ONE of the most beloved PS2 games has been remade from the ground up with glorious results.

When Shadow of the Colossus was originally released there was no denying the unique atmosphere and subtle approach to storytelling.

The gameplay and animations – in a story which saw you seek out and battle giant beasts – were completely groundbreaking, making it easy to see why it became such a treasured title.

However, with these epic features, came one persistent problem. Frame rate drops during the game’s spectacular boss battles were a frequent occurrence. It was not enough to detract from the games quality but a problem nonetheless. Thankfully this has been resolved in this PS4 remake and I faced no issues with the game’s performance.

The one problem of the original game that hasn’t been addressed is the camera. During some of the more chaotic boss battles it can feel like the camera is a battle in itself.

This isn’t a problem for slow moving creatures but the ones that move with a bit more speed and unpredictability can make matters a little awkward.

Still, this is a minor issue and even when the camera is difficult to organise the swelling music and sheer scope of these battles is enough to make your jaw drop, especially when your character, the ‘wanderer’, is hanging on to these beasts by a thread.

Despite the epic scale of these boss fights, some of the best moments in the game can be the journey from one battle to the next. The world is extremely immersive and the graphical detail enabled by the PS4 hardware makes the game simply astonishing to look at. The howling wind becomes a familiar sound as the wanderer and his trusty steed ‘Agro’ make their way through the breathtaking forbidden lands and here is where the game’s atmosphere and world really shine.

Whether you’re a fan of the original or someone who missed out on the game when it was released back in 2005, this game should not be missed.

RATING: 9/10

ANDREW LEIVESLEY