The Decade-Long Quest For Shadow of the Colossus’ Last Secret

[@makkon06]

Narrator: You don't build a giant stone door for no reason, right? Me, a game artist: uuhhhhh

[@catman6089]

Makkon it's like the people in that forum thread didn't expect developers to leave unused assets in the game. I mean, to be fair this was before Oblivion lmao

[@nemo2803]

I didn't expect to see you in the wild, huge fan of your music!

[@makkon06]

@@catman6089 Sometimes plans change, sometimes you need something to break up a big boring wall. Sometimes your test levels get packaged with the build

[@TheZigzagman]

@@catman6089 It's the mentality of the era. Adventure games were very, very serious about exploration and Japanese directors like Kojima, Ueda, and later Miyazaki had reputations for rewarding fanatical attention to detail. I spent weeks figuring out how to climb to the garden because I was convinced there was something across the bridge and I didn't even have a forum spurring me on.

[@91Bottonazzo]

I mean,sotc is a game that revolves a lot around atmosphere and how the player feels, it would be absolutely no surprise most of the elements were there solely for world building

[@susanlasseter2126]

Just dropped by to see this video again and remember how much Will, aka Ascadia, enjoyed this game. Today was the anniversary of his passing, and I was reminiscing about the things that he was passionate about and things that brought joy to his life. This game, as well as others, brought him such enjoyment, along with his music and writing. I wish he had lived long enough to see the remake of SOTC, but sadly he passed just shy of that day. He made a lot of friends along the way....friends that shared their thoughts and ideas as well about the search for a secret. Thank you for being such a cool gaming family. Everyone stay safe and have a peaceful evening. Susan aka Will's mom.

[@JacobGeller]

Thank you again for commenting, Susan. I'm thinking of him today.

[@ruedelta]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, we will all honor him together.

[@anothercoda3403]

We're so grateful for the gift you've given us. I feel enriched knowing that like me, you're able to return to a garden of connection that he built. A Secret Garden, if you will. Stay safe, and well wishes from the Secret Seekers 💗 We love you.

[@joeschmoe7866]

I am very sorry

[@noahraab2429]

Sorry to hear he passed away

[@Sonic62920]

For real, how fucking good would it have been to get the Sword of Dormin, walk out of the shrine, and see a distant mountain move.

[@lucidslendy9395]

Imagine leaving the temple, only for the temple to wake up

[@Sonic62920]

@@lucidslendy9395 The temple *moans*

[@princekyle4132]

That sounds like it could be a sequel. Or another game like Praey for the Gods.

[@cedrick25]

@@Sonic62920 NO

[@darf3475]

@Steven Yi And then, it starts to get up, you see hands raising from the ground, the temple gets higher, and higher, and higher in the air, until it blots out the sun.

[@hayleynoellebroders8247]

Thinking upon how BluePoint left the sword as the "last big secret" in their remake, I'm reminded of the essence of the term 'Fan Service' in its most essential form: it was both a recognition of the fan's service, and a service to the fans that made it possible. I love that.

[@CyberneticArgumentCreator]

Really romantic spin on so many people wasting so much time on nothing

[@keithsimpson2685]

@@CyberneticArgumentCreator I mean that is gaming encapsulated.

[@andrewprasifka8571]

weak comment

[@ohyeahisthatwhatyouthink6088]

​@@keithsimpson2685seriously who hurt that guy

[@absurdmemes3732]

​@@ohyeahisthatwhatyouthink6088can't really blame him. at the end it's not the big last secret people were looking for but just a bonus content that got added in later in the guise of that nonexistent secret to satisfy them. the whole story was kinda anticlimactic itself to be honest

[@pedroscoponi4905]

The part that hurts me with these stories is that there's usually a kernel of truth to the conspiracy - there _was_ something there, some meaning _was_ supposed to be there, it just didn't fit the god damn budget/schedule. It gives an insight into an artistic vision that was not, and likely never will be, fully realised. It's like... staring at a wall of beautiful architecture while holding a sketch of the full building. The melancholy hits you like a truck.

[@itsupah465]

Exactly my thoughts.

[@nerdychocobo]

Yes, what really strikes me about this forum as that until those with emulators came in, these guys were scratching at how games are made, without really realising it. What if there's something more here, hidden away? Game developers always leave random bits and bobs about their world, hidden away in unreachable corners. Why is this door here, if not be opened? Well it's part of the environment, to make it feel real. Or even maybe a door that WAS meant to be opened at some point, only to be sealed away once the content was scrapped. Why was this headless woman in the demos garden?? It's a model! They didn't expect people to go up there, so left this character model there for easy access, t pose and all. It might not of even PURPOSEFULLY have been put there, but some sort of glitch caused its appearance. As someone who is very interested and invested in game design, I can TOTALLY understand why these people felt like they were getting at something bigger: they were picking away into the makings of this game, all of the bits and bobs that reveal how this was created and what whispers of forgotten content was sealed away within the code. It's just FASCINATING, and I'm not even invested in shadow of the collossus

[@InfamousRafe]

Maloncholy

[@DanteKG.]

I've experienced this before with the Legacy of Kain series. So much things cut from the games but still so much material left to spark imagination at how would the original uncut game be

[@iago1840]

@@nerdychocobo It's awesome how your comment passes the exact feel of religion somehow. Faith at something hidden makes people carve into the essence of reality, whenever it's at games or real life. Maybe life is a game and that's how we keep finding new things about how reality works everyday.

[@maverickloggins5470]

“Why build endless acres of brilliantly realised nature, then fill it with nothing?” Ask Ubisoft bro

[@Animanatee]

fallout 76

[@darthmarticusLFC]

When have Ubisoft done that?

[@vivaene]

@@darthmarticusLFC Pretty much every assassins creed game where they create beautiful worlds and instead of filling it with meaningful content they fill it with 300 animus fragments, 400 chests, and 100 feathers.

[@Codex_0613]

@@darthmarticusLFC Far Cry, Assassin's Creed, newer Ghost Recons, The Crew they're all mindless open world filled with checklist of shit to do that barred you from progression

[@FrostBitey10]

Lmaoooo

[@NomadColossus]

I would also like to acknowledge SpaceOmega5000 (formerly WWWArea) who contributed greatly to the Last Big Secret forums - and was my mentor throughout those long and memorable years ; )

[@skullcandy14785]

What secrets did you learn from hiM?

[@NomadColossus]

@@skullcandy14785 Well, he was the first person who could hack the cut scenes! Specifically the opening. But we chatted every night for years discovering more and more together... it was an amazing time for me!

[@AllegoricSiren]

What was it like discovering your name in the credits? And to be given one final hint to an end? How did you feel finally getting the last secret?

[@jenneraccioly690]

@High Overlord Snarffie Beagle Nice try.

[@Chromodar]

@@AllegoricSiren Heh, I just asked that in another post before seeing you with the same question. Great minds think alike, I guess :D

[@AceWolf456]

I feel like the 79 steps to Enlightenment and the reward after are just so... perfect. Like, they got the same thing they were going to find from the start, nothing, but yet, they gained something incredible. Through their time and efforts searching and documenting they had something new added into the game, documented, and it all took 10 years for the conversation to basically be: Community: "I think there's secrets here let's find them!" Developers: "We are sorry, there were no secrets there, but we see you, we appreciate you, and we have given you a secret to find this time."

[@ob2kenobi388]

And that word-enlightenment. The acquisition of knowledge. They went on a quest for a treasure that did not exist, but they had learned so much along the way.

[@evieyak]

@@ob2kenobi388i like your pfp :)

[@evieyak]

@@ob2kenobi388i like your pfp :)

[@ob2kenobi388]

@@evieyak Thank you!!

[@lonelytaru]

08i8[😊

[@dylanmcla]

I think my personal favorite thing about this whole story was even after the new sword was found, people were still convinced that it must unlock something else.

[@papersonic9941]

"Ah shit, here we go again"

[@5371W]

Maybe something to do with the goat paintings...

[@hgfjhfgify]

And what if in the end it does?. You have a sword the entire game that lead you were you have to go.

[@MonochromaticPrism]

Well, a sword is a tool. More a thing to start a quest than end it.

[@TheXell]

@@MonochromaticPrism Please dont bring a tool to a swordfight.

[@clammaster4]

When you leave a game unfinished and accidentally start a religion

[@adammay3392]

LMAO 🤣🤣🤣

[@jacksonstein809]

clammaster4 We could make a religion out of this

[@adammay3392]

@@jacksonstein809 I'm down let's do it clam you in ?

[@realhumanbean7915]

clammaster4 Bold of you to assume it was accidental

[@oliviawallace3636]

@@jacksonstein809 no don't.

[@LogisticsWW]

I got ridiculously emotionally invested in this story about the community around a game I've never played lol.

[@danielcarrillo1269]

Mike T Lmao bro were in the same boat hahaha

[@blaxtopolition7140]

fail

[@MMfish_]

Play the game still. It’s an emotional journey for many for many, but for all it is a very interesting window into interesting narratives in games.

[@aloeinorbit]

highly recommend its an amazing game

[@a.barrera5439]

Literally cried at the end

[@queengames8421]

Rewatching this while the Nier community goes into a meltdown over the possibility of a church that's been hidden for 5 years. Talk about Deja Vu.

