4 Tiny Details You Probably Didn’t Notice in Shadow of the Colossus Remake

Tiny Details, Big Colossi

Incredible, Tiny Details You Probably Didn’t Notice in Shadow of the Colossus Remake

The sheer size of the colossi you’re tasked with felling in Shadow of the Colossus make them pretty damn daunting foes. From a sprawling, hairy flying beast to a towering stone golem with a giant sword, let’s be real, you just wouldn’t hedge your bets on Wander to come out on top.

Though these majestic colossi looked great in the PS2 and PS3 versions, the PS4 remake takes it to a whole other level. Whether you’re watching the individual hairs on a beast’s back flap around in the wind, or watching as a fine dust and larger bits of crumbling debris fall from the lumbering stone warrior standing before you. You can even see signs of old-age and decay on your opponent’s too, be it worn and rusting metal, or cracks and crevices covering the surface of your stone advocate.

It might be pretty hard to appreciate the detail of the colossi as you’re being hurled around on their backs and Wander is holding on for dear life, but give photo mode a spin and you’ll begin to appreciate the tiny details that make them such memorable adversaries.

That Lighting

Incredible, Tiny Details You Probably Didn’t Notice in Shadow of the Colossus Remake

Lighting’s important in any game. Be it to simply allow you to see what you’re actually doing, or to add that extra level of ambiance to a creepy cobweb-ridden hallway. Shadow of the Colossus creates a rather drab and somber atmosphere from the offset with its story, and its grey and dull color palette only hammers home the melancholy tones of its narrative and underlying message.

Even in this dull and depressing world, though, there are moments of beauty in the most subtle of places. The Shrine of Worship’s giant archways behind the altar are a prime example. Once you’re sent back after defeating your next colossi, just spend some time appreciating the way the light spills in through the slots, illuminating streaks of the overgrown interior. You’ll catch bits of dust floating through the air, only visible as they catch the beams of light filtering in from the side or the aperture in the ceiling. It all helps to give the shrine that ancient and long untouched feel that makes it so eerie.

Slick Threads

Incredible, Tiny Details You Probably Didn’t Notice in Shadow of the Colossus Remake

We couldn’t help but show you just how great the lighting looks again in the image above, as the rays of light streak in through the aperture, but we’re actually talking about how great Wander’s clothes look here. Though it’s not the easiest to see in the image, next time you boot up Shadow of the Colossus remake, just take some time to inspect Wander’s threads. They’re impeccably detailed. You can almost imagine how each of the different fabrics would feel just by looking at them.

Zoom in close enough on the image, and you can see the intricate design and stitching of the leather garment Wander has underneath his loose top layer (it’s there, right next to the light colored patch on his arm). It’s the level of detail that such a small fraction of players will likely ever really notice. We’re not quite on the same level as Horizon Zero Dawn’s fantastically-detailed weapons and garments here, but that’s pretty much on a level of its own right now.

Mighty Fine Foliage

Incredible, Tiny Details You Probably Didn’t Notice in Shadow of the Colossus Remake

As you ride across the huge green fields of Shadow of the Colossus on the back of Agro, the world around you can become a bit of a blur. The floor turns into a bit of a blur as your noble steed gains speed, but open up Shadow of the Colossus remake’s photo mode and you’ll suddenly begin to see just how impressive each blade of grass, leaf, or stem of wild wheat looks.

It’s not just that all this foliage looks great, but it reacts pretty perfectly to the world, too. Speed across the fields on Agro and they’ll bend and flex violently in response. Stop and survey your surroundings, and they’ll gently bounce with the breeze. It’s quite an improvement from the weird green carpet-looking fields we saw back in the PS2 version. Thank the video game gods for the advancements in technology!