Shadow of the Colossus

Why recommended

• Features a unique companion dynamic with a massive, animal-like creature that you must guide and cooperate with to solve environmental puzzles and traverse the world, echoing the scale and interaction with the Colossi.
• Criteria — Adventure is central, as you explore vast, crumbling ruins filled with secrets and environmental challenges, driven by a desire to understand the world and escape with your companion.
• The combat encounters, though less frequent than Colossus, are intense and require strategic use of both the boy and Trico's abilities, providing moments of action against formidable foes.

Why recommended

• The core gameplay loop revolves around tracking down and scaling massive, god-like creatures to defeat them, directly mirroring the iconic Colossi battles, requiring careful planning and execution.
• Criteria — Challenging Difficulty is inherent in the design, as each boss fight is a multi-stage puzzle and test of endurance, with environmental hazards and limited resources adding to the challenge.
• Criteria — Action is constant during the boss encounters, involving climbing, dodging, and precise attacks on weak points, providing a thrilling and physically demanding experience.

Why recommended

• Features a vast, open world filled with ancient ruins, sky islands, and underground caverns to explore, evoking the same sense of wonder and isolation as the Forbidden Lands.
• Criteria — Adventure is the driving force, with exploration, discovery, and environmental puzzle-solving at the core of the experience, constantly rewarding curiosity.
• Criteria — Action is prevalent in combat against various enemies, including large, multi-stage bosses that require creative use of abilities and environmental interaction, similar to finding weak points on Colossi.

Why recommended

• Features a strong sense of mythological grandeur and a journey through a world filled with ancient, often colossal, structures and beings, similar to the awe-inspiring scale of Shadow of the Colossus.
• Criteria — Action combat is deliberate and challenging, requiring strategic use of abilities, parries, and dodges against a variety of foes, including large, imposing creatures.
• Criteria — Adventure is key, as Kratos and Atreus traverse diverse realms, uncovering lore, solving environmental puzzles, and engaging in exploration to progress their deeply personal story.