Bernstein that has an essay about writing with "musical language". In short, Bernstein points out that crescendo is Italian for Growing so "growing to a crescendo" is saying "growing to a growing". Pedantic I guess, but something to think about.
I love how this game has inspired so many people to think so deeply, If this isn't true art then I don't know what, I'm glad this remake resparked interest in this amazing game and its beautiful soundtrack, and thankyou for this analytical video.
Even though the colossus fights are the highlight of the game I tended to find the initial discoveries of the colossi and the death scenes after you deliver the killing blow to be the most memorable parts. That carries over to the soundtrack too. Don't get me wrong, the fights are fantastic and so is the accompanying music, but when I think of this soundtrack my mind goes towards the mellow and mournful pieces.
Totally. The battle tracks are stellar, but the true genius is in the quiet.
There's no villain, just different individuals/entities with different purpose. One of the very few really special games indeed. I find Bloodborne and this to be transcendental experiences.
Well done video!
I found it interesting how the music can get more sinister or not change but have a new feeling, and I was wondering if you could make a video on that. How a piece of music can get corrupt and have a different feeling or meaning, yet still have the same melody or idea.
I don't know much about music. But I do know that this game, was the first one that made me truly aware of its musical score.
Well explained. Great work. A masterpiece indeed
Shadow of the Colossus is a Masterpiece. KOH OTANI did a wonderful if not awesome, music pieces that go perfectly with the game... enough to summon different emotions. One of the best games ever made, one of the best set of Music ever composed.
I did not have the chance to play this game so far. Its on my list nevertheless.
What is really telling about its music, is that while i was watching your video, tears started to well up in my eyes, when you arrived at the death of the colossi.
It already feels wrong to kill an other ways docile creature, but when you see it's childish face, and it's vain effort to get rid of the player and how these majestic creatures are falling to the ground lifelessly... its overwhelmingly sad. Their mere prescence brought some life to the desolate land they inhabit, and now even that is gone. The game practically tells you: "Congratulations! You made yourself even lonelier!"
I also noticed how the camera shows them from afar in their last moments, which seems to work out in two ways:
First, it shows how their bodies fall, in front of the already big landscape, emphasizing how truly enormous these creatures were. It gaves us a sense of scale again. Secondly, as the player mounts and kills them, we unavoidably see them up-close first. Changing to a distant view is not only a very obious visual sign of the impact of our deed (as well as a scene-change), but the colossus, that was so big, it did not even fit into the monitor just moments ago, now appears relatively small on the screen. This simple way of changing the perspective makes them look giant and small at once. Huge, strong, tough, but also helpless and in a way... frail. Like all life is frail, if you know how to end it. May seem contradictory at first, but in fact its a very well expressed complementary duality, a very sharp contrast.
Heck, i am just watching your video, not even playing it. I did not have the chance to immerse myself in it as the player character. Yet i feel a sorrow, similar to when i've first seen the Lion King, when Simba tried to wake his dead father. Or the intro of Ori and the Blind Forest.
Only a handful of medium could make me cry in my 27 years of life so far. The above mentioned scene of your video is one of thoose. While i belive, that the game in itself delivers that efficiently, your video-editing and cutting enhanced the experience. You know when its your time to talk and when you should let the game speak for itself. This speaks volumes about your passion for these games. If you dont mind, i'd guess that we, you and me, are similarly passionate about games, as we see them not only as entertainment, but also ways of artistic expression.
While i always played with the idea of trying game-journalism or starting a game-experience blog, where i could express my adoration of the artistic values of games, i never really went that way. While i have a very few fanart drawings and a moderate urge to at least participate in the making of a game in my lifetime, i dont make videos out of my relating experiences, so you are in front of me in this regard. In the end, i feel like you also speak in my place in your videos.
In short, i wanted to say, that You do a great job! Keep up! :)
This was one of those games I really enjoyed the first time around, but the more I revisit the game, the more moved I get by the story and music every time. Such a good game.
I truly think it's a masterpiece, one of the best ever made.
This video is wonderful, except for one thing that's missing. The song that plays when you die whilst fighting a collosus. The song haunted me the first I heard it. It's melancholly in nature, almost peaceful sounding, but turns darker and more sinister as the song reaches a close. It's almost telling you that it could be good for wander to die. That the land is now peaceful, as the song fades.
Amazing video. I love how your perspective draws from both an in-depth knowledge on video games and music. Keep it up
I always interpreted the requiem as a funeral and rebirth, first half is the immediate funeral followed by a rebirth, maybe the Collossi death and is then path to the rebirth of Dormin? Also Wander possessed by Dormin's death and rebirth as the baby.
