Bluepoint Games had a terrifying job back in 2018. How do you rebuild a legend? When Fumito Ueda and Team Ico released the original Shadow of the Colossus in 2005, it wasn't just a game; it was a vibe. A mood. A lonely, desolate, beautiful accident of hardware limitations and artistic genius. If you played it on the PS2, you remember the frame rate chugging along at 15 frames per second. It felt like a dream you were struggling to wake up from. Then came the Shadow of the Colossus PS4 remake, and suddenly, the fog lifted.
The Forbidden Lands were no longer a blurry smear of grey and green. They were sharp. Intense.
Honestly, some purists were worried. They thought that by making the game look "too good," Bluepoint might kill the mystery. They were wrong. This remake is arguably the gold standard for how to handle a classic. It doesn't add unnecessary loot boxes or a skill tree. It doesn't give Wander a witty sidekick. It’s just you, your horse Agro, and sixteen massive gods that you have to kill for a very questionable reason.
The weight of the world on your shoulders
There’s this specific feeling you get when you first ride out of the Shrine of Worship. The scale of the Shadow of the Colossus PS4 world is hard to describe until you're staring up at Gaius (the third colossus) and realizing you have to climb his sword. It's massive.
The remake handles physics in a way that feels heavy. Wander isn't a superhero. He’s a desperate kid. When he clings to the fur of a flying beast over a desert wasteland, he flails. He loses his grip. His stamina bar—that glowing pink circle—is the most stressful thing in the world. You’re not just pressing buttons; you’re white-knuckling your controller, hoping the beast doesn't shake you off into the abyss.
Bluepoint spent a lot of time on the lighting. In the original, the "bloom" effect was used to hide the PS2's technical struggles. In the PS4 version, the light is a character. It catches the dust in the air. It glints off the water in the southern lakes. It makes the colossi look like they are part of the earth, made of stone and moss and ancient, tired magic.
What actually changed in the 2018 version?
If you're coming from the PS2 or the PS3 remaster, the first thing you'll notice is the control scheme. The original controls were... let's say "eccentric." Mapping the jump button to Triangle was a choice that only made sense in 2005. The Shadow of the Colossus PS4 version defaults to a modern layout. You can still go back to the classic mapping if you’re a masochist, but why would you?
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Then there's the "Performance" vs. "Cinematic" mode. If you’re on a PS4 Pro or a PS5, you have to choose. Do you want 4K resolution at 30fps? Or do you want that buttery smooth 60fps?
Go with 60fps. Trust me.
Seeing the fur of the colossi ripple in the wind at a high frame rate changes the experience. It makes the creatures feel alive. It makes the combat feel fair rather than a fight against the engine.
The mystery of the 79 coins
For years, fans obsessed over secrets. They searched every corner of the Forbidden Lands for a 17th colossus. They found nothing. But in the Shadow of the Colossus PS4 remake, Bluepoint actually listened to the myths. They added a new collectible: Enlightenments.
These are gold coins hidden in the most ridiculous places. Under cliffs. Inside tiny crevices. High up on the bridge.
There are 79 of them. Why 79? It’s a nod to a fan named Nomad Colossus and the "79 Steps to Enlightenment" from the fan community. If you find them all, you unlock the Sword of Dormin. It’s a powerful weapon that emits a dark shadow, and it’s basically the only new "content" added to the game. It doesn’t change the story, but it’s a beautiful "thank you" to the people who kept the game's secrets alive for over a decade.
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Is it still "fun" to play?
"Fun" is a weird word for this game. Is it fun to stab a giant, peaceful creature in the head while it screams in pain? Probably not.
That’s the brilliance of the design. Most games reward you for killing. Here, every time a colossus falls, the music stops being triumphant and starts being mournful. A dark tentacle of energy pierces Wander. He looks worse every time. Paler. Sickly. You start to realize you might be the villain of this story.
The Shadow of the Colossus PS4 experience is about the journey between the fights. It’s about the silence. You’ll spend ten minutes just riding Agro through a forest, and then suddenly, the ground shakes.
Technical mastery and art direction
The technical leap here is staggering. Bluepoint didn't just upscale textures; they rebuilt every asset from scratch. The way the grass flattens under Agro’s hooves is beautiful. The way the water ripples when a colossus steps into a lake feels real.
Yet, they kept the "soul" intact. They used the original code for the colossi movements to ensure the AI behaved exactly like it did in 2005. That’s why the puzzles still work. That's why the creatures still feel like puzzles rather than just "bosses."
You aren't looking for a weak spot to chip away at a health bar. You are looking for a way up.
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Common misconceptions about the remake
People often ask if there are new bosses. No. There are still sixteen.
Others ask if the world is "open" like Elden Ring. Sorta, but not really. It’s an open space, but it’s empty. And it’s supposed to be empty. If there were side quests or NPCs, the game would be ruined. The emptiness is the point. It makes the world feel ancient and abandoned.
Some players complain about Agro's handling. They say the horse is clunky. Here is the secret: Agro is not a car. You aren't "driving" the horse. You are giving a living creature directions. If you try to micro-manage every step, you'll get frustrated. If you just hold the gallop button and let Agro find the path, she’ll weave through trees and over rocks automatically.
Making the most of your playthrough
If you’re jumping into Shadow of the Colossus PS4 for the first time, don't rush. This isn't a game you "beat." It's a game you inhabit.
- Use the Photo Mode: It is one of the best ever made. You can change filters, depth of field, and even the "grain" of the film. It’s easy to spend three hours just taking pictures of the mountain ranges.
- Look for lizards: White-tailed lizards increase your stamina. You’ll need it for the later fights, especially the ones where you’re hanging on for dear life while flying through the air.
- Eat the fruit: Look for trees with hanging fruit. Shoot them down with your bow. This increases your health bar.
- Pray at the shrines: They act as fast-travel points (sort of) and save spots. More importantly, they heal you.
The story is told mostly through visuals. Watch Wander's clothes. Notice how they get dirtier. Notice the scars. Notice how his hair turns darker. The game is showing you the cost of his deal with Dormin without ever saying a word of dialogue.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
To truly experience everything this game has to offer, you should approach it in layers. Don't just kill the sixteen colossi and delete the game.
- Finish the first playthrough blindly. Don't look up guides for the bosses unless you are truly stuck. The "Aha!" moment when you figure out how to climb the fifth colossus (the bird) is one of the best feelings in gaming history.
- Enter Time Attack mode. Once you finish the game, you can pray at the statues in the main temple to start Time Attack. Doing this on Hard difficulty unlocks special items like the Whistling Arrow, the Cloak of Force, and even a parachute (the Cloth of Desperation).
- Find the Secret Garden. It is possible to climb to the top of the Shrine of Worship. You need a massive amount of stamina—usually requires at least two or three full playthroughs of eating lizard tails. Once you get up there, the view is incredible, and the "poison" fruit will actually lower your health, which is a weird, poetic touch.
- Explore the edges of the map. There are hidden caves and beaches that have nothing to do with the main quest. They exist purely for the sake of world-building.
The Shadow of the Colossus PS4 remake is a rare example of a "perfect" update. it respects the player's intelligence. It doesn't hold your hand. It just gives you a sword, a horse, and a tragic mission, then lets the wind do the talking. Whether you're a returning fan or a newcomer, the Forbidden Lands are waiting. Just be prepared for the silence to stay with you long after the credits roll.