Cult Games that Make Us Happy-Happy: Shenmue and Shadow of the Colossus

Every so often, a movie, book or television show is released to great reviews, even though it does not reach a mainstream audience. However, a union of loyal fans still praise it as genius and, as a result, the work gains a cult following.  The same can be said almost more so for video games.

Throughout the history of video gaming, only the biggest names have reached mass popularity: Mario, Zelda, Grand Theft Auto, Madden.  These names will live on because of how they revolutionized their respective genre and mainstream gaming.  However, there are other games that do this just as well.  Unfortunately, they are overlooked, and in many cases, left behind by their creators.  And so, it is the job of the fans to keep their spirits alive, which we will attempt to do today, with two of the best:

Shenmue (Sega Dreamcast – 2000)

In what was supposed to be several games in a multi-chapter story, the Shenmue series is one of my favorites.  It is an immersive adventure game that revolves around Ryo Hazuki, a young man who is on a quest to hunt down and kill Lan Di, the man who murdered his father.  It is the mid 80’s, in a small Japanese city that is based on real life locations. 

The game plays out day-by-day in real-time; minutes turn to hours and you can only stay awake for so long until you must turn in for the night.  The game integrates a system that sets the weather conditions as they really were for that day in time.  The gameplay is completely varied; with fighting game-style action scenes, QTE’s, arcade machines that emulate old Sega games and more.  It also featured full voice acting for all characters and a soundtrack that is considered one of the best in gaming history. 

Since its release, Shenmue has held the record for the biggest budget in a video game until GTA IV finally surpassed it this year.  An amazing sequel was released in English in 2001.  The game ended on a huge cliffhanger, and with no Shenmue III in sight, fans continue to flood online petitions and even mail game creator Yu Suzuki, begging for a final game.

Shadow of the Colossus (PS2 – 2005)

The team that created the cult hit ICO in 2001 came back with a bloody vengeance four years later to bring us what many consider to be the most artistically stunning game of all-time. The game is light on story, but what story it does have is powerful and emotional.  Shadow of the Colossus puts you in the shoes of Wander, a man who is ready and willing to do anything to reincarnate his dead lover – including sacrificing himself while taking down a bunch of massive Colossal beasts with nothing but a sword and bow and arrow.  And when I say massive, I mean skyscraper-size.  The game does a fantastic job of making you feel tiny in comparison. 

The ultimate goal is to ride your loyal horse across the enormous land in search of the mighty Colossi, and to take them down one-by-one.  There are neither enemies nor many items to collect on the world map.  The game is about the beautiful landscapes and the tension on your way to each fight.  You will be required to cross some rocky and murky terrains, occasionally having to jump and climb in a style reminiscent of the current Prince of Persia series. 
The battles against the Colossi are magnificent: each has its own little tricks and formulas in order to achieve victory.  It’s absolutely breathtaking, climbing all across the beasts, looking for weak spots.  Like Shenmue, an award-winning orchestral score sets a remarkable tone for each area that enhances the game in a way rarely seen/heard before.  Shadow of the Colossus is a must for any fan of the adventure genre, or even just games in general.

These are but two of the marvelous cult titles available since the turn of the century.  There are plenty more to share and spread the word about, once we locate copies in discount bins; on the back of dust-covered shelves; in yard sale boxes we refuse to put on the table, just one more playthrough, please.