Idk that's how I felt
What a work of art. Your video was too, thank you.
First off: This is my favorite game of all time and it makes me so happy to see someone covering it. Thank you.
Second: I would love to hear your thoughts on the music in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. (You might already have, I haven't checked.)
You summed it up perfectly. Thank you.
For a game as critically acclaimed as SotC, I'm surprised as to how less videos are there on it.
Great video, really nice explanation of how music ties to the game.
From your footage, I found out that the demise scene of Dormin transform of Wander is non-interactive in the remake, where as it was interactive in the Original and was one of the most effective scripted interactive scene I've experienced.
I don't know for what reason BluePoint decided to alter that, because from whatever else I've looked, it was clear that no other studio than BluePoint can do a faithful remake.
No, it's interactive in the remake too! There is a cutscene that shows Wander's transformation and then it hands control over to you, I just didn't show that part.
@@GameScoreFanfare Oh okay. My bad.
It's been More than a decade we are talking and analyzing.imagine in that period creators did all that and thought through all this. Which is fucking mindblowing.respect to those peoples and to u did a great job. Another guy made a vid abt this,I forgot though.anyway well done.
Are you thinking of Writing on Games? Or my old video that this is replacing? 😂
@@GameScoreFanfare don't know dude!
Fantastic analysis, man!!
One of my favorite games and video game scores of all time. Right there with Rayman 2 The Great Escape and Twinsen's Odyssey.
Will you do a Xenoblade soundtrack video? I just finished Xenoblade 2 Torna the golden Country and for the first time in a videogame I cried more then 30 minutes irracionally... its so interesting that when you fight a villain in the game you don’t hear their music, but the one of their subconscious (blade in most cases), the game attaches musics to themes that follow you throughout you 100h adventure, expending their meaning with multiple playthroughs. After much thinking I realized this was my favorite game of all time, synthesizing all I love about videogames in one place
I fell out of console gaming for a while, so I've been collecting some of the more noteworthy titles that I missed along the way. Your analyses of this and Journey have me truly excited about what lies ahead.
But first I have to finish Donkey Kong Country - those games are BRUTAL. X-D Lovely soundtrack though. (I picked that series after the episode on water music.)
First time encountering your channel, but I really appreciate the work that you put into these videos. I could not understand some of the emotions packed into these music until you said it in these videos. Thank you. Could you do patapon possibly if you know it? It has been my favourite game for many years. The emotions packed into this game may be quite simple (i'm not really sure), but I would like to see how you interpret it :)
I think part of what makes it so moving is how slow the change is. The realization of what is actually happening usually comes a bit later on, as the first few fights are dynamic and exciting and it's difficult to notice Wander's corruption at first.
Later colossi become more passive, the music starts changing, and the corruption becomes more noticeable. Repeatedly viewing Wander getting attacked by the shadows after each battle also gives you more time to think about what's actually going on.
Then somewhere around midway through, you realize what's happening and try to avoid it but there's nothing you can do. You try to find some other option, but there are none. You're in basically the same position as Wander: you don't necessarily want to keep doing it, but you don't have any other choice.
On another note, I would love to see your take on the NieR: Automata soundtrack. There is so much I have to say about it and what it does. Heck, I've written an entire essay just on how the editing for the CD version of the E ending theme is stunningly brilliant in what it manages to do and say.
Yeah, the first time I played it the feeling of HAVING to do it was what grabbed me the most. Like I was being forced to continue and kill the Colossi, much like Wander was. I think in future playthroughs I realised that he isn't being forced to at all, he is choosing to.
I really want to do Nier:A but I'm scared! That soundtrack is massive and the game is so complex with its themes... I think I will get to eventually, just gotta find the time and work up the courage!
Well, to be fair, you also have a choice as the player: you can stop playing the game. But within the game's bounds, you have no other choice, just like how Wander has no other choice within the bounds of his world in order to achieve his goal. Which starts getting metafictional. I think I spent a good portion of my first playthrough trying to find ways to outrun or avoid the tentacles of shadow, despite knowing it was futile.
And that's understandable. There's so much that can be said about NieR's soundtrack and how it relates to the game's story and themes, it's tough to get it all. But what the music manages to say about the world is just stunning, and I haven't seen much analysis of it.