[@Zeus-zv7dr]

Time is a flat circle

[@LK-eg5br]

It was a mod :/

[@fireship3007]

@@LK-eg5br i hope the Devs do something similar to 79 steps to enlightenment

[@dredgalyst]

@@LK-eg5br it may have been a mod but it was so well done and the mystery was so thrilling for the time that it lasted that it doesn't even matter that it was a mod. Even the dev was in on it.

[@floreroafloreril1458]

@@dredgalyst Yoko Taro being in on something like that is no surprise tbh

[@a10bam420]

"You don't build a giant stone door for no reason, right?" From Software: hold my sake

[@avidwriter2882]

Yea you do... it's call, a wall and a texture.... who says it's actually more then that? Gamers with too much time on their hands thats who

[@deadredeyes]

@@avidwriter2882 Don't YOU have something better to do with the time on your hands, than post useless comments? Next time you're at your beach, stick your head in the sand where it belongs.

[@OEDODRAGON]

I think Japanese people are more fond of whiskey now aren't they?

[@stefangamble2637]

@@avidwriter2882 I've designed game levels for fun and I put literally hundreds of doors that go nowhere just to create a sense of scale and atmosphere

[@MyNamesRevenge]

@@avidwriter2882 congratulations, you missed the point.

[@beanmcknee1610]

“People get paid thousands of dollars to make these kind of connections and here there are forum users with crash bandicoot icons learning how to do it with a ps2 game”

[@sweettoothedjerk]

best line in a video game analysis ever, like EVER.

[@martinviale2410]

Absolutely they Best line in the video

[@AK-ACEx]

Well this is awkward...

[@_androo_9202]

Those mfs know how to analyze better than my literature teacher

[@killanova2494]

goes to show u, school's not necessary anymore

[@skridalthcrevasse2388]

Nomad Colossus's KZbin video concerning the discovery was posted on 11 Mar 2018 but Ascadia, the person who commenced this decade-long search for the truth, died on 09 Jan 2018, based on the tombstone in the video hypertext of one of the top-comments in this chatroom that was posted by his cousin. It's unfortunate that he never get to know the truth before he passed away. I extend my heartfelt condolence to such an analytical and meticulous gamer.

[@Giuserpe]

Maybe he's happy now because he reached the real sacred garden now

[@skridalthcrevasse2388]

@@Giuserpe Wow, that's a good way to put-it.

[@nyazillagojira7079]

A seeker may have found his own 79 steps of enlightenment "hopefully"?

[@lildude9497]

F

[@skridalthcrevasse2388]

@@nyazillagojira7079 "Steps to enlightenment" in real life? Indeed, may everyone realize that an undeniable time shall come wherein we have to focus more on the real world and not on the virtual world, whether we like it or not.

[@AArdW01f]

"The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy." - Albert Camus

[@paleposter]

Sisyphus as a fitness freak. He loves the boulder workout

[@ellw7830]

i started reading the myth of sisyphus a couple years ago. i never finished it but i remember really liking parts of it. i should pick it back up again

[@kaptainset]

​@@ellw7830 how ironic

[@Robotic24]

@@kaptainset bro so true 💀

[@ratbabyy3117]

"Why is he climbing a mountain?" - William Shatner

[@AndrewFMs]

I was a very active poster in that thread back in the day, and I will say your presentation here really did the whole thing justice... you really captured the feeling of that secret search. Also, I've been away from the game for a while and haven't played the remake, so your video is actually the first I've heard of the 79 steps to enlightenment and the opening of the door. I was so shocked when I got to that part in the video, like wow... what a powerful thing that was. Honestly, I started tearing up. Thank you for making this video, it was both an incredible nostalgia trip, as well as a closure to a long and memorable journey that I am very glad I got to be a part of.

[@MisterPikol]

[@NomadColossus]

Nice - Too bad it spoiled your PS4 experience ; )

[@QueenCloveroftheice]

I cried too. I haven’t gotten the remake yet, but now I have to get it!

[@AdiusOmega]

Yeah I teared up too, what a ride. The fact that the developers were aware of the thread, perhaps they were seekers as well. Sometimes you don't find what you're looking for so you create it instead.

[@TheCoolerChannel]

I was gonna call you a pussball for tearing up then I accidentally watched the rest of the video and had to hold a couple tears back. It reminded me of when I thought you could get a dragon egg in the original fable. Also this is my favorite game of all time

[@LieseFury]

"Why is Wander's horse so big?" Answer: Horses are fucking huge

[@Junkyardproduxtions]

Lol you never realize how fucking destructive and terrifying horses are unless you see one or are Mr. Hands... Don't look him up, just don't.

[@brianb.6356]

My headcanon: Wander's horse is too big for him because he stole it. (This is going to involve spoilers) We know he's running from the knights at the end of the game. They're adult men, while he's maybe a teenager at best. We know he has some kind of connection to them, because they say he stole the sword from them, and they seem to know who he is. So: he stole the horse from them as well. How else would he get a horse?

[@shadowcween7890]

@@Junkyardproduxtions isn't mr hands that guy who was... ...attracted to horses?

[@shadowcween7890]

@@brianb.6356 that's actually a really interesting idea

[@Katyalina]

@@brianb.6356 I think she’s his horse. The connection they share is so strong that it is very unlikely to have if they didn’t grow up together. By the end of the game, Agro even went back to the castle and very gentle towards Mono as if she knows who Mono is.

[@gatokal]

As somebody who doesn’t know diddly squat about Shadow of The Colossus, the ending to this video brought tears to my eyes. It’s beautiful.

[@kogumelon]

I still believe in a 17th colossus 😔

[@xeldabutterfae407]

Same. Still clearing them away. Damn. I found myself mouthing the word "everything" along with him at the end too. He did an amazing job conveying how powerful this was even to the unfamiliar. I feel grateful to have gotten to see this. I never even finished the game the normal way but when I was playing I was also someone who kept trying to explore the inexplicable landscape. I likely would have gotten sucked into the hunt if I'd made it that far. I love everything about this.

[@autismandy3050]

Why? The easter eggs were put in the new remake, a completely different game. Those fools wasted hundreds of hours on nothing.

[@osha_t4]

@@autismandy3050 have you never heard the phrase “Its the not the Destination, It's the journey.”?

[@Likes_Trains]

Glad I'm not the only one. Jacob has a real flair for storytelling.

[@foxximoxxi5028]

RIP Ascadia. Every journey begins with a single step, and he was the one to take that step for all of us.

[@SaxonMusk_]

He died?

[@ShaCaro]

​@@SaxonMusk_yes. His mother commented on this video, and it's mentioned on the forums

[@SaxonMusk_]

@@ShaCaro 😢😢

[@SeigoSaiga]

🙏❤️

[@Harsh12able]

​@@ShaCarowhen did it happen? Did Ascadia know about the secret sword and 79 fireflies before he died?

[@lovinglife139]

This video actually made me tear up. I was a Secret Seeker for years. Though I never participated on the forums, I stalked them daily and tested theories while searching for new finds or explanations. I drew maps and marked down points of interest to double-check them against the other theories of special locations. I've played hundreds of games but never in my life have experienced that type of obsession before or since. Shadow of the Colossus will forever hold a piece of my heart. This video was a punch in the face of nostalgia. I remember every theory listed here and my hundreds of hours throughout the years staying up late playing this game trying to find "something." I'll be sharing this video with my husband later; I was a Secret Seeker while we dated in the mid-00s and I don't know that he ever fully understood the dedication I had to the search. This video about sums it up. Thank you.

[@epicxiphos8269]

@Dylan Kimble I don't know too much about this but couldn't it still be possible to to make secrets/easter eggs in games that are impossible to find except through legitimate means (collecting, theory crafting, discovery, etc.)? Perfectly secure encryption exists so I assume devs could hide certain bits of information they wanted to be kept secret even from those who were somehow scouring the game source files. And as for glitches maybe just make hard gates (basically just requirements needed to proceed such as items, conversations, keys, or timings) that are carefully constructed to force certain interactions? From what I've seen, most glitch speed runs (in any game) rely on loopholes in the gates players are forced to pass through in order to proceed. With this in mind it doesn't seem impossible to carefully construct requirements for progression into discovering the secrets that would largely negate glitches designed to 'cheat' discovery if you will. I'm sorry if I missed the point or have a naive perspective on this, again I don't know a lot about what is being said. I just felt very inspired by the video and being interested in computer science and game design myself I am suddenly interested in the design of game secrets.

[@idlehour]

This video annoyed me lol. No disrespect. Just . Beat the game 16 times with all the he unlocks you.can get. Then go to garden make life low. A door opens . The 17th is so big. That you are on it. When the camera zooms out for the cutscene, the sand is part of the giant. The spine is seen from start. The Cross theory to a secret is the skeleton (kind of) its only in the first ps2 ver. No other. Devs talks among devs, and devs hide things ... Like the first easter egg in a game you show at the start of the video. The world exsists. On the final . Number 17. And its a turtle esk beast floating among others. Bridge spine, wind tail, end of, dont be a snail. Is text in the game, in Arabic but i want you to find it

[@theindiediary5950]

I'd happily French kiss every one of the developers on this remake for going the extra lengths to add this into the game. They are legends.

[@luvizevol]

Was I the only one to find a few "Secret steps to enlightenment" only to be whisked away to TES... Damn if only i cared.

[@coreyh55]

made me tear up too.

