In the argument for the case of "Video Games as Art," Shadow of the Colossus is consistently cited as one of the best examples. The 2005 PlayStation 2 game from Team Ico, which received a PS4 remake in 2018, was a spiritual successor and potential prequel to their first game, Ico. Colossus is considered a masterclass in game design, presenting a perfect merging of mechanics and presentation. One of the most impressive aspects of the game is that its widely-lauded story is conveyed with very little dialogue.

Shadow of the Colossus is a bittersweet, cautionary tale that slowly reveals its moral conflict as the game progresses. It starts with a young man named Wander and his horse, Agro. The two travel across the wilderness into the ruins of an ancient temple located in a beautiful but barren landscape later revealed as the Forbidden Lands. At the center of the temple is an altar where Wander lays the precious shrouded cargo Agro had been carrying— the corpse of a young princess, Mono.

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Wander attracts the attention of shadowy figures he fends off with an ancient sword in his possession. From deep within the temple, a voice introduces itself as Dormin. Wander attempts to barter with Dormin, asking it to return Mono to life. Dormin says it may be possible if Wander destroys the temple's idols by killing creatures called Colossi that populate the land. It would be possible with his relic sword, but Dormin warns Wander that he will pay a terrible price.

This is the game's opening, which then sends players to slay their first Colossus. At first, Wander faces aggressive, humanoid Colossi. But each time he kills a Colossus, which are terrifying but beautiful creatures, it begins to feel increasingly wrong. Not every Colossus proves to be hostile. Some are smaller, benevolent creatures. Wander must actively murder these peacefully grazing goliaths, and while the gameplay is incredibly satisfying, it doesn't mitigate the sensation that the player has destroyed something special.

Further accentuating this point, each time Wander slays a Colossus, dark tendrils burst from his fallen quarry and fly into him. He passes out and wakes up at Mono's altar in the temple, one more of the idols exploding to rubble before he sets off again. After killing a fair amount of the Colossi, it becomes apparent that the shadowy powers have a deleterious effect on Wander. Beyond his clothing becoming tattered, his skin grows pale and veiny while his eyes turn cloudy.

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It becomes revealed that Wander is being pursued by a shaman called Lord Emon and a contingency of his men. They seek to stop Wander from destroying the Colossi. These magical beasts were ancient magic designed to split and imprison the entity called Dormin. Mono was a maiden who had been sacrificed to avoid her "cursed destiny." Wander was outraged by her death and stole the relic sword, knowing that there was power in the Forbidden Lands which could resurrect Mono but failing to grasp what was at stake.

Wander, driven by his unwavering dedication to Mono, was ultimately able to destroy all the Colossi. Lord Emon and his men arrived too late. Wander reappears, now thoroughly corrupted and sprouting horns. He attempts to approach Mono but is attacked by Emon's men. Filled with inhuman power, Wander only falls once he's stabbed in the heart.

But this proves to be the final seal holding in Dormin, who possesses Wander's body and transforms into a shadowy figure. Emon manages to cast the magic sword into a pool in the temple, starting a magical reaction that summons a whirling pillar of light. Emon and his remaining men escape as the pathway to the Forbidden Lands collapses behind them. Emon is left lamenting the outcome, hoping that if Wander somehow survived, he could atone for his selfish crimes.

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Back in the temple, Mono awakens alone in the Forbidden Land. Despite destroying Wander, Dormin apparently was true to its word. Joined by Wander's horse Agro, Mono explores her scenic but lonely prison. Mono discovers an infant boy with horns in the pool of water Wander was consumed in. Mono takes the child with her and the game ends with the trio uncovering a hidden garden in the temple.

Shadow of the Colossus shows the consequences of doing the wrong thing despite the best of intentions. Placed in Wander's shoes, players can't help but sympathize with his desire to see Mono, a needlessly slain person brought back to life. But seeing the toll it takes on Wander and learning the lines he had to cross in order to resurrect Mono makes his deal with Dormin questionable at best. He did succeed in the end, but was it worth the cost?

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