If you ever do decide to do it, and want to include the ending theme, I'm fluent in Japanese and could provide a bit of insight on the differences in the different language versions. (I don't know much French, though, so that's missing for me.) Everything in the game is so thought out that even the differences in the lyrics in the various languages are pretty significant and meaningful. Especially when they all come together during E ending.
Wow, thank you for offering! I will definitely hit you up if/when I ever decide to tackle it. Also, you should check out Jake Butineau's channel, he has a couple videos up on Nier:Automata's soundtrack. I haven't watched them because spoilers, but hopefully they'll scratch that itch.
I'm a simple man, I see any video about appreciating SoTC I like and subscribe...
And what about the epilogue? It have a song that looks like to me much more exiting... like if in the end of everything, the nature of life and the cicle of life, that defines thos who die, and those who remain, is something great, represented in the game with a song that remmembers us of the begining of the game, showimg the cicle, but, now that we have passed by all the process of the game, in another, new and more epic way.
I’m making music for a upcoming indie game! Your videos helped a lot so far!🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
dude, i love your videos!
Thank you! I'm so glad! ☺
It would be fun for you to do a video on the music of Panzer Dragoon as the whole series has good music to fit its themes.
Which is the best?
@@GameScoreFanfare personally Orta's but the first two game's soundtracks give a nice odd and alien soundscape. So a look at the series whole would not be so bad( I know a daunting task but look on the bright side its 3 Sega Saturn games and one Xbox railshooter).
Fantastic video! I really hope you tackle the Donkey Kong Country series' soundtrack someday.
You earned my subscribe sir.
Nice work!
This game is a beautiful tragedy, Wander does not want to let go of Mono and his cold determination and insanely strong focus cause him and the others to suffer, wich don't push wander towards his goal of be with Mono again, the whole game is about Knowing when to let it go, the song put us in a duality of feelings that, we think about stuff, about the Colossus, the song make us sad for them, tell us so much. And yet, the only one who is not affected about anything of that, is Wander, and he knows his actions are not heroic, he show us that in his very answer to Dormin's warning "I don't care". It's shocking! And in the end we are forced in a choice between an impossible objetive and the choice to Let it go. This represent the whole game, is about Wander refusing to let go of Mono, the song tells us that, that this quest has something unfair about it. And when you let go at the end, Wander does too. Is indeed a masterpiece .
what a narration of the music, UR Totally genius.
The visuals at 9:10 are confusing to me. There's a close-up of Wander that transitions with a sort of match cut as the narrator describes how his character model becomes more demonic and corrupted-looking over the course of the game. The only difference I can perceive here, though, is that his head might not be held so high in the latter cut. I can't see any difference in his appearance that really lines up with the narrated description.
If Wander's character model does change as described, this would have been a great place to show that off with one or more cuts transitioning between his starting appearance and his final appearance.
Ah, you can really see a different look for Wander at 9:30.
I didn't finish the game (other games have my attention) but even though I know I sort of know how it ends it's still utterly fascinating.
Sorry for ruining it for you. 😖
@@GameScoreFanfare Oh, pshaw. I don't care. I love this video just like its predecessor. I look forward to getting back into the game and experiencing it all. 🙂
One of the best games of not the best in turms of emotion
Woot woot! I love this video.
Thank you. 😊
Greatest soundtrack of all time for one of the greatest games ever. God how I hated slaying Avion, it was after the battle with her that made me question wanders morality. I lost my connection with him. So i scurried along finishing the game as an empty shell. No other game has done this to me which why i have it as my all time favorite peace of "ART". Crossing my fingers for a sequel
The ambiguos morality in Shadow of the Colossus always get me.
But have to disagree with you, *Warden is NOT an victim of Dormin.* He is a victim of his own actions. Of the slaying against the colossi. If you pay attention of the first dialogue betweeen Dormin and Wander, the colossus's bodiless has WARNED the main protaganist, that his actions will cost a huge cost. Dormin gave a change to back down. But Warden cut him off. HE is the one, who agreed but without fully listening to his words. Wander didn't follow Dormin's biding, he followed the instructions and pulled the sword. And killed despite consequences. All the deaths are your fault, your doing and choice, all because for Mono's revival.
Yeah, absolutely. Dormin warned him, but he still went ahead. I guess that makes Wander complicit in his own death, but I don't think that wipes Dormin clean of responsibility!
@@GameScoreFanfare True. Dormin pulled the strings and Warden followed suit. So yeah, the whole thing is two sides of the same coin.
The morality is all grey!