[@xersys]

Gaming before data-mining was a beautiful time.

[@NAGA_99]

Everyone likes to dwell on how things could have been different, and at a certain point when you've exhausted all the content, what's the harm in seeing what ideas the devs wanted to implement? Check out all the stuff they data-mined from bloodborne, there was bosses cut from the game that you can fight. Just imagine if there was a 17th colossus only accessible because of data-mining, doesn't that thought make you wanna cream in your pants?

[@xersys]

@@NAGA_99 Datamining a game as soon as its released, or in the event of an MMO, before it's even released is absurd. You're taking all the mystery out of it. To your point; if datamining had existed back when the shadow of the colossus game was released, it would have been forgotten in the annals of history. All of the mystery and excitement, all the communities and discoveries about the game would have never happened because some neckbeard would have datamined the entire game mere days after it's release and there would be nothing unknown about it.

[@NAGA_99]

​@@xersys ​ It's so simple though, if you don't want your game spoiled then don't seek out the spoilers. I enjoy mystery just as much as the next guy but you're basically telling a marine biologist to not explore the ocean floor because the mystery of what could be at the bottom is exciting to you. All the blind faith in some random secret is what the community was formed around, then once the emulating started, the faith was traded for a thirst for knowledge. We're so damn curious as humans and if there's a will, there's a way.

[@NAGA_99]

@@xersys Also, data mining has pretty much been a thing since the mid 90s and I'm sure someone in the world data mined sotc for shits and gigs back in the day.

[@xersys]

@@NAGA_99 Ah yes, who could forget all the nintendo 64 datamining all over geocities....

[@jasoneastman7817]

This is legitimately the purest form of love I've seen in gaming. No toxic complainers, no hacking cheaters, just good ol' fashioned joy and innocent love of mystery and adventure, bringing together people worldwide. Glad I watched this.

[@Barely_Here]

“No hacking cheaters” Well it IS a single player experience any modding done doesnt really affect anybody

[@janwaynes.4713]

true

[@user-ko3sd9qj2h]

Imo it's what gaming was meant for. To bring forth our imaginations to the limit and beyond. To find something you enjoy purely for the sake of yourself. Whether you want to explore new and untold lands, find hidden treasure, fight all manners of creatures and people, to adventure.

[@IllIlllI]

jason eastman Yeah my man you seem to miss the general toxicity in the forum, the hacker / cheater that emulated the game and found out bout all the out of bound areas, and the rage of being unable to come to terms with the fact that there is no secret. Sure the story that gets told here is nice and joyful but there is no such thing as „good old fashioned joy without hate“ Just wanted to point that out

[@user-ko3sd9qj2h]

@@IllIlllI true

[@crowlsyong]

I feel overcome with emotion. I've been pacing around my house, unsure of what to do with myself, but in the most wholesome of ways. I played this game back in the day and I just had no idea that the community was so strong, friendly, and determined. I wish had could find greater words to describe you all...this has been one of the most special things to watch in a long time. Thank you to Will, Nomad Colossus, The Secret Seekers (whether you posted or not), to the developers, to all of you in the comments, to all who played this game, and to Jacob for this wonderful experience. I'm humbled. What a beautiful thing this all is.

[@betr8]

kinda sad how no one thought of just contacting the developers

[@timmadone8930]

You're welcome. 19 years later & I'm still a Secret Seeker & I'm not alone. The game still has things to discover & those who don't give up searching & exploring will make new discoveries. With 2 fan made PC projects in the works & "possibly" a Definitive Edition of the game next year for PS5 to celebrate the 20th anniversary, those who love this game still have some things to look forward to.

[@Conklin03]

Dude... Props to the developers for making these people's dreams a reality in the Ps4 release.

[@محمدالعبيد-ض3ظ]

Mad respect

[@Scepnex9000]

Props, for one room and a long ass fetch quest? I didn't wait 15 years for this.

[@Scepnex9000]

I NEVER DREAMT IT WOULD BE THIS LAME

[@sebastianschoefl]

Scepnex attitudes like this is, why we can‘t have nice things. These people have been scouring this game for years, for just the slightest hint of something, anything. Now they actually get rewarded for their effort and you just complain about it.

[@Scepnex9000]

@@sebastianschoefl hey I scoured too, I know my rights. I appreciate the sentiment behind it, rather than what the developers chose to do. It's complicated.

[@Table53]

The real last great secret was the friends we made along the way

[@grantwalker7124]

:')

[@marfin4325]

HA! GAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[@clone10123]

its single player and there are like no other characters

[@Table53]

@@clone10123 wait, you never unlocked the hidden multiplayer mode?

[@25Alfonzo]

booooooooooo

[@Khalolz]

"It's not much. But it's...everything." I never played the game or the remake, I wasnt aware of this great secret or of the Secret Seekers. And yet, this 20 minute video describing the whole ordeal tore at my heartstrings more than most stories and games I've played recently. This is beautiful, and embodies everything I love most about videogames. God bless ye Seekers or Secrets, may thy quest leave you fulfilled and may your dream rest in peace.

[@noahmcd3134]

Ikr. This shit is amazing

[@mtallan]

I was going to post a comment but then saw that you had said everything I was going to say.

[@bestboi2945]

If you have ps plus it is free

[@martinviale2410]

This is the comment with which i can relate the most

[@EntitySteel]

Yikes, you buy into bullshit really easily then.

[@burninsherman1037]

"This chamber is a manifestation of that continued will." That's a hell of a line, and bears alot of weight to me both emotionally, and spiritually. Manifesting ones will through continued learning, discipline, and effort is essentially the core of all magickal and occult practice across nearly every esoteric religious, and spiritual tradition in the world. I've always seen shadow of the colossus as being a very spiritual game, so it's apt that the secret seekers, intentionally or not, essentially used the principles of occult practice to find their end goal. I also saw the comment that Ascadia passed away, and would like to wish him well on his journeys in the next life, wherever he may be now, I hope he's still seeking knowledge.

[@thammar1990]

Not to mention his name is actually will

[@JM-sn2xl]

@@thammar1990 Fucking poetic.

[@RhysticStudies]

this was so well-told and enthralling. thanks for taking me down the rabbit hole.

[@christopherahrens7110]

Whoa, fancy seeing the guy who got me into the best game ever here.

[@somehoweverynameiwantistak5535]

Oh... hello

[@bendover2684]

I couldnt watch through IT the narration is unbearable.

[@skylernobles6967]

Lowkey got emotional at the end

[@lenaboyer6981]

Agreed. This video was genuinely moving. The last line had me tearing up!

[@Linktraveler22]

Me when i clicked: Ive never played this game why am i watching this Me 15 minutes in: THE RESONANCING POINTS MEANT NOTHING!?!?!?

[@evilsharkey8954]

Doug Carr, find a PS2 or PS4 and play it!

[@reporterid]

I was like you for a while but I also played the Dark Souls series so I was pretty skeptical anyway :D

[@l9512]

Same ma dude lmaooooo

[@calasay2688]

I'm in the same exact spot as you lmao

[@HadaHarabaz]

I don't know why but this particular comment made me die laughing.

[@Chhipz]

It's incredible and so rare that developers understood and appreciated the dedicated fanbase to such an extent that they would add this one final secret into the game for them. Beautiful.

[@d3ath166]

Bungie is one that keeps giving people in destiny more and more secrets to find so its fun

[@ascended313]

D3ATH 16 it’s also the one that keeps leeching money from you

[@d3ath166]

@@ascended313 it's not really bungie though they have proven that the micro transactions they sell do go towards free content for others and with shadowkeep we are supposed to be getting more free content. They are trying to fix the issue Activision put them through and are trying to help their community bc everyone on the team loves the community and hear everything we are saying and are making improvements for the better

[@ascended313]

D3ATH 16 isn’t shadow keep paid?

[@RedHairdo]

Sorry, but comparing Bungie to this... just... no, why...

[@stevenarvizu3602]

“Game development is expensive and hard, surely you don’t just build a giant door for no reason, right?” The Game Developer: “Hm, these wall textures don’t line up. Fuck it I’ll just put a door in front of it”

[@dsnever3041]

Lmao

[@c4_s3y94]

as a game developer.... i've done this 😭

[@lukelcs8934]

Sometimes too, you just need an explanation for how people might've gotten in and out of a space. Like, a space isn't going to be exclusively for the player right? It's meant to have some realism in it too, and a real life room might have more doors than make sense for the playspace. So just make them unusable (although for the love of God please make it obvious you can't open them XD)

[@maxwelldanger1929]

I can imagine Ueda sitting at his computer, reading the thread and smiling.

[@deathzonekiller2261]

This make's me smile :)

[@JoNarDLoLz]

And maybe regretted being powerless to noy be able to add that 'one last secret' into the game.

[@bunsenn5064]

Plot twist: Maxwell Danger is actually Ueda, and he is currently sitting at his computer, reading this thread and smiling.

[@ahorserunning]

he's sitting there smiling like "i can't read a damn word of this english thread but that's a lot of posts"

[@zachanikwano]

I think this is every game developer’s dream, for someone to love their game so much. For any creator of art, really. Thanks for this video, sir. You took me on a journey with a game I never played and got me so invested. Love it!

[@lowercase21]

zachanikwano you've never played this game? Your missing out man seriously get on it! It still holds up very well.

