Ico was one of those games that everybody loved, but nobody played. With next to no advertising and terrible box art, it’s no surprise that Ico sold probably about as good as an old shoebox filled with mud. However, those who did play it told tales of an amazing action/adventure title unlike anything else on the PS2. With striking visuals and a unique cinematic style, Ico amassed a cult following, who over time have grown anxious to see a sequel. Rumors came and went for years, but finally in September of 2004, "Wanda and the Colossus" was shown to the world. The game bore a striking visual resemblance to that of Ico and fans rejoiced, and while it’s from the same development team, sporting similar visuals, they confirmed that "Wanda" is not a sequel to Ico. When a European release was announced, the game was re-titled Shadow of the Colossus, which is what the game is now going by. This hotly anticipated title unsurprisingly seems to have enough strength to stand aside Ico as one of the PS2’s premire titles.

Like many games, Shadow of the Colossus put the main character in the compromising position of safeguarding a helpless princess on a journey of salvation. As the game begins, they’ve already journied together for many moons, and the cataleptic princess is taken to a shrine which may cure her condition. Inside and below the shrine is an expansive field that has no end in sight. Our hero Wanda (yes, the main character is male) places the afflicted royalty on an alter, a voice thunders from above, saying that the only way the princess can be saved is if Wanda defeats the gigantic beasts that roam this field. It’s now up to the hero and his horse to bring down an ancient race of monstrously sized creatures, which I’m sure you guessed are the titular Colossi.

Touching a colossus brings it to life, and a colossus can have many forms. Some may be humanoid, others may be birdlike, but regardless of the form they take, they’re all massive. They also sport different artificial intelligence, with some being smarter, while other may be faster than the others. This influences the Colossus’ abilities which change in tandem with the form they represent. Once the player runs up to the colossus, it will come to life. Using the R1 button, Wanda will grab hold onto the colossus, and climb onto it, initiating quite a bumpy ride. Then the player must find the gargantuan beasts weak point, and strike viciously.

Some colossi require different stratagies to board. One humanoid looking colossus has a sword, and tries to attack Wanda with it. When the sword misses and lodges into the ground (you better dodge it, because judging by it’s size it’s probably a game ending event), the player can then climb up the sword. The sword bone’s connected to the: arm bone; the arm bone’s connected to the: shoulder... so using this strategy, the player will end up on top of these massive creatures, but not before navigating their maze-like surface. That’s right, it’s not just about getting to the weak point, it’s how you get there. As you’d imagine with a maze, you’ll need to find the right way through. Some ways don’t work, so another path must be tried. Sometimes striking a point on the creature will open up new paths, or change the layout entirely. Eventually, you’ll get to attack the creature, and bring it crashing to the ground. It’s likely that different stratagies may be required for different enemies, but right now that’s all that’s been revealed.

Your horse will definitely be useful. According to director, game designer and art director Fumito Ueda, "The horse is like Ico’s Yorda. In addition to being the main character’s companion, he has a supporting role in battle." For example, defeating a quicker creature will require that you chase them down via your horse. The horse will also follow paths and avoid obstacles on it’s own, meaning the player can concentrate on other things, say for instance, firing a bow and arrow. "In this way," says Uedo, "it’s a good, semi-automatic ride. Players can focus all their power on the battle."

Not much else is known about Shadow of the Colossus, including the release date. While the game will likely make it to the U.S. (it’s already confirmed for Europe, and originating in Japan), nothing has yet been confirmed. That doesn’t make Shadow of the Colossus any less intriguing of a game, and it’s progress is one you can be sure we’ll follow closely.