Dormin said the cost would be high, but did not mentioned WHAT it would be. That's like me selling you a car, I warn you "It will cost you very dearly", you think of your savings :( but its for something you need. Next, Im taking and sacrificing your family to Satan as payment for the car xD while your savings are intact lolololol. Thats what's trickster do.
@@hermitcard4494 And you didn't paid attention to the game? Before Dormin could tell the cost, it was Warden that cut them off hefore telling the warning.
Besides, the typical example of "Selling your Satan" is incredible overused. We all known that he is a liar that trick you into servitude.
Back when this game first came out I was in college and taking a course on mythology. One of the final assignments was to right a paper on what you thought was a contemporary myth, so I wrote a paper on Shadow of the Colossus. Is there a better piece of media from the current age to call a myth? I don't think so.
That's so great! I was about to say "I wish I got to write an essay about Shadow of the Colossus!" but then I realised... this is it.
Incredible video
How are you so good at this?
You're one to talk!
Fighting Valus, The Opened Way starts playing: Oh Shit!
Fighting Phalanx, Counterattack starts playing: Oh Shit?
Fighting Malus, Demise of the Ritual starts playing: Oh shit.
May as well just replace the video with 12 minutes of a pic of this comment.
GSF hearts your comment: Oh shiiiiit! Give yourself some credit though, that comment would only cover about one minutes thirty seconds worth of material in this video AT BEST.
Bela análise meu caro
I love the Ueda universe. It let's you be creative, if that makes sense. :)
Destiny has amazing music. You should see if it would be possible to do one of these videos on it. Not too sure if it'll be as good as other games since it isn't a story driven game.
Destiny was a beautiful game with beautiful music. Too bad it had a kinda shitty story
This is beautiful.
Have you think of exploring the music of the others Ueda´s games? Though the narrative story in The Last Guardian is more explicit, I´d love to see what do you think of its soundtrack!
Yeah, I was planning on playing Ico recently but realised my PS3 no longer works. 😢 So I'd have to find a PS2 copy. I didn't finish The Last Guardian, but I should give it another try.
Oh, I hope you can get some ps2 copy! Or that your ps3 comes back to life!
I´ve never played Ico. And with TLG, it took me a lot of effort to truly commit with the story. Maybe the mechanics to control the boy and Trico are a bit odd, but at the end it all pay off! The music is beautiful. Hope you can finish it sometime and enjoy it.
Keep making these greats videos. This is one of my favourites youtube channels. Really enjoy your analysis :)
Thank you! 😊
Idk if u like requests but I would like to hear your opinion on Chrono trigger's soundtrack.
Nostalgia
Hey Game Score Fanfare! I hope you can hear me out on this...
Can you make a video on I Am Setsuna? It has pretty beautiful tracks you might want to listen to.
My fav game.
I should play this game again
Yeah. But some of those Colossus are frigging annoying, so sometimes it's best to keep it safe in your memories.
I wish I was older when I played this game for the first time, because I didn't catch any of this nuance, subtletly and themes, and just thought "wow, big monster, I'm gonna kill him, he is bad because he is monster and big" :v
Thanks
it's a avocado
Absolutely
I believe wander fully understood the consequences of his deal with dormin. & what’s more I don’t believe dormin is such an evil being. 2 reasons that lead me to this: A) dormin kept his end of the bargain and revived mono. B) he allowed wander to be reborn. Whether dormin benefited from these things is moot. He’s a god of his word.
I agree w almost everything, and can't get enough of this game. I just don't believe the Dormin are evil. There's no evidence that they are malicious..angry from being imprisioned, maybe. They seem to be a collective of spirits that once worshipped, then feared, then was fractured, and imprisioned, by a cultural conflict long since past, by Wanders, and Emons proto culture. The fractured spirit s inhabited, and animated pieces of the land, the area where the living and dead cross over. The map itself..north where Wander+Emon travel from,you ishe land of the living, and south, where 16 is battle the gateway to the spirit realm, and the Temple is right in the middle. Wander is a Templar to Emons shamanism. He broke w the religion when a girl he was into was sacrificed. Only guilt and intense love will make a man that crazy. I WILL buy it Again, without hesitation when the 8K MEGA ANNIVERSARY, hologram HD VR GREATEST HITS whatever edition comes out on the PStation implant or whatever in 2040. It's a transcendent work of fucking art. And wander isn't turning evil, he looks like a zombie, and appropriately, he's been getting filled and strengthened with the freed spirits of the dead, with every fallen collosi. He had become a vessel of the Dormin piece by piece.
Really moving video man haha, maybe the music helped a bit