[@YenSnipest]

Dude...play it...

[@shps8609]

I always heard people talk about shadow of the colossus, it always sparked my imagination and pulled at my chain as a game I would enjoy playing. But I never did, watching this video, seeing the remaster, it really takes me back to my childhood, playing Twilight Princess and just being in awe at this word filled with so much lore and mystery. I just might have to play the game when I can afford a ps4

[@midnightjacket9622]

Well said. I never played the game either, but this video was a blast and I'm very curious about picking this game up now.

[@foolsidol2866]

Laughs in EA

[@XROSSDABOSSX]

The fact that the developers who remade SOTC put the 79 steps of enlightenment in the game for that community to find that one last secret is awesome 🔥🔥🔥

[@timmadone8930]

Yes that was an awesome thing for the developers to do. I know some people were a bit discouraged at the final reward, but I had a blast just looking for all the gold coins. As PS4 Trophies put it..."The reward was the journey" & that's exactly how I felt. As for the Sword Of Dormin, it's held together by Dormin's spirit & has a colossus eye on the handle that changes color from white to blue to red. How can you not like that? :)

[@suprtroopr1028]

It's this kind of dedication to the fans that makes me love bluepoint's work on remasters. They did something similar with the coins in their demon's souls' remake in finally giving the fans the penetrator's armor.

[@slowmercy69]

@@suprtroopr1028 I loved what they did to Shadow of the Colossus But Bluepoint made Demon's Souls DEMAKE too, so my sentiments toawrds them are mixed

[@schrodinger7011]

@@slowmercy69 you’re the first person I see too call it a demake, many might have mixed feelings about a change in atmosphere or the redesign of a couple enemies, but overall everyone agrees that it was a damn good remake

[@timmadone8930]

@@schrodinger7011 Yes Schrodinger you are correct, most everyone agrees that the remake is awesome & I'm one of them. Even looking at it almost 5 years later, it still looks as sharp & clear as any recent game. Of course I miss a few things about the design & sound of the original game, but so much more was added to this remake that it's almost impossible to find fault with it. Now that Bluepoint works for SONY, hopefully a remake of "ICO" becomes a reality.

[@royalninja2823]

The range of emotions I felt watching this was insane and I haven't ever played this game. The rising dread that this is all a tragedy with the forum members as its subject, and seeing it confirmed that yes, it was all for nothing. Then, after the reveal of 79 Steps to Enlightenment was a testament to this very thread, I was elated. I felt so goddamn happy that these people, who loved a game so much they spent thousands of hours searching for what else it may have to offer, finally attained what they were looking for. Whoever decided to put that in is a godsend.

[@Nisfornarwhal1990]

You should play it, its amazing, doesnt even take that long either

[@colefamilywho]

They may have named it the Sword of Dormin, but to me, that will always be the Throne of Ascadia.

[@ellisdutchenburg8618]

Literally gave me chills

[@DesolateLavender]

Fuck, this comment section is getting to me.

[@idiokit]

It's a good thing Ascadia had a cool username so we can say this instead of "the Thone of xXx_DEWMONSTER_xXx"

[@magiv4205]

@@DesolateLavender i've never even played or watched the game, but fucking same

[@DesolateLavender]

@@magiv4205 I've never played it. I've watched Jacksepticeye play the remake, and I watched this for the first time looooong before then.

[@FenrisRM]

for me the 17th Colossus is, and always will be, Nomad Colossus.

[@asuna7946]

tru

[@coolpizzacook]

I don't want to stab Nomad though.

[@Bluecho4]

@@coolpizzacook No one _wants_ to stab the colossi. That's what makes the whole game tragic.

[@themarsh429]

The 17th Colossus is the oversized horse you ride.

[@humanname5071]

Hes a good colossus (nomad)

[@BikerMiceOne]

Me: Been a ling day at work time to sleep KZbin algorithm: dude wanna watch a mini docmunetary about a game you never played before? Me: heck yeah

[@GebhardtNico]

Oml i havent laughed this hard in a while cause that was waaaay too relateable 🤣

[@toxic_shr00m]

Ling

[@CyberAesthetic]

man i hate ling days

[@The_Murder_Party]

aris gemino bloody sane mate.

[@alansmithee419]

Omg... I think you've discovered the final secret! It's a ling map!

[@BloodFangLucario555]

After 11 years of wanting to play it, I finally got a PS4 from a friend and got the game when it happened to be on sale. I’m currently doing my first play through and I started scouring KZbin for lore videos and was reminded of this one I’d seen so long ago, by a KZbin now counted amongst my favorites. What a phenomenal game and community.

[@djlethargic]

Have fun! Also, if you don't want to be spoiled, maybe don't look up videos on it :p Obviously, that's up to you though!

[@timmadone8930]

11 years seems like a long time to wait to play a game but it appears based on your comments that the wait was worth it. So you'll have plenty to do after beating all 16 colossi should you choose to. 79 gold coins to find & collect, 154 gallery pics to unlock, completing all the normal & hard time attacks, & of course just exploring the Forbidden Lands in search of anything that maybe, just maybe, you might be the first to find. Even after 18 years there are still new discoveries being made.

[@SavageGreywolf]

when you want something so hard that you will it into existence

[@radekseky4571]

Big credit to the passionate Bluepoint also.

[@alessandromorelli5866]

That's the story of humanity, pretty much.

[@matthewfanous8468]

Hey, that's what a kuo toa is!

[@jazzcrusader3062]

Pretty much lord kroak from warhammer. If anyone knows him from lore you’re a legend

[@covenant_mog05]

Sounds like that anime harumi suzumiya

[@melancholiaenshrinesalltriumph]

"Refusing to take the obvious answer; digging deeper and deeper into the unknown to find a truth they demanded exist." What a perfect thesis for the connection between the themes of the game and the secret seekers. Quality content!

[@kabob0077]

That seems like some Gurren Lagann shit, ma.

[@RX-NoName]

Mgsv players in a nutshell.

[@kabob0077]

@@RX-NoName Chapter 3 when?

[@RX-NoName]

@@kabob0077 it was actually said chapter 3 just was a title card after beating the game. That wasn't implemented. And because of this non implementation, people got, and are still going crazy.

[@kiddarkness117]

Andrew Hasler they got their confirmation that there was no more secrets.. but they believed in their outrageous theory’s lol It really just comes down to them making up a theory and believing in it so much they actually believe there is a final secret.. This all can be compared to conspiracy theories.. lol And if something sounds good most likely people will get behind it no matter what Not trying to bring politics in to this but trump he made building a wall a good idea and some people got behind that idea of building a wall and look now still no wall but he keeps speaking about it and the same people who got behind the idea of building a wall are still there supporting the idea of a wall even though it really won’t solve anything really Same how these people got behind the idea of final secret but there was no 17th

[@awildchabiappears4244]

I'm a world history teacher--motivating sophomores is a colossal trial on its own (pun intended). Watching this video reignited my will to teach, and to make them explore/research/create. Crockadog's line especially resonated. Thank you for making this video, I'm moved to know this happened and result of all those forum users' contributions to the world! Rest in peace and laurels, Ascadia.

[@awildchabiappears4244]

@Adam Defibaugh It's been 2 months, guy. Hoping everything is okay on your end--must be tough if you're taking it out on a stranger. Peace be with you. Also,my job ain't to get peeps to uni, it's to get them to start thinking in more detail wherever they go. It's worked. 😎

[@W-2Forms]

Adam Defibaugh 😂 stupid

[@_Dingu]

I'm currently studying for and preparing to enter in a field completely separate from history/liberal arts, but if there's one thing that i wish I had spent more time learning is critical thinking and the ability to connect two sources of information in a logical manner. Here's to hoping you're able to not only teach students these skills, but encourage them to improve on their own.

[@brujachingona2175]

I'm not a gamer. I just like a really good story. I've been binging Jacob's stories the past couple days and got very teary-eyed a few times watching this video. Now, I come to the comments, learn of Ascadia's passing, and see so much love and community. Now I'm sobbing. I'm at work on a Sunday evening and I'm sobbing like a little girl. God bless you all and thank you, Jacob Geller.

[@CodexEntry]

I Hunted For The Last Secret And All I Got Was This Media Literacy

[@HadesHades]

Why do you capitalize every word

[@justiceforjoggers2897]

@@HadesHades It's a T-shirt joke

[@kylixion_6359]

@@HadesHades Have you never owned a t-shirt with sarcastic writing on it before?

[@scherdieny]

They wanted it so bad to be real the devs took the opportunity when rereleasing the game to add an extra secret. Beautiful.

[@lanz622]

What extra secret? nvm, hadn't finished the video when i commented this. Now i know what secret they added.

[@nicholsonfile]

Yeah, Daniel is kinda stating the plot at the end here

[@Odinsday]

Bluepoint really goes far and beyond in giving fans an even more memorable experience.

[@nicklopez8004]

the devs are really nice people then

[@hippityhoppitygetoffmyprop1000]

@@Odinsday I love what they did but in all honesty. They could’ve just given that little bit more, right? The seekers were hunting for something big. A collosi. It’s not like Ueda didn’t have 8 completely finished models for the cut collosi. They could have just put one collosi in the game to satisfy the fans once and for all. I guess the sword does the job too but it just isn’t enough.

