You’re riding across a grey, sun-bleached desert. The only sound is the rhythmic thud of Agro’s hooves against the dirt and the occasional whistle of wind whipping past Wander’s ears. It’s lonely. It’s quiet. Then, you see it—a mountain that moves. As the first Colossus rises, the silence doesn't just break; it shatters. This is the moment the Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack takes over, transforming a simple boss fight into something that feels more like a religious experience or a tragic mistake.
Kow Otani did something weird here. Most games in 2005 were leaning into chiptunes, metal-inspired riffs, or generic "epic" Hollywood swells. Otani went the other way. He chose a massive, breathing orchestra but stripped away the ego. He captured the feeling of being small.
Honestly, the music in this game is a character in its own right. It tells you things the visuals don't. While your eyes see a hero conquering a monster, your ears hear a funeral march for a god. That dissonance is why we’re still talking about this music twenty years after the PlayStation 2 struggled to render it.
The Man Behind the Roar: Who is Kow Otani?
Before we get into the tracks, you've gotta understand who made this. Kow Otani wasn't a "video game guy" in the traditional sense. He was already a titan in the world of anime and film. If you’ve ever watched Gamera or Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, you’ve heard his work. He brings a sense of scale that feels cinematic but deeply grounded in Japanese melancholy.
When Fumito Ueda, the director of Shadow of the Colossus, approached him, the brief was basically "make it feel big but lonely." Otani recorded with the "Roar of the Earth" orchestra. They used brass that sounds like it’s screaming and strings that feel like they’re weeping. It’s not just background noise; it’s a narrative tool.
Why the Music Changes Everything You Think About Winning
In most games, when you kill a boss, you get a "Fanfare." Think Final Fantasy or Legend of Zelda. You win, the music goes da-da-da-DAAA, and you feel like a champ.
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The Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack refuses to do that.
When a Colossus falls, the music doesn't celebrate. The track "The Opened Way" starts with an aggressive, driving rhythm that pumps you up for the climb. You feel invincible. You're stabbing a giant! You're the hero! But then, as the creature finally collapses, the music shifts to "The End of the Battle." It’s a somber, low-register piece that practically asks, "What have you done?"
It makes you feel like a jerk. It’s brilliant.
The Complexity of "The Opened Way"
This is the "main theme" for many players. It’s what plays when you finally find your footing on a Colossus. It’s triumphant, sure, but listen closer to the horns. There's a frantic quality to them. It’s the sound of a desperate boy trying to save a girl he loves, regardless of the cost. It’s high-stakes and terrifying.
The Ethereal Silence of "Swift Horse"
Most of your time in the Forbidden Lands is spent in silence, but when "Swift Horse" kicks in while you're riding Agro, the game feels different. It’s one of the few tracks that feels purely "adventure." It captures the bond between a boy and his horse. It’s light, airy, and—unlike the rest of the score—actually hopeful.
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The Technical Brilliance of "Roar of the Earth"
Let’s talk about the 2018 remake for a second. When Bluepoint Games brought the title to PS4 and eventually PS5, they didn’t just up-res the textures. They re-recorded the entire Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack.
Some purists hated this. They missed the "crunchy" quality of the 2005 MIDI-assisted recordings. But the remake allowed for a more dynamic range. In the original, the music was somewhat binary—it was either on or off. In the modern version, the music layers in based on your proximity to the Colossus.
- Adaptive Audio: The music swells as you grab onto the fur of a beast.
- Instrumental Isolation: If you’re just standing there, the woodwinds might dominate. Once the action starts, the percussion takes the lead.
- The "Shadow" Leitmotif: Pay attention to the recurring six-note melody. It’s tucked into almost every track, acting as a tether for the whole experience.
Tracking the Tragedy: A Deep Look at Specific Pieces
If you're looking to add these to a playlist, you need to know which ones hit the hardest.
"Revived Power"
This is the "Get 'em" music. It’s fast-paced and uses a lot of staccato strings. It’s used primarily for the more agile Colossi. It mimics the heartbeat of someone who is literally running for their life.
"A Despair-filled Farewell"
Usually plays after a particularly grueling encounter. It’s heavy on the cello. It feels like lead in your boots. It’s one of the most honest pieces of music in gaming history because it admits that your "victory" is actually a loss for the world.
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"The Sunlit Earth"
The ending. No spoilers, but this track is a masterpiece of resolution. It’s 100% pure catharsis. It brings back the motifs from the beginning of the game but softens them. It sounds like the sun coming out after a long, dark night. It’s beautiful, honestly.
The Impact on Other Games
You can hear the DNA of the Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack in almost every major "art" game that followed. Journey, The Last Guardian (obviously), and even Elden Ring owe a debt to Kow Otani.
Before this game, boss music was mostly about excitement. After this game, developers realized that music could be used to instill guilt, awe, and existential dread. It changed the "language" of how we hear video games.
The score isn't trying to be "cool." It’s trying to be ancient. It sounds like something that was dug up out of the ground, covered in dust and history. That’s why it doesn’t age. You could play this game in 2045 and that swelling orchestra will still make the back of your neck tingle.
How to Properly Experience the Score
If you actually want to appreciate what Otani did, don't just listen to it on crappy laptop speakers while you're doing chores.
- Get the Vinyl: The 2LP set released by iam8bit is gorgeous. It’s one of the best pressings out there and captures the warmth of the lower brass sections that Spotify compresses to death.
- Listen to the "Extented" Versions: There are fan edits online that blend the "exploration" versions of tracks into the "battle" versions. It shows you the architectural structure of the music.
- The 2005 vs 2018 Comparison: Do a side-by-side of "Silence" from both versions. The subtle differences in how the flute is played will tell you a lot about how recording technology changed the emotional "texture" of the game.
- Read the Liner Notes: If you can find a translation of the original Japanese soundtrack release, Otani talks about the "breath" of the monsters. He literally timed some of the percussion to match what he imagined the Colossi's heart rates would be.
The Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack is more than just a collection of songs for a video game. It’s a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling. It’s the sound of a world that is dying, and a boy who is too stubborn to let go. Whether you're a hardcore gamer or just someone who loves a good orchestral swell, this music demands your attention. It’s big. It’s lonely. It’s perfect.