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One life, infinite chances; both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus utilise this method of replaying a lost attempt to beat the game. Lives are something which seems to have been lost over time and as games become more complex, it’s an agreeable loss.

On the other hand, lives do force the player to consider their actions to the point where mistakes can be very costly. It harks back to the golden age of videogames where lives were used to limit the value of game time, as most games were arcades and required money to play. In the age of home consoles this limitation has been lost but it doesn’t mean that lives can still play a role in modern gaming.

A different approach to lives would be to record deaths. This way the challenge is still there to complete a challenge using as little resources as possible. Grand Theft Auto IV does this as well as recording a multitude of other events such as helicopters destroyed or bullets used. After completing Shadow of the Colossus nine times I’d be interested to find out how many times I’ve died in the process, how far Agro and I have travelled or how many lizard tails I’ve eaten.

Beyond painstakingly recording these events manually there is no provision for such a feature but it’s something I find interesting, if perhaps not terribly useful. Perhaps The Last Guardian will provide this feature, but I’m not holding out.
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Shadow of the Colossus - Soundtrack Album

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In 2005, Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded the game's soundtrack album, titled; Shadow of the Colossus: Roar of the Earth, as soundtrack of the year, although they failed to award Shadow of the Colossus with a platinum award; a major oversight in my humble yet biased opinion.

I own this haunting soundtrack and listen to it regularly. It's a joy to listen to and if you're a fan of Team ICO's work your collection isn't complete without it.

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Shadow of the Colossus (soundtrack)
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Shadow of the Colossus - Snowfall on Forbidden Lands (remix)

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Shadow of the Colossus is famous for it's vast landscapes and even greater bosses. The music contained there-in is also well renowned and has been the subject of many reproductions.

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Ico - Mad World

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Any kingdom where a boy with horns can be imprisoned to his fate must be mad.

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Ico - Save Me (remix)

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Ico and has some very dream like music, but for some it can be a little too somber. The music helps create the correct mood for the game and is a crucial element to how the game feels whilst playing. It tends to get under your skin and I've found myself humming the tune at times. Perhaps that's just me, but it's a fact that the music in any media is necessary to convey the entire story across.

Fortunately, other artists feel the same way and have provided a remix of one of Ico's melodies.

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