[@Dylsky6]

I get it's meant to be the Sword of Dormin, but god damn it should have been called "The Ascadia"

[@Pikaton659]

And it should've been at the Point of Intersection rather than the Shrine of Worship.

[@funi-so8067]

To me it looks like the door in the place where you fight the 11th colossus

[@dionysus6827]

facts

[@colefamilywho]

I like to think of the spot you find the sword as Ascadia's Throne or the Throne of Ascadia in his honor. R.I.P. Will.

[@Mikhailstrubler]

Your videos are an inspiration and an absolute delight to lose myself in. Thanks for being you.

[@09enderman]

Underrated comment

[@asimsalman3948]

“Why build endless acres of brilliantly realized nature, then fill it with nothing?” To me it's obvious.. They built the landscape with the 48 colossi in mind but had to lower that number down to 16. They used that same geometry to build over the landscape that we got to play on. The bridge aswell as all the other several secret passageways were supposed to be pathways to those other colossi but had to be blocked in the final release of the game as there was nothing there to really interact with. The headless figure is also just a default T-Pose of an unfinished character model that was left there by the artist working on it. They didn't finish the rest of the world that was originally planned but focused on the smaller version instead. Simply put, it was an unfinished game. This should have given them the opportunity to make a second part, exploring the rest of the colossi.

[@ChandanSingh_117]

finally...something i can agree upon.

[@JoNarDLoLz]

And that is the beauty of it. These leftover details will keep a dedicated player engaged if done well. Shadow of the Colossus never felt like an unfinished game for me before, and with a young mind, I believed that everything in a game has a purpose because no one would put that much effort on something that would not be used right? Later on, we discover that the game is actually unfinished and yet we still fantasize what could've been the game if it was given enough budget and time to complete it.

[@underdog353777]

Right, and I think the kind of point the creator of this video works off of is that the straightforward answer wasn't important. People wanted a better one.

[@Hymeleon]

Regardless of me doubting someone could design 48 unique bosses for 1 game, do you really believe there could fit so much resources on a PS2 DVD?..

[@JoNarDLoLz]

@@Hymeleon As a kid, my imagination is the limit man. If I think something could happen, then why not? To be honest, I never knew there were supposed to be 48 colossi in the game, I was more into the intersecting points theory and tried every bit of action to suppose make it work. It's feeling that I closely resemble to it is like playing imaginary treasure hunting, it's fun to think of multiple ideas on how you could hide a treasure and how to find it. There really is no treasure, but the adventure you get from finding it is worth it.

[@Awacadooo]

21:20 "This chamber is a manifestation of that continued Will." When I watched this video as soon as it came out, that line stuck with me, a few years on, and knowing Ascadia's name, hearing that line almost makes me cry everytime, as he was the one to start this journey, that line took an extra meaning, I hope he is happy up in the secret garden

[@vibersnake5259]

Devs: "What is he doing" Me: "He is beginning to believe "

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

Best Shadow of the Colosus joke ever!

[@pointless132]

lmao, ive been saying that line ever since the movie came out and no one ever knows what i am referencing or people just thinking im being weird

[@HentMas]

@@pointless132 I mean you are weird, quoting a movie 20 years old... nothing wrong with being weird though

[@theespatier4456]

Vinicio Vázquez Mar 20 years? :o

[@HentMas]

@@theespatier4456 the matrix was made in 1999 its 2019, 20 years

[@RoanokeSan]

This is one of my favorite KZbin videos of all time. A true modern history told in video. The effort and diligence of the Secret Seekers truly is something that happens very rarely. I come back to this and makes me want to play the game again. Sometimes I would just walk around and see what could have been. What secrets that were meant to be real. Maybe there is something else out here. I want another game that elicits this feeling again.

[@alphabeta3029]

As an amateur game developer, I'm gonna say this. On one hand, real reasons are often trivial. Asset acidentally left in the game, unfinished feature or just simple mistake. On the other hand, this whole quest for a deeper meaning is just beautiful. Almost transcendental....

[@SianaGearz]

Yeah a lot of concepts get diced around during production and many are cut from the product, but their remnants linger. Also plain old editing mistakes happen and remain unnoticed by team, like wrong properties on some patch of terrain or an object.

[@Santiago-Farrell]

You REALLY don't know about the secrets of the old days The quest to find some of these is what keeps people engaged There are some incredibly esoteric secrets in games, and a certain pride in finding them oneself

[@stanleywei4336]

Santiago Farrell I don't see how this applies to his comment.

[@YourCrazyDolphin]

True, like the question about the body in the demo I'm pretty sire was this case. It was in T-pose, basically indicating it was filler for something to be animated on the map, rather than an intentional easter egg. Just, accidentally left in a spot the player can go. If it was actually laying on the ground, then it's be interesting as that would mean it was intentionally posed and placed there.

[@PikaLink91]

Yeah, it doesn't matter if it's intentionally placed or not, what matters is the wonder of discovery it becomes in the minds of the players.

[@brigidrockne9113]

This video is like a religious pilgrimage to me. Every once in a while I *HAVE* to come back, to remember things I forgot, to find things I never payed attention to, and to smile at how dedicated so many people were to finding a secret that didn't exist. This is one of those videos that I wish would never end.

[@timmadone8930]

I know the feeling. I've probably spent as much time reading about the game & watching videos of gameplay & discussions on the game, as I have playing the game myself. It's always interesting to see what fans ( & even those that aren't fans ) have to say about the experiences they've had in the Forbidden Lands. The game is going on 17 years old now, yet the interest & fascination with S.O.T.C. seems to be never ending.

[@lordyeetus6317]

I get the same feeling and I wasn't even part of this search for the secret. I just feel the excitement and totally get caught up in the rush and being a part of a like-minded group on a quest for something special.

[@Swifter1243]

This feels like an adventure. I kind of figured there wasn't anything actually there, but that ending took me by surprise. It's also nice to see that some members of this "Secret Seeker" group are here in the comments. Really feels like you guys are having a great time. RIP Ascadia though :(

[@FirstLast-ur6xt]

He died?

[@caio_h7254]

@@FirstLast-ur6xt Yep. His cousin himself left a comment, saying that he passed away in 2018. In this video. His name is Dave.

[@throwaway1743]

This is the first time in 14 years of watching KZbin that the comment section moved me more than the video itself. It's one thing to hear about the tireless journey of these die hard fans - it's another entirely to find out that this video has brought significant closure to a family grieving one of their own. What a powerful experience.

[@boiledelephant]

"Why build endless acres of brilliantly realised nature, then fill them with nothing?" That's a very good question. Todd Howard? You wanna take this one?

[@rojodiver3344]

"Ah God, this universe thing you built. I think we need to talk. So, you'd agree it's pretty big right....."

[@winstonweemsii4944]

Must be crazy or have never played an Elder Scrolls game. They are filled to the brim with stuff to discover and interact with.

[@EWIK_-hg4ln]

@@winstonweemsii4944 I think he was talking about fallout 76

[@boiledelephant]

@@EWIK_-hg4ln Bingo.

[@shanehudson3995]

@@boiledelephant Considering the games get smaller and smaller, I expect the next FO/ES game to take place in an 8x10 room.

[@KezefTheDead]

As somebody who was part of those original secret hunting days, thank you for making this. It feels like it was all worth it. I had put way too much time into the original PS2 game, that I was very reluctant to buy the same game again when it re-released on PS3. But I got it, and only went through it once. I think my original copy had my heart, and I wasn't ready to go through all that again. When the PS4 Remaster was announced, I thought it was pretty and all, but again, didn't want to go through it all again. But that may change now, thanks to your video. Good on those developers for giving us what we wanted.

[@matheusdiassc]

Kezef the Dead I salute you.

[@rainstone9724]

I watched my boyfriend play the ps4 remaster. I didn’t get to see the ps3 version as I was still panting it in my ps2 at the time. It’s worth it. You didn’t think it could get any more beautiful, but it did. As someone who wears glasses to see, it’s like I out on my glasses and saw the game for the first time, again. I am so happy that this exists. I was a very shit off person while I grew up. I didn’t hang out with anyone and wasn’t allowed to, come from a shitty family. I spent, I don’t even know how many hours on this game. I think I had at least 8 play throughs. I’m so happy that at the same time I was exploring every inch of this world, hundred of other people were too, and were asking the same questions. When The las guardian came out, that was really something as well. It was like, the scene where Agro falls off the cliff times one thousand. I haven’t played the ps4 remaster myself yet, but I think I will now. I was actually disappointed with my partner for not trying to do all the things I did in the game. I guess that’s what happens when you are an adult. You don’t have the same time to do that sort of thing. I’ll always remember though.

[@UltimateKyuubiFox]

Just like Wander, these fans’ refusal to give up and their tenacity to find another answer... worked. Their drive was so strong they literally bent the natural world to their wills. It worked. What a damn story.

[@TeJiku]

You onto something m8...

[@Alaska1925]

He is. This is magic. Proper, actual magic. You've seen a tiny sliver of what magic can do: Influence the world to be how you want it to be.

[@Alaska1925]

@@fourclawrider found the poor idiot.

[@himothy9871]

UltimateKyuubiFox now imagine if it happened with gta

[@michaelatanasio223]

It's a metephor for the power of games and what they could one day become. For good or ill.

