"Shadow of the Colossus" was originally released on the Playstation 2 back in 2005 and received critical acclaim for its intense gameplay, haunting music, distinct art style, and less is more approach to storytelling. The game has since become known as one of the best PS2 games of all-time and it is often used as an example by those who argue that video games are capable of being art.
High praise, low sales
Despite the praise "Shadow of the Colossus" received from both gamers and critics, the game only sold moderately and didn't experience the strong sales games of that caliber usually enjoy.
However, it did gain a large following of fans and the game did get a second chance when it was given an HD remaster and re-released on the PS3 along with its spiritual predecessor "Ico."
A complete remake
During Sony's 2017 E3 conference, it was announced that a remake of "Shadow of the Colossus" was being made from the ground up to take advantage of the powerful PS4 and PS4 Pro. The remake was developed by Bluepoint Games, and like the original, would be released exclusively for PlayStation. The announcement caused much excitement among old and new fans alike, and the game was released last week on February 6.
The success it deserves
Like the original game, the remake has received very strong scores from critics and, unlike the original, it has also seen very strong sales.
The game made its debut straight to the top of the UK game charts, despite fierce competition from the likes of "EA Sports UFC 3," "Monster Hunter: World," and "FIFA 18." GFK Chart Track also reports that the remake's sales have been 73 percent higher than the original. It seems "Shadow of the Colossus" is finally getting the strong sales it deserves, even if it had to wait for over a decade!
Remakes and remasters
It's not unusual for a popular game to be ported to newer consoles after its initial release, oftentimes with slightly improved visuals or performance, but it is generally rare to see an older game completely rebuilt from scratch, though it isn't unheard of. "Metal Gear Solid" was remade for the GameCube in 2004 under the name "Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes." More recently we've seen remakes of the first two "Halo" games, the first three "Crash Bandicoot" games, and "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." There are also several remakes coming in the near future, including the highly anticipated "Final Fantasy VII" remake, and a new version of the PS1 game "MediEvil."
