Sony didn’t have too many surprises at its E3 2017 presentation, instead choosing to show off extended gameplay sequences for several of its previously announced projects. However, one game did come as a genuine shock: A remake of the acclaimed 2005 adventure Shadow of the Colossus. Though its trailer was short, what we saw was nothing short of stunning, showing off several of the game’s titular Colossus bosses as well as a few beautiful environments. We can’t wait to get our hands on the final version. Here is everything we know about the Shadow of the Colossus remake so far.
It’s a full-fledged remake
Sony has brought older titles like Heavy Rain and God of War III to the PlayStation 4 with a new coat of paint before, but Shadow of the Colossus appears to be more like last year’s Ratchet & Clank. We expect it to largely follow the story and structure of the original game, but it’s certainly possible that tweaks could be made to make it more in line with its contemporaries.
In the announcement trailer, the quality of the grass and water is indicative of a title built from the ground up for PlayStation 4. The colossi on display are rendered in impressive detail, with fur visible on their shoulders and designed etched into their stone.
Sony released a second trailer during its presentation at Paris Games Week 2017. Although it did not feature any of the colossi, it does further highlight the lush and detailed rendering of the environments as protagonist Wander makes his way through a dark forest out onto a massive bridge with a dramatic, desert vista.
Who is in it?
Ostensibly, the Shadow of the Colossus remake will feature all 16 Colossi seen in the original game. Thus far, we’ve only gotten a glimpse at a few of them, and they look as formidable as ever. These are the ones we know will be included with screenshots from the game’s first trailer.
Valus
Quadratus
Gaius
Phalanx
Barba
Who’s making it?
Shadow of the Colossus is in development at Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Japan Studio, which has previously worked on games like Knack, Gravity Rush, and Bloodborne. Bluepoint Games is also involved in production — the studio has become well-known for its remasters and ports, including the original Titanfall on Xbox 360 and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection on PlayStation 4. Bluepoint was also responsible for The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection on PlayStation 3. Unlike the game revealed last night, the PlayStation 3’s version of Shadow of the Colossus was a pretty standard HD remaster, with clearer visuals and better sound.
When can we play it?
Shadow of the Colossus is scheduled to launch exclusively for PlayStation 4 on February 6, 2018. In the meantime, you might want to check out original director Fumito Ueda’s last game, The Last Guardian. Originally announced for PlayStation 3, the game finally released last year to mixed reviews — its visual style is reminiscent of Shadow of the Colossus, while it’s gameplay is more similar to its predecessor, the PlayStation 2 game Ico.
Update: Added release date and trailer from Paris Games Week 2017.