[@BeyondTheIslands]

I am sitting here almost three full years after the release of this video and more than a decade since the start of this search, rewatching it for the third time and reading the top comments and absolutely WEEPING. This is such a cathartic and human episode in gaming history.

[@StarHeaven07]

I hope this reply lets you remember that feeling and experience it once again. May your life be well, and your dreams inspire wonder.

[@FelrinKirla]

"They have something to believe in, and that is all they need." crockadog has highlighted a core tenant of humanity

[@lukas_jay243]

A tenant that continues to hold our spiritual development back. Beliefs...end up in dogmas.

[@Faint366]

Lukas_Jay just look at how one of the “believers” in the secret treated anyone who DARED ask questions: “go away, none of us want you here.” I’m glad he made the connection to religion because it’s spot on, that’s exactly how religion treats outsiders.

[@lukas_jay243]

@@Faint366 I absolutely saw that comment as well. See how unhealthy it is? Blind faith leads to foolishness. You imagine these guys will be lost in this universe forever for a secret that doesnt exist. And wouldn't make a difference to their lives if they did.

[@Faint366]

Lukas_Jay no, the point isn’t that these people are wasting time. Time spent enjoying something is not time wasted. The search had meaning to them. The problem is the “if you’re not a believer go away because you’re not welcome.” What he should have said is “ya you’re probably right that there isn’t anything. But the search itself is fun and we learn a lot and enjoy every new thing we discover. Even if there’s no secret at the end we had a good time looking for one.”

[@lukas_jay243]

@@Faint366 If the secret they are looking for does not exist. Are they wasting time? And are they presenting a false reality to others, and false hope for enthusiasts? My point is not that the dogma exists, it's that the dogma is unhealthy for intellectual and spiritual development.

[@brennanruiz1803]

Special thanks: “Nomad Colossus and the 79 steps to enlightenment.” Fans: “Don’t do that. Don’t give me hope.”

[@snock5487]

UHASUASHUASHASUAHSUASHASUAHSAUSHASUHASAS

[@jeremybarrett3616]

But mah special sword. D: At least it is an achievable goal now. Although the journey was vast in years.

[@emptybruh]

Forums: Buuuut, is there one more secret after the sword? Developers: *Ah shit, here we go again.*

[@plasmaoctopus1728]

I wonder if any more weird background stuff will be found when someone emulates the ps4 version.

[@kit6818]

The next Great Secret is the one we set our hearts and minds to, one that unites the people of all backgrounds, locations and ideals. Maybe it is the friends we made along the way, its just over the horizon and we are going to find it. Why? Because it is There.

[@jefferyanderson5840]

There is always someone, looking for something, never satisfied and never willing to give in. This is why I have faith in humanity, and feel we'll ruin everything. Cause we can do, make and find anything, even when we've done it, and there is nothing to do, we'll find something.

[@vidaljerome202]

I ain't represented Sony in five years, but the Secret Seekers won't give a shit.

[@wyattcrosby9558]

Yeah this video felt uncompleted because there was no (found)secret in the OG game and that it was in the credits of the remake

[@tootietooter5984]

I can't believe it's been 4 years since I last watched this video. I wanted to take a trip down memory lane and rewatch it. It never ceases to amaze me how some video game communities can put their differences aside and simply scream out their passion for a piece of art they love so much. This video is absolutely beautiful. Thank you, Jacob.

[@FischerFilmStudio]

When I first played this game, I knew it was special. I played the PS4 version recently and found the secret door that was put in the game because of Ascadia. The sense of wonder I felt was immeasurable. Thank you Will. You brought us on this journey with you, and what a journey it was...

[@timmadone8930]

I knew it would be something special just because "ICO" was so special & I was aware that the same team worked on S.O.T.C. My assumption was further validated when I played the 2005 demo & in addition to taking out the first colossus, I spent hours exploring every bit of the limited map that was allowed. What I didn't know at the time was just how much time I would end up devoting to this game. I also know I'm not done yet.

[@andersongrillo5902]

I was very present in a Brazilian thread on GameLib, looking for this secret was my reality for a few years, and i knew that there was no other colossus, but it didn't really matter. The quest to find meaning in all of these little details and a lot of them actually making sense, that was the real reward. I feel like im part of something much bigger than an extra boss, i was part of an amazing adventure and till this day i keep believing. Thank you for this video, i literally cryed remembering my teenage years of uncovering secrets and developing theories.

[@brayan_lopes]

Eu comecei lá em 2013 a jogar e procurar sobre segredos do jogo. Ainda hoje eu pesquiso pra ver se alguma coisa da versão beta foi vazada mas até hoje nada além dos trailers e daquele trailer com o famoso black bird. Eu só queria que uma versão mais antiga fosse vazada igual a versão preview porque eu sei que os caras da gamespot jogaram a beta pois tem até um vídeo.

[@Sh1rogane]

EU TBM CARA, EU ERA O MARO, QUE SAUDADES DESSA EPOCA, NUNCA ESQUECEREI DESSES DIAS

[@Sh1rogane]

INCLUSIVE eu fui um dos primeiros a entrar no grupo ainda no gamelib original , arrepio só de lembrar dessa epoca

[@chaostheory4405]

"They have something to believe in. That is all they need" Damn.

[@chrisysmith51]

"It's not that much, but it's everything"

[@Nahelus]

Made me feel very sorry for how sad their life have to be if this shit is a huge part of their life.

[@TheInkSideofThings]

@@Nahelus well I'm sorry you judge people for having fun and enjoying something

[@rmbee5412]

Well, in religious communities, that sort of faith would more likely merit the response of "bless".

[@bigdiccmarty9335]

@@rmbee5412 i say bless when you expel mucus from your various face holes, so it's subjective

[@coconutgun4383]

After 13 years on this website, this may just be my favorite video. Nice job, Jacob.

[@etranablala9843]

NO idea why this came into my recommended videos but that was beautiful man, It kept me on the edge of my seat

[@Enzaio]

Same here, the only gaming videos I watch are Jack Black's, and there's no gaming in those. But I loved this stuff.

[@brokedownsystem]

Death Stranding Gamescom 2019 brought me here for some crazy ass reason....and I was entertained.

[@0rangepel378]

Maybe the real secret was the friends we made along the way.

[@saxtonnova]

Orangepeel wow just WOW

[@agsrf6479]

YES

[@leguston]

wait this turn in One Piece? wow

[@chris31795]

"Nah fuck that, I want my gold"

[@matttaylor1996]

No. You don't get any victory kfc for that comment.

[@Liechtenstein9183]

Can you imagine being part of a decade long search that ended in ''nothing'', then you see " *and the 79 steps to enlightenment* " in the credits of the remastered edition. I'd be like: *hol' up* ...

[@templariclegion2826]

I'm still confused on that ending bit. Did the developers put that in for them? Or was it there all along and no one knew to look there.

[@vegurion2]

@@templariclegion2826 it's a new thing, wasn't in the original.

[@mindyauron]

I woulda been like "my heart cant do this... not again.."

[@Shane-zo4mg]

@@templariclegion2826 oooohhhhhhhhhhhhh thanks for the clarification!

[@Shane-zo4mg]

@@vegurion2 thanks for the clarification. I was really confused why no one would have found it haha

[@thedimensionalcat]

I was part of those who explored the lands as much as I could, finding things I read about later on. I never stopped believing there was more to the game after so much I saw, but never imagined a day were something as amazing as this was found. I get it feels like a small thing, but I completely understand the fulfillment behind finally achieving something like this. It’s beautiful. I love this video.

[@bikeindublin]

I cried a little when that door opened. Part of my childhood was trying to figure out a way through that thing!

[@loudoge3932]

Me too! haha

[@timmadone8930]

I'm sure a lot of fans thought that was a door that could somehow be opened. I know I did. In the original game the door has a slight blue tint to it & a balcony above the path that leads to the Secret Garden also has that same blue tint. I always believed that if you found a way to open that door, you would find a stairway that would lead to that balcony. I assumed the Queen's Sword would open it. But I was never able to get that sword in the original game (thanks Gaius) & as it turns out, my assumption was wrong anyway. :)

[@timmadone8930]

Adding to my previous message. In December of last year ( 2021 ) I obtained the Queens Sword for the PS2 & PS3 as well as getting the platinum trophy on PS3. I had tried many times over the years but that 3rd colossus proved to be extremely difficult to beat within 5 minutes on Hard Time Attack even when using shortcuts. Be it a miracle or strong determination, it's nice to have finally fully completed both versions.

[@Sweatygumbo]

I miss this portion of gaming in the ps2, xbox, and gamecube era. The internet was new and finding secrets in games were achievements.

[@benjaminlyons5261]

I know :’) it was a wonderful time. Now you have to pay for achievements and secrets are given day one on ign videos before game is released lol

[@RubberyCat]

Try Bloodstained .... ^_^

[@ahawdjkmwodjikma6543]

I honestly hate dataminers for this. They leak out every single little secret a game has to offer before and after it releases. It's why we don't have things like this anymore, it's the hackers who ruin it for everyone because they're too impatient to find them legitimately.

[@christianomar92]

I remember being a little kid and first reading that Castlevania: Symphony of the Night had multiple endings. I just thought Ritcher was the final boss. Getting to the inverted castle blew my mind. I don't think I'll ever be that shocked at something in a game again.

[@RubberyCat]

@@christianomar92 Yes, the inverted castle was a massive concept, masterfully executed. But i do suggest that you try Bloodstained ... and stay away from deliberate spoilers, and you'll at least have a great time exploring. ^_^

[@TheLoneBrit101]

"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart" - Camus

[@lalawmpuiahmar193]

One must imagine Sisyphus happy

[@maxieprimo2758]

If I was Sisyphus I'd be pissed.

[@verityisoki]

For some reason I don't know why this video always brings me to tears. There's just something so beautiful about that final secret. Thanks for all the videos you make, they're inspiring.

[@HaloofWar35276]

Me my brother and our 7 cousins were all over this stuff these theories are older than me I’m 14 and we found it all I wanted to watch this because I’m on my 100th play through of the game I 100% it a while ago but I have one more theory my theory is that the 17th colossus already died and it weapon was the sword we pick up at the end of the video I love this community and I want to bring back so my theory is the 17th colossus died and that’s it’s sword we pick up and the light pieces or just the pieces that were left of the colossus

[@Izzzyzzz]

I always find myself coming back to this video. It's truly a work of art, and Jacob's channel gets better with every upload! Truly one of the most interesting, intelligent and unique channels out there :)

[@krell.1415]

1000% yes.

[@owlbabble]

good to know that another one of my fave obscure internet history video essayists is here, what good taste

[@alias3359]

my english isn't perfect and i'm afraid to have misunderstood, the 79lights were hidden in the remake right? So in the end they didn't found anything in the oldgame, but the devs put something in the remake to honour them? That's fantastic

[@TheAlison1456]

Yes.

[@rudytabooty8640]

No.

[@timmadone8930]

Actually the original game has things that aren't in the remake. And the remake has things ( many things actually ) that aren't in the original. So all versions have something to offer & discover if you search carefully & diligently. For a game that's 16 years old & more importantly a game that has been scrutinized as much as this one has, it's amazing that new things can still be found.

[@gabopr13]

@@timmadone8930 care to share with us the things excluded from the remake?

[@timmadone8930]

@@gabopr13 The trophy for eating all 48 bad fruit & all 128 good fruit has been changed. Some of the music performed on piano has been replaced with a new arrangement. Some of the rocks & trees that had various faces carved into them have been removed. Lightning no longer illuminates the front body of colossus 16. We no longer hear Lord Emon's guard acknowledge him when Emon asks to have his horse readied. The sex of the baby is no longer shown. The hawk chirping at the very end of the credits has been removed.

[@afterpasthours7504]

Honestly, if you’ve played the game you can completely empathise with these people’s yearning for the secret, Shadow Of The Colossus is the perfect storm of mechanics and it’s world all meld together to hint at something bigger, the world is huge, vast expanses of almost empty serene plains, mountains and forest. It’s not hard to latch onto the idea that there’s something out there in all that empty space. It’s such a mythical thing, the thing that one’s curiosity and soul desire’s. Having just played the remake and finished the game, it’s just such a beautiful world that you can’t help but believe that there has to be something else, something that no one else has found yet.

[@Walamonga1313]

Agree. Beautiful lore, world and music. Not a fan of the gameplay but the rest was so good I put up with it. And I'm someone who prioritizes gameplay over anything. That's how good the atmosphere, the experience is

[@viliuszem3568]

Could it be that remake didn't include ans something is hidden only in real game?

[@jekesan4221]

It's 2020,and so far no game we're able to be as mythical as Shadow of Colossus did.

[@straypaper]

Not to bash on anyone, but the reason people think the game is so mystical is just the fact that it made you say "but why?" the entire length of it. I've given up on the secrets and have come to accept that the game was just one half of a project that's too ambitious. The huge unused assets were just proofs of the developers biting more than they could chew, and instead of removing them, they left them there for their players to discover so that they can maliciously lead them on a wild goose chase for years. Good to know that the remake actually rewarded said wild goose chase, if only a little.

[@JoNarDLoLz]

@@straypaper I think it's not the matter of "But why?", but more so on "But why not?" from what I've seen with the posts. No one is claiming that their theories were the truth, it's just them having fun at speculating. Added to how immersive the world is and the layer of mystery that surrounds the Forbidden Lands, I'd say it definetely is much more fun to join in with the belief than to try to oppose it. I disagree that the developers left the unused game assets to maliciously mislead the players, but was just simply left behind and the players unintentionally finding it. The fans love to imagine what SotC could've become if Fumito Ueda was actually able to fully implement he had wanted to the game.

[@Corvid285]

The strange thing about all this is, I was so certain there was another colossus, before I even heard about the Secret Seekers. When I was a kid I watched my uncle play this game all the way through. Beginning to end. Oddly enough, I remember watching him fight a colossus that would roll up into a ball and had shrubs growing on its back, and remnants of some kind of structure. It looked like a planet or like a floating mountain where a building once was with a flock of birds following it. The area it was in was similar to the 4th colossus’s location. So you can probably gather that I was perplexed when I played the game myself for the first time years later, and found that such a colossus didn’t exist. There’s no concept art of it and it’s not any of the unused colossi. The only explanation is that I dreamed it. One of those dreams that you mistake as a real memory. I genuinely thought that this colossus was apart of the game.

[@Milkb0t]

Your uncle who worked at Sony?

[@boooogles]

I am actually crying right now. I cannot explain it, an overwhelming emotion rushed over my body as I read this. In all my years learning about myself, I’ve come to learn that this feeling is a sign of something. Whether it’s to the game or to my life, I know that there is something here. This feeling, it’s… partially exciting, but more than that, it’s terrifying. It’s the unknown. Mystery is powerful, and to seekers of the truth, the most alluring thing there is. Reading the first part about the resonance of intersecting points reminds me of the laylines of the Earth. The intersections of these laylines mark energetic locations known as the chakras of the earth and are mostly well-known historical locations with spiritual significance. The Pyramids, Mt. Shasta, Himalayas, Uluru, and those are all that I remember off the top of my head, but wow the feeling is back and it is scary and exciting and I don’t understand it. I am terrified, and I can’t explain it.

[@beepboop7345]

@@boooogles ayoo. Know this comment is old but like this sounds interesting. Anywhere I can get more info on this maybe?

[@Corvid285]

@@Milkb0t My dad works at Nintendo

[@timmadone8930]

That's interesting. That type of colossus would have been perfect considering the amount of flat land in the game where such a colossus could just roll around & chase after you. There could have even been a mechanic where you have to climb up a tree & when the colossus rolls up & smashes into the tree the fruit drops hitting the colossus & stunning him just long enough to let you get onto it's back for a few stabs. You could then repeat this action a few more times until the colossus is done for.

[@wiirkirbys6981]

Most people: “We want answers!” These people: “WE WANT MORE QUESTIONS!”

[@Resters52_official]

I think mystery is the allure of the game, sometimes the search is more fun than the find, wide open worlds have something about them that calls to explore, like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the wild, I've spent a good amount of time in that game just climbing mountains because they were there, and on one of those mountains I fought a dragon, I didn't even know it was there, and then I noticed that the dragons vanish in a portal when you hit them, now I want to know were that leads.

[@Resters52_official]

@gu4t4f4c that's the search, they were searching, and having fun searching, in a video game, something designed to be fun and waste time. what exactly is your point here? All entertainment is a time waster, these people just got some more out of a game they loved.

[@Resters52_official]

@gu4t4f4c secrets and theories are what increase the amount of enjoyment of something, it's fun to find secrets in games, it's fun to craft theories

[@Resters52_official]

@gu4t4f4c video games are meant to waste time, to give you something to do between work sleep or school, it's not anymore of a waste of time than to play super mario sunshine, these people got more enjoyment out of the game by searching, and in the end it caught someone's eye an they got what they were looking for.

[@Gloriankithsanus]

@gu4t4f4c Wtf. You work and go to school in order to be able to waste your time the way you want. You work, so you can get money, in order to spend it on something you enjoy. And if you enjoy analysing something, you "wasted" it properly. It doesn't matter if you play a game, analyze it or throw it in a garbage bin. If you enjoy doing that, you did it the proper way. I don't know how you can't get that. Besides that, the whole friggen discussion is absolutely fucked, cuz we talk about our free time like we just waste it in between work sessions, when you actually only work so you can pay for the benefits of living in a society. The biggest one by far being freedom of choice.

[@NairaudENFR]

This vidéo legit gave me chills, everything was perfect, the narration , the music the cuts everything i really liked this game when i first played and never knew about this, thank you a lot for this wonderful video

[@Aristocratic13]

Nairod That wasn't the video that gave you chills. It's just cold in your apartment

[@OvenproofMeteor]

i can totally agree with this statement

[@demgphix]

I feel it was told....a little....too epicly But yeah, it was definitely good.

[@alexmcenteer2407]

Naah the narrative was kind of annoying, nasil and condescending

[@OvenproofMeteor]

@@alexmcenteer2407 I disagree, but whatever, you can have fun being a bummer

[@ArcadiaCv]

As a game developer I can tell you those mysterious out of bounds models/characters like the headless one in SotC can be found left over in quite a few games(Mario, Skyrim, BoTW, Ect... the list would be too long). It's likely because of things like the environmental artist is using it for scale to determine how large to make things and where to place them. Since you'll be zoomed out all the way to kilometer ranges to adjust some hills and then the next minute all the way down to centimeter ranges to adjust some textures it's very difficult to go continually go back and forth between those ranges and maintain a sense of scale without a reference object, and because the production tools behind games are pretty barebones you don't usually have an animated/functional character to explore the environment with. You usually just have a model that you drag around with you to whatever area you're working on to help you know if a ledge is high enough to reach or a path is big enough to walk down, ect... Hence they have a high chance of getting left behind at crunch since they are not easy to notice on live builds(since they are out of bounds), they are usually not a priority to clean up since other work that the player will actually see or interact with is being prioritized, and they are usually being used as helpers all the way up until release. Just a little behind the curtain information.

[@boiledelephant]

Thank you for posting this! There was a huge amount of that in Vanilla WoW, whole areas and hidden rooms that were unfinished and just left out of bounds, full of invisible walls and bottomless drops. I had a lot of fun exploring some of them.

[@jasonk7675]

thanks for the info. it's kinda same thing like a magic trick, we get so intrigued by the mystery and what's happening behind the curtain, but once the secret is revealed it makes so much more sense but at the same time the magic was lost. unless you're stubborn enough to believe that can't be it, there must be something more. ehem, not throwing any shades, just saying.

[@TomiMancini]

They probably used a barebones model of Mono

[@FrankieSing]

What if there is something like this on Earth....

[@LordOberic1]

@@FrankieSing like buried deep under the great pyramid of Egypt? What's still hidden inside that thing..? Earth's jungles still aren't fully explored, and not every cave has been fully spelunked, especially the ones that haven't been discovered yet. Maybe there's stuff buried under the actual mountains. Who even knows? Nobody.

[@josuemoralesdominguez5669]

I played this game as a kid and it really captured my imagination. I remember discovering you could grab onto an eagle near the temple and fly for as long as your stamina lasted, so I tried to upgrade the stamina as much as possible to see where the eagle would take me

[@mayebeline1149]

This is the first time I've ever watched through a documentary video like this from start to end, without skipping around or closing it. That did not feel like it was 22 minutes long. The narration and footage were both consistently informative and interesting. I loved Shadow of the Colossus, and enjoyed watching this follow-up information being presented so engagingly. It made me feel like I was there. Well done.

[@shuheihisagi7514]

You should watch summoning salt

[@theghastlygamer2484]

***sees the comment has 69 likes*** nice

[@_MotoMatt]

I agree, and I never even played the game....

[@mezmerizer9422]

I had to scroll up to see if the video is really 22 minutes long, felt way shorter.

[@ayuchanayuko]

Wait that was 22 minutes?....! DOOD WTF O__O

[@ExtremelyToxic]

"Cicada 3301 is the most challenging puzzle ever created" Shadow of the colossus: Hold my intersecting points.

[@justletmelistthese]

eh?.. it is not a puzzle, it is not even cut content, it was literally nothing in a game with lots and lots of nothing.

[@MaddinW1993]

I've done quite a bit on 3301 and I find stuff like SotC incredibly fascinating.

[@catsukisubaru3715]

@@justletmelistthese Yep, It's a puzzle so damn good it didn't even exist.

[@SameriddAndCave]

@@justletmelistthese party pooper

[@054khj2911]

Omfg, fucking Cicada 3301. I remember being around for the beginning of that........ Feels like it was ages ago

[@BigManDaichi]

"There is nothing left here. Why do you continue to search? Glory?" *"No."* "Do you believe there is some sort of wealth to be found?" *"No, I don't."* "Then why do you continue? You have been proven wrong, time, and time again. Why do you subject yourself to these barren lands? After so many years, tell me what traps you here?" *"Hope."*

[@MathasiaJ]

What is this from?

[@degeneratetv7455]

Where is this from

[@griffingillispie8875]

What's this from?

[@mynameis6575]

@@griffingillispie8875 also want to know

[@Tenchigumi]

@Kacper Kacper The X-factor is when we ultimately forego the shiny thing entirely, instead devoting ourselves to the hunt itself. When you find something you were looking for, you often come to a conclusion that already existed. But the search itself _creates_ so many things: ideas, theories, concepts, literature... and in this particular case, the search literally manifested a reward that did not even exist before. That's pretty damn amazing.

[@savant4646]

Everytime I watch this video I'm always struck by how the video ends. I'm so invested with Jacob's story telling that even with seconds left I'm hoping for it to continue

[@ronanelliott9709]

Me at 5 minutes: "Wait, why has no one tried data-mining this thing?" Me at 16 minutes: "Oh, I see."

[@giovanniherrera6037]

It was a different era back then. Emulating was really hard it wasn’t till recently has it become way easier

[@TonyAJ820952]

@@giovanniherrera6037 "I was there, Gandalf. I was there 3000 years ago..."

[@chill8329]

That ending. I actually shed a tear on a game documentary. Incredible work.

[@Nesteeaaaaaaa]

same here damn. Ive finished the game once cant believe theres so much to look for.

[@Dirtysanchez27]

incel

[@Dirtysanchez27]

@@damovandemerwe7650 I didn't say that to u tho but aiit

[@jongyon7192p]

@@Dirtysanchez27 I N C E L

[@Dirtysanchez27]

@Thanks For The Free Karma nah lmao it probably got reported by one of u pussies because I had more comments like that

[@titansjojo1445]

"YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY _BECOME_ ?"

[@muffincopnoicingforme8220]

It's been a minute since i read the book, but is that a disc world reference?

[@Arzamol5]

I love seeing Discworld references out in the wild.

[@titansjojo1445]

Seemed extremely fitting.

[@Vylca]

thanks, death.

[@Anthropomorphic]

Basically what happened here, isn't it? There was nothing, but the developers were so impressed with their persistence that they rewarded them with an actual secret in the remake.

[@CuteFriendlyLobster]

Thank you Jacob for this video, I had no idea any of this happened before watching it, i was litterally sobbing at the end, knowing that this was possible thanks to Will, that he brought so many people together, the friendships that were born thanks to his spark that marked the beginning of this journey and ended up shining on its own. We witness so many bad things these days, so much hatred, this story reminded me that there is good in the world, and hope. We are capable of so many beautiful things. Thank you everyone for this beautiful lesson ❤

[@MrAnon00]

_" It's not that much..._ _But also, it's _*_everything._*_ "_ **Standing Ovation**

[@cwheels01]

*Standing ovulation.*

[@demoneon9527]

I felt that in my fucking soul when that said. I honestly tested up a bit.

[@Guranga93]

i cringed hard

[@demoneon9527]

Guranga93 that makes sense. Looking back on, it I’m cringing at my reaction.

[@halfpenguinhalflego]

lol it doesnt mean anything

[@benchtaken8915]

Piko said "I am your new god" And the Seekers said "We want a colossus" And thus, Piko said "no"

[@17jun1989]

Love how the developers for SOTC actually made a final secret for the Seekers of Secrets and put it in the game exactly where they thought was a hidden room behind the Wall.

[@MillenniumEarl014]

@pankobby Maybe Bluepoint got permission from Team ICO and Sony?

[@LuizAlexPhoenix]

It was likely just BluePoint, most of the original devs likely don't know enough English much less care to read forum posts like that. BluePoint often states to be a fan project turned real company, so they take liberties with stuff.

[@johnnycamine]

this video is a beautiful telling of an amazing community and game, and everyone in the comments adds immensely to that experience. watching this and reading all of your words has me sobbing and has been very cathartic. RIP Will aka Ascadia. this has been a wonderful reassurance for me that gaming isnt pointless, it really does matter

[@MarkArandjus]

I did not expect this video to be as transcendent as it is :D

[@plushifoxed]

this is genuinely beautiful. it made me remember when i was a kid, when 3d games felt truly boundless the days when i thought, gosh, if only i could get over that hill or past that wall, there might be another area, something new, something incredible waiting for me the same energy that made people speculate endlessly about L is Real and Bill's secret garden the same energy harnessed by sonic adventure to make its seemingly laughably tiny adventure fields feel bigger, more interconnected, because who knows, there might be another action stage tucked away in some nook or cranny that kind of thing, in the days before the ease of pulling games to pieces because they're all using the same engine, same file formats, same everything... it's a kind of magic we can probably never reclaim, and that bums me out to no end, but im glad i was around to experience it when it existed.

[@Greenplumber64]

Roxie Mika yeah I’ll never forget looking up in the sky of mario 64 looking for the smash bros stage or hoping to find royal raceway over the hill in front of the castle. Or even imagining that if i could find a way through the blocked in passages in grunty’s lair in banjo-tooie that there would be all the levels from the first game being hidden. Miss the sense of wonder from back in the day ;-;

[@Canon7D365Project]

That hit me right in the feels. It’s a shame kids nowadays won’t get to experience that generation of gaming :/

[@jorap8579]

The last feeling that evoked such discovery was Ash Lake in Dark Souls. I accidentally stumbled upon it way back when and I was just blown away.

[@__somebody]

Bethesda and Rockstar games still kept that

[@DarkAngelEU]

I remember playing Pokémon Red and getting mad for the game wanting me to do things that were just game logic but not real life logic. Like, why would I enter a stranger's house? Why can't I climb over a ledge? Why are there barriers in the ocean everywhere I go? Why is this world so god.damn.small! lol We all grow up, the hardest part is to keep alive the child within. That's what Picasso said :)

[@legomotion77]

This is the kind of journey that built up my passion for storytelling in games in the first place